1. education
2. school

The
Volume 34, Number 1
Advisor
Northern Colorado UniServ Unit
August 2013
What Is UniServ and What Does It Do?
The foundation of the Association, UniServ was begun in the early
1970’s by NEA to improve the delivery of services directly to members in
their locals. The word UniServ stands for UNIfied Staff SERVices. Our
organization, The United Education Profession (UEP), has three levels.
Members in Colorado communities are organized as 190 local affiliates of
CEA-NEA. Local affiliates are grouped into 19 regional areas called UniServ
Units. Each UniServ unit has at least one professional staff member called a
UniServ Director (using 1,200 members as a base for a single Director), and
one associate staff member who manages the UniServ office. All staff members support the local affiliates by working directly with local leaders and
members. Funding for UniServ units to employ staff, have an office, and conduct programs is provided by CEA and NEA and by members' dues.
The Association is strengthened further because state and national programs and Staff are the support for the UniServ system. Part of this support
is financial. Both CEA and NEA return members’ dues to the locals through
UniServ subsidies. This money, along with Unit dues, is used by the locals
in their UniServ units to employ UniServ staff, have an office and carry out
activities together. UniServ is a program delivery service to all members in
the United Education Profession which includes NEA and CEA.
If any member has a problem they should first discuss it with their local
association president. If the problem can not be solved with the local leadership, then the president will call the UniServ office which is located at 1116
13th St. The phone numbers are 353-4187 and 1-800-808-2632.
Need a Date?
August 20
NCUU Council Mtg. 5:30pm @ NCUU
September
September 2
September 3
September 6&7
September 8
September 9
September 11
September 13
September 17
September 22
Hispanic Heritage Month
Labor Day
Rosh Hashanah (begins at sundown)
CEA Board Mtg.
Grandparents Day
NCRBC Mtg. 5:30pm
Patriot Day
Yom Kippur (begins at sundown)
NCUU Council Mtg. 5:30pm @ NCUU
Autumn begins
October 2
Membership Cadre Meeting @ NCUU
5:30-7:30
NCRBC Mtg. 5:30pm
Columbus Day
National Boss Day
NCUU Council Mtg.
5:30pm @ Greeley
Halloween
October 7
October 14
October 16
October 15
October 31
Meet your UniServ Staff, (from Left to Right) Lynne Lang, Director, Kerrie
Steinbach, Associate Staff, and Ron Anderson, Director.
UniServ is the Life Blood to all UEP members. The UniServ staff is
readily accessible, well trained, and knowledgeable in all program areas of
our profession. The program areas are: Communications, Instructional, and
Professional Development, Legislation, Bargaining, Organizing, Employee
Rights and Membership.
Continued on page 3
Welcome to the 2013-2014
Academic Year
At this time of year I
often think about a professor at the college I
attended. It was a small
college of about 1,300
students and this professor had a knack for
By John Ryan,
knowing just about
NCUU Chair
every student and
remembering
their
name when he would
see them years later. At
the beginning of the
school year when you would see him on campus he would stop, greet you by
name and ask about your summer. Before parting ways he would say,
“Welcome home.” I wonder what students would think if when we greeted
them at the beginning of the year we said, “Welcome home.” Without doubt,
some would groan, roll their eyes and make it clear that this is not home.
Some however, while maybe not showing it, would be happy to know they
are wanted and welcomed. I am sure we have all experienced having the student that never misses school because life at home is not all that great. There
are many reasons why school is better than home and you the teacher are one
Continued on page 3
2 The Advisor—August 2013
Stay Professionally Healthy
By Ron
Anderson,
UniServ
Director
Every year the Northern Colorado UniServ
Office receives many calls from Presidents of
locals that have members in trouble or concerned
about their rights and responsibilities of being an
education professional in their local association.
The following ten rules are designed to keep our
members in their positions and staying
Professionally Healthy:
I. Keep your teaching license current.
II. Seek the advice of your Local President if
you receive an evaluation indicating that you are
not performing satisfactorily.
