The NEA is engaged in an ambitious project to produce an important new book on the past, present, and future of the American teaching profession, and the editors need your help!nbsp;

Help them capture the range of teacher voices from across the nation by submitting a short vignette illustrating the key challenges you face(d) daily as part of educating students.nbsp;

Whether active or retired, we want to hear your most memorable stories about being a K-12 public school teacher!

For further information and instructions for submission, please click on the link below:

http://www.nea.org/home/38073.htm

nbsp;

NDEA Member Colleen Gregory, a teacher first grade teacher at Minot#39;s Washington Elementary won the hats NDEA gave away for Read Across America Day on March 2, 2010.nbsp; Here is the e-mail that Gregory sent to win the hats for her students:

Oh the things we will do on that day of all days...

Will make learning fun in so many ways!

We#39;ll read books that rhyme and have a good time with the Cat in the Hat and all of his friends...and that#39;s that!

We plan to:

Read lots of books-for sure! (Parents and grandparents are usually invited in to read during the week of March 2.)

We will make Yertle the turtles from paper bowls. We#39;ll stack them up high and then measure them and record on a graph and table as a part of our Math lesson.

We#39;ll play a Seuss Game called-I Can Do That!-We do lots of wacky things with lots of wacky things (props) and have fun like the Cat did on that rainy day in his story. You might have to...Slide under the trick-a-ma-stick with a cake on your head! Some not so serious fun that even THE CAT himself would try.

I have my first graders draw a picture of the cat in a draw with me lesson. Yikes! That means I need to practice again. Last year the students#39; cats turned out so cool!

We#39;ll have a snack of red fish/blue fish and green eggs and ham. We#39;ll make a graph to practice our graphing skills.

We will use some of the online Seuss games on our Smart Board

I usually get dressed up in my cat costume and go out in the Commons with the Breakfast crowd and read Seuss Books while they eat. (There will be a few students who will join me in reading...I am sure!) Just a little Seusstastic Fun!

Oh the Places we#39;ll go with Dr. Seuss and the Cat. And what fun it would be to have hats for my class! Yes...we make our own hats but to have the real thing would be seusstastically wonderful!

Thank you! Thank You!

For the chance to win hats!

You#39;ll make my class happy!

You#39;ll make my class glad!

We#39;ll have one of the best Seuss Days

We ever have had!

nbsp;

Click here to view the February Issue of ND Education News.

nbsp;

nbsp;

Bill Oban Special Education Scholarship

Established in memory of long-time special educator, NDEA member, and state legislator Bill Oban, this scholarship is available to undergraduate students pursuing a teaching career in special education. nbsp;Awarded by the NDEA Foundation ~ Deadline -- March 15.

Ron and Ann Anstrom Scholarship Fund

A program to assist current English, math or science instructors to improve their qualifications by attending summer school.nbsp; Awarded by the NDEA Foundation ~ Deadline -- March 15.

Joseph A. Westby Leadership Award

A $500 stipend for an Association member or staff member to enhance their leadership skills.nbsp; Awarded by the NDEA Foundation ~ Deadline -- March 15.

Excellence in Education

Funded with donations from members, memorials and gifts from individuals and businesses interested in public education in North Dakota, these scholarships assist and recognize outstanding students preparing to enter the teaching profession.

Awarded by the NDEA Foundation ~ Deadline -- March 15.

Education Support Professional Award

A grant to aid an individual or group of individuals who are improving their job qualifications or conducting an activity to improve education for public school students.

Awarded by the NDEA Foundation ~ Deadline -- March 15.

Educational Grants

Awarded to assist individual educators, or groups of educators, to improve their skills through continued education, research, or development of instructional materials or techniques.nbsp; Awarded by the NDEA Foundation ~ Deadline -- March 15.

Ethnic Minority Scholarships

Given to encourage and assist minorities to enter the teaching profession.

Awarded by the NDEA Ethnic Minority Affairs Commission ~ Deadline -- March 15.

Public Relations Grant

A $500 grant for local associations to enhance public relations in their community.

Awarded by NDEA ~ Deadline -- Now March 15.

nbsp;

The NDEA Foundation is a separate 501(c)(3) charitable organization and as such, contributions may be deductible for federal income tax purposes.nbsp; Members are assessed $1.00 to fund the Foundation.nbsp; Additional funding has come from individuals in the form of grants and scholarships, memorials, and contributions from businesses and individuals.nbsp; Local associations may establish funds to recognize individual or group projects or for scholarships to enhance public education in North Dakota.nbsp; The funds will be managed by the Foundation under a contract with the local association.nbsp;

nbsp;

For more information about the Foundation, how to make a contribution or simply apply for a grant or scholarship, visit www.ndea.org and select the Foundation tab.nbsp;

2009 Recipients - Anstrom Scholarships - Kevin Cartwright, Candace Gerhardt, Gail Beaudoin; Grants - Kelly Torgerson, Lindsay Wolfe; Oban Scholarship - Alisha Webster; Other Scholarships - Angela Morford, Danielle Renner, Alisha Webster, Cyndee McLeod, Kara Runs After

Honeywell (NYSE: HON) and the National Center for Missing amp; Exploited Childrenreg; (NCMEC) announced in February the fifth annual quot;Got 2B Safe!quot; Awards.nbsp; The program is designed to encourage teachers at U.S. elementary schools to help their students learn valuable and potentially life-saving lessons.

Got 2B Safe! provides teachers with child safety teaching tools and annually recognizes five teachers who develop the most creative lesson plans.nbsp; Winners receive a classroom makeover worth $10,000 and 100 other teachers will win $500 worth of school supplies.

The Got 2B Safe! Awards program will be open until March 26, 2010.nbsp; Educators can log on to http://www.got2bsafe.com/ for information about the contest and to submit an essay.

nbsp;

Once again, the Lignite Energy Council is offering its popular Teacher Education Seminar to elementary, middle and high school teachers in North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota and Montana. The 2010 Lignite Teacher Education Seminar: Energy, Economics and Environment, to be held June 14 - 17 at Bismarck State College, will offer two graduate credits and four days of instruction, hands-on activities and facility tours.

nbsp;quot;Educators are encouraged to register early because space is limited and the seminar fills up quickly,quot; said Renee Walz, Lignite Energy Council director of member services and education. quot;Each year the seminar includes a variety of speakers and different tours. We encourage teachers who have taken the seminar several years ago to consider taking it again if a refresher is needed.quot;

Last year, the seminar expanded to four days, which provides more time for additional topics and teachers have the opportunity to receive two graduate credits. Economics of the industry, job creation, the need for more workers, energy conservation and transmission are all topics that are becoming more important to our state and the surrounding region.

On the third day of the seminar, attendees will tour a lignite mine, a power plant fueled by lignite and the Great Plains Synfuels Plant. In addition, teachers tour the visitor#39;s center at Fort Mandan, near Washburn, ND, where the Lewis amp; Clark Expedition spent its first winter. The visitor#39;s center was constructed with the use of coal combustion byproducts.

Teachers from all grade levels are encouraged to apply to the program. Application materials will be sent to teachers and schools throughout the region, and applications are to be returned by April 15. Online application for North Dakota teachers or more information is available by visiting http://lignite.com/teachers.

Teachers who attend the seminar and complete a lesson plan can chose one of three North Dakota universities to receive their graduate credits from: University of North Dakota, North Dakota State University and Minot State University. The Lignite Energy Council is providing sponsorships for North Dakota teachers, and out-of-state teachers are eligible to receive scholarships from sponsoring utilities.

