United Voices, Vol. 5 No. 3

We are United for YOU!

UNITED VOICES VOL. 5 NO. 3

What’s Inside:

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Regional Assemblies

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Crossover Report

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Member Profile

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The Cutting Ed

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Spring Means New Beginnings Welcome everyone to the Spring 2019 issue of United Voices!

By the time you read this, we will be at the end or nearing the end of the 66th Legislative Assembly in the state of North Dakota. We have analyses of what we saw in the first half from President Nick Archuleta in his President’s Post, from Vice President Gary Feist in his Public Service Perspectives, and in our Crossover Report. Also, we’re previewing two special events on our calendar, the Regional Delegate Assemblies in Fargo and Bismarck in April, and the Professional Growth Institute in Bismarck this June. Make sure to join us for both of those!

Several of the articles you’ll find in this issue have bonus content available for streaming at our website, www.ndunited.org. Be sure to check out the video content that goes with this issue’s

Member Profile of ESP of the Year Denbea McNally, and the special episode of The Cutting Ed podcast in which Tom Gerhardt discussed “Peer to Peer” with NDU member Sara Bohrer of Century High School in Bismarck!

If you like what you see and read in United Voices, be sure to share those elements out when we post them to our social media, at www. facebook.com/ndunited or www.twitter.com/ ndunited.

We’re happy to be North Dakota United with you in talking about the great things our members do in communities all across our state!

Kelly Hagen, United Voices Editor

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 President’s Post

14 Crossover Report

4 Education Perspectives

18 Member Profile

5 Public Service Perspectives

20 The Cutting Ed

6 Regional Assemblies

22 Bargaining Conferences

8 Candidate Bios

24 In Your Voice

10 Read Across America

25 Mayville Students

6 Professional 2 Growth Institute 28 Awards & Honors 29 Professional Development 31 NDU-Retired

United Voices is the official publication of North Dakota United, 301 N 4th St, Bismarck, ND 58501 Contact Us: 701.223.0450 | comments@ndunited.org Postmaster, send address changes to: North Dakota United, 301 N 4th St, Bismarck, ND 58501 Kelly Hagen Director of Communications kelly.hagen@ndunited.org

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Tom Gerhardt Director of Public Affairs tom.gerhardt@ndunited.org

ND United Voices

Sarah Keiser Johnson Special Projects Coordinator sarah.johnson@ndunited.org

Image Printing Design/Publisher

President’s Post

Hope Springs Eternal

NDU members are being heard in the halls of the Capitol As I write this, we are under yet another blizzard warning across the state. This has truly been a very long winter. Still, I honestly believe that hope springs eternal, and my hope is that that light at the end of the tunnel is spring herself and not a train.

Of course, the 66th Legislative Assembly is now over halfway complete, and I can tell you that it has been a very busy time. Hundreds and hundreds of bills have been filed, and your ND United lobby team has been very busy tracking bills of importance to the members of NDU. In North Dakota, every bill gets a hearing, and we have been at the hearings that are relevant to our members, testifying on your behalf. Our lobby team at the Capitol every day consists of Tom Gerhardt, Sarah Keiser Johnson, Bob Marthaller and yours truly. Of course, we get tremendous support from our outstanding staff and from many of you, too.

Our efforts have resulted in some successes, some partial successes and a couple of fails, but by and large, we feel we are on track to see more successes than disappointments. Many of the bills that we have weighed in on are still in their various committees, and we are hopeful that most will make it to the floor with the appropriate committee recommendations.

A few quick, if random, thoughts: • HB 1347. You folks were outstanding in contacting the House Education Committee. We do not know how this bill will ultimately come out, but your actions helped strip this bill of some very ugly language that would have resulted in the loss of basic workplace rights.

• Before the session started, our NDSU chapter hosted a legislative forum at which our members engaged their elected FargoWest Fargo legislators in a great discussion

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By Nick Archuleta NDU President

of what our members work lives are like and the effects of the budget cuts on the NDSU community.

Our new UND United local in Grand Forks hosted a well-attended legislative forum just a few weeks ago. There, GF-area legislators got to hear why UND staff do not want concealed carry on their campus and why privatizing university services is a bad idea.

Sen. Ray Holmberg, Senate Appropriations Committee chairman, has done an outstanding job of keeping us in the loop and asking for our input regarding the public employees’ salary plan and K-12 funding plans as they wend their way through the appropriations process.

PERS will finally get some action that will put the plan on the road to being fully funded. What that will be is to be determined as nothing is final yet.

We are working closely with the Governor’s office and the ND Land Board to ensure that $137M that should have gone into the Common Schools Trust Fund and the Foundation Aid Stabilization Fund are credited to those two constitutional funds.

Yes, mistakes happen. But when they do, they must be corrected.

I was scolded recently by a legislator who was tired of me testifying against several pieces of legislation that lower standards for teacher licensure, reduce their workplace rights and weaken the profession of teaching. Frankly, far from feeling chastised, I’m feeling very proud of our work and of the people we serve.

Thank you all for everything you do, every day, to raise up our fellow citizens and make North Dakota a great place to live and work. ndunited.org

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Education Perspectives

Opportunities:

Responsibilities of Membership

By Karen Christensen NDU Vice President of Education

Our annual assemblies allows members to elect fellow members to lead our union. North Dakota United

offers many opportunities for individuals to develop their leadership talents in order to organize and serve our members. My experiences have molded me into a strong leader and advocate for North Dakota United members. Friendships and newfound family have become important parts of who I am as a professional and person.

My journey with North Dakota United has now come full circle. I began my career with the North Dakota Education Association supporting my career path. Early in my career, I had the support I needed to grow and develop as an educator. I was given the training and resources that helped build my confidence and to give my students the foundation they needed to be successful people. State conferences and workshops allowed me to be involved in shaping the direction of education and now, our entire public employee workforce.

I became actively involved at the state and national level with a young daughter at home.

She was nine when I attended my first national conference over the Fourth of July. We learned to make memories around my schedule with 4

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ND United has given me the chance to lead and to serve the union and school. I balanced family and professional work to function in a fulfilling career.

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Moving forward to this year’s Regional Assemblies and my last National Education Association Representative Assembly this summer, I can recommit to enjoying my last few years in the education profession. I plan to set aside more time for my grandchildren.

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I have no regrets serving on the Board of Directors for six years and as Vice President of Education for six years, while also serving on many committees and participating in numerous association activities.

Your membership provides you with opportunity and responsibility. Live up to them! My membership has returned benefits to me many times over.

I will continue to be active and look forward to seeing the progress this organization brings to public education and public employees.

Thank you, my fellow members, for giving me the opportunity to work alongside so many of you, in providing great public education and public services to our great state!

Stop Reducing Tax Base

Public Service Perspectives

Income tax cuts cause extreme volatility in state budget The North Dakota Legislature over the past 10 years has significantly reduced the individual and corporate income tax rates while also approving new and expanded tax credits for specific groups of taxpayers, reducing the state’s tax base. The 2019 session is not only looking to reduce the income tax rates once again, but House Bill 1530 would have gone even further by implementing a plan to eliminate the individual and corporate income tax altogether by replacing the lost revenue with 50 percent of the legacy fund earnings. Ryan Rauschenberger, State Tax Commissioner, has estimated that it would take at least 10 years to fully eliminate the two income taxes under this plan. HB 1530 failed in the Senate on March 20, by a floor vote of 4-41.

