United Voices, Vol. 9 No. 2

2023 Teacher of the Year Ivona Todorovic

By Nick Archuleta, nick.archuleta@ndunited.org

Our Voices Will Be Heard

North Dakota lawmakers will be convening the 68th Legislative Assembly on Jan. 3, 2023.

Since August, I have been traveling the state to meet with legislators in their home districts to discuss the NDU Legislative Agenda. Here’s what we’ve talked about:

• I have expressed our desire that the Legislature address the matters our members have told us are important to them and the work they do. First, we stress the need to raise salaries for public employees, including education professionals, across the state. To that end, we are recommending that the Legislature provide 8% salary increases to state employees in each year of the next biennium and that it provides 8% increases to the K-12 funding formula, with 75% of that new funding being dedicated to increasing salaries.

• I am also encouraging legislators to provide adequate resources to address the lack of attainable and affordable childcare. NDU is part of a coalition of likeminded organizations called the North Dakota Childcare Action Alliance. We have helped inform the

discussions around the issue because we know that the lack of childcare services is keeping many out of the workforce, including public service. We can and must do better on this prominent issue.

• I am strongly stating NDU’s position that monies raised for public purposes should be spent accordingly, and not siphoned off to private, parochial or homeschools through voucher schemes. In the past four sessions, we have been successful in defeating seven such attempts. With the arrival of the Center for the American Experiment and other groups committed to undermining the public’s faith in K-12 public schools, we expect the fight to get harder.

• Finally, I am letting legislators know that NDU is committed to saving the NDPERS definedbenefit retirement plan. It is a vital tool to recruit and retain a talented public workforce. Additionally, the long-term extreme cost of closing the plan will have a negative effect on ND for generations to come.

Remember: YOU are NDU, and YOU have a role to play in accomplishing our legislative goals. Please visit www.ndunited.org/issues-action to learn how you can be a North Dakota Member Activist and help secure the future of Great Public Education and Great Public Service!

President Archuleta meeting with legislators to discuss our issues, and he urges you to speak out, too.

Recognizing EXCELLENCE in Education

2023 North Dakota Teacher of the Year, three finalists honored at Capitol ceremony.

By Tom Gerhardt, tom.gerhardt@ndunited.org

Ivona Todorovic, an English Language teacher at Red River High School in Grand Forks, was announced as the 2023 North Dakota Teacher of the Year at a ceremony in the state Capitol on Sept. 19, 2022.

“Our why is our students,” Todorovic said. “Every year we welcome students into our classroom with the determination to make their learning successful. It is imperative to know their personal story and find the real individual behind the name no matter what language they speak, knowing your students’ stories will allow you to see the assets they bring to class and every child will learn. And it is our job to pursue different instructional strategies to uncover the unique learning craft for each child.”

Todorovic celebrates diversity and emphasizes collaboration and realworld opportunities.

“Mrs. Todorovic has made an enormous impact on her students, on the Grand Forks community and the entire state through your passion for teaching students English Language and the skills they need to succeed in life while giving them the opportunity to embrace and share their cultures with the community,” Gov. Doug Burgum said.

“Thank you, President Archuleta and North Dakota United, for being our voice, especially in hard times,” Todorovic said.

North Dakota United President Nick

Archuleta thanked Todorovic and the four finalists for their work, saying NDU is as proud as can be of their accomplishments.

“They know that as a society, we don’t do anything more important than educating our future,” Archuleta said. “You four are being honored here today because you understand that learning is predicated on building strong relationships, trusting relationships between teachers and students. Clearly, you have built those relationships with your students and your communities, and colleagues have taken notice. I want to thank you all for your excellent work.”

“I think Mrs. Todorovic’s school Superintendent Dr. Terry Brenner put it well when he said that Mrs. Todorovic is an example of the American dream,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Kirsten Baesler said. “He said, in many ways, Mrs. Todorovic has lived the lives her students are living, and she is their champion. So, congratulations Mrs. Todorovic for being a champion for your students and for being the 2023 North Dakota Teacher of the Year. Thank you for the work you do for our young people.”

Scan code for complete story and video.

‘Together, We Have It All’

Teacher of the Year Todorovic enjoys seeing students succeed after struggle, just as she did.

By Tom Gerhardt, tom.gerhardt@ndunited.org

To understand how deeply Ivona Todorovic values public education, you simply need to listen to stories from her past.

The 2023 North Dakota Teacher of the Year was an elementary teacher in the former Yogoslavia in the ’90s during a violent civil war. She and her husband fled and eventually ended up in Grand Forks, arriving in June of 1995.

She resumed her teaching career as a paraeducator, earned both a Bachelor of Science and Master’s degrees in Education, and has been an English Language Learner teacher at Grand Forks Red River High School for the past 17 years. Ivona Todorovic’s classroom today at Grand Forks Red River is far removed from her classroom in the war-torn former Yugoslavia during

the early 1990s. “I had 34 thirdgraders at that time, and our city was bombed,” Todorovic said. “And all what I can see, you know, and I can do in my classroom is just say, ‘Go under the table, open your mouth and let’s just pray this will be over soon.’”

Moving to Grand Forks offered them freedom and peace of mind. “That was the happiest time for a long, long time for us,” she said, “because we knew if anybody knocks on our door, it’s going to be somebody to say hi or ask, ‘What do you need?’ instead of ‘Who are you?’”

Her experiences and world perspective have shaped who she is as an English Learner teacher and

Continued on next page.

ND Superintendent of Public Instruction Kirsten Baesler, finalist Megan Margerum, Teacher of the Year Ivona Todorovic, finalist Abby DuBord, finalist Megan Wald, ND Governor Doug Burgum.