NDEA President Dakota Draper has recorded a Read Across America Spot. Listen to it during the Joel Heitkamp show daily across the state.

nbsp;

nbsp;

nbsp;

Click here to view your January ND Education News online.nbsp; All the links are live on the newspaper, so no need to go searching the Web.nbsp; Just click on the links and find great information or sign up for scholarships and awards.

nbsp;

nbsp;

nbsp;

Most states require that new educators pass the standardized Principals of Learning and Teaching test before they can become licensed. Check out NEA#39;s tutorial for ways to relieve test anxiety, sample questions, and more. Member login required. *Free (and accessible) exclusively to NEA members.

http://www.nea.org/home/praxis.htm

nbsp;

nbsp;

The NDEA Student Education Association has scheduled an Outreach-to-Teach for Saturday, March 27 for the Mapleton Public School.nbsp; Students from SNDEA Chapters around the state will travel to Mapleton on that day and try to complete a quot;wish listquot; of the teachers in Mapleton.

Some of the items on the quot;wish listquot; include building bookshelves, covering blackboards with corkboard, painting different items, fixing shelves, and extending bulletin boards.

There will possibly be around 50 students attending the event.nbsp;nbsp; Retired teachers, community members, active teachers and ESPs are also invited to help complete the quot;wish list.quot;

On the national level, students complete Outreach-to-Teach projects during the NEA Representatives Assembly each summer.nbsp; This summer#39;s a project will be chosen in the New Orleans area.

Based on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations, NDEA has determined members who itemize deductions on their federal income tax return for the 2009 tax year may deduct 89 percent of their state association dues.nbsp;

Considering the 2009-10 dues amount of $298, those who itemize deductions on their tax return may deduct $265.22.nbsp; The NEA dues of $162 and any local dues may be deducted in their entirety.nbsp; For ESP members, the amount of deduction for NDEA Dues is $133.50 and for NEA dues it is $93.50.nbsp; The dues amount includes the special assessment for public relations and the NDEA disaster fund.nbsp; Both of these were established by the NDEA Representative Assembly.

This provision exists because NDEA is classified as a 501(c)(6) organization and does not allow deduction of that portion of the dues spent on lobbying activities.nbsp; NEA and local associations are organized under a different section of the tax code and are not governed by the lobby tax rule.

NDEA will compute the deductible amount for the tax year 2010 and will provide notice of that amount.nbsp; It is estimated that the deductible amount will be about 92 percent.nbsp; The change in deductible percentage is the result of the amount of Association resources expended for lobbying.nbsp; The 2009 tax year was a legislative year.

Members who are paying dues based on part-time employment or who became members after the start of the school year should contact the NDEA office for the appropriate amounts.

Members may also deduct the $1.00 special assessment for the NDEA Foundation.nbsp; The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

nbsp;

Local Associations, individual members and groups of members are eligible to apply for the NDEA Foundation#39;s Educational Grant Program.nbsp; Application deadline is March 1.nbsp;

Gloria Lokken, NDEA Foundation President, encourages members to submit applications for new or creative projects that meet the Foundation#39;s goal of enhancing public education in North Dakota.nbsp; Lokken says that projects in the past have been awarded grants from $250 to over $1,000.nbsp; The exact amount of the grants will be determined in March based on the investment earnings and non-restricted donations to the Foundation.nbsp; The topics have ranged from assisting with a three-day dinosaur gig to a project involving the use of IPODs.nbsp;

In explaining the application procedure, Lokken encouraged members to look at the project description list as a suggestion as to what should be included in the application.nbsp; The detailed budget, she adds, is very important because the Board may award funding for only selected parts of a project.nbsp;

nbsp;

On Dec. 8^th, NDEA President Dakota Draper surprised Lisa Bordan-King of Minot State University (MSU) with the first ever Ready Child Community-Based Award.

The Reading Clinic Program was started by Lisa Bordan-King at Minot State University a few years ago to help college students get clinical practice for reading concentration.nbsp; The program is offered year round to students of all ages.nbsp; The number of students it takes depends on how many college student teachers there are.nbsp; quot;I was one of the student teachers and watched how the clinic influenced and changed my student as well as many others,quot; said Brooklyn Schaan, who now teaches in Garrison.nbsp;

The Reading Clinic really focuses on the Ready Child Mission in that it helps children improve and practice reading skills essential to life.nbsp; In order to meet goals, the clinic must have caring teachers and parents/guardians, provide a safe learning (and fun) environment, and give both the child and student an opportunity to give back the knowledge and skills to help or be helped.

Many of the children that do the Reading Clinic are recommended by a teacher or parent for the extra help.nbsp; These children are not very excited to be in the program, because their self esteem is so low.nbsp; And, their self esteem is low because they feel they are horrible at reading.nbsp; The Minot State Reading Clinic Program helps those struggling readers not only with knowledge but with encouragement and a safe haven to practice in an environment where they feel safe.

The children get one-on-one time to practice reading skills through games, activities, books, internet, buddy reading and more.nbsp; The children learn strategies to help them when at school, and the program provides a role model for them to look up to.

quot;The MSU faculty who prepare the students (college students) for this Clinic are outstanding and really give back to others more than they know,quot; said Schaan.nbsp;

quot;Lisa Bordan-King in partnership with MSU should receive the Ready Child Award.nbsp; Not many people know the impact they have made on the community children as well as on their college student teachers,quot; Schann said.

NDEA Member Darlene Musland had quite a surprise on Dec. 1, when President Dakota Draper arrived at the Edgeley School to present the first evernbsp;NDEA Ready Child School-Based Award.

Musland received the award for the Dickey/LaMoure Early Childhood Education Program, which is a program that is preschool designed and meets the needs of students with special needs.

To enhance the students#39; learning, an average of 16-20 typical preschoolers (4-6 students each quarter) are reverse integrated into the class to serve as language/social role models.nbsp; Pre-literacy activities are incorporated into the program daily.

Four times a year, the preschool class presents a program to parents, grandparents and friends.nbsp; Every month, the preschool class the kindergarten class do an activity together.nbsp;nbsp; Throughout the year, the third-grade class and sixth-grade class assist the preschoolersnbsp;in making bread, decorating gingerbread house, science experiments and writing letters.nbsp; The community is involved in providing several field trip experiences such as: feeding horse, picking apples, visiting the post office, fire station, nurses, police officers, etc.nbsp; The class also sends cards to veterans and soldiers on various holidays.

Musland has presented workshops on quot;Reverse Integration of Typical Preschoolers into an Early Childhood Special Needs Classquot; at the North Dakota Pathfinders Conference, and quot;Incorporating Pre-Literacy Activities into your Daily Preschool Curriculumquot; at the North Dakota State Reading Conference.

The Ready Child School-Based Award honors a school program or initiative that exemplifies or promotes the Ready Child Vision Statement, the Ready Child Mission Statement, and/or the Ready Nine.

Deadline for next year#39;s nomination is June 15, 2010.nbsp; Nominations can be found at http://www.ndea.org/readychild/?ready_child_awards_nomination_form.

nbsp;

ND Education News, November 2009

nbsp;

nbsp;

nbsp;

The NDEA Board of Directors is requesting that members and locals help raise funds for the North Dakota National Guard Memorial for the Fallen in the Global War on Terrorism.

Donations can be made individually or local Associationsnbsp;may want to have fundraisers to accumulate significant donations for the Memorial.nbsp; Why not have a jeans day or wear red, white and bluenbsp;to raise money for the Memorial?

As North Dakota National Guard Major General David Sprynczynatyk says, quot;I appreciate your support and patriotism to the Service Members of our great state.nbsp; Let us not forget our fallen warriors.quot;

NDEA plans to present the contributions raised to fulfill our pledge to the National Guard on Thanksgiving, 2009. nbsp;So, please send your contributions in whatever amount to NDEA, 410 E. Thayer Avenue, Bismarck, ND 58501 no later than December 18, 2009.

The Memorial, which is located just outside the National Guard Headquarters at Fraine Barracks in Bismarck, will offer a location for families and friends to reflect on the lives of all fallen heroes.nbsp; It will be a lasting tribute that embodies their courage, integrity, loyalty and character; and its construction shows support for those who have died in defense of our freedom.

