2024 OEA Bargaining Boot Camp
OEA’s Bargaining Boot Camp is an intensive, team-based training offers the opportunity to learn about, and incorporate, essential organizing and bargaining concepts into your local association’s bargaining preparation. Bargaining teams will walk away from this weekend with dozens of tools they can immediately use to prepare for a successful contract campaign including local-specific financial and health insurance information and a core contract language assessment. This year’s training will include both full team training and separate tracks for new participants and those that have previously attended a boot camp.
Check-in for each boot camp will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday and the program will begin promptly at 9:30 a.m. Participants should plan to attend the entire day on Saturday as the program will not end until approximately 8:00 p.m. The boot camp will reconvene at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday and will conclude by 2:00 p.m. OEA will cover the cost of all on-site meals, materials, and single occupancy lodging on Saturday night for each participant.
To ensure maximum participation each boot camp will be limited to a total of 75 participants, including each local’s OEA Labor Relations Consultant (LRC). Acceptance into a boot camp will be based on two factors:
- Willingness and availability of a local’s entire bargaining team to participate in the boot camp; and,
- Expiration of the local’s collective bargaining agreement during the 2024-2025 school year.
Boot camps will be held in four geographic areas of the state on the following dates. A local can apply to attend any of the offerings.
**ALL BOOTCAMPS ARE FULL BOOKED** Watch this webpage for 2025 Bargaining Boot Camps applications beginning Summer 2025.
| DATE | LOCATION | DEADLINE |
| October 26-27 |
Marriott Cincinnati Northeast (Southwest) |
September 20 |
| November 2-3 |
Four Points Cleveland-Eastlake (Northeast) |
September 27 |
| November 9-10 |
Hilton Polaris (Central) |
October 4 |
| November 23-24 | Hilton Garden Inn Perrysburg (Northwest) | October 18 |
Registration will be completed by the “team leader” registering their local’s entire team. To complete the registration, the team leader will need confirmation from each participant that they are willing to attend and provide the following information:
- Member’s Name
- Home Email Address
- Contact Phone number
- Any known food allergies or dietary restrictions
- Whether each participant has participated in a previous boot camp
Click Here to download an information sheet to use with team members.
An email regarding your application status will be sent to the team leader approximately three weeks prior to the scheduled Boot Camp.
Questions? Contact Eric Watson-Urban, Collective Bargaining, and Research Consultant at urbane@ohea.org or Kelli Shealy, Research Technician at shealyk@ohea.org.
This program is offered by the OEA Education Policy Research & Member Advocacy department.
Page Updated: October 17, 2024
OEA celebrates Public Education Matters Day with educators across the state
“Ohio’s public school educators have dedicated their lives and their careers to delivering the excellent public education that every child deserves – no exceptions. The Ohio Education Association was thrilled to be able to celebrate the passion and professionalism of our members at these regional rallies while strengthening our collective resolve to tackle the real issues facing our schools,” Ohio Education Association President Scott DiMauro said. “We must continue to use our united voice to demand the supports and resources our students, educators, and public school communities need to thrive, and we must ensure our educators are treated with the respect and dignity they’ve earned so education can be a sustainable profession that continues to attract high-quality professionals to serve our students.”
OEA launched the Public Education Matters initiative in spring 2023 as a galvanizing internal and public-facing campaign in its ongoing advocacy work to continuously improve Ohio’s public schools. “Together as one, Ohio’s educators, parents, and community leaders can achieve our vision for the excellent public schools Ohio’s students deserve,” DiMauro said. “Our strength is in our unity, and we will continue to speak in one strong, united voice because in Ohio, public education matters.”
In honor of the importance of public education in Ohio, the Ohio House issued a special commendation to OEA in recognition of its unfaltering commitment to continuously improving public education in our state. Additionally, the Ohio House Democratic Caucus approved a resolution recognizing September 30, 2023, as Public Education Matters Day in Ohio.
Images of OEA’s Public Education Matters Day rallies and member celebration events at the Columbus Zoo, Cleveland Zoo, Toledo Zoo, and Newport Aquarium are available on the Ohio Education Association Facebook page. A video with more information about the aims of the Public Education Matters initiative is available here.
OEA/NEA Member Back-to-School Guide
Educator-tested tips, advice, and resources for a successful start to the school year
Students may still be enjoying their summer vacations, but for educators, the beginning of the next school year is just around the corner.
NEA Experts have compiled a list of tools, tips, and resources to connect with every student.
