WATCH VIDEO MESSAGE from President Wil Okabe.
The video is posted on Vimeo. Click here to view.
July 4, 2013
See what first-time delegates say about why they are taking on leadership roles, fighting for social justice, and working together to create positive change for students.
>>CLICK TO VIEW VIDEO.
Hawaii teachers are in the Hall at the 151st Annual Meeting of the National Education Association.
(Picture by Osa Tui)
July 3 2013
NEA REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY
Only Educator-Led Change Will Improve Student Success
2013 National Education Representative Assembly - HSTA Delegates
Fri, May 17, 2013 - 5:38
July 3 2013
NEA REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY
Only Educator-Led Change Will Improve Student Success
In Keynote speech, NEA President Dennis Van Roekel urged the nearly 9,000 delegates to take on leadership roles, fight for social justice and work together to create positive change for students.
Click here to read full transcript of NEA President Dennis Van Roekel’s Speech.
Hawaii teachers meet from 6 AM each morning to review new business items of the day.
July 2, 2013
‘It’s Time to Storm the Castle’: Raise Your Hand Campaign Kicks Off in Atlanta
By Tim Walker
“The power of your expertise is important. We’re going to tap into the passion, creativity, and power of everyone who spends their lives in the nation’s classrooms,” National Education Association President Dennis Van Roekel announced at the kick-off event for NEA’s new “Raise Your Hand for Public Education” Campaign on Tuesday. Van Roekel then handed the microphone over to a host of dynamic and respected educators—from the classroom and from the research community- who engaged a standing-room only crowd in a day of professional rejuvenation and educator empowerment, part of NEA’s Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly being held in Atlanta this week.
Although the discussions — facilitated by Bill Raabe, senior director of NEA’s Center for Great Public Schools – centered around serious issues like assessments, collaboration, and community engagement, the energy in the room was upbeat and infectious, thanks to the enthusiasm of the participants and the music breaks supplied by DJ Spinderella.
Click here to read more about Raise Your Hand for Public Education.
Watch a replay of the Raise Your Hand for Public Education event here.
July 1, 2013
WATCH VIDEO MESSAGE from President Wil Okabe.
The video is posted on Vimeo. Click here to view.
Mahalo Team Hawaii!
One of the largest delegations to represent Hawaii gathered for state caucus today to prepare for the RA. The day included making arrangements for our state to have representation at committee meetings and hearings. Some delegates are taking on the task of serving on Hawaii’s NBI review team. This group meets every morning at 6 AM before state caucus to discuss the pros and cons of the new business items that will be presented before the full body at the RA. The review team brings forward recommendations on the NBIs to the state caucus for decision-making on Hawaii’s position on this year’s important issues. It was noted that some of the resolutions and business items introduced or supported by Hawaii in past years continue to be part of the guiding NEA policies.
Today, Hawaii teachers also were represented during a series of Special Interest Caucus Meetings including the NEA Peace and Justice Caucus and the NEA Asian and Pacific Islander Caucus. Tomorrow, Hawaii delegates will attend the launch of Raise Your Hand for Public Education: Empowering Educators to take an active role in making sure that educators lead the effort to shape policy and practice and help prepare the next generation of leaders to meet the new demands of the 21st century education profession. The day will feature some of the most prominent leaders in education, including Linda Darling-Hammond and educators and students. Other Hawaii delegates will be busy with the Open Hearing on the Strategic Plan and Budget, the Resolutions Committee, the Sexual Orientation/Gender Identification Committee, and the Board of Directors Meeting.
Teachers from Hawaii are working with colleagues from around the country. The RA also is a time to collaborate and share with 50th state colleagues. Interaction among Hawaii colleagues meant reunion time for some. Teachers in today’s state caucus noted that Hawaii’s delegation includes several sets of teachers and former students. Here are just a few examples: (l to r) Larry Denis and Mrs. Val DeCorte; Hank Choy and Mr. Stephen Ono; Mrs. Jean Dobashi and Kathy Shibuya.
Students, retirees, and minorities and women conference kick off pre-RA
June 29, 2013
Outreach to Teach
Today, students and retirees joined together for the Outreach to Teach project as a way of giving back to the community.
Over the past 17 years, Outreach to Teach has made a difference by helping needy schools in local communities hosting the NEA Annual Meeting.
Mahalo HSTA student members!
UH West Oahu student members Shane Ige and Donna Soriano will join the Hawaii Delegation for the National Meeting.
HSTA-Retired at the NEA RA
“NEA-Retired members may no longer report to school each day, but their commitment to public education continues.” - NEA-Retired President Tom Curran.
Hawaii retired teacher delegates include:
Jean Dobashi
Stephen Ono
Roger Takabayashi
Yvonne Linda Tavares
Vaughn Tokushige
Justin Wong
Joint Conference on Concerns of Minorities and Women
VIEW VIDEO: Organizing the Power of Diversity
Hawaii delegates are participating in a unique opportunity to share and network with educators from around the country. The theme this year is Action Now: Organizing the Power of Diversity.
The joint committee convenes at a time when our core value of a just society is under siege. It’s also a time, however, when there are opportunities for us to seize. After all, minorities and women re-elected Barack Obama President of the United States. That empowers us—along with the demographic changes which are reshaping our society. The power of diversity is more than a slogan—it is the new American reality.