Also included in the Memorial are the names of those North Dakotans from all branches of service, active duty and reserve, who lost their lives fighting for our nation in support of the Global War on Terrorism.nbsp; It is open to the public.

Guidelines for contributing to this worthwhile cause are simple:

*Individuals or local associations can contribute.

*Checks should be made out to the North Dakota National Guard Foundation.

*Contributions should be mailed to NDEA, 410 E. Thayer Avenue, Bismarck, ND 58501.

*Receipts will be provided to individual donors.

You may rely on the National Guard Foundation#39;s IRS recognized tax-exempt status granted under section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code, to take a tax deduction for your contribution.

If a local is planning a lsquo;large#39; fundraiser and needs further information, contact gary.rath@ndea.org for guidelines.

NEA Health Information Networknbsp;is finalizing the design of a Pandemic Flu Guide to assist members and leaders in preparing for and responding to a pandemic outbreak. A link will be provided as soon as it is available.

The NEA HIN Web site (www.neahin.org/h1n1) is adding resources on a regular basis.nbsp; Please visit the site to get the latest information.

nbsp;

Looking to continue your education?nbsp;Horace Mann Scholarshipsnbsp;can help.nbsp;Horace Mannnbsp;scholarships are awarded annually in May and are paid directly to each recipient#39;s college or university for tuition, fees and other educational expenses. Scholarships include:

• One, $5,000 scholarship payable over four years.
• Fifteen, $1,000 scholarships payable over two years.
• Twenty, one-time $500 scholarships.

You#39;re eligible to apply if you#39;re:

• Anbsp;K-12 educator, with at least two years of teaching experience;
• Currently employed by a U.S. public or private school; and
• Planning to enter a two- or four-year accredited college or university.

Applicants will be judged on a written essay and their school and community activities. While financial need is not a consideration, those with all educational expenses paid through other scholarships and/or grants are ineligible.

Deadline is March 1, 2010.

nbsp;

nbsp;

Click on the links at the bottom of this page to hear the two radio spots recorded by NDEA President Dakota Draper pertaining to American Education Week. nbsp;NDEA will be playing these spots across the state from now until Nov. 21.nbsp;

nbsp;

NEA#39;snbsp;American Education Week (AEW) spotlights the importance of providing every child in America with a quality public education from kindergarten through college, and the need for everyone to do his or her part in making public schools great.

Our annual tagline, Great Public Schools: A Basic Right and Our Responsibility, reflects the Association#39;s calling upon America to provide students with quality public schools so that they can grow, prosper, and achieve in the 21st century.

In 2009, the 88th annual American Education Week will take place November 15-21. Each day during the week spotlights a different aspect of school life:

Monday, November 16 is Open House Day, a day on which millions of Americans will celebrate public education with national commemorations and local community events.

On Tuesday, November 17 schools across the nation will invite parents into the classroom for a hands-on experience of what the day is like for their child. The initiative is designed to spotlight the importance of parental involvement.

Ongoing research shows that parental involvement in schools improves student achievement, reduces absenteeism, and restores confidence among parents in their children#39;s education. For resources on parental involvement, visit www.nea.org/parents.

Wednesday, November 18 will be set aside as a special day to honor Education Support Professionals---the secretaries, paraprofessionals (classroom aides), maintenance people, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, and other whose services to schools are invaluable.

Thursday, November 19, schools nationwide will host Educator for a Day as part of the NEA#39;s American Education Week celebration, Nov. 11-17, 2009.nbsp; Educator for a Day events allow individuals from the community to serve as an educator to get a glimpse of a day in the life of a school employee.nbsp; The visiting educator performs the duties of the regular educator in a normal day---teaching class, performing lunch and corridor duty, recess supervision, among other responsibilities.nbsp;

The program, originally developed by the Massachusetts Teachers Association, enhances understanding among educators and community leaders.nbsp; In addition, it demonstrates to public officials and other decision-makers, the successes and challenges our teachers face and underscores the need for adequate staffing, materials, and facilities for students.

Friday, November 20 is being set aside as Substitute Educators Day, a day to appreciate the educators who are called upon to replace regularly employed teachers and other school employees who are on sick or other leave.nbsp; They are a critical link in the education of public school children.

NEA was one of the creators of and original sponsors of American Education Week (AEW).nbsp; Realizing that 25 percent of the country#39;s World War I draftees were illiterate and 9 percent were physically unfit, representatives of the NEA and the American Legion met in 1919 to seek ways to generate public support for education.

The conventions of both organizations subsequently adopted resolutions of support for a national effort to raise public awareness of the importance of education. In 1921, the NEA Representative Assembly in Des Moines, Iowa, called for designation of one week each year to spotlight education. In its resolution, the NEA called for: quot;An educational week ... observed in all communities annually for the purpose of informing the public of the accomplishments and needs of the public schools and to secure the cooperation and support of the public in meeting those needs.quot;

The first observance of American Education Week occurred December 4-10, 1921, with the NEA and American Legion as the cosponsors. A year later, the then U.S. Office of Education joined the effort as a cosponsor, and the PTA followed in 1938.

Other co-sponsors are the U.S. Department of Education and national organizations including the National PTA, the American Legion, the American Association of School Administrators, the National School Boards Association, the American Federation of Teachers, the American School Counselor Association, the Council of Chief State School Officers, the National School Public Relations Association, the National Association of State Boards of Education, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

For tips on celebrating AEW and additional materials visit www.nea.org/aew/index.html.

nbsp;

On Nov. 4, Governor John Hoeven signed a proclamationnbsp;designating November 18, 2009 North Dakota Education Support Professionals Day.nbsp; Present at the signing were At-Large Education Support Representative Duane Ell of Mandan, NDEA Executive Director Greg Burns, NDEA President Dakota Draper, and Lorry Upgren, a secretary at Rita Murphy School in Bismarck.

In 2009, the 88th annual American Education Week will take place November 15-21. Each day during the week spotlights a different aspect of school life:

Wednesday, November 18 will be set aside as a special day to honor Education Support Professionals---the secretaries, paraprofessionals (classroom aides), maintenance people, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, and other whose services to schools are invaluable.

NEA has created posters to help celebrate Education Support Professionals Day - Wednesday, November 18 - including posters for nine ESP job categories. The posters, available in black amp; white as well as color, can be downloaded at www.nea.org/aew or through Creative Companion.

Congressman Earl Pomeroy held a press conference in Bismarck on Monday, November 2, 2009, to announce the introduction of new legislation to help defined benefit pension plans weather the historic economic downturn.

quot;This will keep employers from having to lay off workers in order to fully fund their pension plans,quot; he said, and help employers keep workers#39; pension plans active.quot;

Pomeroy said a wide range of employers in North Dakota offer defined benefit pension plans for their employees, from businesses to rural electric cooperatives, the Girl Scouts and the North Dakota Education Association, all of whom will benefit from this legislation.

According to Pomeroy without help from Congress many employers face pension costs that are double, or more, of those in 2008, and will be forced to freeze their pensions or cut their workforce as a result.nbsp; The bipartisan bill recently introduced by Congressman Pomeroy will provide the relief necessary to restore pension plans to soundness over time and keep employers across North Dakota from having to make this untenable choice.

Representatives of Unisys Corporation, the Girl Scouts, and Super Valu also spoke and praised Pomeroy for his efforts on getting this legislation passed before the end of this year.

When introducing NDEA Executive Director Greg Burns, Pomeroy said Burns was an expert on pension plans in the NEA family, and that he was instrumental in the bill#39;s longer, steady level amortization.nbsp; quot;Fifteen years of amortization might be the most important part of this bill,quot; Pomeroy said.