III. Seek the advice of your Local President
before signing anything that creates obligations
for you (remediation plans, contracts, disciplinary
letters, etc).
IV. Do not assume that the administration is
operating at all times with your best interests in
mind.
V. Do not assume that the administration will
side with you when a parent complains about you.
VI. Do not assume that, if you report suspect-
ed child abuse to the administration, that you have
met your statutory obligation to report child abuse.
VII. Do not assume that your students and/or
your colleagues will appreciate comments of a
sexual nature or “harmless” dirty jokes.
VIII.Do not assume that, even if you never
have physical contact with a student, you will not
be accused of child abuse.
IX. Do not assume that the rights and benefits spelled out in the local Association’s master
agreement, School Board Policies, or in state
statute will always be there.
X. Do not assume that your rights under
the master agreement, School Board Policies, or
in state statute are self enforcing.
Please keep this article for further reference
(Source CEA/NEA/NCUU publication)
Survey: U.S. Students Better at Science
Than Public Realizes
By Tim Walker
A common misperception about American
students is that they are in an academic free-fall
when compared to their counterparts in other parts
of the world, especially in the study of science.
Actually, students here aren’t doing as poorly on
international tests as many adults think. A recent
survey by the Pew Research Center for the People
and the Press and the Smithsonian Institution
revealed that a plurality of Americans (44 percent)
wrongly believe that U.S. 15-year-olds rank at the
bottom internationally, when in fact they stand
somewhere in the middle. Not great, but still far
from the cellar.
It’s no real mystery why most people overstate our students’ weakness. It’s hard to avoid the
constant red alerts coming from the media and the
Department of Education about this country’s
slipping standards and falling behind in STEMrelated subjects.
Oddly, the survey also found that, despite this
perception, respondents didn’t believe science
should be given greater attention in school. They
were more likely to pick math or language skills
as more important. Thirty percent of respondents
chose math, while 19 percent said English, grammar or writing. Others pointed to history, social
studies or government. Overall, 45 percent mentioned some aspect of STEM education.
Responding to a question about why young
people choose not to pursue a degree in math and
science, nearly half of Americans said that the
main reason is mostly because they think these
subjects are too difficult. Just 22 percent believed
it is because young people think math and science
are not useful for their careers, while 20 percent
said it is because they think these subjects are simply too boring.
The Pew survey, in addition to gauging perceptions about knowledge levels, also included a
quiz to determine knowledge of science and technology among adults. According to the results,
there is wide variety in what adults know. For
instance, two-thirds correctly said rust is an example of a chemical reaction and 77 percent correctly said the continents have been moving for millions of years and will continue to shift. Yet only
47 percent correctly said electrons are smaller
than atoms. A majority correctly noted that nanotechnology involves small things and natural gas
is the resource extracted by “fracking,” or
hydraulic fracturing.
Fifty-eight percent of respondents correctly
said the gas most closely associated with global
In order to receive your Advisor, you are now
dependent on the AR in your building to forward your copy to your home e-mail address.
Please help us make distribution successful by
keeping your AR updated with your current
home e-mail address.
warming is carbon dioxide. When Pew last posed
this question in 2009, 65 percent answered correctly. The Smithsonian noted that the drop is puzzling, given the increased prominence of climate
change as a national and international issue.