TOP: Ivona Todorovic, left, shares a “top ten” list for teachers at the award ceremony in the Capitol.

MIDDLE: Todorovic helps students in her classroom at Red River High in Grand Forks.

Continued from previous page.

person. And Todorovic’s classroom reflects her values and passions. A wall of photos in her classroom displays her extended family. She says every single graduate has contributed to society.

“They are truly the ones that they know … the meaning of freedom, number one,” Todorovic said. “Because most of the … 95% of my case load, they are refugees and kids who had to immigrate, they had to flee or they had to come here, so education really gives them many, many opportunities to follow their path, to follow their passion.”

Todorovic believes power lies in education. Her goals are to provide her students with knowledge to help them become confident leaders and contributors. “Some of them are amazing stories,” she said. “So far, we have three doctors. We had many, many RNs, you know, nurses and auto mechanics and welders.”

Nursing students from the University of North Dakota have visited her class to work with the students. Todorovic believes it’s important to reach beyond the classroom walls. She says she’s the type of teacher who is passionate and leads with the heart.

“I’m always intrigued about learning new things,” she said. “I do think the things that matter happen right here, on the floor in room 313, room 206, 101. The things that matter, they’re happening here. And the thing is I always want to do better than yesterday.”

Ivona is also a member of the Grand Forks Education Association and North Dakota United. She says it’s been important in her development as an educator and also aligns with her values.

BOTTOM: Todorovic with a group of her students. Scan code for complete story and video.

“And through all of this life experience, and me, I really believe in public education — so strongly — because public education serves all students, I really believe that with North Dakota United, we work together towards a common goal,” Todorovic said. “We have that power together. … We may not have it all, but together we have it all. … Because we all have different strengths, but when we are united, then we are even better.”

New Opportunities

By Kelly Hagen, kelly.hagen@ndunited.org

“Relationships are at the heart of education, and I believe that relationships are deeply impacted by the culture in which they formed,” said Abby DuBord, a first-grade teacher at Elk Ridge Elementary School in Bismarck and a finalist for 2023 North Dakota Teacher of the Year. “In a professional education setting, this means that the culture within our school and classrooms will inevitably impact the relationships that are created within.”

DuBord learned this lesson upclose and personal at the beginning of the 2022-23 school year, as she moved from teaching first grade at Centennial Elementary, also in Bismarck, over to Elk Ridge, which is one of two brand new elementary schools that opened this fall. Teachers know that the key to success in reaching students where they are and cultivating their passion for learning is to build a relationship with each of them. You need to learn who they are, where they come from, what sparks joy for them and what challenges they face. It can be a challenge to build these new relationships with students each year, but for DuBord and her colleagues at Elk Ridge, they are also building trust relationships with each other. With these challenges come new opportunities, too. DuBord saw this new chapter in her career as an opportunity to build something new

and beautiful for everyone. “A little bit of like what that looks like now at Elk Ridge,” DuBord said. “It’s been really fun having kind of a melting pot of teachers. But what you notice – at least I’ve noticed – is we are so strong because, I think, we came into this with a common goal, and it was to open a new school and to be our best selves for students.”

As a first-grade teacher, DuBord gets to start the process of growing a love for learning very early in every student’s academic journey. That, too, comes with challenges and opportunities.

“I feel like we have a lot of pressure and a really good way to instill a love of education and a love of learning and an excitement of learning in these young students while also trying to problem solve and notice any barriers at a young age of what might be kind of stopping or slowing their learning,” DuBord said.

Despite this being only DuBord’s fourth year in education, she said every day in teaching is still as exciting as it is daunting. “(It’s) a lot of pressure to make sure 22 students are set up for their future success,” she said. “But also really exciting because there’s potential in each and every one of them, and it’s just kind of my job to unlock that potential and see what they need to find that success.”

Teacher of the Year finalist DuBord is excited to get to know new faces at a new school.

A Voice for Personalized Learning

By Kelly Hagen, kelly.hagen@ndunited.org

Megan Margerum, an English Language Arts teacher for third graders at Northern Cass Public School, believes in developing the skills, competencies and abilities of her students by building meaning and agency within them as learners. She said she came to this conclusion partially by observing what used to drive her as a student and now as an educator.

“For me, I needed to see things, and I wanted to create,” Margerum said. “And a lot of kids are like that; they just need a hands-on approach. There are (also) kids that don’t want that. They just want to read by themselves, go through it, answer the questions, and they’re done. Our kids are so different.”

By engaging each student’s unique style of learning and their interests, Margerum believes you can tap into that enthusiasm and build a lifelong love for learning.

“When they’re passionate about something, they will do it for you,” she said. “They love learning when it’s something they’re really interested in or passionate about. How can you put that into the curriculum for them, so that if they love basketball or they love Pokemon, how can we put that into the lesson?”

In Margerum’s room, she keeps a

bell that the students are invited to ring when they can show they are proficient in something. “And then we all stop,” she said, “and they will say, ‘I was proficient at main idea today.’ And then everybody claps for them, and they get a little badge – a paper badge that I’ve laminated, and then they get to put it on a little ring. ... I think it’s so cool because you can see how proud they are and how much they work towards that.”

Margerum’s opportunity to “ring the bell” for herself came earlier this year when she was chosen as Teacher of the Year, first at Northern Cass and subsequently for Cass County.

“I was just shocked because there are so many amazing educators,” she said, “that I was like, there’s no way. And then after that, we had to do some more work for North Dakota Teacher of the Year, and she called me and told me that I was top four. Again, (I was) shocked because there’s so many people.”

She hopes her achievements can help shine a light on all the positive work being done at Northern Cass. “I wanted to get my name out there,” Margerum said. “Just like, these are some of the things we’re doing here at Northern Cass, and I would love to be kind of that leader of other districts going to personalized learning and just sharing our story.”

