Education Matters: Recent Episodes
Ohio Education Association
Ohio's public schools serve 1.7 million children - 90 percent of students in the state! What happens in the classroom has impacts far beyond the walls of the K-12 school building or higher ed lecture hall. So, on behalf of the 120,000+ members of the Ohio Education Association, we're taking a deeper dive into some of the many education issues facing our students, educators, and communities. Education Matters is your source for insightful conversations with the people who shape the education landscape in Ohio. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on Education Matters? Email us at educationmatters@ohea.org
Public Education Matters; it's the heart of it all. In the Season 3 finale, we reflect on the challenges and victories over the last school year as well as the opportunities that lie ahead as educators across the state join with parents and community leaders to show the world why Public Education Matters in Ohio. Ohio Education Association President Scott DiMauro shares his thoughts about why Public Education Matters to him, and how the issues of equity, educator recruitment and retention, collective advocacy, and access to a high quality-education for every child without exception all tie back to that important central theme.
SHARE YOUR PERSPECTIVE | If you'd like to add your voice to the many others who are telling the world why Public Education Matters in Ohio, please record a short video on Soapboxx to share your thoughts. You can do it from your mobile or desktop device, and it's as easy as clicking on the blue 'Record Your Video' button and saying a few sentences about why Public Education Matters to you. Click here to get started.
Featured Education Matters guests:
- Scott DiMauro, Ohio Education Association President
- A high school social studies teacher from Worthington, Scott DiMauro was elected President of the OEA in 2019 after having served as vice president for six years. Over his 32-year career as an educator, Scott has worked to provide students the critical thinking and decision-making skills they need to be successful citizens in our democratic society. He has likewise advocated for students, educators and strong public schools at all levels of his union.
Prior to becoming a full-time OEA officer, Scott served for nine years as President of Central OEA/NEA, and has experience as president of his local, as a member of his local bargaining team, chairperson of Central’s leadership and professional development programs, and political action coordinator. He also led the NEA Standing Committee on Legislation for three years. - As vice president, Scott served as co-chair of the Healthcare and Pension Advocates for STRS and represented OEA’s members on a variety of coalition boards and steering committees. He chaired the OEA Legislative Committee and continues to work with OEA’s Government Relations staff to represent educators in the legislature and State Board of Education. He was proud to help lead efforts of the OEA Commission on Student Success to lay out a comprehensive vision for high-quality education for all students and lay the groundwork for positive implementation of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act in Ohio. He also led an initiative to increase student access to breakfast in high-poverty districts and served as national spokesperson for the Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom.
- Scott’s priorities as president include strengthening local affiliates, enhancing professional supports for members, and elevating the voice of educators in public policy issues to ensure all students are given access to a high-quality education that inspires their creativity, imagination, and desire to learn.
- A high school social studies teacher from Worthington, Scott DiMauro was elected President of the OEA in 2019 after having served as vice president for six years. Over his 32-year career as an educator, Scott has worked to provide students the critical thinking and decision-making skills they need to be successful citizens in our democratic society. He has likewise advocated for students, educators and strong public schools at all levels of his union.
- Educators whose voices were featured in the introduction to this episode through Soapboxx videos they recorded sharing their thoughts on why Public Education Matters include:
- Stephanie Myers, Pandora-Gilboa Education Association
- Dan Greenberg, Sylvania Education Association
- Shelly Ahleman, Liberty Center CTA
SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.
Connect with OEA:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May 2020, after a ten-year career as an Emmy Award winning television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on June 1, 2023.
The strength of Ohio's public schools is in the beautiful diversity of the nearly 1.7 million students they serve, and it is imperative that educators are empowered to provide culturally responsive education in inclusive environments to students of every race, background, gender, religion, and ability, so all students can learn, grow, and thrive. But when it comes to best serving Muslim students, many Ohio educators may not know where to begin. The Ohio chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is working to change that with a new webpage full of tools and resources. Amina Barhumi, the CAIR-Ohio Executive Director for the Columbus and Cincinnati offices, explains how this Educator Resource page came about and how it will grow in the future.
GET THE TOOLS | Visit CAIR-Ohio's Educator Resource page at https://cair-ohio.com/educator-resource/
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Amina Barhumi, CAIR-Ohio Executive Director
- Amina Barhumi is the Executive Director of the Council of American Islamic Relations, Ohio Chapter, leading both the Columbus and Cincinnati offices. As a lifelong human rights and democracy activist, she joined CAIR-Ohio in 2020, first as the Outreach Director, and then stepped up to lead the organization during a challenging transition. Today, she manages one of the most prominent CAIR offices in the country with a team of civil rights and social justice advocates dedicated to empowering American Muslims through legal services, legislative advocacy, and community organizing.
Under Amina’s leadership, CAIR-Ohio strengthened its organizational infrastructure, built and elevated community power, established new and improved existing local partnerships, and prioritized multiply marginalized Muslim communities in Ohio. - Amina is deeply passionate about building capacity and power for Ohio Muslims. She engages elected officials, media, local institutions, and the public through her work about issues that matter to American Muslims. She strongly believes in investing in our future leaders through training and internship programs.
- Amina earned her degree in Business Management from the University of Illinois at Chicago and is currently an MPA Candidate at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at the University of Syracuse. Amina, her husband, and four children have called Columbus home for over 13 years.
- Amina Barhumi is the Executive Director of the Council of American Islamic Relations, Ohio Chapter, leading both the Columbus and Cincinnati offices. As a lifelong human rights and democracy activist, she joined CAIR-Ohio in 2020, first as the Outreach Director, and then stepped up to lead the organization during a challenging transition. Today, she manages one of the most prominent CAIR offices in the country with a team of civil rights and social justice advocates dedicated to empowering American Muslims through legal services, legislative advocacy, and community organizing.
SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.
Connect with OEA:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May 2020, after a ten-year career as an Emmy Award winning television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on May 24, 2023.
Ohio Teacher of the Year Melissa Kmetz - Season 3, Episode 12
Third grade language arts teacher Melissa Kmetz will spend the next year shining the spotlight on Ohio's exceptional educators and our public schools as the 2023 Ohio Teacher of the Year. She shares her thoughts on mandatory retention under the Third Grade Reading Guarantee, the importance of truly seeing students and empowering them to be leaders, and the one big thing she would do if she could wave a magic wand over her classroom.SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Melissa Kmetz, 2023 Ohio Teacher of the Year
- Melissa Kmetz is a third grade language arts teacher and Grade Level Chairperson at Lakeview Elementary School in Cortland, Ohio. She was raised in Campbell, Ohio, graduating from Campbell Memorial High School in 1999. Miss Kmetz obtained a full academic scholarship to Youngstown State University and, in 2003, graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Education (Early Childhood P-3). She began her career teaching kindergarten and then first grade in Salem, Ohio. There, she secured a Martha Holden Jennings Grant to Educators, which she used to open a literacy lending library. In 2006, she moved to Lakeview Local Schools, where she has been teaching third grade ever since! She obtained a Master’s Degree as a Reading Specialist from Youngstown State University in 2007, graduating with a 4.0 GPA and ranking in the top 1% of her graduating class. That same year, she was awarded the ETS Recognition of Excellence for scoring within the top 15% in the history of her licensure exam, the PLT K-6 Assessment. Miss Kmetz is a fierce advocate for culturally diverse curriculum, global education, and student leadership/activism. She furthered her knowledge in these areas through professional development at Harvard Graduate School of Education in Boston, taking the courses Advancing Culturally Responsive Literature Instruction and Educating Global Citizens. In 2010, she developed a Change the World Project in her school district, where for the past twelve years, Lakeview students have been activists, spearheading charity projects to benefit those in need near and abroad.
- Source - Ohio Department of Education
- Melissa Kmetz is a third grade language arts teacher and Grade Level Chairperson at Lakeview Elementary School in Cortland, Ohio. She was raised in Campbell, Ohio, graduating from Campbell Memorial High School in 1999. Miss Kmetz obtained a full academic scholarship to Youngstown State University and, in 2003, graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Education (Early Childhood P-3). She began her career teaching kindergarten and then first grade in Salem, Ohio. There, she secured a Martha Holden Jennings Grant to Educators, which she used to open a literacy lending library. In 2006, she moved to Lakeview Local Schools, where she has been teaching third grade ever since! She obtained a Master’s Degree as a Reading Specialist from Youngstown State University in 2007, graduating with a 4.0 GPA and ranking in the top 1% of her graduating class. That same year, she was awarded the ETS Recognition of Excellence for scoring within the top 15% in the history of her licensure exam, the PLT K-6 Assessment. Miss Kmetz is a fierce advocate for culturally diverse curriculum, global education, and student leadership/activism. She furthered her knowledge in these areas through professional development at Harvard Graduate School of Education in Boston, taking the courses Advancing Culturally Responsive Literature Instruction and Educating Global Citizens. In 2010, she developed a Change the World Project in her school district, where for the past twelve years, Lakeview students have been activists, spearheading charity projects to benefit those in need near and abroad.
Connect with OEA:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded November 2, 2022.
A Legacy of Education: Sandra Dowdy & Calista Altenburger - Season 3, Episode 11
Education is a family business for many of Ohio's dedicated teachers, education support professionals, and higher ed faculty members. In Part 2 of our special "A Legacy of Education" season, we meet a mother-daughter duo in Northwest Ohio who share an important teaching philosophy: People first.SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Sandra Dowdy, Lincolnview Schools
- Sandra Dowdy lives in Van Wert, Ohio. She been married to her husband, Daryl, for 30 years. They met at Bluffton University where she earned my teaching degree. She has two children who are both educators! Calista is an intervention specialist at Allen East and Justis teaches strength and conditioning along with physical education at Lima Senior. This is her 29th year teaching at Lincolnview Schools. She began as a high school Spanish teacher, then eight years later moved into a junior high math position, and for the past seven years, she has been a junior high language arts teacher. "Teaching is not a job to me," Dowdy says. "It's a privilege to be trusted each day to interact with my students and to be an influence on their lives."
- Calista Altenburger, Allen East Schools
- Calista Altenburger is a 3rd Grade Intervention Specialist at Allen East Schools, where she is in her second year of teaching. She earned her master's degree in Special Education through BGSU. She also worked for three years at the Hancock County board of Developmental Disabilities as case manager for SSA, and she worked for two years as a Job Developer with Capabilities in collaboration with Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities.
Connect with OEA:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on October 11, 2022.
A Legacy of Education: The Jessens - Season 3, Episode 10
A passion for education seems to run in families, and it is not uncommon for Ohioans to follow their parent's footsteps into the education profession. In Part One of a new series on Education Matters, we're hearing from Vermillion High School teacher Rebecca Jessen and her daughter, James, who is in her first semester as an Art Education major at Ashland University. SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Rebecca Jessen, Vermillion High School teacher, Vermillion, Ohio
- Rebecca Jessen is a career educator who has taught at both the high school and collegiate levels. Rebecca earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in biology from Bowling Green State University. She has been teaching biology at Vermilion High School for twenty years. Rebecca served as the president of Vermilion Teachers Association for over a decade and is currently a building representative, a member of the negotiating team and the building labor relations committee, and chair of the Lakeshore 58 leadership council. Rebecca resides on Catawba Island with her fiance David, her daughter James (when home from college), and their dog, Dolly.
- James Jessen, Aspiring Educator, Ashland University
- James Jessen is a 2022 graduate of Vermilion High School and is presently an art education major at Ashland University. She is a member of the Ashland University marching band and art club, a member of the National Honor Society and was a delegate to Buckeye Girls State. James is a portrait artist and owns her own business, James and the Giant Canvas. She is a member of the Greater Port Clinton Area Arts Council and NEA/OEA Aspiring Educators. James currently resides at Ashland University and she misses her dog, Dolly.
Connect with OEA:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on September 27, 2022.
The Case Against Mandatory Retention Under the 3rd Grade Reading Guarantee - Season 3, Episode 9
Ohio lawmakers have the chance to correct a major flaw with the state's so-called Third Grade Reading Guarantee by ending the requirement that students who don't achieve a cut score on one high-stakes test be held back in the 3rd grade. The State Board of Education is set to consider a resolution supporting that change at its November meeting. On this episode, Furman University professor Dr. Paul Thomas shares his research findings that show mandatory retention is ineffective and disproportionately harms students of color.SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.
MORE | To read Dr. Thomas' white paper, "A Critical Examination of Grade Retention as Reading Policy," click here.
WATCH | Click here to watch the full October 10th press event with OEA President Scott DiMauro, Dr. Paul Thomas, State Board of Education member Dr. Christina Collins, HB 497 joint sponsor Rep. Gayle Manning, and Campbell Education Association member Karen Carney.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Dr. Paul Thomas
- P. L. Thomas, Professor of Education (Furman University), taught high school English for 18 years in South Carolina before moving to teacher education and teaching first-year writing. He is author of How to End the Reading War and Serve the Literacy Needs of All Students: A Primer for Parents, Policy Makers, and People Who Care 2nd ed(IAP).
- Follow him at his blog http://radicalscholarship.wordpress.com/ and on Twitter @plthomasEdD.
Connect with OEA:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on October 17, 2022.
Supporting Diverse Educators - Season 3, Episode 8
Ohio's education workforce is made up of people of all races, ethnicities, backgrounds, genders, and sexual orientations. This diversity is extremely valuable in our public school classrooms. But, too often, educators of color or those in the LGBTQ+ community don't feel welcomed or valued. Hilliard Education Association President Linna Jordan is working to change that.SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Linna Jordan, Hilliard Education Association President
- In her 25 years in education, Linna Jordan has taught in urban and suburban districts including two years in Houston ISD as a bilingual elementary teacher. Most of her experience, though, has been as a high school EL and Spanish teacher. During her time at Davidson High School, she served in various leadership and committee positions including several aimed specifically at DEI.
- This is her second year as president of the Hilliard Education Association. Jordan also has several additional union roles: OEA Board of Directors for Central Unit 8; chair of OEA Hispanic Caucus; chair of OHIO Leadership Council; Central Membership Development chair and member of OEA's EL Cadre among others.
Connect with OEA:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on August 23, 2022.
State Supreme Court Candidate Spotlight - Season 3, Episode 7
Ohio's lingering redistricting fight has clearly shown that who sits on the Ohio Supreme Court matters. And beyond redistricting, the Ohio Supreme Court justices also make important decisions on major issues that impact public education, educators and students. That's why OEA members have recommended Justice Jennifer Brunner, Judge Terri Jamison, and Judge Marilyn Zayas for election to three open seats on Ohio's highest court this fall. They introduced themselves to members at a Member Activist Forum last spring.MORE | OEA Members can learn more about the OEA Member-recommended candidates on the ballot in their community by visiting Ohioballot.com. You can also learn more about the OEA Fund and its screening and endorsement process here.
SUBSCRIBE | Click hereto subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here. Featured Education Matters guests:
- Justice Jennifer Brunner, candidate for Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice
- https://www.justicebrunner.com/
- On November 3, 2020, Jennifer Brunner was elected Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. Previously she served as a judge of the Tenth District Court of Appeals for 6 years and the Franklin County Common Pleas Court for nearly 5 years. As a trial court judge Brunner founded the county’s adult felony drug court, known as the TIES (Treatment is Essential to Success) Program, now in operation for more than18 years. She was elected Ohio’s first woman Secretary of State on November 7, 2006, and held the office for four years. While in that office, she became the first Ohioan to receive the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award from the bipartisan board of the JFK Library and Museum in Boston. Justice Brunner was a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010. She has 17 years of private law practice experience and has provided rule of law technical expertise to the government of the Republic of Serbia, election observation in the Arab Republic of Egypt, and rule of law instruction at the bar association of Sri Lanka through the U.S. state department (USAID), as well as provided remote technical training through the American Bar Association (ABA) to the Republic of Kazakhstan, and in August 2022, in-person assistance to the Republic of Benin’s Human Rights Commission. She has gained a deep understanding of the importance of a strong and well-functioning judiciary to preserving peace and growing democracy through the rule of law. A native of Springfield, Ohio, Justice Brunner has been married to Rick Brunner since 1978. They have 3 adult children and 6 grandchildren, 3 dogs and 2 cats and spend time at their home in Columbus and at their farm in Columbiana County in Northeast Ohio.
- Judge Marilyn Zayas, candidate for Ohio Supreme Court Associate Justice
- https://judgemarilynzayas.com/
- Judge Marilyn Zayas learned from an early age that everyone should be treated fairly and equally. This is a core belief and guides Marilyn in her personal and professional life. She was born in Spanish Harlem and grew up in a tough New York City neighborhood. Although she earned a college degree in computer science and moved to Cincinnati to become an IT Manager for Proctor & Gamble, Marilyn always dreamed of becoming a lawyer. After six years, in 1994, Marilyn left P&G and pursued her dream, enrolling in and then graduating with a law degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 1997. In addition to realizing her dream, Marilyn also knew she had found a wonderful home in Ohio where she could raise her children. She went to work serving her community and eventually built her own law firm representing everyone from the poor to millionaires to refugees. Throughout her career, she never lost sight of her passion for justice. In 2016, Marilyn was elected to the First District Court Of Appeals of Ohio. She was proud to know she was the only Latina judge on any district court of appeals in the state. Her reputation for fairness grew. Her commitment to faithfully apply the law and the constitution was recognized by her peers. So Judge Zayas was asked to sit in on cases as a visiting judge on the Second, Sixth, Eighth and Tenth District Courts of Appeals. Judge Zayas was also selected by the Ohio Supreme Court’s Chief Justice to be a sitting judge on the Ohio Supreme Court for a recused justice. In 2022, Judge Zayas decided to run for the Ohio Supreme Court.
Judge Marilyn Zayas’s family includes her three adult children and two adopted rescue dogs, Thor and Sparkle Lou.
- Judge Terri Jamison, candidate for Ohio Supreme Court Associate Justice
- https://www.votejudgejamison.com/
- Judge Terri Jamison’s journey from the coal fields of West Virginia to the highest reaches of the legal profession is a testament to her strength, intelligence, perseverance, and persistence. Judge Jamison worked as one of the few women in the underground coal mines, made Columbus her home, later opened and ran her own insurance agency for over 16 years, and attended college while working full time. Terri sold her agency and enrolled in the Capital University School of Law and obtained her Juris Doctorate in 2004. As an attorney, Terri worked in the Franklin County Public Defender’s Office representing indigent clients in the Municipal Court System and served as a Hearing Officer for the Ohio Unemployment Compensation Review Commission. She practiced in the US District Court, Southern District of Ohio. She opened her own law office, practicing Criminal, Juvenile, Domestic Relations, and Probate law at the trial and appellate level. She was admitted to practice at the Supreme Court of the United States in 2007. In 2012, she was elected judge of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations and Juvenile Branch. She was overwhelmingly reelected to the Common Pleas bench in 2018 and then elected to the Tenth District Court of Appeals in 2020. During her time on the bench, Judge Jamison has used her experience, perspective, talent, and knowledge to develop new strategies to empower families. She also devoted considerable time, energy, and attention to issues related to equal access to justice, diversity, inclusion, and the need to develop alternatives to detention for juveniles. Along with her many other accomplishments, Judge Jamison is most proud of being a spouse to Ricardo “Ty” Gary, a retired Franklin County Deputy Sheriff who has started a new career as a realtor with E-Merge Realty. Their blended family includes three sons, Tremayne, Demetrius, and Sean, seven grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.