Burns praised Pomeroy#39;s legislation, known as the Pomeroy-Tiberi nbsp;(R-OH) Preserve Benefits and Jobs Act.nbsp; quot;Allowing these pension funds to go belly-up because of a once-in-a-century economic crash would further hamper, if not completely derail the economic recovery,quot; he said.

According to Burns the legislation is an ingenious approach to maintaining these funds because:nbsp; the act calls for no additional funding; it provides defined benefit pensions without undoing any of the provisions of the PPA; and it allows these pension funds to recover simply by giving them the time to recover.

quot;Passage of this bill will mean that jobs will be saved, the fledgling economic recovery will continue, and that defined benefit pensions will continue to be a viable benefit for millions of American workers and their families, said Burns.

Gov. John Hoeven announced in late October an innovative partnership to enhance science, technology, engineering and mathematics education in North Dakota with the goal of training tomorrow#39;s engineers, especially in the aerospace industry.

The Real World Design Challenge is a partnership between the state of North Dakota, NASA, the U.S Department of Energy, FAA and others. Schools establish teams of 3-7 students who will participate in the 2010 state challenge which will address fuel efficiency in aviation.

Student teams will spend several months generating solutions to the challenge.

A winning team from each participating state will be invited to compete in the RWDC national challenge. The U.S. Department of Energy will host the RWDC National Event in Washington, D.C., in March 2010. The top national winners will receive prizes, awards, and recognition from leaders in government, industry, and higher education.

quot;The Real World Design Challenge will promote and enhance STEM education in the state of North Dakota,quot; Gov. Hoeven said. quot;The challenge will bring together education, industry and government to prepare our young people in these vital careers, which in turn will help to expand our workforce for the future.quot;

During the 2009 legislative session the Governor included $1.5 million in his executive budget for STEM Teacher Education Enhancement Programs.

The program will provide North Dakota teachers and students free access to some of the world#39;s most advanced mechanical engineering and design software as part of a national design competition. The Challenge strengthens professional development for teachers through training and industry collaboration. Mentors from National Laboratories, the FAA, industry and higher education provide support using a web-based global engineering backbone.

The Real World Design Challenge bridges the needs of industry with the future of education, and teaches innovation, creativity, and collaboration using the expertise that industry, government and higher education have been honing for decades. The goals of the initiative are to inspire and engage all students in science, technology, engineering and math education and highlight the potential future workers in science and engineering fields.

The aerospace industry faces a very significant shortage of engineers. Between 60,000 and 68,000 engineers in the U.S. aerospace industry will retire by 2010 and only half of those will be replaced. With modest growth in the U.S. aerospace industry, there will be a shortage of 40,000 to 85,000 engineers by 2010.

The deadline for submissions and registration is November 16, 2009.

For more information on the Real World Design Challenge please contact Larry Taborsky at 328-9655 or ltaborsky@nd.gov.

Mary Eldredge-Sandbo, a high school biology teacher at DesLacs-Burlington, was named the 2010 North Dakota Teacher of the Year during the NDEA Instructional Conference General Session Oct. 22, 2009 at the Grand Forks Alerus Center.

After graduating from college with a degree in biology, Eldredge-Sandbo wasn#39;t quite ready to get a lsquo;real#39; job.nbsp; Instead, she went back to school to get her teaching degree and encountered professors who presented teaching as a noble and exciting profession.nbsp; nbsp;quot;That year of education classes and student teaching served me well,quot; she said.nbsp; quot;By the time I was through, I was eager to start my career.quot;

After twenty-six years of teaching, Eldredge-Sandbo continues to love her career choice.nbsp;nbsp; quot;It is truly a joy to work with students as I strive to encourage inquiry and foster an appreciation for the complexity of life,quot; she said.nbsp; quot;When I hear a former student has decided on a career in which they use biology, I hope something they learned in my class helped them make the decision to continue learning more about DNA or cells or the workings of the body or interactions in the environment.nbsp; And, when I hear from a graduate who has something positive to say about his or her time in my class or a question about a career choice, I consider it the greatest compliment of all.quot;

Eldredge-Sandbo has a master#39;s degree in science education and has obtained National Board Certification.nbsp; Most recently she has been involved with technology integration in her school and has helped write several grants that have provided equipment and professional development.

quot;This has presented many opportunities for our entire district to work together as we integrate technology into our curriculum,quot; she said.nbsp; quot;Not only is there collaboration among the faculty, but also with students as we all learn new ways to explore our world, share what we are learning and make new connections as we become more adept at using technology to make learning more meaningful.quot;

quot;All of these experiences have taught me what I didn#39;t know when I started teaching,quot; she said, quot;that education isn#39;t nearly as much about telling students what we know as it is about learning, sharing, growing and then sharing some more.quot;

quot;I hope the contributions I make to education, small as they may be, are significant enough to help a student know that he or she is important beyond words and capable of doing marvelous things in an amazing world that holds endless possibilities,quot; she said.

The 2009 finalists for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching were recently announced.nbsp; NDEA members who are finalists include:nbsp; Sara Forness of West Fargo for science and Fred Strand of Hatton for mathematics.

This year#39;s program honors secondary (7-12) science and math teachers.nbsp; Nominations for the 2010 program, which honors elementary (K-6) science and math teachers, are currently being sought.

NDEA member finalistsnbsp;were recognized and honored at the NDEA Celebration of Excellence held during the Instructional Conference in Grand Forks.

Register Your Student Today atnbsp;http://www.kfgo.com/JoelHeitkamp.php...the Joe Heitkamp Shownbsp;

NDEA recently started a new public relations campaign with KFGO radio out of Fargo.nbsp; KFGO is providing the Association with five 30-second ads a week during the Joel Heitkamp Show...which is syndicated statewide.nbsp;

NDEA will write and determine content of the ads and change the theme for special events such as:nbsp; Back-to-School, Instructional Conference, American Education Week, National Teacher Day, etc.

Along with the ads, one student a month will host the show with Joel Heitkamp.nbsp; Each student#39;s teacher will be taped introducing the student before the show he/she co-hosts with Heitkamp.

Teachers can register their quot;livelyquot; student by signing on to the KFGO Website atnbsp;http://www.kfgo.com/JoelHeitkamp.php and completing and application form.nbsp; nbsp;A selection committee of the NDEA Executive Board will choose students from both small and large schools and make sure there is a good regional distribution.nbsp; Each month, the student chosen will co-host the show with Heitkamp.

Some of the criteria for the student:

*Must be a junior or senior in high school

*Being able to converse with Joel Heitkamp on subject matter/matters

*Being responsible for some of the production of the show including:

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Subject matter

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Inviting on-air guests

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Responding to questions from callers

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Must have an outgoing personality

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Must be able to get to the show site on the assigned day

Must enter a brief paragraph stating why he/she would like to be a co-host with Joel Heitkamp and what he/she would like to discuss on the show.

NDEA President Dakota Draper was featured on the Heitkamp Show to kick-off the contest in late August.nbsp; And, he will appear on the show talking about education issues at least once a month.

The objective is to get the organization positive public relations throughout the year, and also allow a venue for issues.nbsp; But, the best part of the campaign is that a teacher and student will be featured on the Joe Heitkamp Show once a month.nbsp; When you hear the following ad, simply click on http://www.kfgo.com/ and fill out the application form under the NDEA logo.nbsp; Listen to the promo ad.

Teachers, if you know a junior or senior who has interest in speaking and wants to be on the radio, you can nominate them to be a co-host with KFGO#39;s Joel Heitkamp.

Students will be responsible for the subject matter, inviting some on-air guests and responding to questions from callers on News and Views with Joel Heitkamp.nbsp;

You can be on the radio too.nbsp; One student per month will be chosen by NDEA.nbsp; Go to www.kfgo.com to learn more and nominate a student today.

