We wanted to pass on to Educators of Color the following opportunity to apply for the Racial Justice Institute Fellowship. See their flyer.

In the summer of 2019, the Educator Advancement Council piloted several sessions for culturally and linguistically diverse educators. That pilot helped craft the framework for the launch of the Educator Advancement Council's Racial Justice Institute.

The Racial Justice Institute (RJI) - taking place between January 2022 and June 2023 - is created to support and achieve culturally and racially affirming environments for educators serving Oregon’s Pre-K to 12 School Systems. This includes developing and facilitating a collaborative, educational environment for racially, ethnically, or linguistically diverse educators and that provides leadership to support culturally and sustaining pedagogical approaches and racial justice in school communities. There are two parts to the RJI: A Fellowship and the Network.

The RJI Network includes regular facilitated virtual learning sessions that will include learnings from the fields, opportunities for personal story sharing, and connecting with other educators who identify as culturally and linguistically diverse across the state who are also impacted by inequities. Sessions will include keynote speakers from a national network of leaders on topics which will be shown on this calendar page.

The RJI Fellowship will support 30 culturally and linguistically diverse participants to engage in racial justice learning, leadership, and project development in school communities (application linked here). Fellows will participate in collaborative, place-based projects to create more racially affirming educational spaces across the Pre-K to 12 school system.  They will have monthly, day-long virtual sessions with inspirational leaders, educators, healers, and social movement change makers to learn from in community with the group of 30 fellows from across the state of Oregon.  Fellows will be provided with a $20,000 stipend and funds to cover substitute teacher cost.

• What is the Fellowship timeline?  January 2022 - June 2023
• When are the Fellowship virtual sessions?  The first session will be on January 26, 2022 from 9am- 12pm. Because of substitute teacher shortages, we have scheduled sessions two and three on Saturdays (Feb 19 and Mar 12).  To best meet fellows needs, all subsequent monthly sessions will be determined by consensus with the Fellows.
• Who can apply to the Fellowship? Racially, ethnically, or linguistically diverse educators across the Pre-K to 12 school system in Oregon should apply and their experiences and safety will be centered. 
• How do applicants apply? In an effort to make the process as easy as possible, applicants need only submit an application form by January 10, 2022 at midnight. Applications will be reviewed upon receipt and fellows will be accepted on a rolling basis. We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible in order to increase your chances of acceptance.

For more information please contact Jonah Canner at [email protected]. Finally, click here to read our FAQs, where you will also find the Fellowship Goals & Program Components and the Arcs of Learning.

Yours in Education,

Dear Educator,

Last night at the PPS School Board Meeting, I shared with the board our recent survey data, illustrating how overwhelmed and strained educators are feeling this year. You can watch the presentation here beginning at about minute 50:00.

The survey results are alarming, and demonstrate that educators are experiencing extraordinary stress and overwork, and many educators are considering options to leave the profession they love.  

In order for our school system to continue serving our students this year, we need to retain the educators we have. We are advocating for meaningful workload relief to be implemented immediately. 

PAT is organizing listening sessions with our PPS School Board members, so they can hear directly from you.  We are planning to hold 3 listening sessions, and invite all PAT members to sign up to speak or to attend to listen: 

• Monday, November 1, 5-6 pm
• Thursday, November 4, 5-6 pm
• Monday, November 8, 5-6 pm

Please come share your thoughts on the following questions:

• What examples from your personal experiences best illustrate the demands on educators this school year? 
• What immediate solutions could we implement to make this year manageable?
• What long-term solutions can we work toward together to make sure a career as an educator can be fulfilling and sustainable?

Comments will be limited to 3 minutes or less, to allow many voices to be heard.  

Please use this form to sign up to speak or listen at any of the sessions. After you sign up, we will send you a Zoom link. If you are not able to attend, you can use the same form to submit a written comment. 

Speakers will be limited based on time, and chosen on a first come, first served basis, while also ensuring that educators from many different grade levels and roles have an opportunity to be heard.

This is NOT an official PPS School Board meeting. We are inviting all board members to attend, and expect between 1 and 3 board members to be at each session.

Thank you for sharing your concerns, ideas, and vision for how to make our school system sustaining for students and staff. 

In Solidarity,

Elizabeth Thiel

President, Portland Association of Teachers

http://www.pdxteachers.org/

You are invited to join colleagues from around the state at the OEA Fall Conference. The conference, happening over October 16th, 19th, and 21st will offer online courses to build strategy around bargaining, organizing, and advocating. All sessions will be held virtually.

Register today

Read more below about the session you can sign up for.