Connect with OEA:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
The conversations with Justice Brunner, Judge Jamison and Judge Zayas were recorded at an OEA Member Activist Forum on March 26, 2022.
Educators on the Ballot - Season 3, Episode 6
Decisions made in Columbus have an enormous impact on what happens in our classrooms every day. That's why it's so important to elect state leaders who understand the issues facing our public schools. On this episode, we hear from three educators-turned-OEA-member-recommended-candidates who fully understand those issues about how their classroom experience will guide their work in the next General Assembly.MORE | OEA Members can learn more about the OEA Member-recommended candidates on the ballot in their community by visiting Ohioballot.com. You can also learn more about the OEA Fund and its screening and endorsement process here.
SUBSCRIBE | Click hereto subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here. Featured Education Matters guests:
- Sophia Rodriguez, D-Ohio House District 84 candidate
- Sophia Rodriguez for State Representative (electsophia.com)
- Sophia Rodriguez is a high school Spanish teacher in Coldwater School and co-manager of her family restaurant of 41 years in Celina. She has served on the Mercer County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Ohio Education Association Board of Directors, National Education Association Board of Directors, President of the Western Ohio Education Association, President of the Coldwater Teachers’ Organization, Chair of the Ohio Education Association Hispanic Caucus, President of Celina City Council, and as an educational adjunct at the Wright State University Lake Campus.
- Sean Brennan, D-Ohio House District 14 candidate
- https://brennanforohio.com/
- Sean Brennan has been a middle and high school teacher in Brecksville-Broadview Heights Schools for nearly three decades. He has served on Parma City Council since 2004, first as Ward 2 Councilman, then as President, beginning in 2011. Brennan's other leadership roles include serving as the Parma Public Housing Authority Board President (2011-present), City of Parma Scholarship Foundation Founder and Board Member, Parma Charitable Fund Founder and Board Member, and Big Creek Connects Advisory Board Member. Brennan, who is member of the Brecksville-Broadview Heights Education Association as well as an honorary member of the Parma Education Association, was an Ohio Teacher of the Year nominee, a Northeast Ohio Education Association (NEOEA) Positive Image Award winner, and was named the 2022 Cleveland American Middle Eastern Organization (C.A.M.E.O.) Teacher of the Year. Brennan has finished 110 marathons and multiple other races, including the Cleveland, Boston, Chicago, and New York Marathons.
- Rep. Joe Miller, D-Ohio House District 53 candidate
- Currently represents Ohio House District 56
- https://www.joemillerforohio.com/
- State Representative Joe Miller is a proud resident of Lorain County. Before entering the General Assembly, Joe Miller worked in both the public and private sectors. After a short time teaching and coaching in Texas, he returned to Ohio and joined a design build firm and became an Associate Director of Planning. It was this and time spent as a general manager in a print production office that gave him valuable insight into the challenges that face businesses here in Ohio.
September 11th inspired Joe to return to the classroom where he has taught courses at both the high school and college level. In addition to being an active USGTF Professional Golf Instructor and OHSAA Basketball Official, he enjoys volunteering in his community and church. Joe and his wife Kelly, who is a fellow educator, currently reside in Amherst with their two sons, Joseph and Jordan and bulldog, Heisman. Joe Miller is a passionate advocate for quality education, jobs for hardworking Ohioans, opportunities for green energy expansion, and assistance to our veterans.
Connect with OEA:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on September 29, October 4, and October 7, 2022.
"The Kindness Machine" - Season 3, Episode 5
Kindness is an important skill to develop, but too often, we talk about it as an abstract concept without really explaining it in a way that a child can truly understand or put into practice in their lives. Leave it to a teacher to change that! Christina Dankert, a 2nd grade teacher in Sylvania, literally wrote the book on it. She discusses her debut children's book, "The Kindness Machine."SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Christina Dankert, 2nd grade teacher, Sylvania Schools
- Author: "The Kindness Machine"
- Christina Dankert has a passion for literacy and believes that we can change the world by reading to the children in our lives. She lives in Sylvania, Ohio, with her husband, Chad, and their two children. She has dreamed of collaborating with her husband to merge their two professions of educator and artist into one meaningful product. The Kindness Machine, their debut picture book, allowed that dream to come true.
- Learn more about Christina at www.christinadankert.com
MORE | To order your own copy of The Kindness Machine, click here.
Connect with OEA:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on August 23, 2022.
Choosing the OEA Member-recommended Candidates - Season 3, Episode 4
Election Day is just weeks away and it is imperative that pro-public education candidates win their races at all levels. Barb Armour, a bus driver in Brunswick City Schools who sits on one of the OEA Fund District Screening Councils, explains how OEA Members decide which candidates should get the support of Ohio's educators. MORE | OEA Members can learn more about the OEA Member-recommended candidates on the ballot in their community by visiting Ohioballot.com. You can also learn more about the OEA Fund and its screening and endorsement process here.
SUBSCRIBE | Click hereto subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here. Featured Education Matters guest:
- Barb Armour, Bus Driver, Brunswick City Schools
- Barb Armour has been a bus driver for 28 years. She is a building rep for the Brunswick Education Support Professionals local association. She also serves as ESP At-large on the Northeast Ohio Education Association's (NEOEA) Board of Directors and sits on the NEWOEA District Screening Council 1. Armour was selected as OEA's ESP of the Year in 2020.
Connect with OEA:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on September 21, 2022.
The Hard Choice to Walk Away - Season 3, Episode 3
Independence Middle School teacher Jill Wagner was making plans for the new school year when Gov. DeWine signed House Bill 99, gutting the training requirements for school staff to carry guns, and Wagner knew she'd had enough. She made the difficult decision to retire, ending a career she loved. She's certainly not alone. SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here. Featured Education Matters guest:
- Jill Wagner, retired English teacher
- Jill Wagner, M.Ed. taught English for nearly 39 years in three public school districts in Ohio: Bedford City Schools, Brunswick City Schools, and Independence Local Schools. Her duties included full-time teaching and advising many co-curricular clubs throughout her successful career, and especially rewarding to her was initiating a competitive creative-writing team 8 years ago at Independence High School. Too, coaching numerous Power of the Pen teams and Scripps spelling bee participants has been equally successful throughout the years.
- Jill is a nationally-recognized educator, earning the Portraits of Awesome award from Ted Dintersmith and “What School Could Be” in 2021, and she earned the 2017 Ohio Middle Level Association (OMLA) Regional Award for best middle-level practice.
- Jill served as the Northeast Ohio Education Association’s chairwoman of the legislative committee and served on the Ohio Education Association’s Legislative Committee, as well as being a local union representation in two public school districts for decades.
- On a personal note, Jill has been happily married for 38 years to her husband Kevin, a Shaker Heights City School physical education teacher. She has two daughters, Jenna, who is a high school guidance counselor in Kodiak, AK, and Alexa, a Ph.D. candidate at Case Western Reserve University.
Connect with OEA:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on August 17, 2022.
Ohio Parents Trust Teachers - Season 3, Episode 2
Despite the very loud voices of extremist politicians who are calling for book bans and placing other controls on what Ohio's teachers can teach, it turns out that nearly all Ohio parents trust their children's teachers to provide age appropriate instruction and be good role models. Those were among the many findings of a recent survey of Ohio parents by the Children's Defense Fund - Ohio. We dig into the data. READ THE FULL REPORT & EXECUTIVE SUMMARY | "Finding Unity & Common Ground: What Ohio Parents Want for their Children’s Educations”
MORE | Download the slide deck to present the report findings in your community
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Alison Paxson, Senior Policy Associate, Children's Defense Fund - Ohio
- Alison believes every child contributes to the vibrancy and success of our communities. She is driven to ensure that every child is safe, fed, nurtured, cared for, and able to access opportunities to gain the social, economic, cultural and political capital necessary to flourish into adulthood and give back to their communities. As Policy and Communications Associate for CDF-Ohio, she uses her words and advocacy to powerfully uplift the needs of children in Ohio and elevate data-driven policy solutions to improve their livelihoods and create a more equitable and just society. Forever inspired by the 9th and 10th graders she used to work with in direct service, Alison makes it her life’s work to honor the voices and strengths of youth and ensure age never limits the right for every young person to give meaningful input in the decisions that impact their wellbeing and their communities. Alison is a graduate of The Ohio State University where she studied political science and Spanish. She grew up in Enon, Ohio – an upbringing she credits for her passion for inclusivity, equity, and public service.
SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.
Connect with OEA:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on August 23, 2022.
Celebrating Our Wins - Season 3, Episode 1
As the new school year gets underway, Ohio's educators are once again facing major challenges in our public schools. But there are also major reasons to celebrate, and to build on the momentum of those victories to create a better future for all of us. In the first episode of the new Education Matters season, Ohio Education President Scott DiMauro discusses a few of the big wins for public education in our state.SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here. Featured Education Matters guest:
- Scott DiMauro, Ohio Education Association President
- A high school social studies teacher from Worthington, Scott DiMauro was elected President of the OEA in 2019 after having served as vice president for six years. Over his 30-year career as an educator, Scott has worked to provide students the critical thinking and decision-making skills they need to be successful citizens in our democratic society. He has likewise advocated for students, educators and strong public schools at all levels of his union.
- Prior to becoming a full-time OEA officer, Scott served for nine years as President of Central OEA/NEA, and has experience as president of his local, as a member of his local bargaining team, chairperson of Central’s leadership and professional development programs, and political action coordinator. He also led the NEA Standing Committee on Legislation for three years.
- As vice president, Scott served as co-chair of the Healthcare and Pension Advocates for STRS and represented OEA’s 122,000 members on a variety of coalition boards and steering committees. He chaired the OEA Legislative Committee and continues to work with OEA’s Government Relations staff to represent educators in the legislature and State Board of Education. He was proud to help lead efforts of the OEA Commission on Student Success to lay out a comprehensive vision for high-quality education for all students and lay the groundwork for positive implementation of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act in Ohio. He also led an initiative to increase student access to breakfast in high-poverty districts and served as national spokesperson for the Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom.
- Scott’s priorities as president include strengthening local affiliates, enhancing professional supports for members, and elevating the voice of educators in public policy issues to ensure all students are given access to a high-quality education that inspires their creativity, imagination, and desire to learn.
Connect with OEA:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on September 12, 2022.
2022 National Teacher of the Year: "We must be true to our students" - Season 2, Episode 34
2022 National Teacher of the Year Kurt Russell says he's not the best teacher in the country, but it's clear the Oberlin High School teacher the best person to represent our educators and students at this moment in our country, as Ohio and other states face dangerous legislation like House Bills 327 and 616 that would deny our students the opportunity to receive the honest and reflective education they deserve. In the Season 2 finale of Education Matters, we ask Mr. Russell to share his perspective, courage, and expertise. MORE | Education Matters will return with new episodes in the fall. Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform. LISTEN | Click here to revisit Kurt Russell's Education Matters **episode from October, 2021.
WATCH | Click here to see Kurt Russell's 2022 National Teacher of the Year Address to the Nation. Featured Education Matters guest:**
- Kurt Russell, 2022 National Teacher of the Year & 2022 Ohio Teacher of the Year
- Kurt Russell is a veteran teacher at Oberlin High School in the Oberlin City Schools district who believes education can transform students’ lives. For the past twenty-five years, Russell has included cultural relevance in the curriculum for the 9th-12th grade classes he teaches: African American history, US history, IB history of the Americas, and Race, Gender, and Oppression. Russell received the teacher of the year awards from the Oberlin Heritage Center (2009) and the Oberlin Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (2019). In addition to teaching history classes, Russell also serves as a lead teacher at Oberlin High School and advisor for the Black Student Union, Student Council, and Junior Class. Since 1996 Russell has coached basketball for Oberlin City Schools. As the head coach of the Boys Varsity Basketball team, he has received numerous awards, including the Lorain County Basketball Association’s Coach of the Year and the Northeast Ohio Coach of the Year.
- Russell decided to become a teacher when he was in middle school. He was inspired by his math teacher, who was the first Black male teacher he had in school, and enjoyed learning about history. Russell received his Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in history and minor in black studies at The College of Wooster. He obtained a Master of Education in curriculum and instruction from Ashland University and continues to take courses in child development at Oakland City University.
MORE | To learn more about the Council of Chief State School Officers' National Teacher of the Year program, click here.
WATCH | To see Kurt Russell's live interview on CBS Mornings and hear from his students and his mentor, click here.
Connect with OEA:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on May 23, 2022.
Breakfast & Beyond - Season 2, Episode 33
It is a fact: Hungry children struggle to learn. But making sure all students have access to adequate, nutritious meals takes innovation and collaboration. The Ohio School Breakfast Challenge recently recognized 22 Ohio districts who have embraced that mission, naming them Breakfast and Beyond Super Star districts. We're taking a look at some of the newest success stories while looking back at our conversations with previous honorees. MORE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts. Click here to subscribe on Google podcasts.
MORE | To view all of the 2021-2022 Breakfast and Beyond success stories, click here.
MORE | Learn more about the Ohio School Breakfast Challenge here.
Featured voices on this Education Matters episode:
- Scott DiMauro, OEA President
- Brenda Lemon, Logan Education Association President
- Sheri Nott, Logan Education Association Vice President
- Karen Lloyd, Indian Creek Education Association President
MORE | To hear the full Breakfast in the Classroom: "Well-fed kids are better learners" episode (Season 1, Ep. 14), click here.
Connect with OEA:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded in May, 2022, using some elements recorded in April and May, 2021.
Avoiding the 'Super Teacher' Trap - Season 2, Episode 32
Ohio's educators are dedicated to serving their students, but too often, early career educators burn out and leave the profession after only a few years. Austintown Fitch High School teacher Jake Reid says he was on the path to becoming one of them because of the pressure he put on himself to be what he called "Super Teacher" every day. He shares his experience and his changed perspective on this episode.MORE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts. Click here to subscribe on Google podcasts.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Jake Reid
- Austintown Education Association member
- Austintown Fitch High School English teacher
MORE | Click here to see the Spanning the Need feature on Jacob Reid as an Inspirational Person of the Week.
Connect with OEA:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on May 3, 2022.
OEA Officers: 'We Hear You' - Season 2, Episode 31
This Teacher Appreciation Week, educators need more than just a pat on the back; they need respect and support. They need to be sure that everyone -- from the community members they serve to the state leaders making decisions about their day-to-day operations in the classroom -- sees them and hears their struggles. OEA's president, vice president, and secretary-treasurer have been crisscrossing the state to hear from OEA members directly about how they're feeling and what they need. MORE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts. Click here to subscribe on Google podcasts.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Scott DiMauro, OEA President
- A high school social studies teacher from Worthington, Scott DiMauro was elected President of the OEA in 2019 after having served as vice president for six years. Over his 30-year career as an educator, Scott has worked to provide students the critical thinking and decision-making skills they need to be successful citizens in our democratic society. He has likewise advocated for students, educators and strong public schools at all levels of his union.
Prior to becoming a full-time OEA officer, Scott served for nine years as President of Central OEA/NEA, and has experience as president of his local, as a member of his local bargaining team, chairperson of Central’s leadership and professional development programs, and political action coordinator. He also led the NEA Standing Committee on Legislation for three years.
As vice president, Scott served as co-chair of the Healthcare and Pension Advocates for STRS and represented OEA’s 122,000 members on a variety of coalition boards and steering committees. He chaired the OEA Legislative Committee and continues to work with OEA’s Government Relations staff to represent educators in the legislature and State Board of Education. He was proud to help lead efforts of the OEA Commission on Student Success to lay out a comprehensive vision for high-quality education for all students and lay the groundwork for positive implementation of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act in Ohio. He also led an initiative to increase student access to breakfast in high-poverty districts and served as national spokesperson for the Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom.
Scott’s priorities as president include strengthening local affiliates, enhancing professional supports for members, and elevating the voice of educators in public policy issues to ensure all students are given access to a high-quality education that inspires their creativity, imagination, and desire to learn
- A high school social studies teacher from Worthington, Scott DiMauro was elected President of the OEA in 2019 after having served as vice president for six years. Over his 30-year career as an educator, Scott has worked to provide students the critical thinking and decision-making skills they need to be successful citizens in our democratic society. He has likewise advocated for students, educators and strong public schools at all levels of his union.
- Jeff Wensing, OEA Vice President
- Jeff Wensing has been a high school math teacher for 26 years with the Parma City Schools. Throughout his teaching career, Jeff has been an advocate and leader, serving as President of the Parma Education Association from 2012-2018 and as President of the North Eastern Ohio Education Association (NEOEA) from 2016-2018. One of Jeff’s accomplishments as a local and district leader was organizing members and the community to elect a new Parma Board of Education majority in 2017.
Jeff has served on OEA’s Constitution and Bylaws Committee and President’s Cabinet, as Vice Chair of OEA’s District Leaders Council, and as a member of the Fiscal Fitness Review Committee and Systemic Practices Committee.
Since his election as OEA Vice President in 2019, Jeff has continued to emphasize the importance of organizing members throughout the state. He believes the OEA must support locals in order to both maintain and grow membership.
Jeff believes it is critical to listen to members before decisions are made, ensure communication throughout the process, and engage in full transparency. As Vice President, he focuses on the OEA’s strategic issues, shared values, and the students members work with each day.
- Jeff Wensing has been a high school math teacher for 26 years with the Parma City Schools. Throughout his teaching career, Jeff has been an advocate and leader, serving as President of the Parma Education Association from 2012-2018 and as President of the North Eastern Ohio Education Association (NEOEA) from 2016-2018. One of Jeff’s accomplishments as a local and district leader was organizing members and the community to elect a new Parma Board of Education majority in 2017.
- Mark Hill, OEA Secretary-Treasurer
- First elected in spring 2018, Mark Hill is currently serving his second three-year term as OEA Secretary-Treasurer. He is a 30-year educator with Worthington City Schools, serving as a middle school math teacher. From 2010-2018, he served as president of the Worthington Education Association (WEA). In his freshman year as WEA president, he led his local local in joining the successful repeal of Senate Bill 5 (SB5), an attack to collective bargaining.
It was during this period he was twice-elected to the STRS Board.
