Quote … A school should not be a preparation for life. A school should be life.

1. Quote… A school should not be a preparation for life. A school should be life. __Elbert Hubbard 11015 W. 75th Terrace Shawnee, KS 66214 PHONE: 913.268.4005 FAX: 913.268.1332 TOLL FREE: 1.800.371.1007 KNEA Hotline: 1.800.432.3573 NEA Hotline: 1.800.424.8086 Nancy Fritz, President nancy.fritz@knea.org Kevin Scarrow, Director kevin.scarrow@knea.org Sharon Conley, AA sharon.conley@knea.org NEA-SM SPEAK UT O • THANK YOU NEA-SM MEMBERS • Thank you SMSD Educators! I am so proud of you for stepping up and finding that extra strength to battle certain legislators this past year! • You • sent emails and postcards and made phone calls when asked, • visited with your family members and neighbors and built new important relationships, • became familiar with legislators and made sure you could contact them on a moment’s notice, • literally overwhelmed many of the legislators with your continual contacts • stopped bills that were not educationally friendly. • Legislators returned to Topeka on Monday, January 13, 2014, and I am anticipating that some of their agendas will not be friendly towards educators and students. I know that if action is needed again, SMSD Educators will be there ready to show legislators that they are vigilant and do care about their students, their profession and the education system in Kansas! • We will • not allow legislators to lower our educational standards through false data and information, • stay informed and refute and fight every piece of misinformation they bring forth • step forward again, ready to engage in whatever it takes to save our education system. • Please remember that our KNEA lobbyists are working every day to make sure that we are kept informed with the postings on “Under the Dome” found on the KNEA website. • Our KPAC needs your donations to succeed. Please give. It’s only $20 for the entire year, (or more, if you so choose) and we now have the ability to make KPAC donations online, http://www.jotform.us/kneacomm/KPACDonations. • Once again THANK YOU NEA-SM MEMBERS. You make me proud to be your President. • Nancy January 27, 2014 Vol. 38, No. 3 www.neasm.org Dates: January 27 – BOE Workshop, 5:00pm, McEachen BOE, 7:00pm, McEachen February 3 – Exec. Brd, 4:30pm, ERO 4 – Early Dismissal, Grades K-12, Teacher Workday 6 – Night Conferences, Grades 7-12 7 – Conferences, No School Grades K-12 10 – Rep Council, 4:30pm, Broadmoor A publication for the members of the National Education Association of Shawnee Mission

2. Kansas NEA: Making Public Schools Great for Every Child • IS YOUR EMAIL CURRENT? • Have you changed your home email in the last year? If so, please send Sharon Conley your current email address so that we may update our records. With the new legislative session starting, having your current email in our database will ensure that you receive any urgent messages from us that may affect your profession. Send all updates to kevin.scarrow@knea.org • TAKE ACTION • “Subscribe to Under the Dome”. Register or re-register (if you have changed your email in the last 7 months) to receive current legislative issues that may affect your profession. • Visit: “Members Only Log-in” at knea.org • send a message to your Members of Congress to support key legislation. Visit: nea.org/lac • Sign up for and “Like” the EdVotes Facebook page “Speak up for Kids” Facebook page at: facebook.com/speakupforkids • Get the latest political news affecting educators by following Ed Votes on Twitter at: twitter.com/edvotes • Sign up for NEA Today Express, a monthly e-magazine and by subscribing, you’ll be the first to receive the new NEA Today tablet app when it debuts in early 2014, nea.org/express • Join the GPS Network to promote student success through online collaboration. Lend your leadership voice by becoming actively engaged in GPS Network communities. Visit: gpsnetwork.org • Visit the NEA Academy. It is the one-stop-site for all NEA professional and leadership development and training. neaacademy.org • For full-time licensed members who worked Jan. 1, 2013 thru Dec. 31, 2013, your total yearly NEA-SM dues for tax purposes was $621.69. ELECTIONS! In March we will be electing new members to our Executive Board and delegates to the NEA Rep Assembly. Email your nominations for an Executive Board position and/or NEA RA delegate to Karen Myers at karenmyers@smsd.org or Nancy Fritz at nancy.fritz@knea.org by 5:00 p.m., Monday, Feb. 3. Please include a brief bio and reason for your desire to serve in the position. Executive Board Positions: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasure-Elect, Elementary Representative, Middle School Representative, and High School Representative. All of these positions are for 2-year terms except for Treasurer-Elect. The Treasurer-Elect shall serve a 1-year term after which he/she will assume the office of Treasurer. NEA RA Delegates: The NEA Ra is in Denver, Colorado this summer, July 1 – July 7. KNEA has paid for a double room in the past and part of your travel. Breakfast has been provided by Security Benefits. All other meals are out of your pocket. Delegates are expected to attend all state caucus and assembly sessions. Evenings are usually available for your own personal enjoyment; although there are fun activities planned for some of the evenings, if you choose to participate. For more information on any of these elected positions please contact Nancy Fritz at 913-268-4005 at nancy.fritz@knea.org or Kevin Scarrow at kevin.scarrow@knea.org. ACCESS CARDS Your new ACCESS cards were distributed at Rep Council this month. If you have not received your card please contact your Building Rep. . TAX TIME