Saturday, October 16 - 9:00-10:30AM

Bridging the Political Divide: Recruiting and Retaining Members Across the Political Spectrum 
with Rylee Ahnen, OEA Communications

Responding to Hate and Bias at School: Extended Session
with OEA member and social studies teacher Patrick Griffin, student Jessica Acee, and Rose I. Wilde of Lane ESD and "Showing Up for Racial Justice" Springfield-Eugene Leadership Team

Saturday, October 16 - 11:30AM-1:00PM

Bargaining for Equity 
with PAT President Elizabeth Thiel & OEA Consultant Lesly Munoz

Responding to Hate and Bias at School: Extended Session
with OEA member and social studies teacher Patrick Griffin, student Jessica Acee, and Rose I. Wilde of Lane ESD and "Showing Up for Racial Justice" Springfield-Eugene Leadership Team

Tuesday, October 19 - 5:00-6:00PM

Preparing Now for Spring Bargaining 
with Robert Young, OEA Bargaining Coordinator

Collaborative Problem Solving: Getting to Yes! 
with Klamath City EA President Maureen Lundy & OEA Consultant Bob Gray

Responding to Public Attacks on OEA Members Implementing Social Justice Standards 
with Teresa Ferrer, OEA Equity Coordinator

Understanding Implicit Bias 
with Lindsay Ray, Beaverton EA Vice President

Gender Savvy: Creating an Inclusive School Climate
with Basic Rights Oregon

Thursday, October 21 - 5:00-6:00PM

Bargaining Strategies for Disrupted Learning
with Robert Young, OEA Bargaining Coordinator

Advocating for Licensed Members with Performance Issues
with OEA Consultants Allison Orton and Bob Gray

Responding to Hate and Bias at School 
with OEA member and social studies teacher Patrick Griffin, student Jessica Acee, and Rose I. Wilde of Lane ES

Register today. Download the event flier for more details on all the courses offered over these three days.

The Racial Equity Committee Co-Chairs, Lindell Stone and Darshanpreet Gill, will be hosting a social for Educators of Color (EoC) in PPS and you're invited! 

When: This Thursday (10/07) from 4:00 PM-7:00 PM

Where: Catalina's (517 NE Killingsworth St, Portland, OR 97211)

What: Come hang out with other EoC from around the district while enjoying some food and drinks provided by the union! 

Who: PAT Members who identify as a person of color

PLEASE RSVP HERE

COVID-19 Safety: Please wear a mask and maintain distance. There will be outside seating available. To keep the group-size smaller, please just bring yourself, and your colleagues who are also PAT members of color (not other friends and family at this time). 

Hope to see you there!

Portland Association of Teachers · 345 NE 8th, Portland Association of Teachers, Portland, OR 97232, United States
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October 21, 2021 · 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM

OEA's Building the New Educator Toolbelt Series will provide an opportunity for early career Oregon educators to join in lively collaboration each month to explore the most timely and important issues facing you and our students.

In this session, learn your options as an educator for student loan forgiveness and explore NEA resources to help you navigate the application process.

Register Today

PAT is once again excited to sponsor the Northwest Teaching For Social Justice Conference! The annual gathering of conversation, idea-sharing, and inspiration is just a few weeks away.

Join us ONLINE on Saturday, October 23, 2021.  The cost is just $10 — $5 for students.

Register Now

The keynote talk this year is Dr. Bettina Love,  an award-winning author, co-founder of the Abolitionist Teaching Network (ATN), and the Athletic Association Endowed Professor at the University of Georgia. Her books include We Want to Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and The Pursuit of Educational Freedom and Hip Hop’s Li’l Sistas Speak: Negotiating Hip Hop Identities and Politics in the New South.

In addition, there are dozens of educator-led workshops lined up in 2 sessions. See the full program at www.nwtsj.org.

We hope you can make it!

OEA is taking applications for a *new* grant opportunity. Education Empowerment grants are awarded to help local associations engage members around important issues that impact teaching and learning. The grant may be used to support professional learning and/or to enhance and improve professional practice in a specific area. This grant should focus on solving an issue that will create a lasting impact on professional practice in a local. It is not meant to be used to purchase consumable materials and/or classroom supplies.

CRITERIA:

• Any local Oregon Education Association member is eligible to apply for a grant during the grant cycle to be used to support professional practice.
• Grant applicants must have communicated their intent to apply to their local association President.
• Grants must relate to engaging members on professional practice issues and should not be used for consumable materials and/or classroom supplies.