Again, he demonstrated strong leadership in his roles as vice chair and chair respectively. Along with the board, he worked to bring long-term sustainability to the pension fund. His second 4-year term with STRS concluded August 31. 2018.
Mark has also served as a member of the OEA Board of Directors and as chair of numerous Central OEA/NEA committees as well as chair of the OEA Resolutions Committee. Mark believes it is critical that OEA supports its local associations and their leaders because they shape members’ impressions of the value of membership. In these dynamic times, Mark’s experienced leadership is vital as he directs OEA’s budget priorities toward an even stronger association.
- First elected in spring 2018, Mark Hill is currently serving his second three-year term as OEA Secretary-Treasurer. He is a 30-year educator with Worthington City Schools, serving as a middle school math teacher. From 2010-2018, he served as president of the Worthington Education Association (WEA). In his freshman year as WEA president, he led his local local in joining the successful repeal of Senate Bill 5 (SB5), an attack to collective bargaining.
MORE | Parents, caregivers, and community members are invited to record messages to show teachers how much they are appreciated and the difference they have made in their districts. Click here to record your story.
Connect with OEA:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on April 28, 2022.
Buckeye Local Backpay - Season 2, Episode 30
Imagine coming to an agreement on salary issues in contract negotiations only to find out later that someone had made a change that shortchanged every employee for months. That's what happened to the Buckeye Local Classroom Teachers' Association in Jefferson County, which won more than $180,000 in backpay for its teachers and corrected paychecks moving forward after a long, hard fight. The president of that Local says there's a lesson in this for everyone. MORE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts. Click here to subscribe on Google podcasts.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Melissa Supanik, Buckeye Local Classroom Teachers' Association President
- Melissa Supanik, MA Educational Administration, hails from a strong union family so it's no wonder that when approached she became a member of the union without hesitation. A product of Buckeye Local (class of 1984), she began her life long career there upon graduation from Franciscan University in 1988 and plans to retire in May 2023. During the last 34 years she has served in many capacities ranging from preschool teacher to building administrator. Serving as president of the association for the last 2 years has given her the opportunity to assist her union sisters and brothers to ensure a stronger and more viable future.
Connect with OEA:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on April 18, 2022.
A School Librarian's Perspective on House Bill 616 - Season 2, Episode 29
House Bill 616, which was introduced in the Ohio Legislature in early April, combines the worst parts of House Bill 327's 'divisive concepts' prohibitions with Florida's so-called 'Don't Say Gay Law.' Courtney Johnson, a school librarian in Columbus, shares her thoughts on this dangerous legislation and what it may mean for her students. ACTION ALERT | Click here to tell your state lawmaker to reject House Bil 616!
MORE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts. Click here to subscribe on Google podcasts.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Courtney Johnson, Library Media Specialist, Fort Hayes Arts & Academic High School, Columbus
- Courtney F. Johnson has spent more than half her life teaching kids in Columbus City Schools. Though that makes her feel old, talking to kids about books every day as a high school librarian makes her feel young. Courtney spent 15 years as a high school English teacher, and earned National Board Certification in English Language Arts for Adolescents and Young Adults in 2014. That same year, Courtney’s classroom was the grateful recipient of Penny Kittle’s Book Love Foundation grant. She has spent the past five years using her Master’s in Library Science degree as a Library Media Specialist in Columbus City Schools.
MORE | Click here to read a joint statement from the Columbus Education Association and Columbus City Schools opposing House Bill 616.
MORE | To learn more about Unicorn Express a subscription service that sends books to queer kids to ensure they see themselves reflected in literature, click here.
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on April 19, 2022.
Candidate Conversation: John Cranley - Season 2, Episode 28
As the countdown to Election Day continues, Ohio Education Association members are asking the candidates for Ohio governor where they stand on public education issues. OEA has invited all of the declared gubernatorial candidates - both Democrats and Republicans - to share their thoughts. The two Democrats in the race accepted OEA's invitation, and we're hearing from both in this two-part Candidate Conversation series. This is part two. MORE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts. Click here to subscribe on Google podcasts.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- John Cranley
- Democratic candidate for Ohio governor
- Former Cincinnati mayor
- John Cranley has devoted his life to helping others and implementing real-world change. His father, a Vietnam veteran, and his mother, a school teacher, taught him the values of faith, service, integrity, and making the world a better place. Raised in the Price Hill neighborhood of Cincinnati, John attended St. Williams Elementary School and St. Xavier High School. He then went on to earn his undergraduate degree from John Carroll University and graduate from Harvard Law School and Harvard Divinity School.
- Motivated by a deep sense of social justice, John co-founded the Ohio Innocence Project in 2002, which by using DNA technology has exonerated and freed 33 wrongfully convicted people.
- John Cranley was elected Mayor of Cincinnati in 2013 and since then has led an unprecedented revitalization of his city; Cincinnati has shown positive population growth for the first time in 60 years. In 2021, the Milken Institute ranked Cincinnati as the best performing city in Ohio, a ranking that evaluates job and wage growth, housing affordability, and high-tech GDP. Throughout his career, Cranley has led historic police reform—Cincinnati is safer while arresting fewer people annually. Under his leadership, the city has also outpaced both the nation and the state of Ohio in poverty reduction. And Mayor Cranley is spearheading an effort to invest in solar energy to reduce the city’s carbon footprint and make Cincinnati a leader in clean energy.
- Recognizing that climate change is real and that it is going to take an all-hands-on-deck approach to address it, John got to work on the municipal level. As mayor, John is overseeing the construction of the largest municipal solar farm in the country to help power Cincinnati. After it is online, city government services will be effectively carbon neutral.
- As governor, John will lead an Ohio comeback. After years of one-party rule in Columbus, Ohio needs a change.
- He has a plan to create 30,000 jobs every year that pay at least $60,000 per year rebuilding roads and bridges, building up broadband access, and creating manufacturing and renewable energy jobs. He’ll help pay for it by legalizing marijuana and using the revenue to rebuild our economy.
- John will return our energy resources back to the people through an energy dividend. By increasing the severance fee on energy profits, John will provide Ohio families $500 per year; money that can help stretch a family budget. They do it in Alaska and we can do it here.
- John's wife Dena is the daughter of immigrants. With Sister Barbara Lynch, First Lady of New Jerusalem Baptist Church, she co-founded the First Ladies for Health, an interdenominational effort to improve community health and is currently working to help improve vaccination rates. She also serves as the Program Director for Urban Health at the University of Cincinnati. John and Dena are raising their son Joseph with their values of family, faith, and looking out for the vulnerable among us.
- Source: Meet John | John Cranley
MORE | Ohio's gubernatorial primaries will be decided on May 3rd. Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m that day, but early voting is underway now.
Here are the declared candidates:
- Democrats
- Nan Whaley (Click here to listen to the Education Matters episode featuring OEA's conversation with her)
- John Cranley
- Republicans
- Mike DeWine
- Jim Renacci
- Joe Blystone
- Ron Hood
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on March 26, 2022.
Candidate Conversation: Nan Whaley - Season 2, Episode 27
So much of what happens in Ohio's classrooms depends on who is leading the state as governor. That's why OEA has invited all of the declared candidates for Ohio governor - both Democrats and Republicans - to speak with Ohio's educators about where they stand on the public education issues. The two Democrats in the race accepted OEA's invitation, and we will hear from both of them in this two-part Candidate Conversation series. This is part one.MORE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts. Click here to subscribe on Google podcasts.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Nan Whaley
- Democratic candidate for Ohio governor
- Former Dayton mayor
- Nan grew up in a small town in Indiana. She learned the values of hard work, strength, and resilience from her dad, a union autoworker who lost his job but never lost his dignity, and her mom, who went to work at the laundromat behind their house to help make ends meet. Back then, Ohio was where people went for opportunity, so she attended the University of Dayton, becoming the first person in her family to graduate from college. She met her husband, Sam, and fell in love with her adopted hometown, eventually running for City Commission and mayor.
- When Nan was first elected Mayor in 2013, Dayton was at a low point. The factories had moved out and the opioids had moved in. But in Dayton, folks don’t run away from their problems.
Under her leadership, Dayton has turned a corner. She brought folks together to take on the community’s toughest challenges, including tackling the opioid crisis, cutting overdose deaths by half and saving hundreds of lives. She led the fight to take on a broken education system and provide quality pre-k to every three- and four-year-old in the city. Dayton has become vibrant again as new people and businesses move into the city.
When you’re the mayor, you don’t have the luxury of saying, “that’s not my problem.” Over the last two years, Dayton has been tested again and again with crises like a KKK rally, a series of devastating tornadoes, and a senseless mass shooting that left 9 people dead. Each time, Nan stepped up and led her city through its hardest moments. - Now, Nan is running for governor because she knows our state is fundamentally broken and Ohioans deserve better. The same special interests and corrupt politicians have been in charge for 30 years as our state has fallen further behind. Rich campaign donors get rewarded while the rest of us fall further behind. The only answer is a total overhaul.
Nan knows we can build a better Ohio. An Ohio where one job is enough to provide for your family. An Ohio where your kids have real opportunities. An Ohio where everyone — no matter your zip code — can thrive.- Source: About - Nan Whaley For Ohio
MORE | Ohio's gubernatorial primaries will be decided on May 3rd. Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m that day, but early voting is underway now.
Here are the declared candidates:
- Democrats
- Nan Whaley
- John Cranley (who will be featured on the next Education Matters episode)
- Republicans
- Mike DeWine
- Jim Renacci
- Joe Blystone
- Ron Hood
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on March 26, 2022.
“Celebrate Diversity: Read” – OEA-R Members continue Read Across America campaign - Season 2, Episode 26
As Ohio Education Association-Retired members often say, "Once an educator, always an educator." Even after they've ended their careers in the classroom, they're still helping students and Ohio's public schools. One of their many projects is taking part in the Read Across America campaign through the month of March and year round. OEA-R Vice Chair Phil Long explains. MORE | To celebrate Read Across America, OEA-R members have recorded themselves reading books for school kids. Click here to see the full library of videos.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Phil A. Long, OEA-R Vice Chair
- Following an education career of 35.5 years teaching mainly social studies and language arts in the Celina City School system, Phil retired in 2011. During that time, he has continued to travel to over 105 countries and volunteer with various service organizations. Phil volunteers with Our Home Family Resource Center and maintains a connection with Children’s International Summer Villages, a non profit organization promoting peace and cultural understanding, which he has volunteered with since 1982.
- Phil is currently serving as vice chair of the Ohio Education Association- Retired where he works to involve retirees in educational issues especially those affecting retirees. He has also participated in various NEA-R events and activities.
- Since 2014, Phil has served on the Mercer County Board of Elections having served three years as chair. He also served as a Trustee of the Association of Ohio Election Officials. In 2021 Phil was appointed by the OAEO as the representative to the Kids Voting Ohio Board.
- Education and elections have been major elements of Phil’s life. Education as critical to bettering the community and world in which we live. By instilling in young people the need to participate in one’s knowledge about the importance of voicing an opinion while respecting other’s point of view, we learn to appreciate and respect other people. The more we know about other people, cultures, and civilization, the better we learn to understand and respect differences. People can have differing opinions and vote differently, but respect is key to working together to make the world better for future generations.
MORE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts. Click here to subscribe on Google podcasts.
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on March 28, 2022.
H.B. 327's Threat to Higher Education & Beyond - Season 2, Episode 25
Ohio House Bill 327, the so-called "Divisive Concepts Bill," could have devastating consequences for Ohio's students, educators, and schools - K-12 and higher education alike. Royce Carpenter, an assistant professor at Columbus State Community College, is sounding the alarm about what the bill would mean for her students and all Ohioans, if it is passed. She sat down with us to share her personal thoughts.MORE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts. Click here to subscribe on Google podcasts.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Royce Carpenter
- Royce M. Carpenter is an assistant professor, Interpreter Education Program coordinator, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Faculty Fellow, and the Health and Human Services Senior Representative at Columbus State Community College. She has interpreted in a vast array of settings for 22 years and has been teaching for 15 years. In addition, she does training and workshops on cross-cultural mentoring, diversity, equity and inclusion, and leadership cultural competency for higher education institutions and for-profit and non-profit organizations. Carpenter’s work includes teaching and facilitating courageous conversations necessary for students, colleagues, leaders, and communities to look outward and within. She says understanding oneself and others is an important stepping stone to equality and inclusion. Royce holds a Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, National Interpreter Certification: Master level. In addition, she has an Applied Associate of Arts degree in Interpreting/Transliterating from Columbus State Community College, a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Management from Wilberforce University, and a Master of Arts degree in Teaching Interpreting Studies from Western Oregon University and a Higher Education Specialist Ed.S. degree from National Louis University. Royce is currently in the dissertation phase of a Higher Education and Leadership doctoral program at National Louis University.
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on March 15, 2022.
Recognizing Inspiring School Employees - Season 2, Episode 24
Education Support Professionals are the glue that holds our school communities together. They're the paraeducators, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, secretaries, custodians, security professionals, and more who serve our students every day. And one paraeducator in Maple Heights, Andrea Beeman, is being honored for her work that goes above and beyond the normal duties. The Ohio RISE Award recipient and national RISE Award finalist shares her perspective in this episode.MORE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts. Click here to subscribe on Google podcasts.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Andrea Beeman, 2021 Ohio RISE Award recipient
- Andrea Beeman is a special education paraeducator at Maple Heights High School in Maple Heights, Ohio, and the 2020 National Education Association (NEA) Education Support Professional (ESP) of the Year.
- For over 20 years, Andrea has worked to support students with severe developmental disabilities, fiercely committed to giving her students three important things: love, laughter, and learning. She works one-on-one with students by supporting them in inclusion classes, providing job and career development training, and assisting with physical, occupational, and speech-language therapy.
- Outside of the classroom, Andrea is staunch political activist and advocate for her community, especially when it comes to addressing the needs of those struggling with hunger or food insecurities.
- Andrea is president of the Maple Organization Support Team, a member of the Ohio Education Association’s Board of Directors, and an NEA ESP Board of Director-at-Large. She was recently awarded the Southeast Ohio Education Association’s Friend of Education Award and is a 2021 Ohio RISE Award Recipient.
Click here to learn more about the national RISE Award.
- OEA is also proud to have another national finalist among our ranks. Kurt Russell is the Ohio Teacher of the Year and is a finalist for the National Teacher of the Year title. Click here to hear our earlier podcast episode with him.
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on March 11, 2022.
Survey Says...- Season 2, Episode 23
Educators across Ohio have had more and more duties added to their plates with very few items coming off their to-do lists. The result has been increasing burn out rates and plummeting morale. The Pickerington Education Association leadership put out a survey to members to get a better handle on how they were feeling and the support they needed. When the school board pushed back on the results, that galvanized the members to make their voices heard even more. PEA President Brad Harris explains.MORE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts. Click here to subscribe on Google podcasts.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Brad Harris
- Pickerington Education Association President
- 19 years teaching in Pickerington Local Schools
- 7-12 Integrated Social Studies teacher
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on February 23, 2022.
"Which Cape Will I Wear Today?" - Season 2, Episode 22
About 80% of students entering first grade report having high self-esteem, but that number plummets to just 20% by the time they enter fifth grade. Kiara Berry, a Hamilton Local Schools teacher, is on a mission to change that. She sat down to talk with us about her new, inspiring children's book that is all about promoting confidence and self-esteem.MORE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts. Click here to subscribe on Google podcasts.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Kiara Berry
- First grade teacher, Hamilton Local Schools
- Author - "Which Cape Will I Wear Today?"
- "I was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio but currently call Cincinnati home. I became a teacher to help kids to be the best THEM they can be and to make learning fun for kids! I was motivated to write this book to not only inspire the kids in my classroom but hopefully to inspire SO MANY more. My mom always taught me that you become what you believe and I want every child to believe in themselves and believe they are great so they can be just that! ♡"
To help cover Kiara Berry's publishing costs and enable her to donate more books to local libraries, consider funding her Kickstarter campaign. The deadline is March 14, 2022.
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on February 8, 2022.
Honesty for Ohio Education: 'This is a 10-alarm fire' - Season 2, Episode 21
Most Ohioans believe all children deserve an honest and reflective education that allows them to learn critical thinking skills and become strong future leaders. But, as part of a nationally coordinated and funded effort to manufacture cultural wedge issues and distract from the things that really matter for our schools, some politicians are trying to push through dangerous legislation that would hurt Ohio kids. Honesty for Ohio Education founding director Cynthia Peeples says the time to mobilize to stop House Bill 327 is right now.MORE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts. Click here to subscribe on Google podcasts.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Cynthia Peeples - Honesty for Ohio Education
- Cynthia Peeples is the founding director of Honesty for Ohio Education, a nonpartisan statewide coalition ensuring every child receives an honest high-quality education grounded in facts and diverse perspectives. She serves on the state board of the League of Women Voters Ohio, leads the League’s Northeast Ohio REAL TALK program, co-leads the Akron NAACP ACT-SO program, and serves on the board of the Akron Civic Theatre. Cynthia has a background in community outreach and broadcast journalism.
To learn more about how you can join Honesty for Ohio Education's efforts, go to http://www.honestyforohioeducation.info/
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on February 23, 2022.
STRS Myths vs. Facts - Season 2, Episode 20
Ohio's teachers pay into the State Teachers Retirement System - or STRS - throughout their careers to guarantee a reliable source of income when they leave their classrooms. The health of this pension system is vital to all active and retired teachers. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation swirling around about STRS right now, so we asked OEA's in-house STRS expert Mark Hill to help us sort it all out. MORE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts. Click here to subscribe on Google podcasts.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Mark Hill, Ohio Education Association Secretary-Treasurer
- Elected in spring 2018, Mark Hill is serving his first three-year term as OEA Secretary-Treasurer. He is a 30-year educator with Worthington City Schools, serving as a middle school math teacher. From 2010-2018, he served as president of the Worthington Education Association (WEA). In his freshman year as WEA president, he led his local local in joining the successful repeal of Senate Bill 5 (SB5), an attack to collective bargaining.
- It was during this period he was twice-elected to the STRS Board.
- Again, he demonstrated strong leadership in his roles as vice chair and chair respectively. Along with the board, he worked to bring long-term sustainability to the pension fund. His second 4-year term with STRS concludes August 31. 2018.
- Mark has also served as a member of the OEA Board of Directors and as chair of numerous Central OEA/NEA committees as well as chair of the OEA Resolutions Committee. Mark believes it is critical that OEA supports its local associations and their leaders because they shape members’ impressions of the value of membership.
To learn more about OEA's endorsed STRS Board candidates and to sign their nominating petitions, click here.
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on February 16, 2022.
