My GHEA Rocks!

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Subscriber, This year, I celebrated Read Across America Day with kindergartners at Ashlawn Elementary School in Virginia. We read Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love. The book tells the story of a young boy who dresses himself as a mermaid, using his Abuela’s curtain and potted fern. We learned about how we are all different, special and with wonderful imaginations. Julián Is a Mermaid is one of the many books from this year’s NEA Read Across America digital calendar. Selected by educators to celebrate the diversity of students of all ages, the NEA Read Across America digital calendar features classroom activities, discussion prompts, videos, and other teaching resources for all grade levels. For 22 years, NEA has encouraged communities across the United States to host events that celebrate the fun and adventure of reading. This week, an estimated 45 million educators, parents, and students will participate in a Read Across America event. To celebrate reading all year round, NEA created the Read Across America digital calendar. I hope you’ll check it out and use the stories and resources with your own kids. Reading has the power to transform how we see ourselves and our world. Perhaps one or two of the kindergartners I read to saw themselves in Julián—making them feel less alone and isolated. Perhaps even more saw a story of a classmate and can better understand their experience. Regardless, all 50 of them learned a story of love and acceptance. And that is a powerful, powerful thing. Happy reading, Lily Eskelsen García President National Education Association P.S. There’s a video online of me reading (and some singing!) I was joined for the event by Sarah McBride from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation who read the incredible story I Am Jazz. These two books are such a great way to share stories of gender non-conformity with young readers. I hope you’ll check out these (and the other Read Across America) books and share them with your kids.

Can't see the images? View as webpage   MEA Conference Hits High Notes Just ahead of Tuesday night’s State of the State address, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer stopped by the MEA Winter Conference last week to give attendees a glimpse into a future that is possible if educators “re-up your commitment by staying engaged.” Read More... Conference and Session Evaluations David, in an effort to create a quality conference for members, the MEA is sending you this invite to complete your conference and session evaluations by March 1, if you have not done so. You can view the status of your evaluations and complete any remaining evaluations by clicking the button below. Complete Conference and Session Evaluations More on the Winter Conference: “The education of our kids and the work that you do every day will be the centerpiece of what we do,” she said in a Thursday speech before hundreds of MEA conference goers, “and when we get to the budget – where the rubber really hits the road – you will see a commitment to education like no one has made in a long time.” Whitmer thanked MEA leaders and members who made phone calls, knocked doors, posted on social media, and talked to friends and family to help her win election. But she noted that was only the beginning of the work that must be done. Read More...