ELA educator at Northern Cass hopes being named finalist for Teacher of the Year reflects highly on school’s approach.

Students in Linton taught business with hands-on projects by Teacher of the Year finalist Wald.

Outside of the Box

By Kelly Hagen, kelly.hagen@ndunited.org

The phrase “business as usual” is meant to describe a state of affairs that is largely unchanged and moored in place. Somewhat ironically, business education is one subject area that is constantly changing, evolving and reinventing itself, year to year.

“It changes every single year,” said Megan Wald, a business education instructor at Linton High School and finalist for 2023 North Dakota Teacher of the Year. “That’s one of the fun parts about my job. … I teach a financial literacy class. So, 15 years ago when I started, we spent a lot of time still talking about writing checks out and managing a checkbook register. And the last three or four years, now we’re talking about using cash apps and things like that. Definitely, the technology improvements have changed.”

Wald also believes that the nature of constant change and evolution in business has helped to move all areas of learning forward. As projectbased learning has become more and more prevalent in education, it was business education that really helped pioneer the practice. “I feel like that’s our other strong point,” Wald said. “Fifteen years ago, we were doing project-based learning. I feel like we’re the innovators of that because our focus is giving students those career-readiness skills that don’t come from a textbook.”

Some of the projects that Wald

incorporates into her teaching in Linton include a small business ownership course and a new project that she based on a social media post from a business teacher in Pennsylvania called Collaborative City. “This idea for the Collaborative City starts with individual projects in a few of my courses,” she said. Students in small business ownership create fictitious businesses, determining a product, target market and SWOT analysis, then making a physical building out of a box and adding it to the city, which is a large piece of cardboard kept in Wald’s room. Students in her accounting class will research the “Big Four” accounting firms and add a skyscraper based on one of the firm’s headquarters to the city. Web site design students then create a building to represent business where IT employees would work and have access to customers, roads and parks, which they also make. And students in tech and engineering wired up streetlights.

“At the end of the year, we added additional greenery, park benches and even cars and people to our city,” Wald said. “All students and visitors to my room loved to look over the city and see all of the details and work that our student put into it. … This project is a very ‘outside of the box’ way to learn and capitalize on student interest. I am so excited to see how big it can get!”

2023 Legislative Session

The 2023 Legislative Session will begin in early January and so much is at stake for North Dakota United members. The choices made by legislators will affect every classroom and workplace in the state for years to come. More than ever before, we need to make sure our voices are heard loudly and clearly by legislators. Now is the time to stand up for our students, our schools and the citizens of North Dakota.

2023 ND UNITED LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

GREAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS, GREAT PUBLIC SERVICE

North Dakota United advocates for great public schools to enhance student achievement and great public services to enhance the quality of life in North Dakota. Therefore, NDU supports legislation that will...

Ensure quality public education for students and quality public services for North Dakotans.

• Provide adequate and equitable funding for schools and institutions of higher education to offer a diverse and challenging curriculum and the services that will prepare students for global opportunities.

• Provide adequate and equitable funding for all public services to provide for the diverse and changing needs of our state.

• Ensure that public money supports only public

institutions and that only public employees provide public services.

• Ensure that North Dakota makes a long and lasting investment in quality pre-K and child care that pays particular attention to the workers providing these services to set our kids up for success in school and ease the burdens on working families.

• Protect the privacy of our classrooms and our workplaces.

Improve and enhance student learning and public services.

• Provide fully qualified professionals in all service areas of public employment.

• Ensure that all public facilities and agencies are adequately staffed to provide quality service.

• Provide mentoring programs for employees that will heighten their expertise and confidence early in their careers.

• Provide time and resources for employees to participate in quality professional development.

• Provide modern, safe buildings and facilities.

• Ensure safe working and learning environments for all public employees and children.

• Provide students and employees with nutrition and wellness programs that encourage healthful living and a healthful attitude for learning.

• Support programs or initiatives for school readiness.

• Support research programs in higher education.

• Support increased access to behavioral health services for all students and public employees.

Recruit and retain education and public employees.

• Promote increased funding for equitable salary increases of at least 5% for all education and public employees.

• Maintain the current health insurance benefit for all education and public employees.

• Maintain high standards for licensure and credentials from the existing independent teacher licensing board.

• Provide job security for all education and public employees.

• Provide bargaining and employment rights for all education and public employees.

• Protect the institution of tenure in higher education.

• Show respect for trained educators and their curriculum decisions.

Provide retirement benefits for present and future retirees.

• Preserve defined-benefit retirement plans for current and future education and public employees.

• Maintain the current multiplier.

Continued on next page ... Key issues we would like addressed.

Continued from previous page.

As you can see from the 2023 North Dakota United Legislative Agenda that was passed by delegates at the 2022 Delegate Assembly, there are so many key issues that we would like to see addressed by legislators. There are a few of these issues that will likely rise to the top in the coming session.

Funding and Salary Increases

North Dakota United will be advocating for a significant increase in funding for K-12, higher education and state agencies. Given the challenges of inflation as well as critical needs that are going unmet in our schools and workplaces, we will be bold in our requests to make sure our institutions have what they need and that we get the raises we have earned for our quality work and dedication. Our lobbying team has had good initial conversations with legislators about this topic, so we are cautiously optimistic about securing substantial increases, but this will require continued advocacy by our members across the state to make it a reality.

Proposed Closure of the Defined-Benefit Plan of NDPERS

During the 2021 session, members of the North Dakota State Legislature attempted to push through SB 2046, a bill that would have closed the North Dakota Public Employees Retirement System (NDPERS) defined-benefit hybrid retirement—or main—plan for

all new hires effective July 1, 2023.