Policy Matters Ohio: 'Spend the American Rescue Plan money!' - Season 2, Episode 19
The federal government is giving Ohio schools $4.4 billion through the American Rescue Plan Act for things like hiring more educators and school counselors and for increasing pay to attract and retain the best teachers for our kids. But, staffing issues that started well before the pandemic continue to force schools to move to close for in-person instruction now. According to the research institute Policy Matters Ohio, the American Rescue Plan money could make a big difference in that situation. MORE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts. Click here to subscribe on Google podcasts.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- David Pryer, Policy Matters Ohio
- Tanisha is serving as a State Policy Fellow at Policy Matters Ohio working on examining the state budget through the lens of the K-12 school funding structure, workforce development, and reforming Ohio’s cash bail system.
- Currently, Tanisha is responsible for understanding, tracking, and developing expertise on Ohio’s K-12 funding formula, its history, and its impact on equity and success. Tanisha is also focused on analyzing the budget funding streams for workforce development spending, and data support for projects related to bail and justice reform in the state.
- Tanisha received a PhD in Public Policy and Urban Affairs with a concentration in International Development from Southern University and A & M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Her research interests include, International development and sustainability, closing the achievement gap, school funding and resources, broadband equity and the digital divide, dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline, sentencing reform, reducing mass incarceration for minority populations, and youth development and outcomes among underserved populations. Tanisha received her bachelor’s degree from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, in Sociology with a minor in Child and family relationships. In 2015, Tanisha received her master’s in Applied Behavioral Science from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. Tanisha currently serves as the Co-Founder and President of the Nelson Mandela Institute for Research (NMIR) at Southern University and A & M College, a senior research consultant with Crane R& D research firm, and as a research scholar with the Global Technology Management Partnership research group (GTMP), where she engages in research, conference presentations and publications.
- National organization memberships include the Northeastern Educational Research Association (NERA), National Organization of Black Law Enforcement (NOBLE) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Previously, Tanisha has held a number of internship positions for the advancement of her studies and career, most notable being, a member of the Inaugural class of the Louisiana Governor Fellowship program where Tanisha was immersed in Louisiana politics and policy innovation. Tanisha also served as a Political Affairs intern with The Borgen Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to alleviating global poverty through effective lobbying and fundraising efforts. Tanisha was also a Summer Pre-Doctoral Research Fellow at Educational Testing Services (ETS), the largest non-profit educational organization in the world, where she worked on educational policy reform initiatives. The culmination of these experiences created a passion for state policy work to alleviate issues occurring at the state level, which led to her interest for the CBPP fellowship. She believes that working at an influential organization such as Policy Matters Ohio will help her to develop the necessary understanding of state budget and policy work, and create the opportunity to influence policy decisions and develop initiatives to help improve the outcomes for all Ohioians. Alleviating the disparities within the education and criminal justice systems and service to her community are the forces that drive everything that Tanisha achieves.
Click here to read Policy Matters Ohio's recent blog post | 'ARPA can stem the teacher shortage and keep schools open'
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on February 9, 2022
Allen East School Nurse: 'We're resilient, but we need resources' - Season 2, Episode 18
The entire Allen East school community has turned to David Pryer constantly over the last two years, both in his role as an award-winning school nurse and as co-president of his local education association. Sen. Sherrod Brown also turned to Pryer to get his thoughts on mental health and our schools during a recent roundtable. We asked Pryer to share his perspective with us. MORE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts. Click here to subscribe on Google podcasts.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- David Pryer, RN-BSN,MBA,LSN
- Allen East School Nurse
- Allen East Education Association Co-President
- LifeChanger of the Year award winner
- David Pryer and his wife Jenny have a daughter named Emersen. He loves to run, watch any sporting event, and do anything outside.
Click here to watch the That Ohio Vibe video showcasing David Pryer's work: https://www.thatohiovibe.com/story/making-kids-health-priority
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on February 1, 2022
TikTok Real Talk - Season 2, Episode 17
Effective educators connect with their students where they are. Katie Peters, who teaches 10th & 12th grade English in Washington Local Schools in Toledo, has joined TikTok to do just that. One of her recent videos reflecting on the state of the world for educators right now went viral. We asked Dr. Peters to share her thoughts.MORE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts. Click here to subscribe on Google podcasts.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Katie Peters
- A Doctor of Education and the 2012 Winner of NW Ohio’s Teacher of the Year Award, Katie Peters is a 10th and 12th grade English teacher from Toledo, Ohio, working in Washington Local Schools.
- Dr. Peters had her first book, “Lessons from a Late-Bloomer,” published in 2016 and was featured on a Tedx Talk in 2018, where she shared her message of staying positive, laughing out loud and, most importantly, showing profound empathy in all that you do.
- Her recent viral Tik Tok is dedicated to all of those in education, fighting the good fight every single day.
Follow Katie Peters on TikTok: @KPinToledo
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on January 25, 2022
Columbus Teachers: 'No Heat, No Work' - Season 2, Episode 16
After Columbus Education Association members were ordered to work in classrooms without heat to deliver remote instruction to students who the district acknowledged could not safely learn in that building, those brave teachers exercised their legal right to declare a health and safety work stoppage. That action got quick results and nationwide attention. First grade teacher Michele Hersey shares the story.MORE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts. Click here to subscribe on Google podcasts.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Michele Hersey
- First grade teacher at Valley Forge Elementary Columbus City Schools
- 25 years of teaching experience with the district
- Alternate building representative for Columbus Education Association
Connect with CEA: https://www.facebook.com/ColumbusEA
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on January 9, 2022
Striving for Success - Season 2, Episode 15
Massillon Washington High School's Media Arts co-instructor could soon gain national attention with a feature in Success magazine if he gets enough votes in an online contest which ends January 28th. As Matthew Ferrell tells OEA on this edition of Education Matters, a win would be a big honor for the students in his award-winning TV classes, too.MORE | Click here to vote for Matthew Ferrell in the Success 125 contest: http://voteferrell.com/ MORE | Check out some of WHS-TV's award-winning work on the program's Facebook page
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Matthew Ferrell, Massillon Washington High School Media Arts co-instructor
- "It all started with a dream.
When Matthew was just a little kid, he would watch The Dukes of Hazzard on television. Beside him and close to the TV speaker, he would keep a small audio tape recorder with a blank cassette tape inside. When The Dukes would go to commercial, he would hit the record button on his tape recorder to record all of the TV commercials, Station IDs, PSAs and anything else CBS would air during the break. As soon as the show would come back on, he would hit the stop button. He repeated this process until the show was over and his audio cassette tape was filled with only the commercials from that night’s broadcast.
Then, he would use a boombox to record his pretend “radio show”. In his “show” he would sing songs that he made up, tell jokes, perform comedy bits.
“I really didn’t know what I was doing. What I DID know was this is what radio sounds like when I would listen to it everyday. So, I had to make my show sound like that,” said Matthew.
It had to be funny, music-filled and needed commercials. When he went to break, he would then play back all of the commercials that he had recorded from TV using his small tape recorder. He really didn’t know WHY he needed commercials. He only knew that he needed them because that’s what professionals did and he needed to sound professional. He wanted to be a Radio DJ and this is what he had to do to be one. He was five years old.
He started and ran a video rental service in the sixth grade. Made and sold home-made flavored toothpicks in the eighth grade. Chartered bus trips to a local amusement park in the ninth grade. Started a mobile DJ business, a teen night club, a small radio station and he opened a REAL movie rental store all before graduating high school. Only after someone referring to him as a name that he had never heard of before did he discover there was a term for what he was becoming: an Entrepreneur. He initially didn’t believe that was a real word when he was first called this. He quickly realized what the definition was and fully embraced it. Then came the hard part as he says, working at actually pronouncing it. He claims that part was tough. But, he’s confident he has it figured out now.
He has held many different positions throughout his professional career. But, none more rewarding and challenging than his current role as Media Arts Instructor at Massillon Washington High School’s WHS-TV in Massillon, OH.
Together with one other Media Arts Instructor, Dave Scheetz, and retired Media Arts Instructor, Bill Dewald, he carries on a legacy that few people outside of Massillon are aware of. WHS-TV Ohio, or WHS-TV as it’s known locally, is the oldest operating high-school based TV station in the world. Formed in 1967, students learn the art of media production and content creation by producing a variety of sports and community-centric programming that airs to nearly 40,000 homes through their own dedicated 24 hour cable channel.
Although Matthew has only been in his current position since the 2016-2017 school year, his accomplishments there rival that of someone with 30+ years on the job. These include: the launching of all WHS-TV social media platforms, re-branding/station imaging of WHS-TV, technology streamlining and optimization of the entire Media Arts department, launching WHS-TV Junior for the local junior high school, and creating the “CTE Works 4 Me” marketing campaign with logo promoting other school-based programs.
His student based team has earned 12 Business Professionals of America (BPA) Awards and 5 Student Production Awards (aka High School Emmy Awards). He has been named a 2-time Stark County Art Teacher of the Year runner-up, Ohio Association for Career and Technical Education’s Outstanding New Career and Technical Teacher of the Year for 2019 and has earned the highest possible Ohio Teacher Evaluation System (OTES) rating of “Accomplished” every year.
Additionally, there are more WHS-TV students pursuing school, work and/or military service after graduating from his program than ever before.
These are just a few examples of what he has accomplished in his short time with WHS-TV. He is proud of every one of his students and the staff that makes all of this possible. “Everything we accomplish belongs to our entire group, a tribute to our combined effort. I love helping to shine a positive light on WHS-TV and Massillon City Schools. More importantly, I love helping my students accomplish goals that can often seem impossible.” said Matthew.
Looking to the future, he and a few of his top former students are now finalizing plans to launch RocketBox Media, a marketing agency and content creation lab. As well as Matt Jason Rocks, Matthew’s comedic alter ego."Visit these websites to discover more:
www.WHSTVOhio.com
www.RocketBoxMedia.com
www.MattJasonRocks.com
- "It all started with a dream.
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on January 6, 2022
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Jennifer Harvey, middle school math teacher, Columbus City School's BlendEd K-8 program
- "After spending time in the Marines, raising 4 children, and deciding that nursing school was not for me (not a fan of sick people) I started my adventure in education. I have had the honor of teaching grades 2-8, dabbled in curriculum writing, and served as an elementary math coach. I was fortunate to find my niche in middle school where my inner 12-year-old boy finds its freedom and joy."
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on December 14, 2021
Featured Education Matters guests:
- Congressman Tim Ryan (OH-13), U.S. Senate Candidate
- Tim Ryan is running for the U.S. Senate to cut Ohio workers in on the deal. A lifelong Ohioan who lives just a few miles from the house where he grew up in Niles, Tim has spent his career fighting for Ohio workers. He’s seen in his own community what happens when our politics and our economy aren’t working for working people. And he understands that there’s nothing more patriotic than investing in our team, bringing good-paying jobs to Ohio, and making sure our workers can compete with countries around the world — and win.
- In Congress, Tim has fought for working families in his district and across the country — opposing unfair trade deals that would ship jobs overseas, pushing to raise wages, and working to protect the promise of a secure retirement by strengthening Medicare and Social Security. He has taken on the challenges facing Ohio communities, working across the aisle to combat the opioid crisis, and investing in clean water infrastructure for Lake Erie. He’s also worked hand-in-hand with businesses to revitalize American manufacturing and bring good-paying jobs and opportunities home to Ohio.
- In the Senate, Tim will fight to raise wages, make healthcare more affordable, invest in education, rebuild our public infrastructure, and revitalize manufacturing so we can make things in Ohio again — and he’ll make sure we’re cutting workers in on the deal every step of the way.
- Tim currently lives in Howland with his wife Andrea, their three children, and two dogs.
- Learn more about Tim Ryan's Senate campaign here.
- Scott DiMauro, Ohio Education Association President
- A high school social studies teacher from Worthington, Scott DiMauro was elected President of the OEA in 2019 after having served as vice president for six years. Over his 30-year career as an educator, Scott has worked to provide students the critical thinking and decision-making skills they need to be successful citizens in our democratic society. He has likewise advocated for students, educators, and strong public schools at all levels of his union.
- Connect with Scott on Twitter and Facebook
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded at the OEA Fall Representative Assembly on December 4, 2021.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Daniel Grove, Bloom-Carroll Education Association President
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on December 16, 2021
PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM: HERE’S WHAT’S CHANGED
On October 6, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education announced major changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.
The new changes might help you if:
- You have federal student loans AND you work full-time for a school district, or institution of higher education AND you have Direct Loans OR You consolidate into the Direct Loan Program by Oct. 31, 2022
What public service workers need to do before October 31, 2022:
- Go to studentaid.gov/pslf, login with your Federal Student Aid ID (or create one if you do not have one) and make sure your contact information is up to date so the U.S. Department of Education can communicate directly with you.
- If you have a Direct Loan, have made 120 payments, and have applied for PSLF, you should receive automatic forgiveness soon.
- If you have a Direct Loan, have made 120 payments, and have NOT applied for PSLF, you need to apply for PSLF right away.
- If you have a FFEL or Perkins loan, you need to consolidate into a Direct Loan, then apply for PSLF. Previous Rules Temporary Changes
- PREVIOUS RULE: Borrowers who have Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL) or Perkins loans were ineligible for forgiveness
- TEMPORARY CHANGE: FFEL and Perkins loans payments are now eligible and count towards the required 120 payments
- PREVIOUS RULE: Payments in non-income driven repayment plans did not count towards the required 120 payments
- TEMPORARY CHANGE: Previous payments outside of income-driven repayment now count towards the required 120 payments
- PREVIOUS RULE: Previous late payments were not credited toward the required 120 payments
- TEMPORARY CHANGE: Previous late payments and partial payments now count towards the required 120 payments
- PREVIOUS RULE: Borrowers who consolidated their federal student loans to qualify for PSLF would lose all previous payment credits toward the 120 qualifying payments
- TEMPORARY CHANGE: Payments made prior to consolidation will now be eligible towards the required 120 payments
Why did the PSLF program change?PSLF was created in 2007 to forgive the federal student debt of public employees, including teachers, faculty, and education support professionals, who provide 10 years of service and make 120 monthly payments on their student loans.
However, when the first borrowers became eligible for forgiveness, the Trump Administration prioritized profits for big banks over keeping the promise of PSLF. They denied over 90 percent of applications and kept public service workers paying interest on debts that should have been canceled.
Loan forgiveness was denied because the program had too many technicalities and many loan servicers misled borrowers about the rules. The Biden Administration’s overhaul fixes some of the technicalities and will mean debt forgiveness right away for tens of thousands of public service workers and eventual forgiveness for many more. Eventually, hundreds of thousands of educators could become eligible for loan forgiveness over the next year.
10 years of public service equals no student debt. That is the promise. And we will not stop until that promise is kept to everyone.
The changes to PSLF will exist only until October 31, 2022.
For more information, go to studentaid.gov/announcements-events/pslf-limited-waiver
Need Help?
- You can apply for PSLF forgiveness at studentaid.gov/pslf
- And every NEA member can get free help applying for PSLF (and with any questions about student debt) by going to neamb.com/Savi
- If you are not a member of NEA, you can join by going to nea.org/join
- ATTEND A ZOOM SESSION TO LEARN MORE
NEA Member Benefits will share more information about this throughout December and JanuaryTo learn more, simply use this ZOOM link to join any (or all) of the ZOOM sessions below in December: https://neamb.zoom.us/j/81151687159?pwd=Wkk3anUvYTcwQzNwZjZSWFhHSmFpdz09. If prompted, the meeting ID is 811 5168 7159 and the passcode is 516955.
- DECEMBER 13 from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. EASTERN TIME
- DECEMBER 14 from 7:00 – 8:00 A.M. EASTERN TIME and repeated from 7:00 – 8:00 A.M. CENTRAL TIME.
- DECEMBER 15 from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. EASTERN TIME
- DECEMBER 18 (Saturday) from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m./ EASTERN TIME
- DECEMBER 20 from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. EASDTERN TIME
- DECEMBER 28 (DURING THE HOLIDAY BREAK) from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. EASTERN TIME
To join one of the ten January sessions, use this link: https://neamb.zoom.us/j/86545442216?pwd=NVhaUG1sT0dHTjU3eDA2NXVnOVd2UT09. If prompted, meeting ID is 865 4544 2216 and the passcode is 607541.
- Jan. 4 from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. EASTERN TIME
- Jan. 5 from 7:00 – 8:00 A.M. EASTERN TIME and repeated from 7:00 – 8:00 A.M. CENTRAL TIME.
- Jan. 12 from 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. EASTERN TIME
- Jan. 13 from 7:00 – 8:00 A.M. EASTERN TIME and repeated from 7:00 – 8:00 A.M. CENTRAL TIME.
- Jan. 18 from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. EASTERN TIME
- Jan. 19 from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. EASTERN TIME
- Jan. 22 (SATURDAY) from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. EASTERN TIME
- Jan. 26 from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. EASTERN TIME
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Heather Tinsley, former Pickerington Education Association President
- Heather Tinsley moved into a new role as assistant principal at Pickerington High School Central in the 2021-2022 school year. Before that, she was a special education teacher at Pickerington High School North. She also served as president of her local association.
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded in December, 2021.
PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM: HERE’S WHAT’S CHANGED
On October 6, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education announced major changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.
The new changes might help you if:
- You have federal student loans AND you work full-time for a school district, or institution of higher education AND you have Direct Loans OR You consolidate into the Direct Loan Program by Oct. 31, 2022
What public service workers need to do before October 31, 2022:
- Go to studentaid.gov/pslf, login with your Federal Student Aid ID (or create one if you do not have one) and make sure your contact information is up to date so the U.S. Department of Education can communicate directly with you.
- If you have a Direct Loan, have made 120 payments, and have applied for PSLF, you should receive automatic forgiveness soon.
- If you have a Direct Loan, have made 120 payments, and have NOT applied for PSLF, you need to apply for PSLF right away.
- If you have a FFEL or Perkins loan, you need to consolidate into a Direct Loan, then apply for PSLF. Previous Rules Temporary Changes
- PREVIOUS RULE: Borrowers who have Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL) or Perkins loans were ineligible for forgiveness
- TEMPORARY CHANGE: FFEL and Perkins loans payments are now eligible and count towards the required 120 payments
- PREVIOUS RULE: Payments in non-income driven repayment plans did not count towards the required 120 payments
- TEMPORARY CHANGE: Previous payments outside of income-driven repayment now count towards the required 120 payments
- PREVIOUS RULE: Previous late payments were not credited toward the required 120 payments
- TEMPORARY CHANGE: Previous late payments and partial payments now count towards the required 120 payments
- PREVIOUS RULE: Borrowers who consolidated their federal student loans to qualify for PSLF would lose all previous payment credits toward the 120 qualifying payments
- TEMPORARY CHANGE: Payments made prior to consolidation will now be eligible towards the required 120 payments
Why did the PSLF program change?PSLF was created in 2007 to forgive the federal student debt of public employees, including teachers, faculty, and education support professionals, who provide 10 years of service and make 120 monthly payments on their student loans.