Sections Include: Professional Excellence from Members, for Members | School Me Podcasts | Classroom Management
Additional Reading & Related Resources
- 2024-2025 OEA Member Resource Guide
- ONE — Ohio’s New Educators’ Resource Guides: New ESP & New Teacher Guide
- Protecting Our Schools and Communities with Mental Health Supports — You can’t always avoid stress, so learn how to counteract it.
- Suggestions to make schools a welcoming environment – Mad River Local Schools works to address chronic absenteeism (WDTN)
- U.S. Department of Education Back-to-School checklist for parents
- Read Across America — Create and celebrate a nation of diverse readers with 12 months of recommended books, authors, and teaching resources that promote diversity and inclusion
- Save Those Receipts — Educators can claim up to a $300 deduction to get money back for classroom expenses!
- Know Your Rights: A Back-to-School Guide – An NEA resource on your rights as a patchwork of state and local censorship and anti-LGBTQ+ rules have created doubt among educators
- Teachers: take care of your voice – A resource from the NIDCD, which supports research into the nature, causes, diagnosis, and prevention of voice disorders
- Resources from the The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on providing essential health care coverage:
August 12, 2024
OEA Pres. Scott DiMauro: Local Presidents’ Handbook and Important Member Surveys
October 8, 2019 | VBlog By OEA President Scott DiMauro
Dear Colleagues,
Please take a few minutes to view my latest weekly update on things happening in and around OEA.
This week, I’m excited to congratulate an OEA member who has been named the 2020 Ohio Teacher of the Year, summarize the work of members who came to Columbus last week as part of our All Committee Weekend, and provide a heads-up to all of you on a couple of important surveys we’re conducting with members.
I also want to highlight the great work of our Local Development and Training Committee and our local presidents’ cadre who have collaborated on a fantastic new Local Presidents’ Handbook. We’ve been getting rave reviews on it. If you haven’t seen it yet, or to share it with local presidents you know, please see the attached document or go to this link on the members-only section of the OEA website: https://www.ohea.org/presidentshandbook/.
Have a good week!
Scott DiMauro
President
Ohio Education Association
Student Design Selected for ‘Stop Bullying’ License Plates
An 11 year-old Cleveland-area girl who has been dancing since she could walk, who plays catcher on her softball team and who just closed out the fifth grade with straight A’s is stepping into a statewide spotlight. But it’s thanks to another of her passions: art.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and the Ohio Education Association announced June 18, 2019, that the design selected for a new “Stop Bullying” Ohio license plate is one created by Brooke Balser, a student at Independence Middle School in Independence.
“Bullies gain power when the people around them look the other way, stay silent or ignore the problem,” Yost said. “Each time we see Brooke’s colorful ‘Bully-Free Car’ design on an Ohio license plate, we’ll be reminded to treat others with respect and to stand up against bullying behaviors.”
Yost and the OEA announced a contest at the start of May to select the license plate design.
Ohio schoolchildren enrolled in kindergarten through fifth grade during the recently-concluded school year were invited to send in entries. In all, 171 entries were received.
An OEA committee judged the submissions on creativity, reflection of the “stop bullying” theme, and originality of design.
State Rep. Dave Greenspan (R-Westlake) was a primary sponsor of legislation introduced in 2018 to create the “Stop Bullying” plates. A measure implementing that idea became law in March 2019.
Contributions collected when vehicle owners order the plates will fund grants for nonprofit organizations, schools and school districts to provide bullying prevention training programs or similar educational opportunities.
OEA & WNCI 97.9FM Teacher Appreciation Party Highlights
Summer is here (almost). It is time to celebrate and thank the hard work teachers have put in all year!
Dave & Jimmy of WNCI 97.9FM‘s Morning Show, in collaboration with the Ohio Education Association hosted the annual Dave & Jimmy’s Teacher Appreciation Party, 7 p.m. Thursday, May 30th at Flannagan’s Dublin, 6835 Caine Rd, in Columbus.
Were you unable to make. Click the image above for video highlights of the evening.
#ThankATeacher
Click here for more #OverTestedOH & #RedForEd Voices and How to Make a Stand
Oh Yes, We’re Social — Join the Conversation!
School Bd. Candidate Training — July 27th
The Ohio Education Association is offering two FREE, one-day seminars to candidates (and potential candidates) for local school boards to assist in preparing them and their teams to run a successful campaign.
Click here to RSVP as well as indicate the date you will attend: June 22, 2019, or July 27, 2019.
If attending the Sat., June 22nd training, must register by June 14th- If attending the Sat., July 27th training, must register by July 19th
Training topics include how to develop a campaign timeline, voter targeting, effective messaging, social media, as well as direct mail.