Below is a copy of the Back-to-School ad, which will also be running on KFGO:

Hi, I#39;m NDEA President Dakota Draper welcoming everyone back to school for another year.

Public school educators equip our youngsters with many skills.

They teach students to read and do math.

They teach children history and science.

They help them learn how to solve problems, resolve conflicts and cooperate with each other.

Educators care about how and what their students learn.

Educators want all of them to succeed.

Just like you--their parents and community members.

Together, we are making great public schools for every child.

Brought to you by the North Dakota Education Association where Great Public Schools Are a Basic Right and Our Responsibility.

nbsp;

MSU Moorhead is planning to hold the second annual TEAM Work Symposium:nbsp; Teaching ELLs with Academics in Mind on November 18 amp; 19, 2009.nbsp; The theme is Pulling Together for ELLS:nbsp; Content and Language Instruction. nbsp;Kate Kinsella, a teacher educator in Secondary Education at San Francisco State University, will be the keynote presenter and provide training on November 18 on explicit language development.nbsp; She is a sought after consultant and conference presenter across the country.

The symposium begins on Wednesday, November 18 at 8:00 am with registration and a continental breakfast.nbsp; Kate Kinsella will give the keynote address, quot;Structured and Accountable Classroom Language Use Across the Curricula:nbsp; A Key to Narrowing the K-12 Verbal Gapquot; followed by workshops on language development and structured student interactions. nbsp;On Thursday, November 19 the conference will continue with several presenters from North Dakota and Minnesota presenting concurrent sessions.nbsp;

The cost for the symposium is $85.00, which includes a continental breakfast and lunch both days.nbsp; One undergraduate or graduate credit is available to participants who attend both the pre-conference and entire conference.nbsp; Undergraduate credit is $95.00 or graduate credit is $115.00.nbsp;

For more information contact Continuing Studies at 218-477-5862 or e-mail contstdy@mnstate.edu.nbsp; A registration form can be found at www.mnstate.edu/continue .

Outlook Vision is now a national discount made available to members through NEA Member Benefits.nbsp; Effective December 1, any request for new Outlook Vision cards submitted to the NDEA office will be returned.nbsp; Members are encouraged to continue to use the Outlook Vision program by going to the Outlook Vision page on the NEA Member Benefits Website http://www.neamb.com/xchg/neamb/xsl/hs.xsl/-/home/1208_947.htmnbsp;nbsp;

nbsp;

The program now cost only $10 per year and has been enhanced to provide additional services.nbsp; Members with comments or concerns should email them to gary.rath@ndea.org.

For your convenience, here is a pdf of thenbsp;October issue of ND Education News.

nbsp;

nbsp;

nbsp;

NEED Anbsp;HOTEL ROOM?nbsp;

The NDEA 2009 Instructional Conference is set Oct. 21-23 in Grand Forks. nbsp;Featured speaker will be Marilee Sprenger, an educator with extensive experience in elementary and secondary and university settings.nbsp;View thenbsp;final program.

Sprenger specializes in staff development training that interprets educational research into practical applications and techniques. nbsp;Since the 1980s, she has actively pursued the goal of remaining current on learning techniques and how the brain functions. nbsp;As a classroom teacher, she has taken the suggestions of current brain research and applied them at all levels.

Sprenger is currently an Adjunct Professor on Brain Compatible Teaching Strategies at Aurora University, IL.

Her keynote address is entitled: nbsp;Brain Compatible Teaching: What every educator needs to know.

Sprenger explains we#39;ve learned more about the brain and how it functions in the past two decades than in all of recorded history. quot;Today#39;s imaging techniques allow us to look at the specific brain areas a person uses when recalling a noun versus a verb, or when listening to music versus composing a song,quot; she said. nbsp;quot;The more we understand about the brain, the better we#39;ll be able to educate it.quot;

Sprenger will also present to the Gifted and Talented Section.nbsp; Her workshop is entitled:nbsp; From Attention to Retention: Seven Steps for Learning and Memory.nbsp; Memory is the only evidence we have of learning. In this session you will be introduced to seven steps to take information through the various memory processes to create permanent memories. The steps cover attention to retention and there will be an emphasis on the importance of creating emotional memories every step of the way.nbsp; Strategies will be shared to use immediately with students.

In a Thursday afternoon breakout session, Sprenger#39;s session entitled: Four Ways to Help You and Your Students Remember, will share, model and practice brain rules and brain tools that teachers can take back to their classrooms and use immediately. nbsp;quot;As educators, we change brains every day,quot; said Sprenger, quot;let#39;s wire them for success. nbsp;Impress your students with your ability to build their memory powers.quot;

Sectionals are also bringing in some top names speakers. For instance, the Art Sectional is bringing in Monte Yellow Bird Sr.nbsp; Yellow Bird, known in the art world as Black Pinto Horse, is a nationally known artist, cultural/educational consultant, presenter, and storyteller. A member of the Arikara and Hidatsa Nation from White Shield, ND, he currently resides in Great Falls, MT, where he served during the fall of 2007 through the spring of 2008 as the Artist-in-Residence with the Great Falls Public Schools and Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art.nbsp; When he is not performing educational programs throughout the United States, or working in his studio, Yellow Bird hardly misses an opportunity to share his insights, talents and experiences at national and regional events, as well as pursue other art opportunities as time allows.

Black Pinto Horse is devoted to a positive expression of the harmonic balance between humanity and nature. nbsp;Through his art and teaching, he offers a multitude of gifts, and his optimism shines through in his motto: quot;We are on this earth for such a short time, if you#39;re going to shine, shine brightly.quot; Rife with symbolism, Black Pinto Horse#39;s visual expressions honor his spiritual roots, indigenous heritage, and modern and contemporary art traditions through a bold use of color and design combined with a pictorial narrative that activates the viewer#39;s imagination. He is motivated by a passionate desire to build connections between the past and the present with a hopeful eye toward a brighter future built around empathy and understanding between the diverse communities of which the nation is comprised.

To learn more about Black Pinto Horse, visit the artist#39;s website, www.blackpintohorsefinearts.com.

Drivers Education Sectional will feature Lou Gervino, Manager of Driver Education amp; Training, Manitoba Public Insurance, Winnipeg, Manitoba.nbsp; Gervino#39;s session entitled: The 60-Second Driver is a series of one-minute commercials that covers the rules of the road, driving techniques and general road safety and driving information.

FLAND#39;s presenter, Susan Gross, is an educational consultant and has been invited to consult throughout the US and internationally. She is passionate about teaching, particularly foreign language.

Participants leave her workshops inspired by her dedication and enlightened by her fresh, clear presentation. She shows how to help students learn faster and remember content longer. Her teaching techniques are research-based, effective and most importantly... they work! They are so effective in fact, that it is not unusual for participants to return three or four times!

The Library Media Sectional features Dan Fisher, who is a former banker now author living in Fargo.

Dan started The Copper River Group about a year ago and spends his time as a consultant to financial institutions on technology and payment issues along with writing and publishing books on a variety of topics.

Music#39;s top presenter will be Dr. Chung Park who is music director and conductor of the Idaho State Civic Symphony and Professor of Upper Strings at Idaho State University. nbsp;He is also music director and conductor of the critically acclaimed Miami-based living music ensemble, Project Copernicus.

Dr. Park has earned accolades as both a conductor and string pedagogue. He recently received the quot;Distinguished Service Awardquot; from the North Dakota chapter of the American String Teachers Association and his conducting has been lauded as quot;revelatoryquot; by composer Steve Reich and quot;masterfulquot; by Lawrence Johnson of the Miami Herald.