However, when the first borrowers became eligible for forgiveness, the Trump Administration prioritized profits for big banks over keeping the promise of PSLF. They denied over 90 percent of applications and kept public service workers paying interest on debts that should have been canceled.
Loan forgiveness was denied because the program had too many technicalities and many loan servicers misled borrowers about the rules. The Biden Administration’s overhaul fixes some of the technicalities and will mean debt forgiveness right away for tens of thousands of public service workers and eventual forgiveness for many more. Eventually, hundreds of thousands of educators could become eligible for loan forgiveness over the next year.
10 years of public service equals no student debt. That is the promise. And we will not stop until that promise is kept to everyone.
The changes to PSLF will exist only until October 31, 2022.
For more information, go to studentaid.gov/announcements-events/pslf-limited-waiver
Need Help?
- You can apply for PSLF forgiveness at studentaid.gov/pslf
- And every NEA member can get free help applying for PSLF (and with any questions about student debt) by going to neamb.com/Savi
- If you are not a member of NEA, you can join by going to nea.org/join
- ATTEND A ZOOM SESSION TO LEARN MORE
NEA Member Benefits will share more information about this throughout December. To learn more, simply use this ZOOM link to join any (or all) of the seven ZOOM sessions below: https://neamb.zoom.us/j/81151687159?pwd=Wkk3anUvYTcwQzNwZjZSWFhHSmFpdz09. If prompted, the meeting ID is 811 5168 7159 and the passcode is 516955.
- DECEMBER 13 from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. EASTERN TIME
- DECEMBER 14 from 7:00 – 8:00 A.M. EASTERN TIME and repeated from 7:00 – 8:00 A.M. CENTRAL TIME.
- DECEMBER 15 from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. EASTERN TIME
- DECEMBER 18 (Saturday) from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m./ EASTERN TIME
- DECEMBER 20 from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. EASDTERN TIME
- DECEMBER 28 (DURING THE HOLIDAY BREAK) from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. EASTERN TIME
A wide range of dates and times have been selected to make this information as obtainable as possible.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Guy Kendall-Freas, Affiliate Relations Specialist, NEA Member Benefits
- Guy Kendall-Freas is an Affiliate Relations Specialist from NEA Member Benefits where he has been employed since 1996. A former special education teacher, Guy was also a local, district, and state leader for the Association during his 12 years in the classroom, in addition to serving in various capacities to the Ohio Department of Education, including serving as one of the first group of teachers trained as Praxis III assessors in Ohio. Working from the NEA Member Benefits Regional Office in Mansfield, OH, Guy serves members and locals in Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia.
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded in December, 2021.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Tim Davis, Kenton Education Association Co-President
- Tim Davis is a teacher in his 26th year in music education, and in his 15th year with the Kenton City Schools. Tim currently serves as Co-President of the Kenton Education Association, as well as on the OEA State Board of Directors representing Northwest Ohio. Prior to his time in Kenton, Tim taught music at Arlington Local Schools (Hancock County) and Pandora-Gilboa Local Schools (Putnam County)
- Tim earned a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Kent State University and a Master of Music Performance Degree from The Ohio State University. He has also done post graduate work in education through Bowling Green State University and Ball State University, and in labor studies through Cornell University.
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded in November, 2021.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Michael Libecap
- Springfield Education Association President
- Teaches in the Springfield City School District's OnCourse virtual learning program
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded in November, 2021.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Malissa Thomas-St. Clair
- 7th & 8th grade math teacher, Champion Middle School, Columbus
- Mothers of Murdered Columbus Children founder
- Central Ohio Crimestoppers Civilian of the Year
- "I am a 46 year resident of the city of Columbus, Ohio. My heart is with this city. As a native resident I have a rich history that is rooted in Columbus. I was born at the former St. Ann’s hospital on Bryden road, I attended Catholic schools up until my sophomore year in high school. I became a teen mother at 16, and a 1992 graduate of Eastmoor High School. My focus deepened on my purpose when I became a mother. With the support of phenomenal educators, coaches, and city resources I successfully graduated at the top 50% of my high school class, graduated with honors in 1997 from Capital University, earned my first Master Degree in 2009, my second in 2018, and currently over the halfway mark toward my doctoral degree. I am a 24 year veteran educator with Columbus City Schools, a coach, a mentor, and community advocate. I am a wife, and a mother of two sons.
My son Anthony was 22 years of age when a man senselessly took his life. Once my son was murdered I instantly went into community advocacy. I used my platform as an educator to speak to as many youth as I possibly could about choices, and their future. It was August 12, 2020 when my world in community advocacy was thrust into the entire city of Columbus as the founder of Mothers of Murdered Columbus Children. A two year old was murdered in the community in which I teach. That was my enough is enough moment and my nonprofit was born. From that point I have collided with my Christian Faith, my own experience with the loss of a child to the violence in the city, and my passion for change to proactively put forth action to advocate for safety to return to our great city."
LEARN MORE | For more information about Mothers of Murdered Columbus Children's work in the community and how you can help, click here to see the group's website or click here to connect them on Facebook.
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded in November, 2021.
Featured Education Matters guests:
- Jada Jackson, mentor
- Jada Jackson is a Mathematics Instructional Coach at South High School in Columbus City Schools. She is currently in my 25th year of teaching. She is also a Faculty Representative in her building. Jackson has been married for 23 years and has two daughters, a sophomore in college and a high school senior.
- Queena Smith, mentee
- Queena Smith is currently an instructional assistant at Windsor STEM Academy in Columbus City Schools. She is going through the Pathways program to attain her teaching license.
- Marchell Josie, mentor
- Marchell Josie serves on the OEA Board of Directors and has been an East Cleveland Education Association Building Representative, an NEOEA/OEA Board of Directors member, and is on the NEOEA Leader Development Committee, NEOEA Day Committee, and the OEA Constitution and By-Laws Committee.
- Darrielle Brown, mentee
- Darrielle "Arie" Brown is studying Early Education at Eastern Gateway Community College and is on track to graduate in December, 2022. She grew up in Cleveland and lives in Dayton. Her biggest passion in life is sharing with others how to live life with courage, faith, determination and to believe in every step they make is a step closer to their dream. She enjoys being the light and loving spirited person that people need sometimes to see the positivity in themselves, especially children!
LEARN MORE | For more information about the Pathways Program and how you can sign up to be a mentor, click here.
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded in October, 2021.
Featured Education Matters guests:
- Sophie Crawford, FPPA Organizing Committee Member
- Sophie Crawford has worked as an RBT (Registered Behavior Technician) for Findlay City Schools since 2017.
- She was a teacher for 23 years in France for the French national Education, including 4 years as a principal. She moved to the USA in 2006 and started to work with autistic children in 2009.
- Anne Smith, FPPA Organizing Committee Member
- Anne Smith is in her 28th year of interpreting for Findlay City Schools. She works with Deaf and Hard of Hearing students facilitating communication between spoken word and ASL in the classroom setting.
- She graduated from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication degree. She also holds
an Interpreters license from the Ohio Department of Education.
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded in October, 2021.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Kurt Russell, Ohio Teacher of the Year
- Kurt Russell is a veteran teacher at Oberlin High School in the Oberlin City Schools district who believes education can transform students’ lives. For the past twenty-five years, Russell has included cultural relevance in the curriculum for the 9th-12th grade classes he teaches: African American history, US history, IB history of the Americas, and Race, Gender, and Oppression. Russell received the teacher of the year awards from the Oberlin Heritage Center (2009) and the Oberlin Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (2019). In addition to teaching history classes, Russell also serves as a lead teacher at Oberlin High School and advisor for the Black Student Union, Student Council, and Junior Class. Since 1996 Russell has coached basketball for Oberlin City Schools. As the head coach of the Boys Varsity Basketball team, he has received numerous awards, including the Lorain County Basketball Association’s Coach of the Year and the Northeast Ohio Coach of the Year.
- Russell decided to become a teacher when he was in middle school. He was inspired by his math teacher, who was the first Black male teacher he had in school, and enjoyed learning about history. Russell received his Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in history and minor in black studies at The College of Wooster. He obtained a Master of Education in curriculum and instruction from Ashland University and continues to take courses in child development at Oakland City University.
Featured School Board Candidate:
- Maggie Cook - Running for Mentor Board of Education
- Currently works as a Speech and Language Pathologist for Chardon Schools.
- Maggie Cook has lived in the Mentor School district for the past twenty years. She and her husband, Brian, chose Mentor Schools for their two daughters. Sophomore, Hallie, and seventh-grader, Willow attend MHS and Memorial Middle School. Maggie is an educator, entering her 21st year of teaching. She has received a Bachelor's of Arts in Speech and Hearing Sciences from Thiel College and a Master's of Arts in Speech and Language Pathology from the University of Akron. Maggie works as a Speech and Language Pathologist for Chardon Schools. She has worked in K-12th grade classrooms for over 20 years earning real life experience that she will bring to the Board. Maggie is an advocate for education in and out of the classroom. She has served on multiple teams and earned experience in school finance, negotiations, and benefits plans. Maggie has extensive experience in special education; she understands how to implement quality programs with accountability. Maggie has been a member of PTA each year that her children have been enrolled in Mentor Schools. She is an active parishioner of St. Gabriel's Catholic Church.
- Maggie is a proud member of the National Education Association, Ohio Education Association, North East Ohio Education Association, Chardon Education Association, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Ohio School Speech Pathology Educational Audiology Coalition
- MORE | To learn more about where Maggie Cook stands on the issues, check out her campaign website here.
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded September 30, 2021.
Featured Educational Service Center Candidate:
- Barry Alcock, retired educator, running for the Central Ohio ESC Board
- 46 years in public education
Classroom English teacher in middle school and high school
Middle School Gifted Language Arts, Middle School Intervention and Inclusion
Language Arts, Department Chair.
High School English, Intervention and Inclusion
Vocational High School English, Intervention.
College/University: Professor, Lecturer, Counselor, Supervisor. - "I'm running to maximize the educational possibilities of all students as they prepare for post-secondary education or careers, and to assist teachers and school staff as they address the changing needs of students in our schools."
- MORE | To learn more about Barry Alcock and his campaign , connect with him on Facebook.
- 46 years in public education
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters guest host Jeff Wensing serves as Vice President for the Ohio Education Association. A high school math teacher from Parma, Ohio, prior to his election as OEA Vice President in Spring 2019, Jeff Wensing served as the President of the Parma Education Association and as the President of the North Eastern Ohio Education Association. One of Jeff’s accomplishments was organizing members and the community to elect a new local Board of Education majority in 2017. This successful undertaking highlights his skill set by coordinating with local mayors, city council members, other unions, and the candidates themselves. Jeff has a history of listening to members prior to implementing decisions, communicating thoughtfully throughout the process, and engaging all stakeholders with full transparency.
This episode was recorded in October, 2021.
Featured School Board Candidates:
- Jon Parker-Jones, Middle School Band Teacher in Upper Arlington, Running for Hilliard School Board
- Jon grew up near Dayton and was the first in his family to graduate college. He is proud to have earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Education at Ohio State University, and have completed additional coursework at Northwestern University, The Juilliard School, and Vandercook College. Jon and his wife, Kathy, have lived in Hilliard since 1995 where they raised their two sons who both attended Hilliard City Schools. He's a veteran teacher with three decades of experience, the past 29 years with Upper Arlington City Schools.
- Outside of his professional experience, he actively and passionately volunteers for students and education through his work with the Hilliard Education Foundation. The Foundation partners with local companies and individual donors to award classroom grants for innovative learning experiences for Hilliard students, and scholarships to HCSD graduates. He is committed to improving Hilliard schools and has attended every Hilliard Board of Education regular meeting and work session for the past two and a half years, more than some of the current Board members.
- MORE | To learn more about Jon Parker-Jones and where he stands on the issues, check out his campaign website.
- Kara Crowley, Kindergarten teacher in Southwestern City Schools, Running for Hilliard School Board
- As a teacher and mother, Kara believes that a great school system is the backbone of a great community. Having great schools can draw in families and businesses that want to live and work in an area that is thriving. She believes Hilliard needs an educator’s voice on the board, and would be honored to serve on the HBOE, to create educational opportunities and a world-class education for every student in the district, and to cultivate strong relationships between our schools and our communities.
- Kara grew up in a small town outside of Akron, Ohio, where she served as Class President for four years in high school and was voted Most Likely to be President. It was in high school that discovered her love of serving, leadership and civic responsibility. In 2001, she moved to Columbus to attend The Ohio State University (OSU) as a Political Science Major to continue pursuing her passion for service. However, during a trip around the globe, she discovered a new passion, working with children. During that trip, every country she visited allowed for unique opportunities to work with children in orphanages, various school settings and classrooms and through community based programs like Operation Hunger. When she returned to Ohio State from her travels, she changed my major to education.
- For the last 14 years, Kara has worked as a teacher in a Title 1 school in Southwestern City Schools. She has taught many different grade levels but is currently teaching kindergarten. Throughout her educational career, she has received numerous awards, including the 2014 COSI Science Teacher of the Year and the 2020 SWCS Outstanding Educator of the Year.
- MORE | To learn more about Kara Crowley and where he stands on the issues, check out her campaign website.
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters guest host Jeff Wensing serves as Vice President for the Ohio Education Association. A high school math teacher from Parma, Ohio, prior to his election as OEA Vice President in Spring 2019, Jeff Wensing served as the President of the Parma Education Association and as the President of the North Eastern Ohio Education Association. One of Jeff’s accomplishments was organizing members and the community to elect a new local Board of Education majority in 2017. This successful undertaking highlights his skill set by coordinating with local mayors, city council members, other unions, and the candidates themselves. Jeff has a history of listening to members prior to implementing decisions, communicating thoughtfully throughout the process, and engaging all stakeholders with full transparency.
This episode was recorded in late September and early October, 2021.
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Scott DiMauro, Ohio Education Association President
- A high school social studies teacher from Worthington, Scott DiMauro was elected President of the OEA in 2019 after having served as vice president for six years. Over his 30-year career as an educator, Scott has worked to provide students the critical thinking and decision-making skills they need to be successful citizens in our democratic society. He has likewise advocated for students, educators, and strong public schools at all levels of his union.
- Connect with Scott on Twitter and Facebook
Featured School Board Candidate:
- David Bothast - Running for Talawanda School Board, Oxford, Ohio
- Currently teaches 5th grade science at an inner city public school in Hamilton, Ohio.
- David Bothast has been actively involved in the "business of education" since completing his active duty US Navy service in December 2001. He has taught in both public and charter schools and undergraduate and graduate university levels, as well. Bothast has served as the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations for a university in southern Indiana and also a Family Engagement & philanthropy officer for a university in southwest Ohio.
- MORE | To learn more about where David Bothast stands on the issues, check out his campaign website here.
Topics in this episode:
- 1:15 - School Funding
- 4:30 - Electing friends of education, regardless of political party, in 2022
- 5:00 - Redistricting
- 6:05 - "If educators make their voices heard -- and by the way, educators are the most trusted voices in their communities -- we can have a big impact. But it's up to us to start organizing now and to make sure we're holding politicians accountable for their decisions as we move forward in the weeks and months to come."
- 6:45 - Fighting back against attacks on academic freedom and honesty in education
- House Bills 322 & 327
- 12:00 - Dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and trying to keep schools open for in-person learning
- 12:35 - "Unfortunately, the pandemic has been politicized."
- 16:00 - Educators running for local school boards across the state
- 18:15 - Talawanda School Board candidate David Bothast
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded September 29, 2021.
ACTION ALERT: Urge your state lawmakers to support the Fair School Funding Plan now!
SHOW US YOUR SUMMER OF FUN: OEA Members, submit your photos here.Featured Education Matters guest:
- Scott DiMauro, Ohio Education Association President
- A high school social studies teacher from Worthington, Scott DiMauro was elected President of the OEA in 2019 after having served as vice president for six years. Over his 30-year career as an educator, Scott has worked to provide students the critical thinking and decision-making skills they need to be successful citizens in our democratic society. He has likewise advocated for students, educators and strong public schools at all levels of his union.
- Connect with Scott on Twitter and Facebook
In this episode:
"We have a chance to get the ball over the goal line and really achieve an historic win for kids in Ohio, but these next few days and week or so are going to be so critical in that effort."* 1:40 - "We are at a critical stage." * 2:40 - The shortcomings of the Senate education funding plan
What would the bipartisan, House-passed Fair School Funding Plan mean for your local district? Click here to find out.* 4:00 - Confronting disingenuous objections to the Fair School Funding Plan * 5:10 - "The Senate is doing the same thing politicians have been doing for decades, and that is coming up with essentially an arbitrary amount - You know, it's $110 more than it was four years ago; $6100 per student, as opposed to the House plan when it's fully phased in will be, on average, $7200 per student - and what we saw with the Senate plan is kind of a classic move by Ohio politicians, and that is come up with a number that's "sellable," a number that politically, we can get done, and then back in a rationale for why that number makes sense. And this hasn't worked." * 6:15 - Ohio House Speaker Bob Cupp's leadership on the Fair School Funding Plan * 6:45 - Anticipating hard negotiations in Conference Committee weighing what's best for the 90 percent of Ohio's students that attend public schools and the prioritization of privatization of Ohio's schools by some state leaders. * 8:45 - The role of educators and community members in advocating for the Fair School Funding Plan
SIGN THE PETITION | Tell Ohio's policymakers to fairly and fully fund public schools for Ohio's families now.
- 9:30 - Looking to the governor for leadership
- 11:30 - Other big education issues Ohioans should be focused on: State takeovers, testing reduction, and reforming the state report card system.
- 13:00 - Honesty in education: "People that are looking to divert attention away from critical issues like fully and fairly funding our schools instead are looking at opportunities to exploit fear and foment division by advancing bills - and we've seen two that received sponsor testimony yesterday in Ohio, but there's a number of states across the country - bills that, in one way or another, would ban the teaching of 'divisive issues' and content related to race. We find that very, very disturbing."
- 14:15 - Teaching students to be good critical thinkers and problem solvers by teaching students the whole truth about our country.
- 15:55 - "We have an obligation to stand up for our students, for what they need and deserve; we have an obligation to stand up for our members - educators and their academic freedom, and respecting their professionalism - and also standing up for local control of curriculum."
- 17:50 - A social studies teacher's perspective: "You've got to dig a little deeper than the 'George Washington and the cherry tree' understanding of history to really understand the good, the bad, and the ugly, because if we don't understand the problems we face as a nation, how can we ever get better?"
- 19:30 - Coming out of a year of education amid a global pandemic, OEA is emphasizing the importance of a summer of fun
OEA Members, show off your Summer of Fun & see yourself on TV | Learn more and submit your photos here.Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students.
This episode was recorded June 16, 2021.