In today’s economic climate, some individuals and business are pushing for reduced taxes to help make ends meet, while legislators push for rate reductions to be viewed as fiscally conservative, business friendly and a driver of economic growth.

The idea of eliminating the income taxes in North Dakota is not new. In 2003, Randy Schobinger, a state senator from Minot, introduced a bill that would have replaced the income tax with an increase in the sales tax, from 5 percent to 5.75 percent, while also taxing groceries, electricity and most services, including oil changes, daycare services and attorney fees.

Replacing the income taxes with earnings

By Gary Feist

from the Legacy NDU Vice President of Public Employees Fund would make the state’s revenue more volatile and susceptible to large swings, as revenue would only be based on sales tax and oil production.

We only need to look back a couple of years to see what happens to the state’s financial position and its ability to fund state agencies, K-12 education and higher ed when there is a drop in commodity prices or a slowdown in the Bakken. Many agencies and universities had to reduce their number of employees while the work remained or increased resulting in reductions or delays in critical services to the citizens of North Dakota.

North Dakota needs a strong balanced tax base that includes sales tax, income tax and property taxes, a three-legged stool, to make sure the revenue is available to provide quality services and education opportunities for our children, from elementary school through college. Without a strong tax base, North Dakota will not be able to provide salary increases and benefits needed to attract and retain quality employees.

Let’s not go back to having revenue shortfalls that result in significant cuts to public services. Individuals and businesses that benefit from services provided by the state have a responsibility to pay taxes, which provide for the common good of North Dakota. ndunited.org

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Join with fellow union members to learn, network and vote on our future We start with some important background information on North Dakota United Regional Assemblies. This year, there is not a statewide Delegate Assembly per the NDU constitution. See the exact wording below: Section 3, Regional Assemblies: In the years in which there is no Delegate Assembly, two Regional Assemblies, one composed of the Northwest and Southwest regions, and one composed of the Northeast and Southeast regions, shall be held within those regions.

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NDU Regional Assemblies Coming Up

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REGIONAL ASSEMBLIES A

Saturday, April 6, 2019 Holiday Inn Fargo, ND

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WEST NDU REGIONAL ASSEMBLY Saturday, April 13, 2019 Radisson Hotel Bismarck, ND

In addition to holding elections, the purpose of the regional meetings shall be for training and professional development. Regional Assemblies cannot amend the constitution or bylaws, nor can they change the budget and dues adopted at the last Delegate Assembly.

Delegates may pass advisory motions or actions for consideration by the board of directors.

The NDU Regional Assemblies will be held: • East – April 6, Holiday Inn, Fargo, ND • West – April 13, Radisson Hotel, Bismarck, ND Delegates to the Regional Assemblies will vote for the offices of President, Vice Presidents of Education and of Public Employees, NEA Director and our NDU delegates to the National Education Association’s Representative Assembly. The exact agenda was still being developed at the time United Voices was going to press, however we will host a legislative forum, an NEA training on

implied bias, organizing and communications trainings, a North Dakota Public Employee Retirement System (NDPERS) update, and more. Check out www.ndunited.org for all the latest details!

Delegate Report Form • Each local is guaranteed at least one representative. Larger locals are allowed one per 50 members.

• Please complete and return the Regional Delegate Report Form ASAP but no later than March 29 (E) or April 5 (W).

• Each local should have received an email from Ellie Sharbono with your specific information.

one half of the cost of a double room at the Regional Assembly hotel, if necessary, for each delegate, and $25 for each registered delegate. In addition, NDU will be responsible for breakfast and lunch on the day of the assembly. (Vouchers will be available at registration.)

Questions?

Please contact kathy.gourlay@ndunited.org if you have any questions.

Social & Registration • A social and registration will be held Friday evening (April 5 in the East; April 12 in the West) at the hotel, starting around 7 p.m.

Hotel Accommodations If you need hotel accommodations, please contact the hotel directly. When making your reservation, indicate you are attending the North Dakota United meeting to receive the negotiated rate. (Participants are responsible for paying for their room, see below in Expenses for reimbursement policy. There are no direct-billed rooms.)

East — Holiday Inn Fargo (3803 13th Ave S., Fargo, ND 58102) Phone: 877-282-2700.

West — Radisson Hotel (605 E Broadway Ave., Bismarck, ND 58501) Phone: 701-2556000.

Expenses Recognizing the importance of participation at the Regional Assemblies, NDU will provide the following expense assistance to locals or chapters (not individuals): the IRS standard business mileage rate for one car per local, ndunited.org

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Elections to be Held at Regional Assemblies Candidates competing for officer positions, delegate spots for NEA RA North Dakota United will be holding elections at the two Regional Delegate Assemblies for officers and delegates to the National Education Association’s Regional Assembly in Houston, Texas, from July 3-7, 2019. President Nick Archuleta and Vice President for Public Employees Gary Feist are running unopposed for re-election, so they will be automatically elected to their respective offices. David Marquardt is running unopposed for the vacant position of Vice President for Education and will also be automatically elected.

Here are the bios and pictures of our candidates for election and re-election: PRESIDENT: Nick Archuleta has served as the President of North Dakota United since the merger of the North Dakota Education Association (NDEA) and North Dakota Public Employees Association (NDPEA) in 2013.

Archuleta previously worked as a Spanish teacher at Century High School in Bismarck, and as an educator in the state of Minnesota. He has a bachelor’s degree from Valley City State University and a master’s degree from the University of North Dakota.

Archuleta oversees the overall governance of the organization. He meets with stakeholder groups such as school boards, the governor’s office, state legislators, etc.

He also communicates information with the public and serves on various boards and commissions. Nick was born in San Francisco, then moved to New Mexico, Colorado, and then to Valley City. He graduated from Valley City High School and completed his undergraduate studies at Valley City State University. He then went on to the University of North Dakota and earned his master’s degree. He started his teaching career in Minnesota, then moved to Bismarck in 2000 and taught at Century High School. His wife, Pat, is a choral music director at Century High School. They have three daughters and a son.

VICE PRESIDENT FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES: Gary Feist has been a tax auditor for the North Dakota Tax Department for the last 27 years, and currently works in the corporate income tax section. He served as president of the North Dakota Public Employees Association for 12 years and is the current president of the North Dakota Public Employees statewide local. He has held the office of Vice President for Public Employees statewide local since the merger of NDPEA and NDEA in 2013, and also serves as Vice Chair of AFT Public Employee Program and Policy Council. He is married, with three daughters, and lives in Bismarck.

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VICE PRESIDENT FOR EDUCATION: David Marquardt is an elementary teacher for grades 1-3, and physical education grades K-5 for Fargo Public Schools. Marquardt has his bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Minnesota State University in Moorhead, Minn., and a master’s degree in Education Administration from North Dakota State University in Fargo.

He has served as president of the Fargo Education Association, as well as a negotiator. Additionally, he currently serves on the North Dakota United Board of Directors as Southeast Regional Director. His wife, Mindy, is a social worker for Fargo Public Schools, and they have three children.

