Sunday, April 8, 2018
MNEA Call to Action!
ACTION ALERT: PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATOR CONCERNING CHARTER SCHOOL EXPANSION
Dear CMNEA friends,
I share the following link with you about a bill being sponsored by Rep. Rebecca Roeber, from House Dist. 34. Although a retired school teacher from the Raytown School District, her bill- if passed into law, would allow for charter schools to operate across Missouri. As you know, this will hurt many of our school districts in rural areas, as well as take monies away from all public schools.
MNEA takes the stance that charter schools do not have the same standards as public schools follow to ensure the education and protection of the students attending public schools. MNEA would like to see charter schools have the same/similar standards, as well as be held accountable to an elected body such as school boards.
If you are interested in writing to your legislator about this bill or write to oppose this bill, then please feel free to write to your elected official. The link will provide the name. Please write soon.
House majority party leaders have been working recently to urge caucus members to support HB 2247 (Roeber). The bill would allow charter schools to be sponsored by outside entities (other than the local school board) and operate in many districts around the state.
The bill is likely to come up for House floor debate very soon. The Association opposes the bill and asks that you contact your State Representative using the link below.
Guided by the revised MNEA Position Paper on charter schools, the Association believes that charter schools should be sponsored by and accountable to the local community through the elected school board and approved only after an impact study is conducted by the district to consider the proposal. School board sponsorship ensures that the board can plan the use of all school funds and implement the services and programs that meet the needs of all students in the community.
All charter schools should be subject to the same standards of accountability, transparency and respect for the rights of students, parents and staff as are applicable to traditional public schools. HB 2247 does not enact these reforms, and the Association opposes the bill.
ACTION NEEDED: IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY DONE SO, please call, write or use the link below to send an e-mail to urge your State Representative to oppose HB 2247.
The message can be edited, and your message will have GREATER IMPACT if you add your own comments.
New CPS Board Members to be Sworn in April 9th
Susan Blackburn and Teresa Maledy on Monday will be sworn in as new members at the start of the Columbia Board of Education’s monthly meeting, the first new board members since 2014.
Board members will also choose a new president and vice president.
Blackburn and Maledy were the top two vote-getters in Tuesday’s election. Incumbent board President Darin Preis didn’t seek re-election and incumbent Christine King was defeated.
Blackburn and Maledy were asked Friday how they would make their voices heard on a seven-member board.
“I’m not so worried about having my voice heard,” Maledy said. “I’m more interested in learning the nuances of Columbia Public Schools. I’m not concerned with not being heard, I’m more concerned with working with a team.”
Blackburn said she’s ready to get to work on the issues she campaigned on.
“I feel strongly about improving student achievement and improving safety and security in our schools,” she said. “I know other board members share those concerns.”
Research shows early childhood education improves student achievement during a child’s school career. CPS has some pre-kindergarten options for children ages three and four. Early Head Start, through Central Missouri Community Action, is available to children from families with the lowest income, but even then, space is limited.
Maledy has seen the research as a board member with the Cradle to Career Alliance, a not-for-profit organization made up of government officials and business and community leaders focused on improving educational outcomes for local students.
“I think we need to collaborate with different partners in the community,” Maledy said. “I believe Central Missouri Community Action Early Head Start offers the best path forward. Grant Montessori School is another example of a great public-private partnership, though it’s for ages three to five.”
Blackburn praised the strength of Columbia Public Schools’ Title I preschool program, which provides services to low-income families, and other initiatives targeting children before kindergarten.
“We have a strong Parents as Teachers program,” Blackburn said. “We need to find ways to expand these programs for more opportunities to reach preschool-age children.”
Parents as Teachers is a program in which CPS “parent educators” visit the homes of families with young children to track the child’s development.
Board members don’t talk freely about contract negotiations with Columbia Missouri National Education, the teacher’s union, when they’re happening, but before those restrictions are in place, both Blackburn and Maledy said as board members, they will always listen to teachers.
“My whole campaign has been about advocating for better pay and working conditions for teachers,” said Blackburn, a former reading recovery teacher and district coordinator. “I think probably we’ll be able to hear all points of view.”