Picture courtesy Kendra Ito-Mizota
Read more about Lilly Ledbetter and her fight to close the gap between women’s and men’s wages.
http://www.lillyledbetter.com/
During the two-day Joint Conference on Concerns of Minorities and Women, Hawaii delegates will join in discussions to explore the different ways to overcome the social justice challenges that impact educators and the students we serve. They will also examine the latest education research and best practices for improving the education of our students.
(Pictured left to right) Jeri Yamagata, Kendra Ito-Mizota, Louise Cayetano, Lilly Ledbetter, Wil Okabe.
VIEW VIDEO: “I Admire You” Lilly Ledbetter Tells Educators at NEA Conference Her discrimination case went all the way to the Supreme Court and her struggle for fair pay changed the law of the land. Lilly Ledbetter addressed hundreds of educators gathered for NEA’s Joint Conference on Concerns of Women and Minorities on June 30.
Delegates from around the country have started arriving in Atlanta, Georgia, for the National Education Association’s 151st Annual Meeting and 92nd Representative Assembly (RA), held from June 29–July 6 at the Georgia World Congress Center.
Hawaii’s teacher delegates have a full agenda:
http://www.nea.org/grants/annual-meeting-agenda-and-events.html
Posted May 17, 2013
Thank you to the delegates who are committed to advocating for students, schools, and the profession by representing HSTA teachers at the NEA Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly. This year’s meeting will be held in Atlanta, Georgia from July 1- 6.
The week prior to the RA, some Hawaii delegates will begin attending sessions such as the Joint Conference on Concerns of Minorities and Women and the Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee hearing. Hawaii is represented at the NEA Student Leadership Conference and the NEA-Retired Annual Meeting. In addition, some delegates are participants in the Board of Directors Meeting, Resolutions Committee, and Constitution, Bylaws, and Rules Committee meeting.
The NEA RA is the world’s largest democratic deliberative assembly. Various committees, constituencies, caucuses, leadership groups, and delegates from state and local affiliates gather at the Annual Meeting to set policy and chart the direction of NEA business.
The Representative Assembly (RA) takes place during the final four days of the Annual Meeting. It is the primary legislative and policymaking body of the Association and derives its powers from, and is responsible to, the membership. The Representative Assembly adopts the strategic plan and budget, resolutions, the Legislative Program, and other policies of the Association. Delegates vote by secret ballot on proposed amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws. Those delegates with full voting rights elect the executive officers, Executive Committee members, and at-large members of the NEA Board of Directors, as appropriate.
The RA consists of some 8,000 delegates representing state and local affiliates, student members, retired members, and other segments of the united education profession. For further information on the RA, including a list of future RA locations, please go to http://www.nea.org/grants/1357.htm.
Human & Civil Rights Award Dinner - July 2, 2013
Purchase tickets at:
http://www.nea.org/grants/38302.htm
MEET THE 2013 HAWAII DELEGATES:
Teacher Advocate Newsletter
ADVOCATE_May_17_Web.pdf
State Delegates
Wil Okabe
Joan Lewis
Fran Bellinger
Diane Aoki
Karolyn Mossman
Jeri Yamagata
Roberta Yamamoto
Edwin Kagawa
Justin Hughey
Jonathan Gillentine
Colleen Pasco
Laverne Moore
Romeo Eleno
Shannon Kealoha-Kaia
Larry Denis III
Honolulu
Ruth Dalisay
Louise Cayetano
Pat Oshiro
Shannon Kaaa
Henry Choy
Logan Okita
Lynne Tanaka
Osa Tui
Pat Meyer
Sheryl Rose
Kathleen Shiramizu
Isaiah Sabey
Leimomi Stender-Jenkins
Natasha Taketa
Michael Javines
Leeward
Juli Patten
Shirley Yamauchi
Amber Riel
Terrie Simpson
Becky Hadley-Schlosser
Stacey Chang
Sonia Peralta
Tammy Shaw
Anne Kaai
Kimi Mark
Deborah Naone
Cynthia Constantino
Claudette Humphrey
Westley Mow
Ashlie Salas-Selem
Windward:
Barbara Kiakona
Sharon Smith
Julie Teruya
Lisa Rodrigues
Suzie Wood
Mohala Pokini
Jamie Stidger
Patricia Hoo
Central
Kuiyin Carter
Stephen Fong
Cliff Fukuda
Michele Sasaki
Melissa Tam
Hilo
Merle Okabe
Val DeCorte
Karen Kohagura
Angela Miyashiro
Kawaileleohi’ilawe
Gayle Enriquez
Evette Tampos
Nerie Padamada
Kona
Shari Jumalon
Lisa Martin
Jennifer Yoshioka
Marybeth Murphy
Hamakua
Ross Perrins
Maui
Lester Kunimitsu
Ed Garcia
Rob Harper-O’Connor
Janice Nishimura
Glenda Anderson
Dana Gorlangton Turnbull
Margaret Shepherd
Mary Dowells
Molokai
Lokelani Han
Kohala:
John Kometani
(observer)
Lanai
Pat Niibu
Kauai
Jodi Maeda
Kathy Shibuya
Alfredo Carbonel
Regina Taylor