NEA DIRECTOR: Jenifer R. Mastrud is a 6th-9th grade Family & Children’s Services educator in Fargo Public Schools.

She previously worked as a 6th-12th grade Family & Children’s Services educator at Norman County West, Minn.

Mastrud received her Bachelor of Science degree in Family and Consumer Sciences from North Dakota State University, and her master’s degree in Educational Leadership, also from NDSU. She has served as the middle school representative, lead negotiator and Vice President on the Fargo Education Association Executive Board.

“As a native to North Dakota and the Red River Valley, I was born in Fargo, North Dakota. With my formative elementary years spent in Mapleton, ND, we moved into Fargo when I was in third grade. Graduating from Fargo Public Schools, I was taught the respect of this state and to stay local for my college education. North Dakota State was my home for my bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Sciences. While there I was Bison football and basketball cheerleader and became a member of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. These two organizations taught me that team and unity is stronger than being on your own.

My master’s degree in Educational Leadership was also attained from NDSU, where I was inducted into the Pi Kappa Phi Honor Society for my master’s work. Married to my high school sweetheart, he is a local and talented tattoo artist with a B.A. from MSUM in Fine Art Painting.

We have two beautiful children. Morgan, our daughter, is a senior at Fargo North High. She is president of her student body and a recently named candidate for the 2019 Presidential Scholarship. She is going to pursue a double major in Chemistry and Spanish at University of North Dakota in the fall. Our son, Hayden, is a junior at Fargo North High. He is part of Student Council and DECA. His passion of pursuing a Business Degree is driving his excellence in classes that are part of a CTE programing along with pushing himself in AP class loads. Being an advocate for families and youth has landed me in various positions on the Fargo Youth Hockey board, and currently I am the President of the Floyd Lakes Association board.

I am working to protect the legacy of greatness through

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advocating with local and state policy makers. My free time is spent traveling, enjoying the peacefulness of the lakes, and giving back to our wonderful union.”

Brenda Seehafer is a Title I teacher from Rolla, where she has been teaching the last 16 years.

She previously taught at Wolford, and also worked at the UND Lake Region College library. Seehafer has a degree in Elementary Education from Minot State University.

She currently serves on the NDU Board of Directors.

She is also the ND Resolutions chair for NDU and represents ND on NEA Resolutions. She is a lead trainer for the Educator Ethics course that NDU offers and is a facilitator of some online book studies. She also serves on the NDU Professional Development Committee, the Professional Growth Institute sub-committee, and the UPAC Committee. Brenda is also active at the local level.

She is the Rolla Education Association president and is also a local bargainer.

Brenda is President of the North Dakota Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG) organization; she is the first member from her local Lambda chapter to hold this position.

She will hold this position through June of 2019. She is also responsible for representing ND as the voice on the International level. She also has held the job of First VicePresident and Second Vice-President for this organization in the past. She is also her local Lambda chapter treasurer, currently. She has held other officer jobs at the local level as well.

Brenda serves on the local Curriculum/School Improvement Policy Committee/Leadership Team at her school. Brenda also served on an ESPB committee called the Program Approval Advisory Committee through August of 2017; she served on this committee for several years.

“I was raised on a farm by Drake and attended grades K-12 at Drake School. I got a degree in Elementary Education from Minot State University. Minot State is where I first started my involvement in what was then the student program of NDEA and was even the president of that campus for one year. I have several credentials in education, as well.

“I was the North Dakota Reading Association (NDRA) president in 2015-2016. She has also been vice president, president-elect, and past-president for NDRA, now NDLA. I am currently serving as chair of the state Celebrate Literacy Committee and the Exemplary Reading Committee. I have also attended the International Literacy Association Conference in the past, including the one in Austin in 2018. My local reading council is the Chautauqua Reading Council, where I have held various officer roles as well. I am currently the president for Chautauqua. I have also helped to chair the silent auction for a couple of NDRA/NDLA events in the past.”

NEA RA DELEGATES: Danielle Borseth is a 7th and 8th grade health teacher at Mandan Middle School. She previously worked as a physical education teacher at Jefferson Elementary in Valley City, and as a long-term substitute for 8th grade health and

PE at Holgate Middle School in Aberdeen, S.D. Borseth received her bachelor’s degree in composite K-12 Health and Physical Education from Northern State University in Aberdeen, and her master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from St. Catherine University in St. Cloud, Minn.

She is the President of the Mandan Education Association, and previously served in that role in 201517. Additionally, she is the MEA hospitality chair, and has served as President-Elect, negotiator, negotiations committee member and building representative. She has served as a local delegate to the NEA RA in 2015, and a state delegate in 2016. She has been a member of NEA and NDU since 2001, and was also a student member of NEA and the South Dakota Education Association.

Tyann Schlenker is an attendance secretary at Fargo South High School. She attended Moorhead Technical College and Valley City State University for Business.

Schlenker has served in North Dakota United as ESP director on the Board of Directors, on the PAC Committee, the ESP Advisory Committee, the Professional Development Committee, the PDC SubCommittee and Policy Committee. Additionally, she has chaired and presented at NDU ESP Conferences, chaired the PD Conference for Fargo Public Schools and has worked on the NDU Professional Growth Institute for the last two years.

Locally, she has served on the Fargo Education Association Board of Directors, building representative for Fargo South High School, and on the FEA Membership Committee. In her community, she has been the AMVET Department of North Dakota Ladies Auxiliary president, and a volunteer at the Fargo VA. Tim Thueson is a Title I coordinator and Title I math and reading teacher at Solen.

He served as president, vice president and negotiating team member on the local level. He is also a member of the Communications, Speech and Theatre Association of North Dakota. He has been involved in school improvement, the North Dakota Theatre Arts Curriculum Frameworks Committee, the North Dakota Reading Association, and the North Dakota Geography Alliance.

He is actively involved in the Lions Club and has held many leadership roles.

Thueson graduated Cum Laude from Mayville State University with a bachelor’s degree in Education. He received his Master of Science degree in Education from Minot State University. He is married to Lynell, and they have one son, Mark. Special recognitions include: Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers (three times), listed in Who’s Who Among America’s Professionals (two times), and a Melvin Jones Fellowship awardee. He is lifetime member of the North Dakota Firefighters’ Associaiton, a Melvin Jones Fellow and has received four Lions Club International President’s Certificates of Appreciation.

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2019 LEGISLATIVE CROSSOVER REPORT FUNDING:

Senate Bill 2265 K-12 Funding Position: Support Outcome: Passed, 47-0 SB 2265 is the K-12 policy bill for schools in North Dakota, and is expected to become the main funding bill. It increases the per-pupil payment by 2% in year one, and 3% in year two of the biennium. North Dakota United is always supportive of an increase in per pupil payment as it allows for our schools and educators to provide the best possible opportunities for ND kids. This bill also provides for an interim study on getting all school districts onto the funding formula.

RIGHTS:

Senate Bill 2320 Free Speech at Higher Education Institutions Position: Monitor in second half, supported amendment Outcome: Passed, 35-10 North Dakota United members were perplexed with this bill, which at first glance seemed to promote a positive, democratic ideal: allow anyone on a higher education campus to have their own ideas, and express them freely. However, it had darker undertones of regulating what a professor could say during class time, even making them vulnerable to potential lawsuits if they expressed their ideas.