Although North Dakota United —the state’s public employees union—member activists, and legislative allies eventually defeated the bill, state legislators passed HB 1209 requiring the interim Retirement Committee to develop a plan to effectively accomplish the same goal by January 1, 2024. The committee met periodically over the interim and hired Milliman as their consultant to design the plan. The committee received testimony from NDPERS, as well as other states that have made the same proposed changes. Here are a few of the key findings during the process that were ignored as the plan was rushed through the interim:

• Milliman said pensions are twice the value for taxpayers, so keeping it open makes sense.

• Milliman said removing contributions by and for new employees could create a funding gap and risk causing unpredictable future payments. That puts our retirement security at risk because legislators can’t bind future legislatures to spending.

• Cutting pensions didn’t work in Alaska, Florida or Oklahoma. Some North Dakota legislators refuse to listen to these failures.

We have been fighting back hard on this issue, and we will need all members to engage in the fight to protect pensions. If they remove this benefit for state workers, the same legislators will bring this attack to teacher pensions.

Vouchers

Every session, some legislators subject us to the latest voucher scheme with ever-changing language that accomplish the same end: siphoning off critical resources from our public schools to support private education. North Dakota United has always supported the rights of parents to choose the educational setting that is most appropriate for their child, but

our public resources should not be used to support private choices. We expect we will see several voucher bills again this session, and we will have to stand up and speak out again to let legislators know why we oppose vouchers.

Child care Quality, affordable child care is critical for a functioning economy, child development and family budgets. Right now, the child-care system in North Dakota is fraying at the edges. Parents pay too much. Child-care workers earn an average wage of just over $11 per hour. Child-care centers are operating on razor-thin margins and struggle to keep the doors open. We need a sustainable, long-term investment by the State of North Dakota to address this issue that affects our members and our communities in innumerable ways.

While these issues will be the key focus of our legislative advocacy in the coming session, there undoubtedly will be other issues that we will monitor and communicate with members. If we hope to win on our issues, we will need members across the state engaged and active to make sure legislators know that we are watching and we expect action. Our students, our families and our communities need us!

HOW TO GET ENGAGED

Scan this QR code to add your name to the growing number of members who are ready to take action and stay engaged through the legislative session. In addition to updates on key legislation, you will learn more about ways to take action, ways to build solidarity with your colleagues in the process, and advocate for your profession.

NDU Foundation Scholarship & Grant Applications Open

December 1 – March 31!

North Dakota United Scholarships and Grants are available to North Dakota United members, including Student NDU and NDU-Retired members, as well as the dependents of all members. All scholarship applications are currently open and are due March 31, 2023. Application information can be found at NDUnited.org by clicking on Who We Are and NDU Foundation.

In 2022, the NDU Foundation announced that 35 North Dakota United members and dependents had been selected to receive more than $35,000 total in scholarships and grants.

Undergraduate Scholarships – Any field of study:

● $ North Dakota United Member/Dependent Scholarship – Available to an active NDU member or dependent of an active member who is pursuing post-secondary education in any field of study including vocational, associate or bachelor degree program.

Undergraduate Scholarships – Education degree:

● $ North Dakota United Education Scholarship – Available to a student who is pursuing an undergraduate degree in education.

● $ North Dakota United Foundation Ethnic Minority Scholarship – Awarded to a minority student preparing to teach. The Foundation will give special consideration to a student attending a tribal college.

● $ Mary Cripps Special Education Scholarship – Available to either an undergraduate or graduate student pursuing initial or advanced training in special education.

● $ Howard Loftesnes Memorial Education Scholarship – Awarded to a student pursuing an undergraduate or graduate education as a reading literacy specialist or a similar field of study. Preference shall be given to applicants who attended or are employed at Simle Middle School in Bismarck.

● $ Bill Oban Special Education Scholarship – Available to an outstanding undergraduate or graduate student who is preparing for a career in special education.

● $ Cindy & Gary Rath Education Scholarship – Available to an NDU student member or a North Dakota resident who is a student NEA/AFT member in another state, pursuing an undergraduate degree in education. A preference will be given to a student attending Dickinson State University or Valley City State University.

● $ Les Snavely Memorial Education Scholarship – Available to a student at Dickinson State University who has been accepted to the teacher education program at DSU and is pursuing a degree from DSU that qualifies the student to become a certified teacher.

Graduate Scholarships:

● $ Ron & Ann Anstrom Scholarship – The purpose is to assist individual English, math or science instructors to improve their qualifications by attending summer school or engaging in graduate level courses during the regular academic year, online courses or extension courses that are part of a graduate program.

● $ Mary Cripps Special Education Scholarship – Available to either an undergraduate or graduate student pursuing initial or advanced training in special education.

● $ Halstenson Family Music Scholarship Fund – Available to an NDU member who possesses a current license to teach music in a North Dakota public school and is pursuing a graduate degree in music. While the individual is pursuing a graduate degree, the award may be used to participate in credit or noncredit educational opportunities to improve his/her K-12 music content knowledge and teaching skills. These opportunities are not required to be part of the master’s degree course content, but an experience that would certainly enhance the teacher’s skills, knowledge and abilities. Individuals must have at least one year of full-time teaching experience and indicate a desire to continue teaching music in North Dakota to be considered for this scholarship.

● $ Horace Mann ND Agents Graduate Education Scholarship – This program has been established to assist individual NDU members improve their qualifications by attending summer school or engaging in graduate level course during the regular academic year, online courses or extension courses that are part of a graduate program.