SIGN THE PETITION | Tell Ohio's policymakers to fairly and fully fund public schools for Ohio's families now.No matter where they live or what they look like, all of Ohio’s kids deserve a public school that inspires their creativity, unlocks their potential, and nurtures their dreams. But for years, certain politicians have pitted parents against teachers and communities against each other while they drain resources from our public schools to give tax cuts and tax breaks to the wealthy few and corporations.
A broad bipartisan majority in the Ohio House and a coalition of public school parents, educators, administrators, and community members support the Fair School Funding Plan in the House’s budget bill. This legislation has been developed and vetted, with public input, over the last three and a half years.
What would the bipartisan, House-passed Fair School Funding Plan mean for your local district? Click here to find out.But certain leaders in the Ohio Senate chose to push a budget that sells out our opportunity to create a long-term school funding solution for continued giveaways to corporations and failed charter schools. The Senate plan was written behind closed doors and released to the public less than a month before the state’s budget deadline, without public input and no public support.
Ohioans are coming together to demand our elected officials fund our future and pass the Fair School Funding plan.
On Wednesday, June 9, 2021, the Ohio Education Association joined with its partners in the All in for Ohio Kids coalition for a press rally at the Ohio Statehouse to deliver a message to lawmakers that they need to fund our future and back the Fair School Funding Plan in this year's budget.
Featured guests:
- 2:00 - Zach Jones
- 7th grade teacher at Mansfield Middle School and member of Mansfield School Employees Association, an Ohio Education Association local affiliate
- 5:45 - Shauntina Thornton
- Math and social studies teacher at Nathan Hale PreK-8 school in Cleveland and member of Cleveland Teachers Union, an affiliate of the Ohio Federation of Teachers
- 8:30 - Rev. Daniel Hughes
- Cincinnati Faith Organizer, AMOS Project
- 10:40 - Taylor Pennington
- Parent in Lima, Ohio, and organizer with the Ohio Organizing Collaborative
- 15:30 - Emily Hatfield
- Treasurer/CFO, Olentangy Schools
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents approximately 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students.
This episode was recorded in June, 2021.
Featured guest:
- Antoinette Miranda, State Board of Education Member - District 6
- Dr. Antoinette Miranda is Professor and Director of the School Psychology Program at The Ohio State University and holds the Casto Professorship in Inter-professional Education. She has spent well over 35 years in education both K-12 and post-secondary. She has worked as a school psychologist in urban, suburban and rural districts in New York City, Ohio and Kentucky. During her tenure at OSU, she has consistently worked with school districts in a variety of capacities including providing Professional Development and college courses on site. She has had a life-long passion for making schools work for school-age children, especially those most vulnerable. Dr. Miranda earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and her M.Ed. and Ph.D. in School Psychology all from the University of Cincinnati. She resides in Columbus with her husband Jim, a high school teacher, and their two children, Michelle and Jimmy. She was elected to the State Board of Education in November 2016 and was reelected November 2020.
In this episode:
"Equity involves trying to understand and give people what they need to be successful, whereas equality aims to ensure that everyone gets the same thing. Well here's the thing we know in schools: Everybody doesn't need the same thing... If a kid needs glasses, are you going to give everybody in the classroom glasses? No. Only that kid needs glasses. That's equity."* 1:45 - Defining racial equity and the importance of systems in education that ensure every child has an equal chance for success. * 3:10 - "While there's this feeling of 'we don't want to talk about race,' if we don't acknowledge it, we can't put those supports in place because we can't really examine the unique challenges and barriers that are faced particularly by low income students and minoritized students." * 3:40 - Why the emphasis on "colorblindness" of the 80s and 90s is not the answer: "It is important to acknowledge race because there are students that are experiencing discrimination and racism because of their race." * 4:15 - Violence and racism against Asian-Americans * 5:00 - Trying to tackle racial equity issues in schools today: "We need more supports. We need to make sure we're training teachers in culturally responsive practices." * 7:00 - Equity vs. equality * 8:00 - The role of educators: "It's time for us to say we know best how to educate our students" * 10:00 - Having age-appropriate difficult conversations with students to build critical thinkers and problem-solvers with a broader view of the United States: "Education is not about trying to teach people to love or hate our country. It's about truth." * 11:15 - A school psychology perspective: "If you have racial trauma, how can you think in school?" * 14:00 - Educational experiences through our own racial lenses and validating the lived experiences of others * 16:15 - "Black children want Black history. They are begging for Black history. And I find that white students need to learn about this history, too, or again, they're going to be taught in a vacuum." * 19:15 - The meaning of Juneteenth in 2021 * 20:00 - Moving away from fear
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents approximately 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students.
This episode was recorded in June, 2021.
OEA MEMBERS | Click here to learn more about how you can get involved in OEA Educator Lobby Days on June 8 & 9, 2021.Featured guest:
- Jeff Wensing, Ohio Education Association Vice President
- A high school math teacher from Parma, Ohio, prior to his election as OEA Vice President in Spring 2019, Jeff Wensing served as the President of the Parma Education Association and as the President of the North Eastern Ohio Education Association. One of Jeff’s accomplishments was organizing members and the community to elect a new local Board of Education majority in 2017. This successful undertaking highlights his skill set by coordinating with local mayors, city council members, other unions, and the candidates themselves. Jeff has a history of listening to members prior to implementing decisions, communicating thoughtfully throughout the process, and engaging all stakeholders with full transparency.
In this episode:
"We need our educator voices heard. When we come together with our allies, like we did in Senate Bill 5 (2011 legislation which attempted to strip public employees of their collective bargaining rights) we accomplish our goals. And here we are again. We're talking about our issues, and one of those is school funding, which has been declared unconstitutional for over two decades, close to 25 years. We actually have an opportunity to try to make some inroads and correct that wrong."* 1:00 - Meet with your legislators and let your educator voice be heard. * 1:30 - A typical Lobby Day beginning to end * 3:00 - Communicating with legislators who don't agree with you on the issues * 4:00 - The importance of meeting with the legislators who represent your district * 4:45 - Leveraging your experience as an educator in conversations with lawmakers * 6:00 - No political savvy necessary; The more educators and retired educators who take part, the better * 7:00 - The Fair School Funding Plan: What it is, where it stands, and where we go from here * 9:00 - "We need to let our legislators know our personal stories and how the lack of funding has affected our communities, how it affects our day-to-day as educators, and how it affects our students." * 10:00 - Helping educators prepare to tell their stories with pre-Lobby Day briefings and talking points * 11:15 - Meeting lawmakers in person or virtually, there are a lot of issues to talk to legislators about * 13:00 - The opportunity to reduce state testing with House Bill 73 * 16:00 - Lobbying opportunities beyond OEA Lobby Days * 17:15 - Advocacy around report card reform with House Bill 200 or Senate Bill 145
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents approximately 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students.
This episode was recorded in May, 2021.
Featured guest:
- Karen Wright, Ohio Education Association 2021 Education Support Professional of the Year
- Karen Wright has served as the Wellington High School Principal's Secretary in Wellington Exempted Village Schools in Lorain County for 30 years, spending the last 20 years as President of the Wellington Support Staff Association. She grew up in a union family, joining her first union (Local 880, Retail Clerks) at age 18. Karen and her husband, Ralph, a retired school custodian, have one son, Mark, and three daughters, Robin, Missy, and Dawn. They have 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Karen will be retiring from her job at Wellington High School at the end of the 2020-2021 school year. She says the Wellington Support Staff local has a fantastic vice president and secretary/treasurer so she knows things will be in good hands.
In this episode:
"So many times whenever I first started in the Association, it was "you're just a..." -- 'just a secretary,' 'just a bus driver' -- but I don't get that anymore. I feel like we are at the same table with teachers and higher ed and everybody. We are accepted. And so to me, being recognized as an ESP is just a tremendous honor."* 1:45 - OEA ESP of the Year Award: "It's a great honor. It validates me and all ESPs in the jobs that we do supporting education and our students." * 2:50 - 20 years as Wellington Support Staff Association President and keeping the contract strong * 5:00 - Better serving students through strong collective bargaining * 6:30 - Working with different administrators * 8:10 - Advocating for students: "I think of my students as my kids" * 9:30 - Maintaining long-term connections with students and their families * 10:45 - Working alongside former students * 12:40 - Navigating the COVID-19 pandemic over the past year: "I think we will grow from this experience once we can look back on it as something we survived." * 15:40 - "We live here, we work here, and we vote here. We are Wellington." * 16:45 - Recognizing the unsung heroes that are ESPs across the state
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students.
This episode was recorded in May, 2021.
ACTION ALERT: Urge your state Senator to support the Fair School Funding Plan now!Featured Education Matters guest:
- Stephen Dyer, Director of Government Relations, Communications & Marketing, Ohio Education Association
- Prior to joining OEA, Stephen Dyer was the Education Policy Fellow at Innovation Ohio, a Columbus-based Progressive think tank, where he fights for the right of all Ohio’s children to receive a world-class education, regardless of where they live. He has authored several reports for IO that have sought to ensure the fundamental right of every Ohio child to a world-class education. He is widely considered one of the state’s top education policy experts, and one of the few people in the country with the experience of actually implementing and leading the debate on every major aspect of education reform from teacher quality to student achievement to school choice to equitable financing. He has been published in Education Week – the nation’s education policy newspaper of record, as well as The 74 and Real Clear Education. He has been quoted extensively in the New York Times, Washington Post and Rolling Stone, among other publications.Dyer has headlined conferences and town halls throughout the state, and is one of the state’s most sought-after education policy panelists. He was the keynote speaker on Ohio’s charter school experience at the Cleveland Press Club.
- His 2011 report for Innovation Ohio, which called into question ECOT’s money-making practices, many have seen as the impetus for the eventual implosion of the school that has been revealed to be the state’s all-time, largest taxpayer ripoff and scandal. He has written extensive, groundbreaking reports for Innovation Ohio on school funding, charter schools, teacher evaluation, accountability and the Cleveland Transformation Plan. He spent a year as a fellow with the Education Policy Fellowship Program through the Institute for Educational Leadership in Washington, D.C. and served as part of an American delegation to observe the Chinese education system in Shanghai and Beijing. He recently served on a panel before the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, informing the commission about how school funding systems can affect academics.
- Dyer also is a Senior Lecturer in English at the University of Akron, where he has received accolades for his classroom teaching.
- Dyer has spent his career serving his community, first as an award-winning journalist with the Akron Beacon Journal, then as an award-winning State Representative representing Ohio’s Summit and Portage counties.
- As a reporter for the Akron Beacon Journal for about a decade, Dyer won awards and recognition from the Society of Professional Journalists, the Associated Press and the Cleveland Press Club. He collaborated on an innovative project called “Ohio: Look at the State We’re In” that analyzed where Ohio ranked on various quality of life issues. That collaboration earned Dyer and two other reporters nominations for the 2003 Pulitzer Prize.
- After winning his seat in 2006 to represent the 43rd House District, Dyer fought tirelessly to once and for all fix our state’s school funding system. He spent two years developing his own system, then when Gov. Ted Strickland introduced the Ohio Evidence Based Model in 2009, Dyer was the chairman of the subcommittee that transformed the new system into one that earned the Frank Newman Award from the Education Commission of the States – recognizing the country’s most “bold, innovative, non-partisan” education reform of 2009. It remains the only school funding plan produced since the 1930s that promised to lower Ohio’s property taxes to pay for schools.
- Dyer received the Leadership in Education Policy Award from the Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy of School Funding, which was the group that sued the state over its old, unconstitutionally funded system. He is the only Ohio legislator ever given an award from the group. He received the 2010 Friend of Public Education Award from the Ohio Federation of Teachers, the 2010 Public Service Award from the Ohio Association of Career and Technical Education, the 2009 Homer F. Mincy Award from the Alliance for Adequate School Funding (a group representing the state’s suburban districts), and the 2009 Civic Leadership Award from the Ohio Association for Gifted Children.
- Dyer grew up in Hudson, Ohio, and attended Western Reserve Academy, where his parents taught. He graduated from Tufts University in Massachusetts with a Bachelor’s Degree in English, earned a Master’s Degree in journalism from Kent State University and a law degree from the University of Akron. He lives in Green with his wife of 19 years, Melissa, and his two sons, Logan, 13, and Carson, 9, both of whom attend Green Local Schools.
In this episode:
"It's a really exciting time, and it's essential that our educators exercise their voices at the state and local levels to make sure that this money gets spent in the best way possible to ensure the ultimate success for our students." 1:35 - $4.5 billion in ARP money for Ohio's schools: A lot of money and a lot of opportunity for our kids * 2:30 - The ARP regulations require that educators and their unions be given the opportunity to provide input on how the money is spent. Read the full language here.* * 3:50 - The 16 ways the ARP money can be used, including investing in personnel, communities, buildings, and technology * 5:00 - Different needs in different districts * 5:30 - Maintaining and growing the ARP investments through the Fair School Funding Plan * 8:45 - The Fair School Funding Plan in the hands of the state Senate and the fate of the last one-time federal education funding package in Ohio * 11:40 - Call to action for Ohio's educators and community members to contact their state Senator to support the Fair School Funding Plan * 12:45 - Advice for how to advocate for students' needs in local decisions about how ARP and FSFP money is spent * 13:45 - "If they're getting away with it, it's your fault." * 15:00 - The opportunity to use ARP money to implement the FSFP faster * 16:46 - A former state legislator's perspective on whether the state would ever be at this point: "If you had told me ten years ago that we'd go from the state defunding education by 1.8 billion to the state investing in education by 1.8 billion, and the state going from no school funding formula to a rational one that actually calculates costs and needs of students, I would have told you we must have legalized pot because you're high" * 17:55 - "We are on the precipice of doing something great for our kids, and not just now but into the future."
"What we want to make sure happens is that every kid in every community, regardless of zip code, regardless of background, is able to achieve their dreams. And right now, we have the opportunities lying right in front of us to deliver this to every student in the state, and it's up to us to make sure that it happens." Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students.
This episode was recorded in May, 2021.
To connect with a crisis counselor through the National Crisis Text Line in Ohio, text 4HOPE to 741 741. The Crisis Text Line is a free, confidential service available 24/7 via text on mobile devicesWellness Wednesday: DeStress Disco Bash
- Wednesday, May 26 @ 6 p.m.
- Open to all OEA members
- Click here to register
Featured Education Matters guest:
- Andrew Smith, MSW, LISW-S
- Andrew is a school social worker in the Sheffield-Sheffield Lake City Schools (Lorain County) and has over twenty years of experience in public education. Prior to serving as a school social worker, Andrew was a middle school science teacher for the first fifteen years of his career. He received his undergraduate degree from Bowling Green State University in science education and his Master of Social Work from Cleveland State University in the area of direct practice. Andrew received his school social worker license through Case Western Reserve University and Baldwin Wallace.
- Andrew has gained his experience working in child welfare, public school, crisis counseling, and private practice. Andrew has specialized training in working with at-risk adolescents and those with relationship or mood disorders. Andrew is a trainer for the Lorain County Schools Crisis Counseling Team, and is a QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Instructor.
- Andrew is the President of the Sheffield-Sheffield Lake Teachers’ Association (OEA/NEA) and currently serves as the OEA Wellness Cadre Chairperson and sits on the Board of Directors for the Northeastern Ohio Education Association.
In this episode:
"These are the experts. These are the people in our membership who really know how we provide good mental health wellness and mental health support for people." 1:30 - Wraparound service personnel, including school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, and school nurses coming together with teachers and ESPs to form the OEA Wellness Cadre early in the pandemic * 3:15 - Launching Wellness Wednesdays to provide resources and professional knowledge for educators' personal lives as well as an outlet through fun events to reconnect * 5:25 - Planning a disco party to celebrate surviving the school year. "We understand this pandemic has twists and turns, but there are some needs for celebrations. As OEA members, we have made sacrifices to support our students, support our communities, and we're on the tip of a social-emotional iceberg." * 7:15 - Educators struggle with all or nothing approaches and recognizing their own capacity: "If you cannot take care of yourself, you are going to be at a limited capacity to help others." * 8:40 - Educating educators about the power of writing out task lists rather than setting reminders on your phone, reconnecting with other people, and other good coping strategies * 10:15 - It's okay to put up limits and find balance. * 11:30 - Moving away from instant replies * 12:30 - Battling burnout * 13:45 - When to seek professional support and how to access your district's Employee Assistance Program * 15:15 - Using the National Crisis Text Line: Throughout Ohio, you can text the keyword “ 4hope ” to 741 741 to be connected to a trained Crisis Counselor.* * 16:40 - Spreading the word about Wellness Wednesdays and planning for the future of the program * 17:45 - "The pandemic has really brought to light the critical importance of mental health support." * 18:45 - Joining the OEA Wellness Cadre
"People have to be mindful of their own capacity. When we talk about a balloon, when we're filling that balloon whether that's with air or water, there is a capacity. We can't just add a whole bunch of other 15 minute things or another event, we have to stay balanced. I think educators struggle with that."Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students.
This episode was recorded in late April, 2021.
The Ohio Education Association has partnered with the Children's Hunger Alliance in support of the Breakfast in the Classroom program | Learn more hereFor more on some of the recent the Breakfast & Beyond District success stories, click here.
Featured guests:
- Brenda Lemon, Logan Education Association President
- A veteran educator, Ms. Lemon began her career teaching Spanish and English. She was a classroom teacher for 18 years and received her Master's degree in Library and Information Science. She currently serves as the Library Media Specialist for Logan-Hocking Local School District.
- Sheri Nott, Logan Education Association Vice President
- Sheri Nott is a second grade teacher for the Logan Hocking School District. This is her 17th year teaching.