Thankfully, Senator Erin Oban (D-35) was able to offer and pass amendments that removed the concerning language, leaving a bill that basically

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promotes freedom of speech and freedom of assembly on college campuses.

SAFETY:

House Bill 1332 Guns in Schools Position: Oppose Outcome: Passed, 77-15 Compared to similar bills from previous sessions, HB 1332 is more thoughtful in its approach. For instance, it continues the prohibition of placing guns in the hands of teachers, administrators and supervisors of children, because they will have other work to do during an emergency. Training requirements are also quite rigorous for those people allowed to concealed carry on school grounds.

However, our members have continually told us they oppose any guns being brought onto school grounds, and we will therefore continue to fight against this bill.

SALARY & BENEFITS:

House Bill 1419 Defined Contribution Plan Position: Oppose Outcome: Amended into a study, passed 89-2 HB 1419 would have changed the state pension plan into defined contribution, replacing the current defined benefit plan. North Dakota United strongly prefers the defined-benefit plan as it ensures our public employee members know ahead of time the exact benefits they will receive. The bill was amended into a study after NDU President Nick

Archuleta and PERS testified on the grave outcomes of the language of the bill.

Senate Bill 2046 Ends Public Employee Health Insurance Credit Position: Oppose Outcome: Passed, 39-8 This bill ends the Employee Health Insurance Credit by not covering any public employees hired after 2019. North Dakota United opposes degrading benefits for all of our members – present, past and future.

Senate Bill 2047 Decreases the Multiplier for New State Employee Hires Position: Oppose Outcome: Passed, 37-10 SB 2047 decreases the multiplier of the PERS plan from 2.0 to 1.75. The multiplier is used to calculate a public employee’s benefit upon retirement, multiplying their years of service by that number to determine what percentage of their salary they will receive. Again, this bill degrades a current benefit offered to our members, and is one NDU stands firmly against.

Senate Bill 2048 Increases Employer and Employee Contributions to the PERS Retirement Plan Position: Support Outcome: Passed, 45-2 SB 2048 would increase employee and employer contributions into NDPERS by 1 percent each, which is an idea North Dakota United has supported over multiple sessions. This increase will help return the NDPERS fund to being fully funded in a gradual, responsible manner.

TEACHING & LEARNING:

House Bill 1228 Local Control of Education Position: Opposed Outcome: Failed, 38-54 This bill seeks to add a new section to the North Dakota Century Code, giving school districts sole control over “the supervision, development and instruction of kindergarten through grade twelve students including course content standards, required instruction, instructional time, assessments, attendance, and graduation requirement for students residing in the district …” as well as “the negotiating, employment, termination, licensing, and credentialing of teachers and ancillary staff.”

In short, without any codes, laws or regulations in place a school would lose its accreditation, causing students to matriculate with a diploma that essentially means nothing outside of that particular

school district.

House Bill 1287 Alternative Teacher Certification Position: Oppose Outcome: Passed, 74-19 This bill allows teachers to be licensed through an online vendor, a move that devalues the hard work, research, and diplomas that all currently licensed teachers in North Dakota had to undergo. In states where this particular vendor is able to provide licensure, it is receiving very, very poor grades.

While amendments were passed to better the bill, it remains a bad bill and one NDU opposes as we continue to strive for the best educational system for North Dakota students.

House Bill 1531 Teaching Noncore Subjects without License Position: Oppose Outcome: Passed, 82-7 HB 1531 allows for “community experts” without any licensure or professional educational experience to teach in hard-to-fill subject areas.

These “community experts” would be allowed to teach part time in any subject except elementary education. The bill undermines the art and science of teaching, as well as the credentials of those that have been licensed.

Senate Bill 2025 Statewide Education Strategic Vision Position: Support Outcome: Passed, 46-0 North Dakota United has been proud to work with education stakeholders from across the state on this

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strategic vision. The plan works to cut duplication of services and ensure that all the stakeholders are working together, on a unified path, for what is best for North Dakota’s students. SB 2025 grants the Superintendent of Public Instruction the duty of reviewing the strategic vision and reporting to the legislature, ensuring the cooperation of all stakeholders.

ND United members have been asked by e-mails, text messages, social media and face-to-face to send messages to members of the House and Senate Education Committees, and to their district’s representatives and senators. Hundreds of messages were sent in total, and the Legislature most definitely heard your voices on this issue. But did they listen?

Senate Bill 2142 Establishment of Education Savings Accounts/Vouchers Position: Opposed Outcome: Failed, 3-42 This bill would have used public tax dollars for non-public education. Similar to a bill introduced last session, NDU President Nick Archuleta testified vehemently against the bill and it failed by an overwhelming margin.

“This bill has some real problems with it. … We can do better. This is, frankly, legislation that is in search of a problem. When there were administrators who testified on this bill, they didn’t offer any sort of proof that first-year teachers need to have a threeyear probationary period. There was nothing that was offered that said we are firing teachers at a faster rate because they aren’t ready. … This deserves to be defeated; it is a very bad bill.”

Second-year teacher Landen Schmeichel, a former president of Student-NDU, testified in front of both the House and Senate Education Committees, in opposition to HB 1347. Here are a few of his comments:

House Bill 1347 Bill Increases Probation for Teachers Without Cause Position: Opposed Outcome: Passed, 59-34-1 One of North Dakota United’s biggest legislative fights so far this session, HB 1347 triples the amount of time that newly hired teachers are kept on probation, removing the right to due process when being terminated for teachers in their second and third years of employment. This bill is bad for kids, teachers, and those of us who care about the future of working families in ND. While it did pass in the House, 59-34-1, at NDU we are finding solace in the vote margin and are dedicated to fighting it as strongly as possible in the second half of the session.

“We were able to — and when I say ‘we,’ I mean all of you, who contacted the House Education Committee and flooded them with e-mails and said, ‘this is just patently unfair’ — they realized that and they stripped that language out,” President Nick Archuleta said, “and replaced it with the language that existed before. But they still increased the probationary period from one year — where it is currently — to three.

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“First, the effects of this bill would discourage aspiring educators from entering a professional already in need of more people. Across the state and across the nation, the number of people pursuing a teaching license continues to diminish. When individuals pursue a degree as challenging and complex as education, they should feel secure in their position to grow from an early educator into a polished teacher. Changing the probationary period from one to three years for new teachers would bear a significant weight on the minds of new teachers who, like me, seek to focus on perfecting our craft for the betterment of our students and their future.

“However, let me be clear, I’m not advocating that poor-quality instructors be given a thousand chances to fail without their ineptitude being addressed. My second point has to do with this exact notion. If this bill’s intent is to ensure high quality instruction, then the focus should be on mentorship, rather than extending probationary periods.

“Currently, the state’s first-year mentorship program offers new teachers specific, personal, and confidential mentorship. Many of my colleagues refer to this system as a ‘life-saver,’ a real support for what can be a really tough job. Mentorship structures offer a place where veteran teachers can listen and maybe prescribe approaches tested by time and grit. According to research conducted on mentorship programs for new teachers, teacher efficacy and growth occurs at an incredible rate

under such mentorship programs. If a teacher is struggling, if his or her craft demands improvement, then mentorship program extensions should perhaps be explored to a greater extent rather than extensions to probationary periods.