Dr. Park has held positions at the Universities of North Dakota, Miami, Chicago, and Indiana University-South Bend, as well as youth orchestra positions in Grand Forks, ND, Miami, FL, and South Bend, IN. He holds degrees from the Peabody Conservatory, the University of Illinois, Western Michigan University, and he earned his doctorate at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, FL. Further studies include the Monteux School, South Carolina Conductor#39;s Institute, Tafelmusik Institute, Aspen Festival and the International Festival-Institute at Roundtop, Texas.nbsp; Following his master#39;s work at the University of Illinois, Park studied in Hannover, Germany, with violist Hatto Beyerle of the Alban Berg Quartet.

Linda Jenkins, the field-based coordinator for Response to Intervention (RTI) for the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, will be presenting workshops on Response to Intervention (RTI).

Her 40-year career in education began in Arizona with Bachelor#39;s and Master#39;s degrees from the University of Arizona. She then taught in Tucson, AZ; Shreveport, LA; Osan AFB, South Korea; Bountiful, UT; and Grand Forks, ND. She was the director of special education for the Grand Forks Special Education Unit for 15 years. nbsp;

Response to Intervention (RTI) is the practice of providing high-quality instruction and interventions matched to student need, monitoring progress frequently to make decisions about changes in instruction or goals, and applying student-response data to important educational decisions.

RTI should be applied to decisions in general education, remedial education and special education to create a well-integrated system of instruction/ intervention guided by student outcome data. nbsp;This session will cover critical implementation components, resources available, research, and wisdom from the field for participants interested in beginning or reviewing the RTI process.

The Alerus will be the site for the main speaker and exhibits, and the Canad Inn (attached to the Alerus) will be the headquarters hotel. Sectionals will be held at Red River High School. During the General Session, Governor John Hoeven will announce the North Dakota Teacher of the Year, which is sponsored by the Department of Public Instruction. Instructional Conference Chair this year is NDEA Retired Member Dan Hinnenkamp.

nbsp;

Gov. John Hoeven today encouraged school, community and church bands and choirs across North Dakota to submit an application to serve as the 2009-2010 Governor#39;s Official State Band and Chorus.

The Governor and First Lady will select the Governor#39;s Band and Chorus from the applications received based on musical talent, achievement and community involvement. The band and chorus may be invited by the Governor to perform at official state functions held throughout the year.

Interested groups should submit a letter of application, references and a musical recording to the Office of the Governor by Monday, October 26. Please send materials to: Office of the Governor, Attn: Jody Link, State Capitol, 600 East Boulevard Avenue, Bismarck, N.D. 58505

nbsp;

For the 19^th consecutive year, NEA will announce the National ESP of the Year recipient as part of its ESP National Conference. The 2010 recipient will be announced on March 12 from Las Vegas, NV.

Who will the receive this prestigious Association Award? Your members can help make that decision.

There are two pathways for making a nomination:

State Nomination: A state affiliate may submit one nominee through its ESP Award system.nbsp; A state award system is one developed by the state Association that gathers nominations through local affiliates and selects one statewide nominee.nbsp; A submission by a state affiliate requires the signature of the state president.

Local Nomination: If a state affiliate does not yet have an ESP award system in place for the 2009-2010 school year, the affiliate may inform local affiliates that they may submit one nomination directly to NEA.nbsp; A submission by a local requires the signature of the local president.

Attached is the nomination form for the 2010 ESP Award that includes a description of the award#39;s criteria and selection procedure.nbsp; We#39;ve also included the guidelines and a checklist that we hope will be helpful in the nomination process.

Nominations must be received by NEA no later than the close of business, Friday, December 11, 2009. For more information, contact Dina Simon -(202) 822-7130 - or - dsimon@nea.org.nbsp;

nbsp;

There is a bogus organization conducting a phishing scam of educators - including many NEA members

They call themselves the National Teachers Education Association and are using NEA#39;s address as their contact information. The message identifies itself as coming from the Executive Secretary - Susan Landen.

The message tells recipients that they have been nominated for induction into the National Teachers Hall of Fame - and directs them through a series of internet prompts to find out more - and asking the recipient for more information.

There is a National Teachers Hall of Fame. It#39;s in Kansas, and NEA has been a long-time supporter. But this is NOT a Hall of Fame initiative.

NEA#39;s ITS Department has reported the information to the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG), http://www.antiphishing.org/.nbsp; (The APWG is the global pan-industrial and law enforcement association focused on eliminating the fraud and identity theft that result from phishing, pharming and email spoofing of all types.)

ITS suggests that members who receive a similar e-mail:

* Forward phishing emails to spam@uce.govnbsp;

* Report phishing email to reportphishing@antiphishing.org.

* File a complaint at ftc.gov

NEA ITS also suggests that everyone visit the site - http://www.onguardonline.gov/topics/phishing.aspxnbsp; - to get more information on Phishing Scams and to find out how you can protect yourself.

The 2010 National C.L.E.A.N.^TM Awards application package is now available at www.neahin.org/cleanaward/. The C.L.E.A.N. stands for Custodial Leaders for Environmental Advocacy Nationwide. The deadline for application/nominations is December 7, 2009.

The national C.L.E.A.N.^TM Award will recognize the contributions that custodians make to public health in their schools, communities, and their profession. The award will be presented to a school custodian that demonstrates outstanding leadership in the field of school cleanliness, and reflects the contributions that education support professionals (ESP) can make to public health. The award program is a joint initiative of the National Education Association (NEA), the NEA Health Information Network (NEA HIN) and the Soap and Detergent Association (SDA).

Up to five awards will be presented to one top recipient and four runners-up. The awards will recognize a single custodian or a team of custodians from one school. Applicants may self-nominate or they may be nominated by someone in their school, district, or state/local affiliate. Only current NEA members are eligible to apply.

The National C.L.E.A.N. Award recipients will receive:

• All expense paid trip, including travel, lodging, meals, and salary reimbursement, to the NEA National ESP Conference to receive award
• Cash Award
• One year NEA and National Council of Education Support Professionals (NCESP) membership
• Products/Supplies for school
• School celebration for the top-recipient on National C.L.E.A.N. Day, which may include a visit by representatives from NEA and SDA
• Recognition in national, state, and local publications and magazines

To learn more about the program and to see 2009 winners, visit http://www.neahin.org/cleanaward/winners.html

nbsp;

The NDEA Education Support Professionals#39; (ESPs#39;) Conference is scheduled for Minot#39;s Comfort Inn on Sept. 26, 2009.

The Conference will convene at 8:00 a.m. with a hotel continental breakfast followed by registration at 8:30 a.m.

ESP Representative on the NDEA Board of Directors Duane Ell of Mandan and NDEA Director of Professional Development LeAnn Nelson will start the day with a welcome. nbsp;A session on Membership and Resources is scheduled for 9:15 a.m.

At 10:00 a.m. Gene Grooms from G amp; G Consulting will present a session on How to be More quot;Professionalquot; in My Association/Union Role!

Grooms#39; session will continue after a working lunch with a panel of attendees to the NEA ESP Conference last March.

The Conference will end with an NDEA Staff and Presenters#39; Panel You Ask - We Will Answer Session and a closing by NDEA President Dakota Draper.

Click here and listen to the new radio ad being played around the state inviting members to the 2009 NDEA Instructional Conference in Grand Forks.

The script of ad reads:

Hi, I#39;m NDEA President Dakota Draper.nbsp;

The 2009 School Year has begun, so it#39;s time to start thinking about the NDEA Instructional Conference scheduled in Grand Forks Oct. 21-23.

Roundup your colleagues and meet us in Grand Fork for two days of some of the best professional development available for educators in North Dakota.

You can pre-register for this event by going to our web site at http://www.ndea.org/.

Please join us Oct. 21-23 in Grand Forks.

Brought to you by the North Dakota Education Association where Great Public Schools Are a Basic Right and Our Responsibility.