● $ Howard Loftesnes Memorial Education Scholarship – Awarded to a student pursuing an undergraduate or graduate education as a reading literacy specialist or a similar field of study. Preference shall be given to applicants who attended or are employed at Simle Middle School in Bismarck.

● $ Bill Oban Special Education Scholarship – Available to an outstanding undergraduate or graduate student who is preparing for a career in special education.

Grants

The NDU Foundation is proud to present special awards and grants to our members each year, for the continued development of their professional skills and knowledge. Application information can be found at NDUnited.org by clicking on Who We Are and NDU Foundation.

● $ Joseph A. Westby Leadership Award – Given each year in recognition of Joe Westby’s 45 years of leadership in education, including 32 years within our union. Westby recognized the need to encourage members and staff to pursue leadership training. The Joseph A. Westby Leadership Award has a rolling application process and may be submitted at any time.

● $ NDU Workplace Innovation Grant – Available for an individual member or a group of members to implement service delivery innovation to improve public education or public service in North Dakota.

True Love ENDURES

Retired educator says her late husband would be proud of scholarship set up in his name.

By Tom Gerhardt, tom.gerhardt@ndunited.org

Educators impact the lives of students beyond the classroom and often well beyond their lifetimes. That was certainly the case with Les Snavely, who passed away in 2020. Les taught in Bowman for 30 years, serving as the school librarian and teaching English and Philosophy.

He and his wife Marie were active at the local level in Bowman, but also in the National Education Association and the North Dakota Education Association. Each year, a student going into education at Dickinson State University will receive a scholarship set up in their name through the North Dakota United Foundation.

Marie Snavely, also a longtime educator, says Les was an optimistic person who always looked on the sunny side of life. She says he would be thrilled that this scholarship would have the

ability to positively impact teachers well into the future. “The thing that would make him so pleased was the scholarship,” she said.

Les taught at Bowman Public School for 30 years. His legacy lives on in many ways, including the Les Snavely Memorial Education Scholarship offered through the North Dakota United Foundation. “Les was instrumental in that foundation, which started out with only a few dollars, and he was adamant about it and was so proud of it,” Snavely said. “And what a way to remember him.”

Marie — a former art teacher in Bowman and Rhame and an active member of NDU-Retired – keeps herself busy painting, as well as cycling, these days. The exercise helped her emerge from depression as Les’s health failed. Exercise gave her renewed energy for her art.

She is working on a 140x18 ft. mural just off Bowman’s Main

If you would like to start a scholarship to honor someone you love, please email Gary Rath at gary.rath@ndunited. org or call North Dakota United at 701-223-0450. There is a minimum donation of $5,000 to start a scholarship fund. That amount qualifies as a donor for the state of North Dakota to ensure a tax credit. North Dakota United will match your donation up to $5000.

Street. Additionally, her work is on display at the Bowman Public Library. And she recently completed several plein air paintings of Ft. Lincoln State Park as an artist in residence this summer.

Marie also taught at Dickinson State, which is where she and Les met in college.

“So, I thought that money should go to a teacher in at Dickinson State and that it would be under Les’s name,” Snavely said. “I was just enormously proud, and I hope that that continues for a long, long time, because that’s the only thing that we can do that lasts forever. Because nothing is permanent; everything is temporary. And so, you continue with education because that’s what lifts everybody up.”

Marie and Les were active in the NDEA — now North Dakota United — serving their school and their union, and attending national conventions. “And I always felt like it was it enriched my life in so many ways,” Snavely said. “You know, I would never change that experience if I had to do that over because it was the thing that saved me. It, for me, it was just a fabulous thing.”

Their involvement opened many doors, and they hope to help open for others.

“So, if you want to set up a scholarship for someone you love, I think it’s a fabulous thing to do because how many cars can you (own)? You know, cars or things will not endure. That’s the thing, because things are temporary and they’re not important.”

Marie encourages others to consider setting up a scholarship to honor someone they love and to help educate future generations. “Life becomes rich with education, becomes richer,” Snavely said. “It’s not the only path, but it’s a very lovely path.”

Scan code to view this story online.

TOP: Les Snavely during his time as an educator in Bowman.

MIDDLE: Marie Snavely rides a bicycle for the health benefits and to fuel her artistic endeavors.

BOTTOM: Maria also created this mural near Main Street in Bowman.

Public Education Perspectives

By Alicia Bata, NDU Vice President of Education

Why teach?

“What would you like for your birthday?”

my mother asked me before I turned six years old. “A blackboard and chalk,” I said. I told her I wanted to play teacher!

I remember lining up my dolls and stuffed animals to “teach” them how to draw and how to spell out the alphabet or their names. I am sure some of my colleagues started their “teaching career” in a similar fashion. I could never have imagined this would become the career of a lifetime.

I have spent the past 36 years in classrooms in the public schools of North Dakota (and a couple more years before that in Buenos Aires, Argentina, tutoring at an American Institute, while I attended university to obtain my first undergraduate degree). No, I was not planning on being an educator for my life-long career, but life sometimes takes unexpected turns, and this profession became my passion. There is a sense of purpose and achievement every single day of my life. Doing what I love, day in and day out, is a wonderful feeling. As surprising as it may be to some people, I enjoy spending my days with teenagers - they keep me on my toes! On top of that, I truly believe that teaching is the mother of all professions. Not

only do we teach the basics, but we also expand students’ knowledge of the world and other cultures far away from us, as well as encourage students to use their imagination, creativity and critical thinking.

I have heard it said that teaching is more than a profession - it is a calling. We often talk about people having the “heart of a teacher.” Some days we counsel and comfort, some days we celebrate successes, and others we share sadness for a loss. As my students enter my classroom, whether they are taking the class in person or at far away ITV sites, I remind them that we are a team. Being human is a part of this occupation.