“Finally, and maybe most importantly, I speak in opposition to HB 1347 because it runs opposite to what the real value and culture of North Dakota really is. In places where critical shortages have been declared for every subject and content area by school districts, new teachers are in high demand and low supply.”

Senate Concurrent Resolution 4004 School Safety Study Position: Support Outcome: Adopted on voice vote Workplace safety is a strong concern of all our members at North Dakota United. K-12 teachers and school support staff are routinely placed into uncomfortable situations on the job, as students with behavioral issues can become disruptive and threaten the safety of their fellow students and the faculty, administration and staff members who work with them to provide a quality public education for every student who walks through those doors.

Having heard about these strong concerns about safety from communities all across the state, ND United has worked hard to champion Senate Concurrent Resolution 4004, which was offered in the Senate by Sen. Erin Oban (35-Bismarck).

This resolution will, if passed, study the impact of violent, disruptive and inappropriate behavior by students against other students, teachers and school personnel, and will also look at implementing a uniform reporting system to help make our schools safer for all.

“This is not a North Dakota phenomenon, or a big school versus small school phenomenon, this is something that’s going on nationally,” said President Nick Archuleta. “We’re seeing more and more students coming into school with more trauma, with less access to behavioral health services they

desperately need.”

This concurrent resolution passed on a voice vote in the Senate on Jan. 23, and had a hearing in the House Education Committee on March 4. During the Senate Education Committee hearing in which SCR 4004 was first heard, NDU members Theresa Gravdahl and Kari Teschendorf, of Ben Franklin Middle School in Fargo, offered powerful testimony in support. You can hear some statements they gave exclusively to NDU Communications in a video shot just after their testimony on our NDU Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ndunited, under the Videos tab. Here are a few of their comments: “Kari and I are here today to support North Dakota teachers across the state knowing that, when we go to work, we’re going to be safe,” Gravdahl said. “We have children of all ages – kindergarten, preschool, and all the way up – and as they get to us in middle school, they just become bigger, faster and stronger.

So, when you do address the issues of mental health and behavioral issues, once those doors are closed, we can’t do that without mandatory or a common language for reporting these incidents. I have parents and teachers that are friends of mine, and it’s hard to be an educator on a daily basis and hear about the problems that are coming, and how people are getting hit and hurt. “It causes stress and trauma in their lives. And we just need to stop it.”

“My concern – along with my safety and the safety of my friends – is the students that are witnessing the disruptive behavior,” Teschendorf said. “(They’re becoming) so desensitized to the violence, and it’s very concerning to me that they can watch people being hit and kicked and everything, and many times don’t even go home and tell their parents what they witnessed at school. We need to be more vocal with what’s happening, and I worry about those young people because … if watching attacks is a normal thing, then I worry about what kind of adulthood they’re going to have.”

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Member Profile

Check out our newsfeed at ndunited.org/articles to watch video of this story

Para Loves Being There for Students ESP of the Year Denbea McNally from Minot earned award through dedication to kids

By Tom Gerhardt NDU Communications

“I think the best part of my job is seeing those kids go home with a happy smile and know that they succeeded for the day,” says North Dakota United’s Education Support Professional of the Year Denbea McNally.

But don’t be fooled. A lot happens during the day to help those kids go home with smiles. And Denbea’s a big part of it.

If you aren’t familiar with the works paras do in schools and classrooms all over the state, listen to a portion of McNally’s work day.

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“This year I’m a one-on-one the last two years I traveled from a kindergarten class to a first-grade class to third-grade class to a fifth-grade class, I mean, I think I had 13 alarms on my phone so I knew exactly where I needed to be because I traveled throughout the school. This year I happen to be a oneon-one with this certain child, which is wonderful,” McNally said.

McNally hasn’t even mentioned helping kids get on the bus, lunch duty, gym or recess with all 110 kindergartners.

She did mention working one-on-one. This

year, she’s a para in Amy Neal’s kindergarten class at Lewis and Clark Elementary working with Noah. Each day comes with its challenges, failures and successes.

“And knowing that he’s succeeding and the love that he shows you and the love that you can give back is just so rewarding and priceless. It’s just words … I say you can’t explain it in words; it really is emotional some days, because you go home and say, ‘It was a great day. Today was a great day,’” McNally said.

Neal, the 2016 North Dakota Teacher of the Year, says paraprofessionals teach things like social skills and acceptance. The most important thing they do?

“They allow the teacher, which would be myself, to pull off a full lesson. If there is a child in the classroom that needs particular help because of a special need, or if there are multiple kids that may need some little interventions that para is allowing me to fulfill the needs of the other students and my lesson continues and they continue learning,” Amy Neal said.

McNally, who said she wondered what she was getting herself into at the start of her para career, now says she can’t imagine doing anything else.

“I think the best day at work is when those kids come and give you a hug, and they’re like, ‘I can’t wait to see you tomorrow, Miss McNally.’ Or if you’re gone for the day and you come back the next day, they’re like, ‘Oh, we missed you, Miss McNally, we missed you, Miss Denbea.’ Just knowing that you make their day is the only word that you need at school. It’s just knowing you’re coming here for those kids and they look forward to seeing you,” McNally said.

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The Peer-to-Peer Experience

Cutting Ed podcast caught up with special educator Sara Bohrer from Century High in Bismarck

On Season 2, Episode 7, of The Cutting Ed podcast, host Tom Gerhardt sat down with Sara Bohrer, who started a program at Bismarck Century High School four years ago called “Peer to Peer.”

She says a group of parents and administrators got together to talk about how they could get students with disabilities more involved in school both during class time and extra-curricular activities.

Bohrer says the shift from middle school to high school is significant. She wanted to create a family atmosphere and not just a place that students had to be.

The group considered starting Peer to Peer as a club, but eventually settled on starting it with a full-year class elective. They knew general education students needed knowledge and education to work with students with disabilities.

The first-year class was so successful, it’s now offered for three years and includes mentoring students with disabilities and spending at least 20 hours outside of class with them. Bohrer says the mentor/mentee role has turned into friendships in all cases and has changed the culture of Century High School.

Students now attend classes with mentees as peer educators, offering 21st Century learning

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skills and building compassion and empathy in students and providing never thought of before career paths for students.

Check out the full episode online at: www. ndunited.org/articles/podcast-the-peer-to-peerexperience/. You can also find every episode of The Cutting Ed podcast on our website at www. ndunited.org/thecuttinged, and you can subscribe by searching for “The Cutting Ed” on iTunes, Google Play, Spreaker, iHeart Radio, Soundcloud or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

Tom Gerhardt: “We’re here to talk about the Peer to Peer program, and there are a lot of layers to this, but I wanted you to tell me, from the start, where this idea came from and how long it’s been around.”

Sara Bohrer: “Well, the idea came from a group of parents, administrators and teachers, sitting down and around a table together, just talking about how can we get our students with disabilities more involved in our school day and outside the school day. Because you make a really big shift from middle school to high school, where a lot of things happen outside of the school day. And how do we not just make high school a place to be from 8:30 to 3:30, but how do we make it a family? How do we make sure everybody feels involved in the student body? And so, really, four years ago it was about,

anywhere from 15 to 20 of us, sat down around a table and kind of just started talking about what were our big driving questions.”