Listen to Welcome Back to School Ad.

nbsp;

nbsp;

The finalists for the 2010 North Dakota Teacher of the Year were recently announced.nbsp; They are from left to right:nbsp; Craig Erickson, a marketing education teacher at Fargo#39;s North High School, Max Laird, a science teacher at Community High School in Grand Forks, Mary Eldredge-Sandbo, a high school biology teacher at DesLacs-Burlington, and Mike Voglewede, a biology teacher at Northwood.nbsp; The finalist will be announced at the NDEA Instructional Conference in Grand Forks on Oct. 22.nbsp; Watch the October issue of North Dakota Education News for a complete story on each candidate.

The North Dakota Teacher of the Year Program is coordinated by the Department of Public Instruction.

Student representatives from SNDEA campuses will conduct their Fall Orientation Meeting in Carrington on Sept. 19 at the Chieftain Inn. This meeting provides students an opportunity to meet new campus officers and plan for the upcoming year. For more information about SNDEA or the Fall Orientation Meeting contact your SNDEA campus advisor or president. SNDEA President is Alisha Webster from Minot State Unversity.

Your campus advisors:nbsp; Dr. Lou Aronson, DSU Extended Campus at BSC; Noel Wax, DSU; Dina Laskowski, JC; Neil Race, MaSU; Pat Jorgenson, MiSU; Jeanette Hoffman, NDSU; Lean Hamann, UTTC; Dr. Daphane Ghorbani, U of Mary; Dr. Linda Holdman, UND; and Amy Anderson, VCSU.

Your contact at NDEA is leann.nelson@ndea.org.

H1N1 (referred to as quot;swine fluquot;) is a respiratory illness caused by the Influenza A virus that can be transmitted among humans.nbsp; In April 2009, a surge of cases was documented by the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).nbsp; The main mode of transmission, similarly to seasonal influenza, is personal contact:nbsp; touching, coughing, sneezing, and kissing.

Whether the U.S. will experience a pandemic this fall when schools are back in session is a hot topic right now.nbsp; NDEA recommends that all educators:

• 1. Find out what your school and school district plans are for H1N1 outbreaks.
• 2. Learn about what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend regarding schools#39; responses during the coming school year: www.flu.gov/plan/school/schoolguidance.html.
• 3. Teach your students to be aware of the symptoms of this flu and of taking proper precautions at school and home to avoid the virus.
• 4. Stay up to date on what your local health department, school board, and the CDC have to say.

The most important thing to keep in mind is proper hygiene, respiratory quot;etiquette,quot; and routine cleansing, e.g., hand-washing.nbsp; You can learn a lot at the NEA Health Information Network, a good source of information for members at http://www.neahin.org/.

Read the NEAHIN latest newsletter here.nbsp;

Why not control your paycheck and earn interest on your money?nbsp; NDEA#39;s Dues Credit Trust has been helping members since 1981 develop better budgeting techniques and getting an opportunity to earn interest on their salary as they earn it.nbsp;

The interest earned is usually higher than what an individual can earn because of the quot;investing powerquot; of Association members going together to reach a common goal---earning a higher rate of return on their salary while balancing their paycheck over 12 months.

This past year has been turbulent for both the domestic and the international financial markets.nbsp; Everyone has read articles about large banks being bailed out by the federal government, auto makers filing for bankruptcy, and interest rates falling to record lows.nbsp; All of these have either a direct or indirect effect on the earnings of the Dues Credit Trust Program.

Despite the turmoil, the Dues Credit Trust Program has again exceeded the Bank of North Dakota money market rate.nbsp; That rate is .40 percent while the Dues Credit Trust Program is returning 2.86 percent---2.46 percent more than received by investing in the Bank of North Dakota money market account.

Dues Credit Trust money has always been invested in FDIC-insured certificates of deposit and various government-backed investments.

Here#39;s how it works:

A participant whose salary is taken on a nine-month basis can invest a portion of each check in the Dues Credit Trust Program.nbsp; The Trust will deposit three electronic checks into the member#39;s bank account.nbsp; The program offers a great deal of individual flexibility.nbsp; There are programs designed for members paid on an eight, nine, ten, or twelve month basis.nbsp; A special investor program can be tailored to an individual#39;s personal financial situation.

The August deposit will include interest earnings.nbsp; From that check, NDEA will automatically deduct any dues and a $10 service charge.nbsp; The plan begins Oct. 1 of each year.

For more information or enrollment forms, contact your UniServ director or call 223-0450, 800-369-6332 or email comments@ndea.org.

Over the summer NDEA has been working with Kranzler Kingsley and K2 Interactive to design a completely new Web site.nbsp; The new Web site will allow for continuing expansion/additions, but here is a brief look at some of the improvements you will find here as we continue to expand the site.nbsp;

Improved Navigation:nbsp; You will find the new version of the NDEA Web site easier to navigate, thus reducing the amount of time---and the number of clicks---necessary to find the information you need.

Constantly Updated Material:nbsp; Each area of the Web site has been assigned to the staff person or persons in charge of specific assignments within the Association.nbsp; Thus, each area will be updated by that staff person or persons in a timely manner, so that information should never get lsquo;old.#39;nbsp; You should be able to go to http://www.ndea.org/, and always find the most current information.

News and Photos Updated Constantly:nbsp; With the new features added to this Web site, news and photos can be updated constantly.nbsp; Thus, the front page of the site will never look outdated.nbsp; It will always be refreshed, with the most current news.

Improved Search Function:nbsp; The search function on our Web site is greatly improved, thus making it easier for you to search the entire Web site for the information you want and need.

NDEA Members-Only Area:nbsp; Our revised Web site will include a Members-Only Area; where you can find important Association information that can only be accessed by NDEA members...such as bargaining information and contracts.

Easy Access to Members-Only Area: You will be able to access the Members-Only-Area simply by using your membership number, which can be found on your new Access Card (membership card) or on the label of this newspaper.

Ready Child Area:nbsp; NDEA#39;s new initiative, Ready Child has been incorporated into this Web site.nbsp; However, you can still access this helpful Web site by going to http://www.readychild.org/.

In order to get to the NDEA Members-Only-Area, simply use your membership number found on the label of your September newspaper. Place the number in the User Name Area, and set your own password.

Earlier this year the NDEA Board of Directors unanimously approved two changes to the process of recommending candidates for the State Legislature.nbsp; The first change will require the Association to publish the votes used to record legislators#39; vote records on education and education related issues.nbsp; The second change is that a legislator#39;s performance will now be based on votes during both sessions of the Legislative Assembly during their most recent term in office.nbsp;

The Government Relations Commission (GRC) recommended to the Board of Directors to publish the vote scores of legislators.nbsp; quot;This will allow all of our members to see how elected officials are voting on issues of importance to public educators and their professional and economic well-beingquot; said NDEA President Dakota Draper.nbsp; This change will begin for the 2009 vote records and in August the GRC and Board of Directors approved the bills to be used to compute the 2009 scores (Click here to see the 2009 vote record).nbsp; Prior to this action the NDEA had kept its vote records confidential and they were only revealed to the Government Relations Commission (GRC), Board of Directors, and candidate interview team.nbsp;

The GRC also recommended the Board of Directors require the vote records be calculated over both sessions of the Legislative Assembly during a legislator#39;s term in office.nbsp; When a State Senator or Representative is elected they serve a four-year term in office.nbsp; During a term they serve and vote in two legislative sessions.nbsp; Previous policy had allowed the use of only the most recent legislative vote record not the records over the term in office.nbsp; This change means legislators will need to score a minimum of 70 percentage points over two sessions to be considered for a performance recommendation. quot;This allows members to evaluate candidates on their whole record of performance while servingquot; said GRC Chairman Michael Porter.

