Public Education Matters

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 [email protected] 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:

• The Ohio 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 [email protected] 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:

• The Ohio 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.

Connect with us:

• Email [email protected] 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:

• The Ohio 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 [email protected] 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:

• The Ohio 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 [email protected] 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:

• The Ohio 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.

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:

• 1:40 - "We are at a critical stage."
• 2:40 - The shortcomings of the Senate education funding plan 

• 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

Connect with us:

• Email [email protected] 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:

• The Ohio 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.

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.

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 [email protected] 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:

• The Ohio 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:

• 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 [email protected] 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:

• The Ohio 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: 

• 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:

• 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 [email protected] 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:

• The Ohio 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:

• 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 [email protected] 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:

• The Ohio 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.