Tom Gerhardt: “You mentioned a driving question; what did you arrive at in terms of that?”

Sara Bohrer: Our driving question was really, how do we get high school, not just a place to be for our kids with disabilities, but how do we get them involved in the student body and how do we make them feel part of Century High School, after the 3:30 time?

Tom Gerhardt: So, then you were tasked with implementing and executing this. Sara, here you go. Good luck.

Sara Bohrer: Yeah. So, we looked at a lot of different ideas of, do we run it as a club? Do we run it as a class? Do we run it as a full-year or a semester class? It kind of came down to we’re going to run it as a full-year elective class for students to take instead of a club because we … one thing in all of our research, we felt that it was very, very important across all boards, whether it was parents, administrators or the teachers sitting at the table, that our general-education students needed knowledge, and they needed education and how to work with kids or disabilities, instead of just being a friend or a buddy. Yes, that was going to be a key component to the class, but how can we teach them about the different disability areas? How can we teach them appropriate things for students who are sensory needs? How can we teach them appropriate ways to help correct … friendship things that are going on? Because peers would much rather hear from peers than adults … at this stage in their lives.

And so that was really the task at hand, as we wanted to make sure we could teach those things, and that’s why it was decided it was going to be a full-year course for students to be able to take.

Tom Gerhardt: And really have that foundation.

Also, just to get this out there; this is in-class, in-school time. There are also things that happen outside of the bill.

Sara Bohrer: And that was … I think the other big factor was, OK, we want them to have the education part of it, but our big driving question was how do we get our students with disabilities involved in after-school activities? And so, how are we going to teach a class but then also expect them to go out into the community and go do things, such as going to hockey games, going to

basketball games, going out to ice cream, going to movies? And so that was kind of the workings of what I had to figure out and how we worked that. And so, students really … in our year-one program are in a full-year elective class. And then they, in that full-year elective class each semester, have to complete 20 hours outside of school. I’m mentoring students or students with disabilities. But the power and the cool thing behind those 20 hours outside of school is most of my students get to the point where they ask, “Can I stop journaling? Because I’m now at 40 hours, Mrs. Bohrer, and I don’t journal about my other friends to you.” And that’s the cool thing is it’s become a friendship. It’s no longer become a mentor-mentee role. And so that, to me, is the best part about the whole class.

Tom Gerhardt: So, you get to the end of year one. You must be feeling pretty good right now.

Where did you go from there?

Sara Bohrer: Yeah. So we got to the end of our first year of this class ever been completed, and I had students asking, “What’s next?” And I wasn’t sure what was next, because this is … four years ago. This is the first time this class has ever been taught. And so, I had some conversations with some administrators and decided we were going to throw the idea out to the students of them having an extra class at Central High School.

We have eight-period days. So, they were going to have this class float on their schedules as a ninth period. And then, what I would do is, whatever period they happen to have open on their schedule, I would then pair them up with a student with a disability that needed some support. And in general education class, they would go into that class as a paraeducator versus an adult paraeducator. And talk about a change in the culture in the world of our high school!

That’s been just a game changer for us here at Century High School.

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Negotiating for the Good

Bargaining Conferences held in Fargo, Minot display a new energy from NDU members

By Kelly Hagen NDU Communications

We are seeing a new energy all across our state, for organizing our educators and public employees together into one stronger voice, and speaking out for the students and families of the state of North Dakota, whom we all serve each and every day of the week!

Members of North Dakota United from points all across the western half of our state traveled to Minot on Saturday, Feb. 23, for the first of our two Bargaining Conferences 2019. A week later, even more NDU members gathered in Fargo for our second Bargaining Conference, which started with a social from 7-9 p.m. on Friday, March 1, and ran from 8:30 a.m. until approximately 4 p.m. at the Holiday Inn. Both conferences filled their respective rooms to capacity, and saw great engagement from all our members in attendance. Best practices were

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shared, and NDU staff presented on a variety of topics, to help our local associations plan, prepare and prosper during negotiations with their school boards.

Attendees at both Bargaining Conferences were given informational packets and presentations on School Finance, Contract Language, Internal and External Communications and Organizing, Bargaining for the Common Good and Talking to the Board. ND United President Nick Archuleta welcomed members to both conferences in the morning, and presented a Legislative Update during lunch for the Minot conference. NDU Executive Director Chad Oban stepped in to provide the Legislative Update for Fargo participants, as President Archuleta traveled to Grand Forks to attend a legislative forum for faculty and staff at the University of North Dakota.

“The 2019 NDU Bargaining Conferences offer our member negotiators an opportunity to learn the art of bargaining a strong Negotiated Agreement for their colleagues and themselves,” said President Archuleta. “ND United has an outstanding cadre of field consultants whose years of experience and expertise have served our members well over the course of many years. Whether you are an experienced bargainer or this is your first time at the table, you will learn something incredibly valuable to enhance your bargaining at the 2019 ND United Bargaining Conferences.”

Additionally, the 50 members in attendance at the Fargo conference stood together in solidarity for a special group photo, to show our union’s support for the nurses of St. Alexius CHI in Bismarck. They won a vote to unionize, four days after our conference.

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The Value of Connections

In Your Voice

Being a union member offers opportunities to collaborate and communicate

By Ellie Shockley NDU member

I did not always see the relevance of labor unions to my own career. This is a bit ironic given that both of my parents were in unions.

In the past, I did not understand that bluecollar working people (like my parents) and white-collar working people (like myself ) could encounter similar workplace challenges. As it turns out, fair working conditions, wages and benefits should not be taken for granted — no matter one’s occupation.

Furthermore, I also used to believe that if I could be a hard-working, assertive individual with negotiation skills, then I could always secure good working conditions, wages and benefits for myself. That turned out to be untrue. I am certainly hard-working and assertive. I also now have well-developed negotiating skills, but that has not prevented me from having issues with working conditions, wages and benefits in my career.

There are certainly many arguments regarding the pros and cons of unions. I spent time engaging with these arguments during my training to become a social scientist.

Ultimately, I began to see the issue of union membership differently as I transitioned from primarily identifying as a student to identifying as a worker. Some economist’s detached perspective on unions seemed much less important after I personally encountered issues with working conditions, wages or benefits across different employers.

I came to a point where I was ready to join a union, and fortunately one was available to me.

I am a member of North Dakota United, the union representing educators and public sector workers in North Dakota. Nationally, it is associated with both the American Federation 24

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of Teachers and the National Education Association.

I expected my union to be a source of support, information and assistance as I navigated my experiences as a working person. What I did not expect was to find so many opportunities to connect with members of other North Dakota unions. I have discovered that collaborating and communicating with union members has been an incredible way to become more connected to others in Bismarck-Mandan and throughout North Dakota.

In our polarized society, where else can I so swiftly find common ground across political party lines like I can among union members?

Where else can I easily move past sources of division and get right to the “kitchen table” issues? There is something about participation in a union that makes us better listeners, thinkers and citizens. Union participation teaches us both self-determination and the art of healthy compromise. Union participation fosters not only professional development, but personal development. I really like the person that my union is helping me become.