Vote records, recommended by the GRC and approved by the NDEA Board of Directors, are used to determine performance recommendations from the NDEA for legislators who show a commitment to public education and our members#39; professional and economic well-being.nbsp; To receive a performance recommendation an incumbent must score at least 80 points.nbsp; Seventy of those points must come directly from the vote records during the previous term in office.nbsp; Another 20 points may be awarded or subtracted to the total score for a legislator#39;s leadership, accessibility, rationale for votes, and committee work in support or opposition to NDEA issues.nbsp; If the total score reaches 80 points then the GRC and Board of Directors must vote to approve the performance recommendation.nbsp; Even if they do not meet the performance recommendation standards, legislators can still receive a recommendation for office by going through the local interview process.

September is Life Insurance Awareness Month

September is Life Insurance Awareness Month-and no better time to remind NEA members of the many ways life insurance can safeguard their families#39; financial security.nbsp;

An alarming number of Americans lack adequate life insurance protection, and NEA members are no exception. Surveys show that 86 percent of members are underinsured. For this compelling reason, the NEA Members Insurance Trust has teamed up with the non-profit Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Educationnbsp;to ensure this educational campaign reaches the members of the NEA.

During September you#39;ll have a chance to:

• Test your insurance IQ and enter to win a $100 Visa gift card
• See a video message from the 2009 LIAM national spokesperson, Chris Noth
• Read featured member stories
• Register your beneficiary for NEA Complimentary Life Insurance
• Get the protection your family needs
• Have fun along the way!

For additional information please visit http://www.neamb.com/home/621.htm.

NDEA member, Verna Rasmussen, a first grade teacher at Westside Elementary in West Fargo, was recently nominated by the NDEA for The NEA Foundation Awards for Teaching Excellence.nbsp;

Although Rasmussen was not selected to move on to the next round, judges said her accomplishments were truly extraordinary.nbsp; NEA commended Rasmussen for her dedication to the profession and the Association.nbsp; The Foundation will send $750 to her school this fall, and she will attend the NEA Foundation#39;s 15^th Annual Salute to Excellence in Education Gala in Washington, DC next February.

Rasmussen says that her greatest accomplishment in her educational career is knowing that she has helped nearly 400 children learn how to read.nbsp; quot;The joy of helping a young, unsure, hesitant reader blossom into a strong, independent, confident reader is a miracle I get to share in each year as I welcome a new group of children into my classroom,quot; she said.nbsp; quot;What greater satisfaction could a person ask for?nbsp; I feel honored and privileged to have made a life-long impact on so many lives.quot;

Acceptable Use Policy

Check if your employer has an Acceptable Use Policy for using technology. Your district likely has separate policies for students and employees. The Acceptable Use Policy should define where, when, and how long employees may use computers and network services.

Be Prudent About Content

Don#39;t access, accept, or transmit anything that can be interpreted as obscene or pornographic. Review the Acceptable Use Policy about any other potentially objectionable material.

Non-Commercial Use

School amp; college networks usually prohibit using their network and computers for commercial purposes, such as promoting a personal business.

Protect Student Information

All confidential student data such as Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), grades, and all other private data must be secured, even on a computer. Establish a password that will limit access to computers you use for confidential material, and do not share your password with others (ask your technology staff for assistance if needed).

Your Public Employer Owns Your

Email

Do not send anything you wouldn#39;t want read by your employer, or possibly the public. The school district owns and controls the email system. Even deleted email can be retrieved and used in lawsuits. Do not send any confidential or private email at work.

Monitoring Student Use

You might be held responsible for inappropriate student use of technology. Because it is impossible to supervise student use at all times, check if your district has a quot;reasonable supervisionquot; standard. If you have any questions about proper use of technology in your district, contact your NDEA UniServ director.

The NEA provided Educators Employment Liability (EEL) Program excludes from coverage the rendering, teaching or supervising of medical services.

There are exceptions to the exclusion whereby the regular EEL plan does provide coverage for first-aid and regular nursing services rendered by a school nurse and physical, occupational, or psychological therapy or treatment rendered by an appropriately licensed or certified practitioner.nbsp; In addition, certain activities related to the administration of oral prescriptions, emergency first-aid services and health care services provided under the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act are covered by the basic EEL Program.

NEA/NDEA members who are licensed as a nurse, occupational therapist, physical therapist, dental hygienist or athletic trainer should obtain a copy of the Certificate of Insurance for the EEL program from their local association or UniServ Director.nbsp; If after reviewing the Medical and Related Arts Exclusion language (section VII.A.8), members believe the activities they perform are not covered by the basic EEL program, they should contact their UniServ Director.nbsp; NDEA is prepared to purchase a rider for these individuals.nbsp; The rider extends the basic coverage to include claims arising out of the rendering, teaching, or supervising of medical, dental, surgical, nursing, or other similar services in the course of the Insured#39;s educational employment activities.

In summary, NDEA believes that all health occupations teachers and athletic trainers who teach students to perform various medical-related skills need to have the EEL extension.nbsp; The extended coverage is available only after NDEA receives a request from the member and NDEA submits the required premium.nbsp;

For further information, contact gary.rath@ndea.org or call NDEA at 1-800-369-6332 or your UniServ director.

Don#39;t feel you have to do everything. You can#39;t and you won#39;t. So why worry about it?

Keep a quot;things to doquot; list. Review it daily and do at least one or two things. When you cross something off the list, you will have a sense of accomplishment.

Rid yourself of worry. A study has shown that 40 percent of the items people worry about never happen; 35 percent can be changed; 15 percent turnout better than expected; 8 percent involve needless concern; and only 2 percent really deserve attention.

Learn to plan. Disorganization breeds stress. Having too many projects going at the same time causes confusion, forgetfulness, and a terrible sense of incomplete tasks hanging over one#39;s head. Plan ahead. Develop your own personal style of getting things done in a calm, orderly way. Whenever possible, take on projects one at a time and work on them until completed.

Learn to play. You need to regularly escape from the pressures of life and have fun. Find pastimes or hobbies that are absorbing and enjoyable regardless of your level of ability.

Recognize and accept limits. Most of us set unreasonable and perfectionist goals for ourselves. But we can never be perfect (or even come close), so we often have a sense of failure or inadequacy no matter how well we perform. Reevaluate your goals with ruthless realism. Are they achievable? Or do they reflect an effort to reach perfection, certainty or ultimate security in a very imperfect world? Is that what life is really all about?

Learn to tolerate and forgive. Intolerance and judging of others can lead to frustration and anger. Try to really understand the other person#39;s concerns and fears. Try to see the pressures on them. This will make you feel more accepting of them even if you do not agree with their behavior options.

Be a positive person. Avoid criticizing others. Learn to praise the things you like in others. Focus on the good qualities of those around you. Excessive criticism of others almost always reflects dissatisfaction with oneself.

Avoid unnecessary competition. Many competitive situations cannot be avoided. But too much concern with winning in too many areas of life creates tension and hostility. It is generally desirable to minimize competitiveness and concern with winning.

Get regular physical exercise. Check with your physician before beginning any exercise program. You will be more likely to stay with the program if you choose one that you really enjoy rather than one that seems like drudgery. It is difficult to overstate the importance of regular, vigorous exercise for good physical and mental health.

Talk out your troubles. Find a friend, member of the clergy, counselor or therapist you can be open with. Expressing your quot;bottled upquot; tension and concerns to an understanding and sympathetic ear can be incredibly helpful.

For the purposes of this fund, the covered personal property includes, but is not limited to, teaching supplies, books, electronic equipment, tools, uniforms, etc. These losses may be the result of disasters such as tornadoes, floods (which have recently covered the state of North Dakota) or fire. The losses must not be covered by insurance, but may include any deductibles paid by the member. Applications will be submitted to the NDEA Disaster Relief Committee, 410 East Thayer Avenue, Bismarck ND 58501-4049.

The committee, comprised of the Association President or designee, the Foundation President or designee and the Executive Director or designee, will review applications and make determinations as to the amount covered by any awards. In the event of a disaster effecting more than one member, the awards will be considered in the order they are received and the funds may be prorated to the members applying.