Maledy during the campaign said attracting and retaining good teachers should be a district priority.
“Compensation is one component of that,” she said. “There’s a really strong relationship between CPS and CMNEA. Our goals are aligned. We have a strong relationship and we need to look for ways to strengthen the relationship.”
April 3rd Election Results
COLUMBIA BOARD OF EDUCATION
3-YEAR TERM, ELECT TWO
Christine King: 4,352
James “Ben” Tilley: 5,565
Tyler Francis Lero: 941
Susan Blackburn: 6,026
Teresa Maledy: 8,161
COLUMBIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOND ISSUE
Yes: 11,868
No: 2,426
Monday, April 2, 2018
Thursday, March 29, 2018
Hank Waters Makes Tribune Endorsement Pick for Columbia School Board Race
By Hank Waters-Columbia Daily Tribune, March 28, 2018
Patrons of Columbia Public Schools will have satisfying choices April 3 for the district board of Education.
We should be grateful to the five candidates who are standing for election. Over many years I have developed great respect for people willing and eager to serve, particularly in local unpaid positions like members of the school board. The election process is rigorous enough, but nothing compared with the responsibilities of actual service in office week after week, and year after year. Bless them for doing these important chores for the rest of us.
This year five candidates are competing for two open seats.
I must say I was overjoyed to learn Teresa Maledy had decided to run. If anyone among us qualifies as a commendable public citizen, Teresa is it. For several years I have served with her on the Stephens College Board of Trustees, including her term as chair. Simply stated, Teresa is an exemplary member with a keen awareness of how boards should function. She knows how boards should interact with executive officers. She will improve the performance of any board she is on.
Her interest in education at all levels is exemplary. For many years she has had children in Columbia Public Schools. She believes in public education and particularly in Columbia public education. For her innate public service skills and her particular interest in local education, Teresa Maledy is one of the most promising school board candidates I can imagine. Many thanks to her for agreeing to serve. She deserves election with a strong majority.
For the other seat long time teacher Susan Blackburn and incumbent board member Christine King are the best choices.
Blackburn is an excellent candidate with a long record as a Columbia public schools literacy teacher. When coupled with good collaborative skills, faculty experience is the right foundation for good board service. Susan Blackburn fits this mold. She is smart and has very good communications skills.
Christine King has served for nine years on the board. Experience is her long suit.
In this election I like Teresa Maledy and Susan Blackburn, two exceptional candidates we are fortunate to have in the race.
HJW III
CMNEA Recommended Candidate- Ben Tilley!
Tilley: I know the district and can contribute
Upon retiring from Columbia Pubic School District last year after 21 years in various positions, school board candidate Ben Tilley believes he has a firm grasp on what the district needs.
Tilley, 61, is one of five candidates seeking two seats on the Columbia Board of Education in the April 3 election.
He spent 21 years as a classroom teacher before becoming an assistant principal at two elementary schools, assistant director of research and assessment, and Title I director and assistant superintendent for elementary education.
“I think we have a real good school district, but there are significant challenges,” said Tilley, whose two children graduated from CPS. “I have the experience to dig into the problems.”
The district in the next three years plans to build a new middle school to ease current overcrowding, and Tilley said he is familiar with this process.
“It has been on my mind of me running,” he said. “I know the district. I would love to be able to contribute.”
Tilley, if elected to the board, wants to look into how the district could raise money to increase salaries for teachers.
“We are lagging behind,” Tilley said, adding a teacher’s starting salary in Columbia is about $35,000 a year. Two years ago the board approved increasing salaries with the wage increasing from $34,353 to $35,500 for a new teacher with no experience, according to the salary schedule on its website.
Tilley pointed to the Parkway School District in St. Louis that pays beginning teachers $42,800 annually, according to a salary schedule on its website.
What frustrates Tilley is of the 140 students who did their student teaching in Columbia last year, very few stayed in the city after graduating.
“We often are the training ground, but are unable to keep them,” he said.
Prior to the pay increase two years ago, he said there had been years where teachers’ base salaries remained the same. They did receive the increases for based on years of experience.