When I think of the high density of union members living in Mandan, it makes me feel proud of my community and connected to my neighbors. When I attend the grand opening of a new Bismarck training center for a local trade union, I feel that I am among friends even if the room is full of many strangers. When I encounter other union members in our state, we’re able to begin conversations knowing — at the very least — that we agree that our work has dignity and we deserve some say over our working conditions, wages and benefits.

(This column originally appeared in the Bismarck Tribune. In Your Voice is a regular feature of United Voices, in which members of North Dakota United can tell their own stories, in their own words. If you would like to write your own In Your Voice column, contact UV editor Kelly Hagen at kelly.hagen@ndunited.org for more information.)

Mayville Students Help Out

When the project was finished, the students who participated felt a strong sense of accomplishment in knowing they had done service to the Mayville community, gave a helping hand to those in need, and connected two different areas of education.

By Jack Davies NDU Communications

“We thought it felt really good to help people because we were able to see how grateful the counselor and the nurse were who gave these bags to these students who needed them, and then we thought that it was a plank in the bridge between the universities and the public school system,” Schuldheisz said, “and it was really nice because we filled a need that they were thinking about. And this will open an opportunity in the future for this collaboration to continue.”

SNDU chapter helps put together, distribute hygiene bags to needy Students at Mayville State University assembled on Jan. 15, 2019, for a service project to help reach out to the needy of the community. Using materials that were donated from a local dentist, the students made 26 hygiene bags that contained toothpaste, floss, toothbrushes, deodorant, body wash and a personally handwritten note.

This project was more than four months in the making. According to Marissa Schuldheisz, the president of the Mayville chapter of StudentNorth Dakota United, “Our leadership team had attended a conference at North Dakota United in September, and we discussed the project as a statewide thing. So we decided that we were going to do it here at Mayville, hoping that other chapters around the state would do the same kind of thing. We were also aware of a need at the local high school for hygiene bags.”

During the service project, 20 students had attended, ranging from freshmen to seniors.

When the hygiene bags were put together and finished, they were brought to May-Port CG High School.

“We had students who would go to May-Port CG High School as the recipients of these bags, and then we collaborated with the school nurse and the counselor of the high school and they decided who needed them,” Schuldheisz said.

“They were very grateful and excited to help the students in need.”

Regarding the future, the students have hope that this service project will become an annual event.

“We would like to do this project again because, when we dropped the bags off, they were very grateful and they asked us to definitely consider them for future projects,” Schuldheisz said, “We want to maybe begin this project at the beginning of the school year and have it work like a drive where we collect the items. We were fortunate enough to have donations of toothpaste, floss and toothbrushes from Goose River Dental in Mayville, but the other items, we bought with our chapter.”

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Professional Growth Institute 2019 NDU conference in Bismarck will center on community health North Dakota United is proud to present our third annual Professional Growth Institute this June 10-12, 2019, in Bismarck. This Institute is open to anyone interested in attending and will be focusing on community health. Our communities are the core of our lives, and the health of its members is crucial to our survival and success. Whether it is the health of our students, ourselves, our workplaces and schools or the community as a whole, we all must take part in ensuring its success. North Dakota United stands united in support of the health of our communities, and this conference will look at all the pieces of the puzzle to its health.

Break-out sessions will include topics such as student behavioral health and the effects of trauma, personal health and fitness, workplace safety and general education topics.

We will also be offering free pre-conference sessions for NDU members-only on National Board Certification, PRAXIS testing, Compassion Fatigue, or Retirement Planning.

Registration is open now at: https://www. ndunited.org/events/2019-professionalgrowth-institute/ History of the Professional Growth Institute The Professional Growth Institute is an annual three-day conference hosted by North Dakota United that gives all public educators and employees opportunities to see guest speaker presentations and attend specialized workshops and/or breakout sessions. It occurs 26

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in the month of June and travels to different communities in the state each year. Public educators and employees from all over the state usually book the same hotel to stay overnight.

In 2017, the first-ever Professional Growth Institute took place in Medora on June 5-7.

Last year, the second Professional Growth Institute occurred on June 4-6, 2018, at the CanadInn in Grand Forks. The main theme was “Working 4 North Dakota.” The guest speakers included Heidi DeMars of Mindful You-Mindful Me, NDU Vice President of Education Karen Christensen and 2018 ND Teacher of the Year Leah Juelke. The topics discussed were mindfulness, trauma, stress and time management, financial and retirement planning, resilience, leadership, social media ethics, student behavioral health, tech disruption and building bridges.

This year, the theme will be “Supporting Healthy Communities,” with the conference taking place at the Ramkota in Bismarck on June 10-12, 2019. The keynote speakers include fitness expert Melanie Carvell, attorney Mike Geiermann, and former Miss America Cara Mund.

The Professional Growth Institute is an opportunity for all public educators and employees to enhance skills in their fields and to network with other specialists and/or experts. It is an event for all members to unite for North Dakota.

FEATURED KEYNOTES: Speaker: Melanie Carvell Finding the Heart of Health and Happiness June 10, 2019 Speaker: Mike Geiermann Workplace Safety June 11, 2019 Speaker: Cara Mund Standing Up for Yourself in the Workplace June 12, 2019 SPEAKERS Melanie Carvell A renowned athlete with an impressive resume and widespread travel experience, Melanie Carvell’s life began in small-town North Dakota. The harsh climate and small-town culture have helped to form and equip her for accomplishing success.

Carvell was an All-American triathlete six times, and she won a bronze medal in Germany in 1999. She is a certified worksite wellness consultant and is the former director of Sanford Women’s Health Center in Bismarck.

In July 2014, her book titled “Running with the Antelope: Life, Fitness, and Grit on the Northern Plains” was published. Her philosophy states, “If I can do these things,

given the modesty of my upbringing and the harshness of the Dakota climate, so can you.”

She has a deep love for North Dakota and continues to be a highly sought-after speaker.

Mike Geiermann Mike Geiermann studied at the University of North Dakota from 19811987; he earned a degree in secondary education as an undergraduate and then a law degree in graduate school. Immediately after, he worked for three years as the Assistant Attorney General. All-encompassing, he has represented North Dakota educators since 1987. He is currently situated in Bismarck at the law firm Schulz Geiermann Bergeson.

Cara Mund In the spring of 2016, Cara Mund graduated from Brown University after studying Business, Entrepreneurship and Organizations. In less than two years, Mund became the first-ever North Dakota native to be awarded the title of Miss America.

As a speaker who travels and tours extensively, she advocates for empowering women and putting a major emphasis on education and community service. She believes that the ingredients to making a dream come true are failure, determination, persistence, and courage. She also serves as a National Goodwill Ambassador for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and is a major supporter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. She firmly believes that the lives of individuals are defined by the legacies they leave behind.

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Awards & Honors

Juelke Given Prestigious Education Award

Fargo educator one of five national Horace Mann award winners from NEA Member Benefits

By Kelly Hagen NDU Communications

Leah Juelke, a language arts educator for English learner (EL) students at Fargo South High School and the 2018 North Dakota Teacher of the Year, has received another prestigious award of recognition for her service in education. On Friday, Feb. 8, Juelke was presented the Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence and $10,000 at the NEA Foundation’s Salute to Excellence in Education Gala in Washington, D.C. She was among only five educators to receive the Horace Mann Award nationally.