- Karen Lloyd, Indian Creek Education Association President
- After 24 years teaching preschool in the public schools, Ms. Lloyd became a first grade teacher about five years ago. In addition to her leadership role in her local association, she serves as president of the Eastern Ohio Education Association
In this episode:
“They say that's the most important meal of the day, so with Breakfast in the Classroom, they're all being fed, they all get to eat, and it's cut down on those complaints about their tummies and being hungry so that we can focus more on our education" - Sheri Nott Breakfast in the Classroom in Logan-Hocking Schools + 1:45 - Breakfast in the Classroom basics + 2:15 - The move away from serving breakfast to eligible students in the cafeteria to serving all students in their classrooms + 2:45 - The problems with starting the day on an empty stomach and the stigma around accepting food when peers don't get it + 3:30 - The need in the Logan-Hocking district, a rural district on the edge of Appalachia + 4:15 - Bringing Breakfast in the Classroom to Logan-Hocking schools: Learning from others, looking for grants, and advocating as a local union + 5:30 - Growing the Breakfast in the Classroom program from the idea phase in 2016 to now + 6:20 - Making adjustments to make the program work: "A soft start to the day" + 8:15 - Starting the day ready to learn + 9:15 - Menu options + 10:45 - Addressing the food insecurity and safety challenges of feeding kids during the pandemic + 12:25 - Talking to other educators about implementing Breakfast in the Classroom programs in their own schools: "Breakfast in the classroom is just feeding kids, so don't overthink it. Just do what we know is right. The science tells us that well-fed kids are better learners. We know that nutrition in early life impacts your health for the rest of your life. We hear all of these things about trauma informed care and taking care of students who are in stressful situations. Certainly food insecurity, not knowing where that next meal is coming from, would be one of those stressful situations."*
“Sure, there were concerns about students eating in some areas of buildings and things like that, but once we had that buy in and we were all able to give our ideas and our input, I feel like it took off for us." - Brenda Lemon* The Indian Creek School District's successful feeding programs | Click here for more details on the district's efforts + 14:30 - Bringing the Breakfast in the Classroom program idea back from an OEA RA and getting local buy in + 14:50 - Addressing behavioral issues and a lag mid-morning lag in academic effort through feeding programs + 16:00 - The high demand for feeding programs in Indian Creek schools + 17:00 - Expanding feeding programs beyond the Breakfast in the Classroom program and gaining recognition as a Breakfast and Beyond district + 18:20 - The difference the Breakfast in the Classroom program has made for Indian Creek's kids + 19:00 - Combatting concerns about a mess in the classroom: "It's really doable. Everybody can work together and this can be accomplished in any building." + 20:15 - Nourishing bellies and nourishing brains
“It has really helped. The children get their work done, they eat their breakfast, the teachers embrace it, no one is embarrassed to take a bag because the majority of their friends are eating it. It has just really been a blessing to our students in our district." - Karen LloydConnect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents more than 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She was suffering from a minor cold while recording this episode but is feeling much better now...
This episode was recorded in late April, 2021.
Featured guest:
- Kara Jankowski, Dayton-area English Learner teacher
- Kara Jankowski teaches 4th and 5th grade English learners in West Carrollton, Ohio, and is a member of West Carrollton Education Association. In her five years as a teacher, she has taught students from over 30 different countries speaking ten different languages. As a member of Ohio's New Educators (ONE), she enjoys meeting other educators across the state and hearing their stories.
In this episode:
"Our English Learners are a growing population in the state of Ohio, but they often are ignored, and it's so important that we, not speak for them, but let their voices be heard. I think English learners teachers like me play an important role in that. Because they speak a different language and maybe can't always access information about school, they aren't always the first families to step up and say, 'hey, this thing is unfair;' 'hey, we should change this at our school.' So we need to make sure when there are concerns, or whatever it is they want to say, that they are truly heard and that we're including them in the conversation." 1:15 - English Learners (EL), English as a Second Language (ESL), Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL): Many names for one job, teaching students who primarily speak a different language at home besides English * 1:50 - A day in the life of an EL teacher * 2:50 - English is a difficult language to learn and sometimes the rules don't make sense, but making connections to other languages helps * 3:45 - Common misconceptions about EL teachers * 5:40 - The kind of person who makes an excellent EL teacher * 7:00 - Communicating and engaging with families of English language learners * 8:15 - The parent-educator partnership during the pandemic * 10:05 - "It's not just about those English basics and knowing grammar and how to form a sentence. By helping them with vocabulary and academic language, we are helping them to access their other curriculum better. Not just reading; science, social studies, and then in their daily life. They're able to go out and play a soccer game and communicate with their teammates."* * 10:45 - Trick question: What does the average English language learner look like? * 11:50 - Creating a more welcoming and supporting environment for English language learners * 13:10 - Ensuring EL students and their families' voices are heard. * 15:20 - "School should be accessible to every child and family that walks through the door, but to add to that, our English learner families are such an asset to our school communities." * 16:15 - Learning something new everyday from EL students * 17:00 - Collaborating with other teachers in the district and across the state to improve best practices
"We need more English Learner teachers in classrooms, and so to know that you don't need to know another language is important. We want anyone who feels like this is a job that is appropriate for them, that they can do that if they feel like it is the right fit."Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents more than 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students.
This episode was recorded in April, 2021.
Enter the Design Ohio's Future contest to redraw Ohio’s district maps OEA's contest is open to all Ohio middle schoolers, high schoolers, and OEA members. * Categories: Most politically competitive | Fewest community splits | Most creative * DEADLINE UPDATE: Due to intense interest in the contest, the deadline for submissions has been extended until JUNE 1, 2021* * For full details and rules, click here.
Featured guest:
- Katy Shanahan
- Katy Shanahan currently serves as the Ohio State Director for All On The Line, a grassroots advocacy campaign that is part of a national effort to end gerrymandering. She is an attorney who has worked in progressive electoral politics for over a decade with the mission of ensuring that all voters have equitable access to the ballot box and to fair representation. She received both her Juris Doctor and Master's degree in Public Policy and Management from The Ohio State University and is barred to practice law in the state of Ohio and Washington, DC.
In this episode:
"Gerrymandering is a form of cheating during the redistricting process... Here in Ohio, we are home to some of the most gerrymandered districts in the country, and that's true for both our state legislative and congressional maps, and that means for the last decade, Ohioans have been denied any real form of adequate political representation."* 2:10 - One person, one vote: Redistricting every 10 years to account for how populations have changed or shifted across the last decade * 3:30 - Dealing with census data delays * 5:40 - The importance of accurate census data beyond redistricting, including its impact on school funding * 7:45 - Ohio's gerrymandering problem * 9:00 - The ramifications of the disconnect between how Ohioans behave at the ballot box and who gets elected * 10:30 - Gerrymandering makes Ohio's politics more extreme, to the left and to the right, because the only real competition candidates face is in their primaries, where turnout is the base of the base. Districts must be politically competitive in the general elections. * 13:10 - The importance of keeping communities whole: "Our communities when they are cracked apart are not as strong as when they are kept together." * 15:30 - The redistricting reform measures Ohio voters approved in 2015 and 2018 * 17:00 - Messing up maps - villainy or incompetence? "I actually think our map drawers in 2011 were both bad actors and also very good at drawing bad maps" * 18:30 - Starting with community mapping * 19:30 - "I'm not here to say that [redistricting] is an easy task. But what I will say is that it's worth the hard work, because what comes out of it is whether or not we have the ability to take charge of our democracy."
"There are so many issues here in Ohio that we're not able to make progress on, not because there isn't public support to make progress on those issues, but because our elected officials don't actually represent us and they don't need to, because our politicians back in 2011 cheated in the redistricting process to gerrymander or manipulate our district lines to give them much more electoral victories than they're actually winning in votes at the ballot box."Connect with us:
- Have questions about the Design Ohio's Future contest? Email contest@ohea.org
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback on the podcast or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents more than 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students.
This episode was recorded in April, 2021.
READ THE BLOG POST | Check out Julie Holderbaum's Doing Whatever it Takes: A Changed Perspective post on Voices of Change hereFeatured guest:
- Julie Holderbaum, High School English Teacher, Minerva, Ohio
- Julie Holderbaum has taught high school English for 25 years. She currently teaches 9th and 11th grade at Minerva High School in Minerva, Ohio. She is a frequent contributor to OEA’s Voices of Change blog and has also been published by Plunderbund, Education Week, and the Washington Post’s education blog, Answer Sheet. She lives with her husband and daughter and the family’s chocolate Lab, who keeps her sane when yoga doesn’t
In this episode:
"There was a lot of fear springing from the unknown. We didn't know how long it was going to last, we didn't know how long it was going to be, people were getting laid off and things were shutting down. And we had a week to get ready for teaching online and none of us had ever done that before, so that was very stressful. And, early on, I figured out, ok, you're going to lose your mind if you just keep functioning the way you're functioning." 1:15 - Teaching in-person five days a week all year * 1:45 - Life in a small, rural community * 2:45 - The challenges of having a large portion of the school out at any time for quarantines * 3:30 - The toll the pandemic has taken: "It was just school all the time and therefore stress all the time." * 5:45 - Setting boundaries, exercising more, and reading books for fun. * 6:15 - Concerns about adjusting lesson plans for individual in-person work in the fall while facing concerns about the virus * 7:05 - "Even though my schedule had to returned to normal, I had to set some limits. Otherwise, I knew I was going to burnout really fast." * 7:30 - Considering leaving the teaching profession, finding a lack of get-up-and-go, and changing priorities * 9:15 - Henry Darby, a South Carolina high school principal who took an overnight job at Walmart to help his students, was featured on NBC's TODAY | Watch the full story here * 10:15 - "When I first saw that, that was my first clue that something was really wrong, because I was kind of angry about it." * 11:45 - Teachers start to feel down on themselves if they're not going to extraordinary lengths * 12:30 - "Being a teacher is a large part of my identity... it is who I am. But it can't be the only thing I am." * 13:20 - Becoming a more effective educator by reassessing priorities and taking care of own needs * 16:10 - The importance of sharing this perspective with other educators: "Because I know I'm not alone." * "Let us spend one day as deliberately as Nature, and not be thrown off the track by every nutshell and mosquito’s wing that falls on the rails." - Henry David Thoreau, Walden* * 17:40 - Recognizing the 'mosquito wing things'
"I feel sometimes that teachers are expected to go above and beyond, and if you're not going above and beyond, if you're just doing a good job within the parameters of your school day, you're kind of looked at like you're slacking."Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents more than 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students.
This episode was recorded in March, 2021.
Featured guest:
- State Rep. Gayle Manning (R-North Ridgeville)
- State Representative Gayle Manning is currently serving her second term in the Ohio House of Representatives, after serving two four-year terms in the Ohio Senate where she was elected to the Leadership Team as Majority Whip. She represents the 55th Ohio House District, which encompasses a portion of Lorain County.
Prior to her time in the House and Senate, Manning spent 37 years as an elementary school teacher. Representative Manning served as a member of the North Ridgeville Planning Commission and on the North Ridgeville City Council from 2006-2007, where she was appointed Finance Chairwoman and Council President Pro Tempore.
During her time in state government, Manning has had the opportunity to utilize her extensive experience as an educator, as well as her understanding of local governments and small businesses, to champion and support numerous bills and initiatives. In the Senate, she served as Vice Chair of the Finance Committee, responsible for vetting the operating budget, which allocates funding for the state, including for schools and various projects in communities across Ohio.
Manning earned numerous awards and citations for her work as an elementary school teacher in the North Olmsted City School system, including being named Educator of the Year by the North Olmsted PTA Council and the Teacher in American Enterprise Award from the Ohio Council on Economic Education. - Click here to learn more about the bills Rep. Manning is currently sponsoring or cosponsoring
- State Representative Gayle Manning is currently serving her second term in the Ohio House of Representatives, after serving two four-year terms in the Ohio Senate where she was elected to the Leadership Team as Majority Whip. She represents the 55th Ohio House District, which encompasses a portion of Lorain County.
In this episode:
"The job as a teacher is much more difficult, but so much more rewarding, and I valued every day in the classroom." 1:30 - Manning's path to the state legislature * 3:00 - How the experience in the classroom has shaped her experience in the legislature and the art of the "sandwich effect"' * 6:00 - Serving as the chair of the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee * 8:00 - Accepting input and working to add amendments * 9:15 - "To me, it's not about politics, it's not what's best for Republicans or Democrats, best for someone to get reelected. Those things shouldn't play a role. What should play a role is, will this help our students in our classrooms?"* * 10:25 - Compromising on the third grade guarantee * 13:00 - Getting House Bill 67 passed, providing needed flexibility on spring standardized tests * 17:00 - Striving for report card reform * 18:45 - Working to address the state takeover law
"Being a third grade teacher, I always got my way in the classroom... but all of the sudden you have to compromise, and compromise is not a bad word."Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents more than 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students.
This episode was recorded in late March, 2021.
"These tests are just a snapshot of one day, of one way, of how they're doing on a certain test... The tests did not do what the tests were supposed to do."Featured guest:
- Jane Mitchell, retired teacher
- After a 40 year career, Jane Mitchell retired as an intervention specialist from Dublin City Schools in 2013. She got her Bachelor's degree in Social Studies and English Education from the University of Illinois in 1973, then pursued her first Master's from the University of Iowa in K-12 Developmental Reading, but since she was already working with so many children with special needs at that point, she went for another Master's in Learning and Emotional Disabilities from the University of Iowa. In the years since, she has earned over a hundred credits from various universities to further her professional development. Mitchell has taught all grades from preschool through college in five different states, almost exclusively serving students with special needs. She spent the last 25 years of her career in Dublin Schools, serving as the testing coordinator at two different elementary schools in that time. She is a proud grandmother to five and mother to three. Two of her daughters are teachers; the third is the host of this podcast.
In this episode:
"Twice, I had kids get bloody noses on the tests and once, I had a kid throw up on the test. And when that happens, you have to stop testing because no one is going to be a good job while somebody is cleaning up barf, so the kids all have to take their break at that time while you clean up, but then the teacher, or in my case the testing coordinator because the teachers were so grossed out… would have to wear gloves and rewrite everything into a new test booklet, including all of the mistakes with spelling, grammar, and punctuation, and have it exactly the same—the only thing that’s better is the handwriting—and bag [the soiled test] up and mark it as hazardous waste and send it in along with the test that’s getting scored." 1:30 - From childhood dreams of becoming a nun to four decades in the public school classroom teaching students with special needs * 3:25 - The duties of a testing coordinator and how she got roped into the responsibilities * 5:00 - Lost tests, bloody noses, and barf, oh my! * 6:20 - Dealing with a pants wetting incident, leaked test prompts, and language barriers * 9:20 - Saving the tests from a plumbing disaster * 10:45 - The evolution of standardized testing over the years and the move to punitive measures * 13:40 - The failure to effectively define achievement in school or to level out the playing field for all children * 15:10 - Thoughts on standardized testing during the pandemic * 16:30 - Formative vs. summative assessments summed up in a Great British Baking Show explanation (Credit for this metaphor goes to OEA Education Reform Consultant Ellen Adornetto) * 17:35 - Trusting educators as professionals to meet their students academic, social, and emotional needs... and voting for the other guy * 18:10 - "Why do we pray to Cheez-its?" * 19:00 - Trying to teach a previously non-verbal student to stop* using a certain word
"It was so obvious that whoever came up with the stupid laws about testing had no idea what the tests do. The purpose was supposed to show us where the kids were lacking and needed help and needed more instruction, but you never even got that information until the kids had already gone onto the next grade and that information rarely followed them, other than their scores. The parents would get a score but wouldn't tell them 'he's having difficulty in algebraic thinking' or 'he's having difficulty with using a lot of adjectives in his writing' or whatever. It would never give you that kind of information. It would say proficient, not proficient, advanced; and so you suffered." Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents more than 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She thinks her mom, Jane Mitchell, is the most amazing person in the world.
This episode was recorded in March, 2021.
Featured guest:
- Jeff Wensing, Ohio Education Association Vice President
- A high school math teacher from Parma, Ohio, prior to his election as OEA Vice President in Spring 2019, Jeff Wensing served as the President of the Parma Education Association and as the President of the North Eastern Ohio Education Association. One of Jeff’s accomplishments was organizing members and the community to elect a new local Board of Education majority in 2017. This successful undertaking highlights his skill set by coordinating with local mayors, city council members, other unions, and the candidates themselves. Jeff has a history of listening to members prior to implementing decisions, communicating thoughtfully throughout the process, and engaging all stakeholders with full transparency.
In this episode:
"I want to be clear that classroom teachers aren't against tests. We've invented testing, and testing drives instruction, and these [formative assessments] are the tests that mean something, that were given to students in real time and drive our instruction; We can differentiate based on our students needs - not standardized tests, where you get the results in the summer and you have no way to react to the results of those tests." 1:25 - House Bill 67's original intent to waive state and federally required tests this school year * 2:15 - The problems with standardized testing requirements this year * 3:15 - Reworking HB 67 in wake of announcement that federal waivers would not be offered and how the new bill offers graduation requirement relief * 4:05 - Amendment in HB 67 creating a new path to graduation and provisions exempting schools from having to administer American History exams as well as requiring the the Ohio Department of Education to seek a waiver from federal accountability and reporting requirements * 4:45 - The emergency clause in the Senate version of HB 67 * 5:45 - "Teachers aren't against tests...We test all the time." Teacher-Based Teams, Professional Learning Communities, and formative assessments to guide instruction * 7:45 - State report cards and House Bill 200, which would replace A-F grades for school districts and buildings with terms like "exceeds expectations or meets expectations" * 8:15 - "We're happy with the direction that it's going; we're not fully supportive of it at this time." * 8:40 - Areas for improvement in HB 200: An opportunity dashboard and removing the Value Added component * "I think it's fair when you're evaluating students that they know how they're going to be evaluated and rated, and I think that's fair for teachers, too, and the Value Added system is some mysterious system that hardly anybody, if anybody, can understand." * 10:00 - The failures of the A-F report card system: "It's a blame and shame game" * 11:40 - Senate Bill 1, creating financial literacy requirements for graduation, sounds* great on its surface, but is an unfunded mandate that would create hardships in smaller and less wealthy districts, especially * 13:00 - The fight to fairly and fully fund all of Ohio's schools by working to include House Bill 1 (the Fair School Funding Plan) into House Bill 110, the state budget * 14:00 - Issues with proposed restrictions on how student success and wellness funds money can be spent that are currently in HB 110 * 15:00 - The importance of cultural competency training and trauma informed care * 16:15 - Including health and wellness funding in the Fair School Funding Plan * 17:00 - Hopes for finally fixing Ohio's broken school funding system this year
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents more than 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students.
This episode was recorded March 17, 2021.
"I just thought to myself, if I could just bottle this moment up, just to pull out on a rainy day to remember that joy -- [My students] have a way of inviting all of us into something really, really special."Featured guest:
- Chris Williams, MEDL, Intervention Specialist, Columbus City Schools
- Check out Chris' blog
- Follow Chris on Twitter
- "This is my 6th year as an Intervention Specialist in Columbus City Schools. I am passionate about students and the issues that impact them most. They teach me so much about joy, resiliency, and how to live wholeheartedly. I am especially proud of the job they have done learning through a pandemic, and their families have been the unsung heroes throughout this past year! I am also a Member Ambassador for Ohio's New Educators (ONE), a statewide network within the Ohio Education Association that supports early career educators."