“There is only so much money to go around, so you have to look at every expense,” he said, “You have to make the best of the few dollars you do have.”
Tilley said if elected he would like to review the budget, but he realizes the bulk of it goes toward salaries and benefits.
“Where are you spending every dollar you have?” he said is a question that needs to be asked. “Are you doing everything you can?
“It is a guessing game, but to mitigate the guessing game you have to look at trends,” he continued. Those trends could result in the school district feeling comfortable in giving raises or holding back wage increases.
Besides salaries, Tilley wants to look into school safety to ensure the schools are prepared for tragedies if one were to occur.
He also said he would like to meet with the Center for Education to get its perspective on school safety.
Another idea to improve safety would be to hold trainings on strategies to identify individuals that might be at risk, he said, and for the district to be more proactive than reactive. He added the mental health component plays a role in all of this.
Tilley said he believes most of the mass shootings in schools are from loners who might not be engaged with school or other students.
“Reach out to them to help each other,” he said. “Befriend that person who does not have friends.”
Tilley supports the school district’s $30 million bond initiative, with some of it being used to pay for a new middle school on the south side of town. He also noted the bond issue on the April 3 ballot will not increase taxes.
One advantage Tilley believes he has over the other candidates is he knows a lot of the teachers and administrators, but added that could change quickly.
“People know me and know the work I have done in the school district,” he said.
Elaine Hassemer, who has known Tilley for 20 years and worked with him when both were employed with the Columbia schools, said he would be a great school board member.
“He is very concerned about students and their (success),” she said. “He puts children first.”
CMNEA Recommended Candidate Teresa Maledy!
Maledy: Attracting, retaining teachers is a key goal
 |
| Teresa Maledy |
As a graduate and a parent of students in Columbia Public Schools, Teresa Maledy is looking to add a new level of involvement in the community: Columbia Board of Education member.
She graduated from Hickman High School before attending Stephens College and Webster University, and now has three children attending Grant Elementary School, which she says gives her a unique perspective.
“I felt I was well prepared for college and also a business career as a result of going to CPS,” Maledy said.
She now works as the chairwoman and CEO of Commerce Bank’s central and eastern regions.
Maledy has worked for Commerce Bank for 37 years, with 16 years in Kansas City and before returning to Columbia about 20 years ago. She will retire in June, and running for the school board will help her continue her community involvement.
She is a board member for several organizations, including the Alliance for Childhood Education, Cradle to Career Alliance, Regional Economic Development, Inc. and Stephens College. She also previously served on the boards of The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri, Columbia Chamber of Commerce and Heart of Missouri United Way.
She’s running on three main pillars: decreasing and closing the achievement gap across all student demographics, developing sound strategies to attract and retain quality teachers and ensuring that the district continues to earn the community’s confidence, trust and consistent financial support.
“She’s going to bring a level of personal investment in children’s education,” said Crystal Kroner, the collaboration network manager of Cradle to Career Alliance. “She’s unbelievably organized and prepared, but most importantly she’s really dedicated to the cause. We’d be really lucky to have her.”
As a founding member of Cradle to Career, Maledy has worked on identifying demographics and identities that need extra attention in schools and getting the community to support those goals. Her experience in getting the community involved in educational goals will help her if elected, said Darin Preis, the current school board president who has endorsed Maledy in the election. Preis decided not to seek another term.
“We really need well-connected citizens to be on the board of education,” Preis said. “We want the community’s input to filter its way into the work of the board and so the more connected and highly respected school board members are, the more likely they are to bring in really good information and offer different perspectives, and Teresa absolutely has those things.”
Maledy said attracting and retaining teachers is key to achieving the school district’s goals, and she is open to exploring different strategies.
“I think what we need to do though is get a little bit more creative and really understand what is attractive to teachers, what encourages educators to stay on with our school district so we’re able to build up a lot of experience and retain them once we have them,” Maledy said.