Each participant is encouraged to bring a guest who will assist with the campaign (e.g., campaign treasurer, campaign manager, volunteer coordinator). Lunch is provided. For more information, contact: Sarah Montell at: MontellS@ohea.org or Zach Roberts at: RobertsZ@ohea.org. Click here to download an event flier.
RELATED
- Ohio School Boards – Why They Matter, by Matt Ides, OEA Organizing
- Why I Ran for Office, by Molly Wassmuth (Westerville EA), Central FCPE PAC and Grandview Heights School Board member
2019 Spring OEA Rep. Assembly Highlights
“My Story, My Struggle”
“My Story, My Struggle” by Sophia Jeng, Kings High School, Warren OH. Sponsored by the SouthWestern Ohio Education Association
“Suffocating on AIR” — The Fort Hayes Flow Fam Slam Team
“Suffocating on AIR” by the The Fort Hayes Flow Fam Slam, an award-winning poetry slam team from the Columbus Ft. Hayes Metropolitan High School. Pictured from left-right: Odessa Robinson, Kallee Bernish-Good, Dulci Ramirez-Abercrombie, and Playon Patrick. They’re accompanied by their coach, Ft. Hayes HS English teacher (and alum) Nancy de Leon; and, Media Specialist, and team advocate Courtney Johnson. Sponsored by the Columbus Education Association.
Retirement Recognition of Pres. Becky Higgins
The retirement recognition of current OEA Pres. Becky Higgins, who is also concluding her second term. With special announcements from:
- United States Senator Sherrod Brown
- Nicole Stratton — Copley Teachers Association/OEA
- Former U.S. Representative Betty Sutton
- OEA Secretary-Treasurer Mark Hill/OEA
- OEA Executive Director Sheryl Mathis/OEA
Oh Yes, We’re Social — Join the Conversation!
Fighting for Quality Public Education for All!
#RedForEd — Ohio Stands in Solidarity With UTLA
From Oakland to Los Angeles, educators are dedicated to providing the quality public education every child deserves, regardless of their zip code. Educators will not stop until their students have the resources they need to succeed, including:
- Smaller class sizes / Less testing and more teaching
- More nurses, librarians, counselors and psychologists
- Adequate funding / Stronger oversight and regulation of charter schools
- Competitive wages to keep quality educators from being priced out of living where they teach
Across California, and the nation, far too many educators are challenged to teach with dwindling resources, deteriorating schools, and class sizes that prevent them from giving each child the attention they deserve.
“We Are Red For Ed, and our students deserve better!”
Administrators need to recognize that schools are not banks, and children are more than test scores have cut resources and ignored educators for far too long. The national #RedForEd movement has unified educators to fight back for their students. Across the nation, educators are boldly proclaiming: “We Are Red For Ed, and our students deserve better!”
We need to keep the national momentum going! Here’s how:
1. Sign this petition as well send an additional message of support to our friends in @UTLAnow at this Action Network site.
2. Continue to share key stories about the issues and content about the strikes — in addition to @OhioEA, follow @UTLAnow on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news.
Additional Links and Resources to Share
- NPR Studio 1A:
- Follow UTLA strike updates by visiting https://wearepublicschools.org/
- Jan. 12, 2019: USAToday: Wave of teacher strikes could hit LA this week in the nation’s second-largest district
- Jan. 14, 2019: Overcrowded classrooms, privatization schemes force LA teachers to strike
American Education Week — Keeping Students Safe & Secure
During American Education Week (Nov. 12-16, 2018), the Ohio Education Association is taking the opportunity to raise awareness of, and to help eliminate, the stigma of managing a disability or a mental illness.
[Video: Keeping Students Safe — Andrea Beeman, Special Education Paraprofessional, OEA/Maple Org. Support Team]
Each morning, millions of school children face the challenge of living with an impairment, mental illness or disability.
Conditions range from Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, drug dependency, and depression to varied spectrum disorders.
Despite their prevalence, unwarranted assumptions and avoidance by other are also, unfortunately, widespread.
Accordingly, the OEA has called upon state lawmakers to implement a comprehensive school safety strategy that includes meeting mental health needs in schools by providing appropriate supports for our students.
These strategies must not only include essential physical security issues, but also addressing mental health in our curriculum, and appropriate staffing and student support in the form of adequate numbers of counselors, nurses, social workers, and mental health specialists to ensure that all students’ needs are met.
Similarly, the OEA has recently:
- Opposed a plan to use federal funds to buy guns for teachers;
- Sponsored the 2018 National Dropout Prevention Network Conference; and,
- Advocate for programs that establish and support safe learning environments that are free of crime, drug use, and other disruptions.
To learn more about where OEA members collectively stand on the issues, click here! | #WeLoveOurESP | #AEW2018