In this episode:
"The students are always the equalizer. They have a way of grounding me... It's been a crazy year for everybody, but they have persevered and I'm proud of them." * 1:35 - Hanging in there * 2:15 - Leaning on families as educators navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and appreciating the value of the parent-teacher partnership * 3:40 - Working with students with orthopedic impairments and complex communication needs and seeing them continue to learn even through the challenges of remote instruction * 6:15 - Using the "jar moments" to maintain passion as an educator * 7:20 - Keeping a journal to remember the moments that sustain you * 8:15 - Creating a jar moment: The collective joy of one student's birthday party as a full family affair
"I just couldn't believe how lucky I was to be in that space and say I am his teacher."* 10:40 - Sharing the story of one student, who is a refugee from Somalia, with the State Board of Education to advocate for students and public education * 12:45 - Owing students your best every day * 13:20 - Learning lessons from students and forming impactful connections * 14:30 - Advice for staying present in the jar moments: "What do we get to do today" * 15:45 - Working through a year filled with grief and loss while staying present to what is here right here and right now * 16:30 - Continuing to fight for racial and social justice * 18:30 - Finding inspiration in other educators - "Even when we're feeling burnt out or tired, there are always people to pick you back up." * 19:15 - Passion is contagious
"School buildings are such sacred places, and so many stories are colliding and so many experiences are coming in, and they really should be places where we give students everything they need and more."Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents more than 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students.
This episode was recorded in March, 2021.
"The first DeRolph decision came down in 1997, so we've been all those decades without a funding formula. That's why I ran for the statehouse. A retired teacher, I saw the impacts of what was happening when things were getting cut and the damage it was doing to our students.""The idea was to develop a plan that was fair for all of Ohio's children, fair for all of Ohio's districts, and fair for the state of Ohio."
Featured guest:
- Former State Rep. John Patterson (D-Jefferson)
- Dr. John Patterson represented Ohio's 99th House district from January 1, 2013 until December 31, 2020, when he left office due to term limits. Patterson earned his bachelor's degree from Marietta College, his master's degree in political science from Ohio University and his Ph.D. in education from Kent State University. Patterson taught U.S. history at Jefferson Area High School for 29 years prior to his retirement in June, 2012. He has also instructed undergraduate courses at Kent State and taught at the graduate level for Gannon University. While at Jefferson Area High School, Patterson served as the Model United Nations advisor, and coached girls basketball, boys baseball, golf and, for the last 12 seasons of his career, boys’ cross-country. He was very active in the Jefferson Area Teachers’ Association, serving as chief negotiator for his union. Patterson is now a member of OEA-Retired.
In this episode:
"The funding for new buildings and such, you can put a check mark there; we're making great progress. But the day-to-day expenditures has remained a problem, and I say this for two reasons: It all comes down to adequacy and equity." 2:00 - The Fair School Funding Plan as House Bill 1 and the four DeRolph cases that determined Ohio's current school funding formula is unconstitutional. * 3:00 - Consulting with experts around Ohio to determine how much it actually* costs to educate a student * 4:25 - How experience in the classroom informs understanding of the issues and helps Patterson explain the challenges to fellow lawmakers. * 5:45 - Calculating an accurate base cost * 6:35 - Incorporating the "categoricals" -- the increased costs of providing transportation, educating English Language Learners, gifted students, special needs students, and more -- into the comprehensive Fair School Funding Plan formula. * 7:10 - Determining a local district's fair share of the costs, taking into account that a community's property wealth on paper may not accurately reflect its citizens' ability to pay higher property taxes. The Fair School Funding Plan incorporates a 60-40 split between property wealth and income levels to determine local capacity. * 10:00 - Providing direct funding for vouchers and charters under the Fair School Funding Plan, rather than deducting resources from local public school districts. * 11:15 - The years of work to develop the Fair School Funding Plan in partnership with State Rep. Bob Cupp (R-Lima), who now serves as Ohio House Speaker * 13:00 - "We realized that the formula was absolutely broken." * 14:00 - The Fair School Funding Plan passed the Ohio House with overwhelming bipartisan support in late 2020, but the Senate failed to consider it before the end of the legislative session. Patterson's reaction: "Disappointed, because we came so close to the peak...But on the other hand, it is so complex" * 15:00 - Navigating the obstacles and the unexpected wrinkles that had to be accounted for in a comprehensive school funding plan * 16:00 - "When it came to December and that vote was there, we knew we really should have been working the Senate at the same time, but we just didn't have the resources nor the time to do all of it." * 16:30 - Patterson's continued work, post-legislature, to get the Fair School Funding Plan passed * 17:00 - The Fair School Funding Plan's importance to entire communities, not just schools * 18:00 - How funding schools post-pandemic should lead to a renaissance in rural communities where people will be able to work from home and access the best educational programs for their kids * 20:00 - Bringing Ohio's young people back home * 21:00 - Fair school funding is finally within our reach * "According to the State Constitution, this is a shared partnership between the local government and the state government to educate all of Ohio's kids, but where we have fallen short is to determine what the local share is."
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents more than 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students.
This episode was recorded in late February, 2021.
New episodes are published every Thursday morning.
Catch up on the full season so far: https://feeds.transistor.fm/education-matters
Then, subscribe to Education Matters for more insightful conversations with the people who are shaping the education landscape in Ohio. Education Matters is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and many other platforms.
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents more than 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students.
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
Featured guest:
- Rob Niedermeyer, innovation teacher, Reynoldsburg City Schools
- This is Mr. Niedermeyer’s eleventh year teaching. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Ecology from The Ohio State University and a Master of Science in Education from Ashland University.
- Niedermeyer developed the STEM Middle at Baldwin Road Junior High Sustainable Outdoor Innovation Learning (SOIL) Lab. The SOIL Lab was the district’s first middle level, science-based elective course that focuses on sustainability, urban agriculture, and eliminating food insecurity. Niedermeyer is now launching a new engineering and design class at Reynoldsburg’s Hannah Ashton Middle School (HAMS) Innovation Lab makerspace. In the Innovation Lab, he pushes students to become producers, not just consumers. Students use the tools on hand to develop solutions to real problems within their own community. Niedermeyer believes that real problems are more important to learning than isolated content standards, and works with his team to develop authentic learning experiences for students through a transdisciplinary problem based learning (TPBL) model.
- Because of his commitment to authentic learning experiences for his students, Niedermeyer was named the Columbus Parent and ThisWeek News’ 2019 Middle Level Teacher of the Year Award winner, 2020 State Board District 9 Teacher of the Year, and 2020 Ohio Teacher of the Year State Finalist.
Check it out:
- Click here to see photos of Niedermeyer's Innovation Lab makerspace at Hannah Ashton and Soil Lab at STEM Middle, as well as some of the projects his students have been working on.
In this episode:
"The biggest problem was, how are we going to take a class that was 90% hands-on with tools and other pieces of equipment and do that in a virtual world."* 1:45 - Makerspace basics: Traditional shop class tools with a high-tech twist * 2:20 - Designing for others and creating projects that liven up the school space * 3:15 - Teaching life-long 'soft skills' * 4:00 - Focusing on the design cycle with digital tools * 4:45 - The 'Aha' moment in hands-on learning through remote and hybrid education models. * 5:40 - "The kids who are working at home, I am then their hands here." * 6:30 - Re-thinking best practices in light of the COVID curveballs for a hands-on class * 7:25 - The successes and failures figuring out how to make virtual hands-on learning work * 8:30 - The unexpected opportunities created by teaching in a pandemic: Communication and collaboration * 9:30 - Creating the Urban Agriculture and Environmental Science Lab (aka the Soil Lab) at STEM Middle * 10:45 - Letting students design the Soil Lab * 11:45 - Teaching the problem solving and critical thinking with hands-on lessons in the Soil Lab * 12:40 - The role of agriculture in Reynoldsburg students' lives * 13:15 - Shaping students' world views through urban agriculture and growing food for those in need during the pandemic * 14:30 - Awards and recognition: Building on the new connections to improve experiences for students * 16:30 - Looking ahead to the future of the Innovation Lab at Hannah Ashton
"I think I really focus on the 'soft skills' here - the critical thinking, the problem solving. It's great to know how to use a laser cutter, but I'm more interested in can they actually problem solve if they don't know what's happening. If they have a mistake in their design, if the machine isn't working correctly, how can they problem solve and use the resources they have to get the machine up and running again to actually make the physical product? Creating their physical product is great, they love seeing it; but for me, the best part is seeing them work through the process of actually getting to the end product."Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents more than 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students.
This episode was recorded in February, 2021.
"The understanding is it's the state's responsibility to set up a school system with proper funding that will meet the needs of all the kids across the state. We've got 610 school districts, which is a lot even for a state our size, which is 11 million people, and that creates two concerns about the funding formula - one is adequacy and one is equity."Featured guest:
- Howard Fleeter, economist & Ohio Education Policy Institute consultant
- Dr. Howard B. Fleeter received his BA from Northwestern University and a Ph.D in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley. He was a faculty member in the School of Public Policy and Management at Ohio State University from 1989-1999, where he taught courses in Public Sector Economics, Public Finance, and State and Local Government Finance. He was a four-time recipient of the School’s “Faculty of the Year” award for excellence in teaching. Fleeter was also a faculty member in the School of Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst from 1999-2001, where he taught courses in the Economics of Education and School Finance. His research has focused on state and local government finance, education funding and education policy, and applied microeconomics. He joined Richard Levin and William Driscoll as a partner in the research and consulting firm Levin, Driscoll & Fleeter in 2002. Dr. Fleeter has extensive experience working with policymakers and stakeholders on issues of education and human services finance, tax reform and analysis, state budgeting, economic impact analysis, and other related policy issues.
- Learn more about Dr. Fleeter's public policy research firm: https://www.fleeterandassociates.com/
In this episode:
"The biggest issue for adequacy in the DeRolph decision was that the numbers that were used in the formula were just kind of plucked out of thin air... All of the numbers in the formula need to be based on some reasonable estimation of the cost of doing this particular thing." 0:40 - Ohio Governor Mike DeWine's executive budget * 1:30 - FY 20 & FY 21 funding formula frozen at FY 19 levels * 2:15 - The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on school funding * 3:50 - Understanding the DeRolph decision * 4:30 - Ohio's constitutional guarantee for a system of common schools * 5:00 - The inherent inequities of funding schools through property taxes * 6:00 - The adequacy issue: "You need some sort of objective standard that every kid is going to get a reasonably high-quality education" * 6:30 - The different costs of educating different students * 7:30 - Effectively not having a school funding formula in place right now: "We've taken a bad situation and made it worse." * 8:55 - Calculating the "base cost" per student * 11:20 - Over-reliance on local property taxes * 12:00 - How do you construct a school funding formula that complies with the Ohio Constitution? * 13:00 - The Fair School Funding Plan, introduced as House Bill 1 this legislative session * 15:00 - The plan for computing the state and local share based on property wealth and* local income * 16:00 - The Fair School Funding Plan's history as House Bill 305 and its future in the current budget process * 19:00 - School funding in the Ohio Senate
"Right now, that's a guessing game. No one has any idea what the Senate is going to do."Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents more than 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students.
This episode was recorded in February, 2021.
"I appreciate being nominated, I appreciate being recognized, I appreciate the opportunity to earn the award, but I don’t think that I do things any different than any of the other school counselors, any of the other educators who work with students. I just want our students to succeed." - Taraja Shephard Allen, Junior Achievement of Central Ohio's 2020 Educator of the YearFeatured guest:
- Taraja Shephard Allen, school counselor, Columbus City Schools
- This is my ninth year as a school counselor in Columbus City Schools. I love being a school counselor because I have an opportunity to help my students become the best versions of themselves. I love working in CCS because I believe in being an integral part of my community. I am a proud CCS graduate from Linden McKinley High School. I obtained my undergraduate degrees from Ohio University and my Master’s in School Counseling from the University of Dayton. I believe in advocating for our professional rights on a local, state and national level. Thus, I am an active dues paying member of my local union CEA. I also serve on committees for OEA/NEA. As none of us can do this work in isolation, I am supported by/support my colleagues through networking, leadership and engagement activities as a member of Ohio New Educators. Above all, I am a proud mother of three amazing, beautiful and talented children who are being educated in our public schools by hardworking teachers.
- Taraja was named Junior Achievement of Central Ohio's 2020 Educator of the Year
In this episode:
"Being armed with 21st century skills, being able to communicate, work in teams, and basically navigate their lives as financially responsible adults is essential."
"These are life skills. As a school counselor, I'm an advocate for students becoming the best versions of themselves."* 1:25 - Junior Achievement's work in Columbus City Schools
* 1:55 - Preparing students for the world of work and beyond
* 2:25 - Reaction to receiving Educator of the Year honor
* 3:25 - Transitioning to working with high schoolers during the COVID-19 pandemic
* 5:15 - Prioritizing safety while facing the emotional challenges of not having school buildings open for students
* 7:15 - Practicing self-care
* 8:15 - Being compassionate to yourself to be a better educator
* 10:00 - Creative solutions to reach students during the pandemic and gauging the impact
* 12:25 - Giving credit to the students who are thriving in the virtual learning environment and to the students who are struggling
* 14:05 - Connecting with parents through Zoom
* 15:05 - The remote learning skills that will translate to adult working skills for students in the future
* 17:00 - Taraja's passion for school counseling and teaching "soft skills"
* 18:55 - "We won't always be in this pandemic, but I don't think we'll ever quite return to the way life used to be, and I hope that's for the better."
* 20:30 - Inspiring others
"This year has definitely been somewhat of a challenge, and it’s definitely been a period of growing for me, as well as many of the students."
“I’ve had students share that they are experiencing some depression, that they are unmotivated to go to class, they don’t quite see the point. And so the hard thing is that I would normally contact them, and meet with them at lunch and stop by their classes and check on them; and now all I can do is send them an email and a phone call and hope that they’ll join me for a Zoom session.”Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents more than 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students.
This episode was recorded in January, 2021.
"We truly did what we thought was right, and fought for what we thought was right." - Betsy BakerFeatured guests:
- Betsy Baker, Gahanna Jefferson Education Association crisis spokesperson
- A proud Gahanna Jefferson Public Schools graduate, Betsy Baker has taught for nine years in the Gahanna Jefferson district in central Ohio. She teaches Geometry and AP Calculus at Gahanna Lincoln High School. Baker served as a liaison between Gahanna Jefferson Education Association members and the community during GJEA's strike in October, 2020.
- Connect with the Gahanna Jefferson Education Association on Facebook.
- Karissa Wooddell, Switzerland of Ohio Education Association crisis spokesperson
- A sixth year teacher, Karissa Wooddell currently serves the Switzerland of Ohio Local School District as an Intervention Specialist in the District Behavior Unit at Powhatan Elementary School. Switzerland of Ohio, a sprawling rural district in southeastern Ohio, is largest geographic district in the state. Wooddell acted as media spokesperson for the Switzerland of Ohio Education Association throughout their negotiations with the school board, which ultimately led to a full agreement in late-December, 2020.
- Connect with the Switzerland of Ohio Education Association on Facebook.
In this episode:
“You question when you’re standing out there in the cold and the rain, ‘Is this what I should be doing?’ And when community members, when parents and students, are standing there with you saying, ‘yeah, you’re doing the right thing,’ it definitely keeps you going.” - Betsy Baker* Gahanna Jefferson Education Association's successful strike for safety, equity, and student success + 1:45 - GJEA bargaining and strike timeline + 3:15 - Safety issues at the center of the crisis + 4:40 - The dangers of live-streaming to students under the proposed model and what went wrong + 6:20 - Addressing COVID-19 health and safety concerns in the contract negotiation process + 6:40 - Reflecting on the days on the picket lines + 8:45 - Community support for the striking teachers + 9:20 - Reaching a tentative agreement + 10:15 - The road to becoming GJEA's spokesperson
“It’s exhausting, it’s draining, it’s very mentally tough to be out there [on the picket line], but at the same time, there were these awesome things to come out of it... It was a really remarkable experience for our staff members to be able to stand on the line with each other.” - Betsy Baker* Switzerland of Ohio Education Association's crisis negotiations lead to a contract agreement after members voted to authorize a 10-day strike notice, if needed + 12:25 - Negotiating a contract amidst the challenges of teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic + 12:50 - Weighing the thought of not being in the classroom against the need to reach a fair contract agreement for the good of the students + WTOV9 covered a community rally December 10, 2020, that apparently marked a turning point in negotiations. See the full news stories referenced in this episode here and here. + 13:45 - The power of community support for SOEA + 15:15 - Negotiating competitive salaries to attract and retain the most qualified educators for Switzerland of Ohio students + 16:20 - Reaching and ratifying a fair contract deal
“It was unbelievable to think a fair contract agreement that supported our students was not achievable in a timely manner. The idea of being outside of our classrooms and away from our students anymore than we already had been was a pretty difficult thought. However, we knew that no matter what, we had to stand in solidarity to reach a fair contract agreement that would benefit all of our students.” - Karissa WooddellConnect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents more than 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students.
This episode was recorded in January, 2021.
Featured guest:
- Scott DiMauro, Ohio Education Association President
- A high school social studies teacher from Worthington, Scott DiMauro was elected President of the OEA in 2019 after having served as vice president for six years. Over his 30-year career as an educator, Scott has worked to provide students the critical thinking and decision-making skills they need to be successful citizens in our democratic society. He has likewise advocated for students, educators and strong public schools at all levels of his union.
- Connect with Scott on Twitter and Facebook
In this episode:
"Everybody who has chosen to make education a career did it because they care about the success of students, and people are coming up with all kinds of ways to try to keep students engaged under really challenging circumstances."* 1:10 - Reflecting on the lessons learned through 11 months of educating students amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic * 3:55 - The education inequities exposed and exacerbated by the pandemic * 5:00 - OEA's Putting Education First policy: Rest, Restart, Reprioritize, Resource (Find the full details here) * 9:00 - Prioritizing teachers and school employees for the COVID-19 vaccine in Ohio * 10:05 - The continued importance of masks, social distancing, and sanitizing procedures in schools. The vaccine is not a panacea. * 11:35 - Ohio's newly relaxed guidelines for when students must quarantine * 15:15 - Tackling Ohio's unconstitutional school funding formula + Here's what OEA had to say when the Fair School Funding Plan passed the Ohio House of Representatives with overwhelming bi-partisan support. The bill was ultimately blocked from consideration by the Ohio Senate. * 17:40 - The future of school funding legislation in Ohio and the upcoming state budget cycle * 18:15 - Legislative priorities in 2021: Standardized testing, Ohio's broken school report card system, and the state's takeover law
“I hope that this pandemic has provided a greater sense of urgency, especially to policy makers, to say we have to do a much, much better job in directing resources where they’re needed to serve the needs of our students, especially in communities of color, especially in high-poverty communities, especially places like rural Appalachia, where kids just don’t have access to resources in the same way they do in some of our more affluent communities.”Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents more than 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students.
This episode was recorded in January, 2021.
Stay tuned for our first full episode - "Education in the Age of COVID-19" - launching January 28, 2021.
About us:
- TheOhio Education Association represents more than 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students.
Connect with us:
- Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
- Like OEA on Facebook
- Follow OEA on Twitter
- Follow OEA on Instagram
- Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
- Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues
- Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch
New episodes coming weekly!