Several of her former and current colleagues, including the former CFO of the University of Missouri System and member of the Board of Trustees of Stephens College, Nikki Krawitz; former Executive Vice President of Commerce Bank, Valerie Shaw; and Preis and Kroner all said that Maledy is good at balancing different perspectives and making effective decisions.
“She has a lot of great ideas,” Kroner said. “She listens first (and is) very receptive of learning from others. I’ve been in multiple brainstorming (sessions) with her and everyone has a chance to share their idea and she’s taking notes and nodding her head and really listening, and then she says, ‘I was thinking this,’ and it’s usually a much better idea than mine.”
Maledy describes herself as someone who exhibits tolerance, respect, persistence and balance. Through her experience in banking, educational boards and other community involvement, she hopes that through leading by example her legacy would be continuing to establish confidence within the community for the school board in the long term.
″(My legacy would be) the community feeling that we’ve been a transparent board and school district, that they have a lot of confidence in the decisions we’ve made and trust us to continue to make good decisions,” she said. “Having the community really engaged and really supportive of the school district is top priority.”
Sunday, March 11, 2018
Sunday, March 4, 2018
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
CMNEA Recommends Maledy and Tilley!
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
February 26, 2018
Columbia Teachers Vote to Recommend Teresa
Maledy and Ben Tilley for Columbia School Board
(Columbia, MO) – Columbia Public Schools educators, represented by the Columbia Missouri National Education Association (CMNEA), have voted to recommend Teresa Maledy and Ben Tilley to voters in the upcoming April 3rd, 2018 elections for Board of Education.
“Those of us who work in public education always want something better for our students,” said Hickman High School math teacher and CMNEA President, Kathy Steinhoff. ”When we recommend candidates, we consider whether they will maintain an open dialogue with public school stakeholders, including the elected teacher association, in order to understand the issues facing educators, students and administrators.” We believe Teresa Maledy’s experiences as a mom, an activist for Cradle to Career and other early education programs, an accomplished businesswoman, and an active community member will enhance the Columbia School Board. We further believe Ben Tilley’s commitment to public education, as evidenced by a 21 year educational career, his passion to serve Columbia’s students and his willingness to question the status quo will strengthen our Board of Education. Together, Ms. Maledy and Mr. Tilley have pledged to advocate for Columbia Public Schools alongside CMNEA, and we look forward to working with them to provide something better for all students in Columbia Public Schools.
CMNEA recommended Ms. Maledy and Mr. Tilley after an extensive candidate screening process that included candidate questionnaires, an interview with teachers, and a public forum. Both Ms. Maledy and Mr. Tilley are seeking their first terms on the Board of Education.
The Columbia Missouri National Education Association is the exclusive representative of teachers and parent educators in the Columbia Public School District and part of the 35,000-member Missouri National Education Association and 3.1 million-member National Education Association. The CMNEA represents educators, retired educators and students studying to be teachers in the Columbia Public School District.
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Sunday, February 25, 2018
Saturday, February 24, 2018
Campaign Event for Sen. Claire McCaskill
Cindy and Wally Bley
cordially invite you to the
Columbia Election Year Kick-Off Reception
with
U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill
Hosted by:
Cindy & Truman Allen | DeeDee & Vic Arnold | Mary & Don Baker
Nancy & David Bedan | Cindy & Wally Bley | Diane Booth & Jeanne Sebaugh
Cora Butler | Winifred & Jack Colwill | Anne & Brady Deaton
Ruth & Dale Doerhoff | Janie Dunning | Ava Fajen & J. Scott Christianson
Joanne Fulton | Judy & Terry Ganey | Linda & Tim Harlan
Paula & Hon. George Hartsfield | DK Hirner | Greta & Kim Hull
Alice Landrum | Nancy Langworthy & Harry Feirman | Doris Littrell
Ann & David Mehr | Richard Miller | Cheryl & Scott Orr | Jane & Jerry Parker
Linda Randall & Jerry Hazelbauer | Freddi & Steve Sokoloff
- Host Committee in Formation -
_______________
Friday, March 16
5:30-7:00 PM
At The Club at Old Hawthorne
6221 East Broadway
Columbia, Missouri 65201
_______________
Suggested Donations:
Sponsor: $2,700
Patron: $1,000
Friend: $500
Guest: $200
Patron: $1,000
Friend: $500
Guest: $200
_______________
To RSVP or with questions, please contact Emma Grundhauser at
egrundhauser@clairemccaskill.com or (314) 896-0831
Or register online here
Until August 7, 2018, individuals may contribute up to $5,400 to McCaskill for Missouri ($2,700 for the primary election, $2,700 for the general election) and federal multi-candidate PACs may contribute up to $10,000 ($5,000 for the primary election, $5,000 for the general election). After August 7, 2018 individuals may contribute only $2,700 and PACs may contribute only $5,000.
