Welcome Back! We at Anoka Hennepin Education Minnesota are looking forward to another year of serving you and supporting your work. This is the first of our Weekly Updates for the year, our quick look at union news. Remember, when you have a question or idea, call us sooner than later. You can connect with us at 763-421-9110 or ahem@anoka.k12.mnus. When in doubt, give us a shout.
VIVA Project Wants Your Ideas on Teacher Evaluation: From the MDE Commissioner Brenda Cassellius and ED MN President Tom Dooher: As part of Minnesota's bid to close the achievement gap, the Minnesota Department of Education is working to create a model teacher evaluation system. We want to hear from you about what makes a great teacher and how to measure that. MDE and Education Minnesota have once again partnered with VIVA Teachers to gather your ideas via the VIVA Minnesota Teachers Idea Exchange.
Getting involved is easy. Simply go to http://vivaMN.socialsphere.com, register and post your ideas in answer to our questions: What makes the difference between a good teacher and a great teacher? How would you measure whether a teacher is "good" or "great"?
Your ideas will become a key resource for the MDE Teacher Evaluation Work Group, and a group of you will be invited to discuss your recommendations with Gov. Dayton and both of us. The site will be available 24 hours a day for the next two weeks. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to help shape the model teacher evaluation system for our state.
AHEM Suggestion Box: Have an idea for your union? Drop it in the suggestion box. Visit the AHEM home page at ahem.locals.educationminnesota.org for a place for your ideas. Scroll down and you’ll see an embedded Survey Monkey window you can use whenever inspiration hits. You can leave your ideas on topics such as Q-Comp, negotiations and contract issues, member rights, community connections, public policy, or add your own category. Leave your name so we can credit you or follow up, or send your idea anonymously if you prefer.
Good Question – Is my schedule right?: The most common questions we get the first weeks of school pertain to schedules. Am I getting my duty free lunch? Do I have enough prep time? Is my travel time adequate? Do I have too many extra duties? These are all good questions - the best way to answer them is for you to give us a call at 763-421-9110. If you think you are short or long on time in a key area, please check with us. Remember, a call to us does not obligate you to anything, and we keep our discussion confidential. We'll take a look and let you know what your options are.