I am not counting my days, months or years to retirement. I do not know exactly when that will happen, but I am certain that leaving the classroom will be a very tough decision for me. How many other professions can offer a sense of accomplishment every single day? I hope “Señora Bata” has made a difference in students’ lives, because they certainly have made an impact on mine.

New to NDU

North Dakota United added three staff members in 2022

Penny Frey Senior Accountant penny.frey@ndunited.org

Penny Frey works for North Dakota United as Senior Accountant. She joined our staff in the fall of 2022, and her job duties include maintaining our association’s accounts payable, ensuring timely payment of invoices, updating financial records, assisting in preparing quarterly budget reports and serving as primary contact for coordinating employer-provided benefits through outside vendors. Previous to working at ND United, Penny was a payroll manager and controller.

lori.furaus@ndunited.org

Lori Furaus joined the team at North Dakota United as Field Consultant in August 2022. As a Field Consultant for NDU, she will work directly with members and leaders of our local associations, primarily in the south-central region of the state, and with leaders, staff and supporters on the state level to advance the policies and procedures of our union. These responsibilities include membership promotion, negotiations and contract maintenance with K-12 school districts, member rights, organizational health, state and national programs, and assisting locals to participate fully in the democratic nature of our union.

Furaus is a lifelong Mandan resident with a passion for education and promoting student growth. She attended the University of Mary and earned a degree in secondary education. Prior to working for North Dakota United, she was a middle school teacher in the Bismarck school district. She served as the president of the Bismarck Education Association from 2018-21.

Ali Hoffman

Legislative

ali.hoffman@ndunited.org

Campaign Organizer

Ali was hired as a Legislative Campaign Organizer for North Dakota United in summer of 2022. Part of her duties with our union are to support ND United members, locals and staff in building power to achieve the legislative advocacy goals of our members, assisting field staff in identifying, recruiting, training and supporting advocacy programs, training local leaders, participating and leading political activities at the state and local level.

She grew up in Bismarck with her parents and younger brother before moving to Manhattan, Kansas, to attend Kansas State University where she majored in political science.

Lori Furaus Field Consultant

All NDU professional development courses are FREE to North Dakota United members through July 31, 2023. Participants are responsible for the cost of the book and the $50 credit fee to UND to have your credit recorded onto your transcript. The fee to participate in an NDU professional development course for non-members is $100, plus the credit fee to UND.

NDU Professional Development Opportunities

For specific information and to register, please visit courses.ndunited.org.

Early Career Educator Cohort – June 2023: North Dakota United is again sponsoring an early career educator cohort beginning in June 2023. The cohort will last approximately fourteen months and will include 30 early career educators (service years 1-7). The educators will complete six courses for six credits that can be used for re-licensure and lane changes, at no cost to the educators.

The six books studies in the Early Career Educator

Cohorts are: Poor Students, Rich Teaching: Seven HighImpact Mindsets for Students from Poverty; Hacking School Discipline; Classroom Management Matters; The Energy Bus; Differently Wired, and; Troublemakers. North Dakota United is currently accepting educators for the June cohort. If you are interested, please contact Professional Development Director Amy Flicek at amy.flicek@ndunited.org.

Online Book Studies

(By Category):

Book studies are typically one credit courses that last approximately six weeks. One credit equates to 15 hours of study. Expectations include reading the book, answering discussion questions, responding to others’ responses, and a reflection paper/action plan.

Behavior Management

> Easy to Love, Difficult to Discipline: The 7 Basic Skills for Turning Conflict into Cooperation – January 23

> Beyond Behaviors: Using Brain Science & Compassion to Understand and Solve Children’s Behavior Challenges – March 6

Instruction

> How I Wish I’d Taught Maths: Lessons Learned from Research, Conversations, and 12 Years of Mistakes – January 9

> Overcoming Dyslexia – February 13

> Know Better, Do Better: Teaching the Foundations So Every Child Can Read – February 20

> Teaching with Intention: Defining Beliefs, Aligning Practice and Taking Action (K-5) – March 6

> Reading Instruction That Works – March 20

Leadership

> The 5 Graces of Life and Leadership – January 30

Mindset / Self-Care

> Opening Minds: Using Language to Change Lives – January 16

> Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals –February 27

> The High 5 Habit: Take Control of Your Life with One Simple Habit – March 13

> Happy Teachers Change the World: A Guide for Cultivating Mindfulness in Education –March 27

Relationship Building

> Closing the Loop: A Powerful and Practical Guide to SchoolHome Communication –February 6

Mini-Courses: Mini-courses are short duration zoom (or recorded) sessions surrounding a broad range of topics relevant to those who work with students. MiniCourses will be offered weekly from 7-9 pm CT via Zoom.

Registration for mini-courses allows you access to 20 sessions. You can attend as few or as many as you choose. Participation in 5 mini-course sessions, plus a reflection paper after reach session can help you earn 1 credit. Participate in 20 sessions for a total of 4 credits.

Topics in Education (1-2 credits) These mini-course sessions will provide information on several topics in education, such as: Equity; Inclusion; Ethics; Students in Poverty; Special Education Law; Students and Executive Function; and Improving School-Family Relations.

January 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; February 8, 15, 22; March 1, 8

United Voices, Executive Summary

Authors: Yvonne H. Cannon, Ph.D. & Pamela Beck, Ed. D.