Contributions to McCaskill for Missouri are subject to the prohibitions and limitations of the Federal Election Campaign Act. Contributions from corporations, national banks, federal contractors and foreign nationals who are not admitted for permanent residence in the United States are prohibited. All contributions must be made from personal funds and may not be reimbursed or paid by any other person.
Contributions to McCaskill for Missouri are not deductible for federal income tax purposes.
| Paid for by McCaskill for Missouri |
McCaskill for Missouri
PO Box 300077
Saint Louis MO 63130 United States
PO Box 300077
Saint Louis MO 63130 United States
Friday, February 23, 2018
CMNEA School Board Candidate Forum Makes the News!
By Rudi Keller- Columbia Daily Tribune
February 22, 2018
Columbia Public Schools should consider ways to provide universal pre-kindergarten education, school board candidate Teresa Maledy said Wednesday night during a candidate forum.
Maledy, chairwoman and CEO of Commerce Bank’s central and eastern region, is one of five candidates seeking two seats on the Columbia Board of Education in the April 3 election. Speaking at a forum organized by the Columbia Missouri National Education Association, Maledy made the her expansive proposal in answer to a question about how much the district should do to provide early childhood education and close the achievement gap between demographic groups.
“The difference that early childhood education makes is just huge and I have lived it,” Maledy said.
The other candidates — incumbent board member Christine King, medical technologist Tyler Lero, retired teacher Susan Blackburn and retired assistant superintendent Ben Tilley — all agreed with Maledy on the importance of early education but differed in their approaches.
Tilley said he wanted to improve the Parents as Teachers program to bring learning into homes of poor students earlier than they would receive it in a pre-kindergarten program. An expanded pre-kindergarten program creates new problems because children that young can’t ride buses alone, he said.
“Transportation for parents in preschool is non-existent and we have to dig and solve that issue so boys and girls can get to preschool services,” Tilley said.
King said she would like to have full-time pre-kindergarten classes but said the cost would be daunting. Lero said the issue needs a strong community discussion.
Blackburn said her biggest concern is fitting the program to the student. “I want to make sure we have instruction that works for every child in the district,” she said.
Wednesday’s forum at Paxton Keeley Elementary is the last step in the union’s process for making an endorsement before the election. Prior to answering questions before the audience of about 50 teachers, the candidates met one-on-one with the union’s political action committee and answered questionnaires about themselves and their campaign.
The union will hold a meeting for all member teachers Thursday, if school is not canceled, to vote on the endorsements, said Monica Miller, chairwoman of the political action committee. An important point for the candidates they like will be whether they have put together a viable campaign, she said.
The question that must be asked, she said, is “if we are going to invest in you, how seriously are you taking this campaign?”
The questions asked Wednesday sought the candidates’ views on issues ranging from lobbying for more funding to whether the district should place armed guards at schools in response to the Parkland, Fla., shooting that left 17 students and teachers dead.
Several Columbia schools already have resource officers — police officers assigned to the building — but none of the candidates said more guards were a good idea. Lero also said he doesn’t support putting more guns in schools.
“I don’t think the answer is arming teachers with guns or having concealed weapons in schools,” he said.
King also said she opposes additional guards or armed school personnel.
The district has taken many steps to add protection, including video monitoring, automatic door locks and protective films on windows, Blackburn said. It is the board that must decide the policies for protecting schools as it does for all other school issues, she said, and reviewing current protections with an eye to increasing safety is a good idea.
