Connecticut schools have been in session for about a month now, and on the latest episode of CEA's podcast, CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey catch up on the start of the school year with local presidents Nicola Able and Jeffrey Rizzo.

Able has been president of the Killingly Education Association for 12 years, while Rizzo is the brand new president of the Branford Education Association. Both are excited for the year ahead and looking at ways to get members engaged and involved with their union at the local, state, and national levels.

Some of those engagement opportunities include CEA events such as Election Day PD and the CEA Celebrates Gala. Check out the CEA events calendar for even more opportunities to get involved with your state union.

The back-to-school season has seen CEA's officers—President Kate Dias, Vice President Joslyn DeLancey, Secretary Gail Jorden, and Treasurer Stephanie Wanzer—traveling around the state to dozens of New Teacher Orientations. Now that school is in session, or almost in session, in Connecticut districts, listen to the four chat about meeting new members, their hopes for back-to-school, and what CEA has in store the next few months.

This episode covers everything from a reflection on the legacy of icon Dolly Parton to a discussion of CEA's most controversial swag item.

And as you prepare for the year ahead, remember to register for the free Reimagining Education Symposium on Election Day, buy tickets or sponsorships for the CEA Celebrates Gala to support the Connecticut Education Foundation, and get ready to support the Holiday Bear Project.

After a whirlwind school year, summer offers teachers a chance to pause and refresh—but sometimes the season can be quickly filled with obligations that get in the way of a much-needed break.

Jessica Smith, senior vice president of strategy and innovation at The Connection Institute for Innovative Practice, talks to CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancy about how teachers can use summer effectively to recharge and combat burnout. 

For more from Smith, check out her Substack.

Joy Colon is an educator who serves and gives back to her students, colleagues, union, and community in many ways. The Greenwich High special education teacher talks with CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey about her experience in the classroom, her work as co-chair of the CEA Racial and Ethnic Diversity Affairs Commission, and the many other ways she serves her community including as a member of Trumbull's Town Council.

From among the many teachers who were nominated, Colon was selected to receive CEA’s highest teaching award, The John McCormack Award for Teaching Excellence, which comes with a $2,000 cash honorarium and honors an educator who excels in the classroom and as a union advocate.

Connecticut's state budget dedicated millions of new dollars to public education this year, so why are so many towns struggling to fund their schools?

CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey talk education funding with New Haven Federation of Teachers President and AFT Connecticut Pre-K to 12 Divisional Vice President Leslie Blatteau. They discuss why new approaches are needed when it comes to investing in public schools and why slow and steady doesn't cut it when it comes to ensuring the best for Connecticut children.

CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey talk with Massachusetts Teachers Association President Max Page about lessons that can be learned from our neighbor to the north, which, in 2022 passed a Fair Share tax on multimillionaires to generate funding for education and transportation.  

Massachusetts' Fair Share Tax has allowed the state to provide free community college to every resident, free four-year tuition and fees for students with family incomes of less than $80,000, universal school meals, as well as additional funding for literacy, early education, and childcare. Learn more at https://www.fairsharema.com.

State Treasurer Erick Russell joins CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey to break down the current state of the Teachers’ Retirement Fund and what it means for educators’ long-term financial security. As the state’s chief financial officer and principal fiduciary for its pension assets, Russell offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the fund is managed and where it’s headed.

On this episode, CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey are joined by a special guest, Dr. Miguel Cardona. The former U.S. Secretary of Education and Connecticut Commissioner of Education was recently named by Governor Lamont as chair of the Connecticut Career Pathways Commission, which is tasked with helping create a system to connect students to jobs in high-demand fields.

Listen to learn what career pathways can provide for Connecticut as well as Cardona's thoughts on the need for investments in public schools, the role of testing in education, and more.

Educator legislators State Reps. Patrick Biggins and Ron Napoli talk with CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey about priorities this legislative session and how CEA members can best get their message across to lawmakers. CEA's Lobby Day on April 8 is the perfect opportunity to connect with your legislators. Register today.

Read Across Connecticut Week offers a great chance for educators to celebrate reading with their students—but how do we keep encouraging reading year round? In this episode, Simsbury library media specialist Jamie Sepa talks with CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey about the importance of school libraries and how to sustain that joy of reading in children—and adults—the other 51 weeks of the year.

Did you celebrate Read Across Connecticut with your class? A contest is currently being held, open to all Connecticut public school classrooms, offering a chance to win one of four $500 classroom libraries. Submit photos of your class showing how they made reading a llama fun during Read Across Connecticut week now through March 20 for a chance to win. To enter visit readacrossct.org.