Voices from the Field: Perceptions of Pre-Service Teachers in the Transition from Theory to Practice

Background: According to the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction and the North Dakota Educational Standards and Practices Board, the teaching shortage in North Dakota has reached critical levels. NDDPI has indicated that shortages stem from enrollment growth, teachers leaving the profession, fewer young people entering the profession, stress factors from COVID-19, and concerns about school safety. Educator Preparation Programs are also concerned about this shortage and are implementing initiatives to recruit and retain pre-service teachers. As pre-service teachers move through the rigors of university teaching programs, they experience many stressors that mirror those of their licensed counterparts. The question is, how do we identify gaps in programming and provide the various supports needed by pre-service teachers to help raise their levels of confidence and selfefficacy as they transition from theory to practice?

Recent research has heightened the awareness of various stressors that impact pre-service teachers as they prepare to transition from coursework to fieldwork. According to Melnick and Meister (as cited by Nahal, 2010), first-year teachers’ expectations differ from the realities they encounter, and the education profession is more complex than anticipated. Collaborative efforts between Educator Preparation Programs and practicing teachers

have become increasingly important to prepare the pre-service teacher for the realities of the profession, confirmation of career choice, overall job satisfaction, and retention. This cooperation is essential to identify current programming gaps and create additional support as pre-service teachers transition from coursework to fieldwork.

The following information summarizes a primarily phenomenological mixed-methods study in which pre-service teachers completed a self-efficacy survey and semi-structured interviews to better understand the lived experiences of pre-service teachers as they begin to prepare for student teaching. The sample included a group of pre-service teachers enrolled in universities across the state of North Dakota and were completing their final semester of coursework before the student teaching experience. The purpose of this study was twofold. The first was to identify emerging themes for Educator Preparation Programs to reflect and respond to pre-service teacher needs. The second was to share the findings with PreK-12 stakeholders as a collaborative effort to support preservice teachers’ transition from theory to practice.

Literature Review:

A review of the current literature suggests that those who become teachers are predisposed to the profession because of how they view

the role of the teacher and their love for ongoing learning. However, there is a disparity between what preservice teachers conceptualize about the profession in their coursework to the profession’s realities they encounter in their field experiences. The locus of this research is the perception of self-efficacy of the pre-service teacher. The literature links the perception of self-efficacy to mental well-being, stress, anxiety, teaching dispositions, resilience, grit, and the ability to problem solve.

Beliefs of self-efficacy directly relate to confidence levels. High perceptions of self-efficacy equal high confidence levels, whereas the opposite is also true. The literature noted that those with low confidence levels often experienced imposter syndrome, which has been linked to feelings of stress and anxiety as pre-service teachers may feel unprepared to carry out knowledge, skills, and dispositions (KSDs) provided in their courses. As pre-service teachers navigate the educator preparation program, they may experience ongoing stress or anxiety that can interfere with their teaching performance. In contrast, there are strong ties between teaching success and longevity to the presence of resilience, perseverance, grit, and the ability to implement mental well-being and self-care practices. Resilience and self-care practices taught within EPPs can help pre-service teachers learn coping methods before issues with anxiety and mental health begin. The literature also suggests partnerships with cooperating schools are important in creating a sense of belonging and providing pre-service teachers incremental opportunities to be in the classroom with a mentor.

Summary of Findings:

The Teacher Sense of Efficacy Survey reported descriptive statistics across the areas of Student Engagement, Instructional Strategies, and Classroom Management. There was

AUTHORS: LEFT: Yvonne H. Cannon, Ph.D. RIGHT: Pamela Beck, Ed. D.

a total of 8 questions per category on the survey. The mean for each category is as follows: Student Engagement-6.47; Instructional Strategies-6.62; and Classroom Management-6.36. The overall combined mean was 6.49, indicating a confidence rating on the TSES slightly above a neutral ranking of 5 on the scale.

The interviews provided rich descriptions that highlighted complexities that pre-service teachers encounter and the importance of self-efficacy perceptions and confidence levels as essential to success in the transition from theory to practice. An analysis of the interviews identified six themes that portrayed the lived experience of the preservice teacher. These perceptions include the following: feelings, dispositions, relationships, teaching expectations, teaching strategies, and confidence levels. Some of these themes overlapped with one another and perceptions of self-efficacy and confidence levels were weaved throughout the responses of the participants.

Feelings

Interviewees indicated both positive and negative feelings about their experiences. Those who discussed positive feelings detailed strong connections to the profession based on happiness and excitement. They

indicated that the students were the main reason for continued motivation. When their students were happy, they were happy. When their students were successful, they felt successful. Interview responses showed a correlation between positive student interactions and feelings of ongoing motivation, determination, and perseverance. Interview participants also recognized negative feelings associated with their introductory and practicum fieldwork. The descriptors provided a lens that associated negative feelings with social-emotional well-being, including themes such as stress, anxiety, nervousness, feeling emotionally drained, fatigue, and frustration. From the analysis, negative feelings were linked to both student behaviors and the unknowns and rigor of both academic and emotional teaching expectations.

Relationships

Interviewees identified key relationships that affected their transition to beginning field experiences. These field experiences were broken down into two categories: introductory and practicum experiences. Primary roles of support came from the cooperating mentor teacher and the university supervisor. Students in the classrooms played a special role in pre-service teacher growth and learning. Other relationship roles mentioned were secondary in nature and included administration, support professionals, specialists, other teachers, and university cohorts. All relationships were identified as critical in the pre-service teacher self-reflection process and provided multiple opportunities to view the connection between teaching and learning through various perspectives. Interviewees indicated that strong relationships created a sense of belonging and strengthened confidence.

Dispositions/Teaching Expectations

Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) expect pre-service teachers to achieve competencies in knowledge, skills, and dispositions (KSDs). Interviewees identified the following professional behaviors as benchmarks for the teaching profession: positive image/appearance, appropriate communication skills, punctuality, flexibility, collaborative skills, respect for others, attending to diverse needs, prioritizing/organizing, self-reflection, and self-regulation. Mentor teachers, in collaboration with university supervisors, assist students in understanding teacher expectations through modeling and critical conversations, creating a climate of trust and the ability to take appropriate actions when faced with various scenarios during field experiences.

Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies

The results from the survey indicated moderately low levels of selfconfidence across the constructs of student engagement, classroom management, and instructional strategies. The interviews confirmed the results from the survey, reporting that very few students felt they were effective in transitioning skill sets from these three areas into their pre-service fieldwork. Interviewees highlighted classroom management as a critical area needing attention. Participants indicated that safe classroom spaces required keen attention to routines, schedules, and behavior management and that they felt underprepared for handling various difficult situations they encountered in their beginning field experiences.

Student Teaching Readiness

Interview questions asked participants their thoughts about overall readiness for student teaching. The analysis of the responses uncovered a wide range of self-efficacy perceptions.

Interviewees who obtained their subbing license had higher levels of confidence than those who only participated in introductory and practicum field experiences. Also, participants indicated nervousness about the basic process of student teaching, such as length, how placements are made, what supports they will have, if their mentor teacher will like them, and overall expectations for completion. One interviewee stated that it would be helpful to have these conversations in stages along the various coursework to mentally prepare for the student teaching experience.

Conclusions and Implications:

The results of this study indicate there are disparities between what pre-service teachers are learning in coursework to what they experience in practice and demonstrate the need for Educator Preparation Programs to further explore considerations for reframing current programming. One suggestion is to further extend opportunities for innovative collaborations. Building innovative collaborations with K-12 schools can offer pre-service teachers ongoing opportunities to have stability during the introductory and practicum experiences with relationships, environment, and procedures. A second is to use the collaborations in tandem with specific training in EPP coursework to provide pre-service teachers with specific training to handle complex behaviors. Pre-service teachers would also benefit from attending professional development opportunities that would target trauma-sensitive training, socialemotional-behavioral learning, character development, and working with students with exceptionalities. This type of programming can assist pre-service teachers to connect coursework to authentic professional issues that will help close the disconnect between theory

and practice. Finally, innovative collaborations can assist with preparation for the realities of the profession. Merging what practicing teachers encounter in real-time with the opportunity to ask questions and have critical conversations can help prepare pre-service teachers for the mental load associated with teaching. Providing university mental health support with professional resources for licensed teachers allows for a proactive stance in navigating challenges and helping to maintain a work-life balance.

The study highlighted the dual role of the pre-service teacher, answering to the university’s and the cooperating school’s expectations. Long-term collaborative mentorships may increase perceptions of self-efficacy, improve confidence levels, raise resilience, and assist in affirmation of teaching as a career choice.

Sources:

North Dakota Department of Public Instruction. (2021, December 7). Where have all the teachers gone? https://www.nd.gov/ dpi/news/where-have-all-teachers-gone North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board. (n.d.) Critical shortage. https://www.nd.gov/espb/critical-shortage

*Note: A full list of references is located in the comprehensive research article.

Service Teacher

Strategies

Election of Delegates to the NEA Representative Assembly

At the time United Voices went to print, seven state delegate positions are open for the 2023 NEA Representative Assembly (RA), which will be held July 1 (travel day) through July 7, 2023, (travel day) in Orlando.

Petitions for the state-paid delegate positions can be obtained by calling NDU or are located at www.ndunited. org. Members running for a delegate position must obtain 50 signatures from active members of NDU. The student and retired positions are elected by their constituencies.

Completed petitions with the 50 signatures, along with a short bio and headshot, must be returned to ND United, 301 N 4th Street, Bismarck, ND 58501, by February 15, 2023.

The delegates will be elected at the 2023 NDU Delegate Assembly to be held April 15 at BSC’s National Energy Center for Excellence.

Local Association Delegate Elections

Presidents of locals of 76 or more members will receive an email from NEA in late January with their number of delegates to be elected to the 2023 NEA Representative Assembly. These local delegate report forms are due at NDU headquarters by April 10, 2023.

NDU’s Affirmative

Action Plan

NDU’s affirmative action plan commits the Association to elect two minority delegates to the NEA Representative Assembly each year.

Questions?

Local associations are allocated one delegate for each 150 active and educational support NEA members or major fraction thereof. Locals with fewer than 76 members may cluster to form delegate units.

Ethnic minorities may be nominated for state delegate positions in the same manner as others: by submitting a petition signed by 50 active members to ND United, 301 N 4th Street, Bismarck, ND 58501 by Feb. 15, 2023.

Or to request a petition, contact Ellie Sharbono at ellie.sharbono@ndunited.org.

Women control one third of total U.S household financial assets – more than TRILLION.1

Today’s women by the numbers

An unprecedented amount of assets will shift into the hands of U.S. women over the next three to five years, representing a opportunity by the end of the decade.1

OF THE

By 2022, women will control more than WEALTH in the U.S.2

According to Forbes Community Voice, OF U.S. WOMEN are either solely or jointly responsible for household decisions.

With more women than ever responsible for their financial well-being – and the financial well-being of their families – it’s critical that women know how to save and plan for their future.

Contact your local Horace Mann representative to empower your future through financial education

1. McKenzie & Company, Women as the next wave of wealth in U.S. wealth management, July 29, 2021

2. Forbes Community Voice, Five Reasons Women are Taking the Lead in Financial Planning, Aug. 2017

The information provided here is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered a recommendation, investment, tax or legal advice.

Horace Mann Service Corporation and certain of its affiliates (Horace Mann) enter into agreements with educational associations where Horace Mann pays the association to provide services aimed at familiarizing association members with the Horace Mann brand, products or services. For more information, email your inquiry to association.relations@horacemann.com.

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