GEA

Gateway Education Association

GEA – 2020-2021

Last  updated, 6/8/21

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GEA:  News & Information

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If you’re looking for the link to the most current Gateway School Committee Meeting, we will do our best to keep it one-click away, along with other info and links useful to following what’s going on.  These are usually not posted to the public until a week before the meeting.
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At the All Member, Annual Meeting yesterday, the GEA Unit A members ratified their 3-year contract.  Congratulations!  The Cafeteria Workers also ratified their contract this week, so that is two, very big pieces of business out of the way before the summer break (and some significant changes in the School Committee and our district administration).

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Gateway, End of Year Celebration – June 9th, 2021,  3:30 – 6:30

We hope you can join us this afternoon at Strathmore Park in Russell for our End-of-Year Celebration. It’s been a hard one and we think it’s an important time to touch base with your colleagues – many of whom we work right next to, or in the same buildings, and hardly ever see, except in passing.  Take some time to relax, eat great food (provided by the Common Table in Chester) and drink (BYOB) a toast to our collective survival.

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Are we entering a ‘fourth wave’ of the pandemic? Experts disagree (WaPo)

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Will school be back to normal this fall? Kind of, sort of, maybe… (WaPo)
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August 10, 2020: Prentice C. James/CSM(Credit Image: © Prentice C. James/CSM via ZUMA Wire) (Cal Sport Media via AP Images)

Mass. reports highest weekly coronavirus case count in public schools all academic year: 801 student cases, 244 among staff (Boston Globe)

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Mass. Schools Announce Highest-Ever Weekly Number of COVID-19 Cases. (Boston 10 News  –  12/11/20)

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8 facts about the coronavirus to combat common misinformation
(12/4/20)

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TOXIC POSITIVITY, by on October 6, 2020: 
Set Boundaries, and Name What You’re Feeling (and it ain’t positivity….). This article sums it up.  Things are NOT normal and teachers, regardless of their super-powers, cannot make it that way (despite claims by government, school board, parents and administrators to the contrary).

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Welcome!!, and Welcome Back ! !

The GEA would like to let you know that we see you, we know how hard you are working, and we appreciate you standing together with us as we face this crazy and overwhelming year together.  We are here for you and ready to support you in any way we can.

New Members (starting during last year, or this fall):  You picked a challenging time to start with us at Gateway, but we are so glad you’re part of the Gateway family.

  • Ben Just:  7th Grade Social Studies Teacher
  • Margaret Miller, 7th Grade ELA Teacher
  • Josh Florence, 8th Grade ELA Teacher
  • John Kelly, HS Science and Tech Teacher
  • Nicole LaFrance, 3rd Grade Teacher
  • Theresa Lynch:  MS SPED Teacher
  • Kenneth Silberman-Bunn:. MS/HS Paraprofessional, Learning Lab
  • Kara Tremble: Paraprofessional
  • Susan Coisineau: Nursing Staff
  • Kathleen Wojicik (part-time speech)

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Important thing to remember:

  Know who your Building Reps are (you can contact them via “Leadership Contact” link above).

   Our evaluation MOA during this crisis says that,  “…In the evaluation process supervisors will take into consideration the unique learning methods and platforms resulting from adopting remote and hybrid learning models and use observations to inform and support instruction.  The ultimate goal of the evaluation process is to foster professional growth and acknowledge individual contributions to the educational program…”.     Keep this in mind as you begin the evaluation process this year, and if  you experience any negative consequences as a result of your struggle with “unique teaching methods or platforms” resulting from our adaptations to meet the requirements of teaching during COVID, please let your  building rep’s and/or GEA leadership know.

   The process for dealing with a workplace issue  or a grievance:   visit this link for an overview of the process.