In her time as an EL instructor at Fargo South, she has implemented many innovative projects and practices, including helping to coordinate the EL curriculum across disciplines, so that the students can fast-track their English skills.

Additionally, Juelke has helped to encourage her students to tell the stories of how they came to live in Fargo in their “Journey to America” narrative writing project. Her students don’t just write their stories, they also host public readings in their community and across the state, to share their stories, in very raw and emotional terms.

“Leah Juelke has touched the lives of her students in ways that make them more confident, more effective and more likely to enhance our American culture by sharing their stories and experiences,” said Nick Archuleta, 28

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President of North Dakota United. “Like educators across North Dakota, Ms. Juelke lifts students up and puts them at the center of their education.”

Juelke is a member of North Dakota United, and her local affiliate, the Fargo Education Association. ND United chose Juelke as their state nominee for the Horace Mann Award.

The NEA Foundation Gala was emceed this year by TV star Malcolm-Jamal Warner and TV news anchor Soledad O’Brien. An estimated 930 guests were in attendance, and the event was livestreamed to a global audience on the NEA Foundation website at www. neafoundation.org.

“These five educators kindle ideas, open minds, nurture confidence, and build community. They keep the promise of public education by growing the hearts and minds of their students, preparing them for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow,” said Harriet Sanford, President and CEO of the NEA Foundation. “So many teachers go above and beyond to serve the needs of their students, and these five educators are great examples of what it takes to excel in the classroom,” said Marita Zuraitis, President and CEO of Horace Mann. “As a company serving educators’ financial needs for more than 70 years, Horace Mann is pleased to honor these educators for playing an instrumental role in educating the children of our future.”

Video stories were produced for each of the five Horace Mann Award winners and debuted at the award ceremony. Juelke’s video can be viewed online at https://youtu.be/ QImdI6qxEh4.

UPCOMING NDU

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSES North Dakota United is proud to announce the following professional development opportunities. For specific information on course dates and to register, please visit ndunited.org and click on “Events.”

EDUCATOR ETHICS: This course reviews ethics as defined by the ND Educational Standards and Practices Board. Participants examine various ethical situations along with actual cases that the Board has addressed including: technology do’s and don’ts; contracts and resignations; relationships with students, parents and colleagues; and the dichotomy of a school employee’s life. It includes decision-making methodologies and is a highly interactive course.

Member cost: $32.50 (no credit), $50 (1 credit), or $100 (2 credits) Non-member cost: $125 (no credit), $250 (1 credit), or $500 (2 credits) Student Member cost: $0 (no credit) Available for 1 or 2 graduate credits through the University of North Dakota.

Check out the Events page of our website at www.ndunited.org/events for upcoming courses.

ONLINE BOOK STUDIES:

NEA MICRO-CREDENTIALS: NEA now offers over 100 micro-credentials for educators, created by educators, and reviewed by educators. Microcredentials offer on-demand personalized learning experiences for educators. The learning happens anywhere, anytime. By offering an entire ecosystem of over 100 micro-credentials, empowered educators are given an opportunity to learn and be recognized for skills and knowledge targeted to support successful students.

Current NEA Micro-Credential stacks include: • Bully and Sexual Harassment Prevention • I Can Do it-Classroom Management • ESSA-Opportunity and Voice • Working with English Language Learners • Cooperating Teacher • Early Career Educator (InTASC) • Creating Safe School Spaces for LGBTQ Students • National Board Five Core Propositions • Teacher Leadership Institute Pathway Competencies Member cost: $75 (1 credit) Non-member cost: $250 (1 credit) Available for 1 graduate credit through the University of North Dakota.

Member cost: $65 (no credit) or $100 (1 credit) Non-member cost: $125 (no credit) or $250 (1 credit) Student Member cost: $0 (no credit) Available for 1 graduate credit through the University of North Dakota.

Course dates: • April 15: “Beyond Consequences, Logic, & Control”

by Heather Forbes & B. Bryan Post • April 22: “Falling Awake” by Jon Kabat-Zinn • April 29: “Creative Schools” by Ken Robinson, Ph.D. • May 15: “Lost at School” by Ross Greene, Ph.D. • May 20: “Deliberate Optimism” by Debbie Thompson Silver, Jack Berckemeyer and Judith Baenen

Thanks to the Great Public Schools grant from the National Education Association, all professional development courses are discounted for North Dakota United members through June 1, 2019.

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HELPING MEMBERS HELPING MEMBERS

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NDU-Retired

Are You Still in Love with Public Education?

By Nancy Peterson NDU-Retired President

NDU-Retired members can do a lot to help all North Dakotans

“There’s something about knowing you might be making a difference as you teach for the future. There’s something about planning and seeing those plans come to life; something about creating and knowing it’s good to see new things develop; and there’s something about just making a difference. THAT’S what supporting education (and in particular our early career educators) is still all about even though we’re no longer in the buildings ... knowing that as a Retired NEA member I can still offer support, a strong voice and assistance for my colleagues. You see my grandson is one of the brightest and best teaching in a middle school. I want him and his colleagues to have all the help they might need. I love public education ... my love affair for a lifetime. Are you still in love with public education, too?”

getting the support they need.

Sarah Borgman, NEA-Retired president, recently sent this message to state presidents. She asked that we use this message as we wanted.

My wish is that you are all staying warm and safe during this harsh winter. Hope to see many of you in April at the Regional Delegate Assemblies.

Are we working to help them out by being a voice for their needs? How can you help them out, as well as, your children and grandchildren?

Join our retired association. As you may know, dues will be raised starting on Sept. 1, 2019. See the membership form at the bottom of this page.

Write and call your legislators and elected officials. Be an NDU Activist and keep up to date on issues. We know that the actions of the Legislature affect all facets of our lives. Sending them an email takes just a few minutes out of your day. Can we count on you?

So here is my hope and dreams. In my case, my daughter is an elementary teacher, and I truly hope that she and her colleagues are

✁ YES, SIGN ME UP NOW IN NDU/NEA/AFT-RETIRED Complete and mail with your check today to NDU-Retired, 301 N 4th St, Bismarck, ND 58501-4020 Name:_____________________________________ Social Security Number:_______________________ Address: ______________________________________________________________________________ City:__________________________________ State:_____________________ Zip:_________________ Phone: _________________________________________ E-mail:_______________________________ Local Association: _______________________ Signature: _____________________________________ Date: _______________________ _______ I wish to join as Annual Retired and pay $61 per year. Mail this form and your check to: NDU, 301 N 4th Street, Bismarck, ND 58501-4020. (NDU membership year is from

September 1 to August 31.)

_______ I wish to pay a one-time payment of $466 for Lifetime Retired.

Expected Date of Retirement ___________ (month/year)

_______ I wish to pay one payment of $66 and have 8 (eight) electronic transfers of $50 from my bank

account for Lifetime Retired.

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North Dakota United 301 N 4th St Bismarck, ND 58501-4020

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ND United Voices

PERMIT NO. 433 BISMARCK, ND