| Win two UW-Marquette basketball tickets  You could be the lucky winner of two tickets - and a free parking pass - to the UW-Marquette game on December 12 at the Kohl Center! All you have to do to qualify is go to the WEAC Facebook page and enter a brief comment telling us why you would like to see the game. On December 4, weac.org will randomly select one winning WEAC member. Read more
 Did you celebrate American Education Week?  With the conclusion of American Education Week, we want to know how you celebrated. Did you host a potluck breakfast or bake sale for Open House Day? Did you welcome families into your school for Parents Day? Did you participate in events for Education Support Professionals Day, Educator for a Day, or Substitute Educators Day? Follow this link to let us know what you did in your community to celebrate our great schools.
More options for Milwaukee  This week more ideas and resources were eyed for Milwaukee Public Schools, including another alternative to mayoral takeover and an NEA grant to close the achievement gap. WEAC President Mary Bell and Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association President Mike Langyel lent their support to a plan from Representative Tamara Grigsby and Senator Spencer Coggs for a viable option to turn around MPS through community engagement. The Grigsby-Coggs plan, called the RACE for Success Act, provides reform "without dividing the community," Bell said. Read more
Additionally, the NEA announced a $591,000 grant to fund a partnership between MTEA and MPS to close achievement gaps. The NEA Foundation grant, part of a $1.12 million program, will be used to develop deep professional learning communities, align professional development, and implement university-school partnerships to conduct action research on critical issues at individual schools. Read more
Support staff combat swine flu  In addition to the fingerprints, the dust, the grime and the dirt they normally battle on a daily basis school maintenance workers have a new opponent this fall: swine flu. The H1N1 virus has caused disruptions in schools across the country, putting an extra burden on custodial staff to disinfect, cleanse and protect every surface in a school to prevent further spread of the bug. Read more and nominate an ESP for the NEA C.L.E.A.N. award
Sign up for Web site e-mail alerts Here's a great way to keep up to date on the latest news, Educators' Bulletin Board postings, and blog entries: sign up for e-mail alerts. Whenever a new item is posted in the News, Educators' Bulletin Board, or At the Capitol sections - or when a new entry is made in the Tech College, ESP, New and Future Educators, or Editor's blogs - you'll get an e-mail letting you know. The e-mail will also have a link to the content. This is the most direct way of keeping on top of what your union is doing, and doing for you. Read more Preparing for parent teacher conferences Teacher/blogger Lisa Dennis gives her tips on preparing for parent teacher conferences, which "can be an intimidating experience for many new and future teachers" she says. New and Future Educators' Blog WEAC gets grant to host engagement summit The NEA has provided a $10,000 grant to WEAC to host a Family/School/Community Engagement Summit this spring, with the goal of working on ways to increase parent and community engagement with public schools for the purpose of supporting student learning and success. Read more Apply for after-school grant The application period is open for the 21st Century Community Learning Center (CLC) grant program. A community learning center offers academic, artistic, and cultural enrichment opportunities to students and their families when school is not in session. The CLC grants support quality programs serving students (and their families) from schools with high proportions of economically disadvantaged students.
Read about this and other events, professional development opportunities and classroom resources on the weac.org Educators' Bulletin Board Win a 2GB jump drive! WEAC members: Become a fan of the WEAC Facebook page or a follower of WEAC on Twitter, and you will become eligible to win a 2GB jump drive to transfer files to and from your computer. A random drawing will be held on December 1 to give away a total of 20 jump drives. Read more | 
Students to connect with astronaut in space
This January, students in Winter will be part of an experience that is out of this world - well, out of this planet, at least. Astronaut Jeffrey Williams, a graduate of Winter High School, will talk to students on January 6 via a satellite link from his post aboard the International Space Station.
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Certification changed her career direction
With teachers finding out this week about their National Board Certification status, we take a look at a decision that changed the career direction of Meg Graham, Spanish teacher at Mukwonago High School. She achieved the certification in 2004 and has been on a roll ever since.
Member Spotlight
What's the Buzz?
What are people saying about the topics of the day? Here's one recent comment to the WEAC Web site: "Race to the Top is nothing more than a carrot dangled before states who won't or can't find the political will to adequately fund schools." Follow the latest buzz online by visiting the weac.org home page.
What is 2009's top education story?
Help us find the "Top 9 in '09" by voting for what you think is the top education story of the past year. The results will be featured on weac.org and in the next edition of WEAC in Print.
Vote for your pick
Trust offers
layoff benefit
In these uncertain economic times, know that the WEA Trust will be there for its members. Starting in 2010, if a Trust health plan subscriber is laid off, the Trust will pay his or her part of the premium for continued Trust health insurance coverage.
Find out more
"My meteorology test was a breeze - Get it?"
Cartoon Corner
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