• Grant applications must be received by October 15, 2021 for review and consideration.
• Grant requests should correspond with the local association and/or school district’s mission/vision/goals.
• Grant awards from $1000 - $5000

DEADLINES:

• All applications are due October 15, 2021.
• All projects must be completed by June 15, 2022.
• All grant final reports are due by June 30, 2022.

Please review the application here to see specific questions and information requested. If you would like to apply, please contact PAT President Elizabeth Thiel ([email protected]) to set up a time to discuss your proposed application.

Apply for and OEA Promising Practice Grant

Every year, OEA gives Promising Practice Grants to educators to support student learning and professional development for OEA members across Oregon. This year, there is $2,000 available for grants to PAT members. Members may apply for grant funds up to $1,000.

Grants can be used to fund projects or materials that support improved student achievement. The application is fully online this year and available here. 

Some examples of past projects funded by the Promising Practice Grant are:

• A library of books with QR codes attached that link to a video of the book being read in ASL for families of students who are deaf and hard of hearing.
• Supporting Latinx students through a MECHA conference.
• Books for classroom libraries featuring main characters who are People of Color so that students see themselves in literature.

Timeline:

• November 1, 2021 - Applications due. No late applications will be accepted.
• December 1, 2021 - PAT IPD Committee will review grant applications from our Council members.
• December 10, 2021 - Final decisions communicated to applicants
• December 13 - 17, 2021 - Grants for those awarded will be processed and distributed by OEA
• June 30, 2022 - Final grant summary due to OEA Center for Great Public Schools

Criteria:

In the event that, among qualifying grant applications, there are more funds requested than are available, IPD Committee will prioritize grant requests that fulfill the following criteria:

• Grant applicant is a first time applicant
• Project or idea which serves a historically underserved population
• Project or idea which serve large numbers of students
• Grant applicant is an early-career educator

While we recognize the unique and challenging circumstance educators confronted last week as we returned to our schools, we hope the first week of school went well for you all. 

We are super excited to share with you the fall 2021 PAT Building Rep training calendar. If you are a brand new Rep, we encourage you to attend one of the Rep Fundamentals trainings being offered coming up:

• Thursday, November 18th 4:30-6:30 PM
• Thursday, December 2nd 4:30-6:30 PM

Please RSVP here for one of these sessions. (At the same link, you can register for other trainings coming up this fall and winter.)

We are calling these “Rep Fundamentals” not because they offer material that is basic, but because they review skills and knowledge that is most important for being a great Building Rep.

In addition to 4 distinct modules for Rep Fundamentals, we are thrilled to be offering a 5-part training series on Racial Justice for PAT Building Reps, specially designed for PAT by the University of Oregon’s Labor Education and Research Center (LERC) in collaboration with members of last year’s PAT Advocacy Cadre. You can register and read more about these workshops here. 

Our hope is that Reps will cycle through all of the classes on Rep Fundamentals and Racial Justice for Reps over the course of the school year. 

And for you more seasoned Reps, PAT will be offering training on advanced topics for Reps throughout the year. These advanced trainings are still in the process of being developed so please keep an eye out for updates. 

In Solidarity,

Portland Association of Teachers
http://www.pdxteachers.org/

Previous trainings:

• Saturday, September 11th from 10:00 AM  to noon
• Thursday, September 16th from 4:30 to 6:30 PM
• Saturday, September 25th 10 AM to noon 
• Thursday, October 7th 4:30-6:30 PM
• **Postponed** Saturday, October 16th 9:00 AM-3:00 PM 
• Thursday, October 21st 4:30-6:30 PM
• **Cancelled** Saturday, November 6th 9:00 AM-3:00 PM

We are excited again this year to organize around different diversity months that represent the uniqueness of our students, educators and communities , as part of the work of our Social Justice and Community Outreach Committee and partnership with the Racial Equity Committee. 

We are continuing our work with the 4 heritage months below, and adding 2 more to celebrate Diversity Months throughout the year.

• Latinx/Chicanx/Hispanic Month (September/October)
• LGBTQIA+ Month (October)
• Indigenous/Native American Month (November)
• Black Lives Matter Week of Action/Black History Month (February)
• Asian/Pacific Islander Month (May)
• Disability Pride Month (June/July)

We are seeking educators who want to help in the planning of these months. We will give priority to educators who represent each month for the planning teams. We will also try to make teams that represent all grade levels as much as possible. We will send an email a month or two prior to the month to begin planning. 

Sign up here if you are interested in helping plan any of these months. Please email Alisha Chavez ([email protected]) and Julie Whitaker ([email protected]) if you have any questions. 

Find more information on all our heritage months on our Social Justice/Community Outreach page.

Portland Association of Teachers

http://www.pdxteachers.org/