“I am up for exploring anything,” she said.
Maledy praised the reaction of the students and said she hopes there will be a day when there are no worries that a shooter will enter a school.
Worries about a school shooting are constantly with administrators, Tilley said. He also worries that a person set on violence is difficult to stop.
“You will never come up with every scenario that someone might try,” he said.
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
Monday, January 15, 2018
Columbia School Board Race Up To Four
Two more announce candidacy for open seats on Columbia School Board
- BY MARIA F. CALLEJON AND YUTONG YUAN
- The race for the two free seats on the Columbia School Board is getting tighter: Tyler Lero and Susan Blackburn both announced their candidacies this week.The April 3 election will decide who will fill two three-year seats on the seven-member board. The two candidates that receive the plurality of votes will win the seats.Lero, a 28-year-old medical laboratory technologist at Women’s and Children’s Hospital, filed his application Tuesday.A Columbia resident for 10 years, Lero said he decided to run for the seat to get more involved with his local community.“I thought it was a great opportunity to give back to my community and try to do everything I can to help to improve it,” Lero said.Although he has no children, he and his wife have a 2½-year-old niece and want to ensure she has a good education.“I want to make sure that she has the opportunity to really have a good school and learn the best she can,” Lero said.Lero said his professional background is an asset, as it shares several values with a position on the board: accountability, commitment and teamwork.He praised the work the board has done and said he wants to continue the progress they’ve made.Blackburn announced her candidacy Wednesday. An MU graduate and Columbia Public Schools educator for 29 years, Blackburn said in a news release that she wants to change the lives of students through education.“Every student should be able to read, write, and think critically,” Blackburn said. “We must recruit and retain highly-qualified teachers and ensure a safe and welcoming environment for students.”After she retired from Reading Recovery — a specialized reading program— Blackburn worked part-time at Columbia Public Schools and offered literacy support and training for teachers until last December. She is also a member of the American Speech Language Hearing Association, the Reading Recovery Council of North America and the Missouri State Teachers Association, according to the release.Blackburn has lived in Columbia for over 30 years. All three of Blackburn’s sons went to Hickman High School. Her husband and her mother-in-law also graduated from Hickman.In addition to Blackburn and Lero, retired administrator Ben Tilley and current member Christine King are also running for the two school board seats. Board President Darin Preis is not seeking re-election.Applications must be submitted in person before 5 p.m. Jan. 16 at the board secretary’s office in the Columbia Public Schools administration building at 1818 W Worley St.
Candidates Begin to File For Columbia Public School Board
Retired administrator Tilley files for School Board election
Ben Tilley
- About seven months into his life as a retiree, Ben Tilley decided to run for one of the two available seats on the Columbia Board of Education. Tilley, 60, filed his application to run on Thursday.He previously worked for 21 years in the school district, starting as a second-grade teacher at Fairview Elementary School and finishing as an assistant superintendent for elementary education for Columbia Public Schools."I enjoyed my retirement, but I enjoy being busy as well," he said. "I want to spend some of my retirement time helping the school district."Tilley said he thinks that his experience working with children and parents is of the traits that make him a good candidate for the position. "I've been in our community for a long time," he said.Tilley also thinks that his years of experience will be valuable on the board and hopes to still contribute to the "good of the school district." For him, growth is a continuous concern, because it leads to students exceeding the capacity of the schools.If elected, Tilley said he would focus on "big-agenda-type items,"such as the construction of a new middle school south of town. This new project would relieve the overcrowding at Gentry Middle School, he said. He would also like to keep and improve what he called the "open lines" of communication between teachers and administrators.The election will be held on April 3. No matter the result, Tilley said he will seek to be of help in any way he can. "There are other positions for citizens to participate (in)," he said. "I want to give back."
Tilley is the third candidate to file for the election, joining fellow newcomer, John Conway, and incumbent Christine King.
Christine King Applications must be submitted in person before 5 p.m., Jan. 16 at the board of education secretary's office in the Columbia Public Schools administration building at 1818 W Worley St. The office will be closed between Friday and Dec. 29
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