(Source – NEAMB Publication)
The
Advisor
Volume 34, Number 1 • August 2013
EDITOR
Ronald G. Anderson
MANAGING EDITOR
Ronald G. Anderson
NCUU DIRECTORS
Ronald G. Anderson
Lynne S. Lang
NCUU CHAIRPERSON
John Ryan
ADVERTISING
Publication Company
The ADVISOR is published by:
Northern Colorado UniServ Unit
1116 13th Street, Greeley, CO 80631
Phone: (970) 353-4187
Fax: (970) 353-4199
The Advisor—August 2013
3
Survival Advice for the First Year Teacher
By Lynne
Lang,
UniServ
Director
Teaching is the only profession where the
beginner is expected to do what the veteran does
and with equal success. When interviewed, a
majority of students reported that they could identify first year teachers by the following characteristics: “inconsistent, lenient, nervous, slow to
handle discipline problems, they want to be a
friend, and they have evaluators in their rooms all
of the time.” When asked if students are hard on
first year teachers, they responded unanimously
“Yes.” Students agreed that the phrase said most
often to inexperienced teaches is, “But, my last
year¹s teachers didn’t do it that way.”
To avoid becoming a casualty your first year,
try some of the following tips:
• Get to know the custodian and the secretary
well.
• Choose extra duty assignments that you
want and can handle. Don¹t be afraid to say “No”
to committee involvement or assignments. Use
the reply “The first year of my teaching career is
enough for me to concentrate on at the moment,
but ask me again.”
• Don’t correct papers or do lesson planning
at faculty meetings.
• Don’t complain, as misery finds too much
company.
• Start class as soon as the bell rings.
• Plan activities for students who finish their
work before others.
• Anticipate the behavior of children before
and after holidays and long weekends, on field
trips, and when evaluators come into the room.
• Figure out what to do about homework.
• Don’t be so hard on yourself. Give yourself
a break.
• Don’t give up.
If you never had that one
more course in college to prepare you for the transition from
campus to classroom, try out a
few of the above tips and be
among the survivors.
What Is UniServ and What Does It Do?
Continued from page 1
Job number one of a UniServ staff person is to help local affiliates
develop the capacity to advocate for members in a variety of areas--from collective
bargaining and political action to professional development and instructional
improvement.
Welcome to the 2013-2014
Academic Year
Continued from page 1
of the stabilities that the student has in their life.
Unfortunately, these are the things that are not measured under the new
evaluation process. This year begins the new evaluation process under
Senate Bill 191. This is a “hold harmless” year as the administration in districts figure out how to use the new evaluation tool and teachers figure out
what they need to show in their teaching that will satisfy the evaluation
rubric. It will certainly add to the stress level of teachers as everyone works
through the process. Know that your association is there to help answer
questions and work with you to truly make the hold harmless year harmless.
There will certainly be many questions as this new process is put into place
throughout the state. CEA will monitor the implementation and any problem
that they see and will get information to your leaders to help teachers be fairly evaluated.
The new evaluation process will most likely be a topic of conversation
at the beginning of the year meetings in your school and district. While this
time of year is hectic with meetings and getting everything in order so you
are prepared when the students walk in, remember that for some students the
fact you are there each day is a comfort to them. When you say hello, ask
them how they are doing and listen to their stories, they will probably
remember that more than the academic lessons that you teach. Your job is
so very important and while you may not hear it from your principal or other
administrators enough, thank you for the job you do with students, and welcome home.
John Ryan is a member of the Valley Education Association and serves
as Unit Chair for the Northern Colorado UniServ. He teaches math and
social studies at Valley High School in Gilcrest.
NEA UniServ Guidelines
PURPOSE OF UniServ:
“To guarantee local control in local option units. To guarantee local participation in the control and implementation of state option programs. To
enable NEA and state associations to provide efficient and comprehensive
delivery of service and national, state, and local program priorities to local
affiliates and members to strengthen the effectiveness of local associations.”
Selected CEA UniServ Guidelines:
1. Assist the leadership in the development of an integrated program of
service to members.
2. Advise and counsel the leadership in all its roles and functions.
3. Facilitate the development of and implementation of the annual
UniServ Unit goals and objectives.
4. Provide assistance and consultation, as appropriate, to leaders who
have been given the primary responsibility for a project or activity.
5. Facilitate the identification and involvement of many members at the
Local and Unit level.
6. Assist in maintaining the achievements obtained by the locals, CEA,
and NEA.
7. Maintain a positive, productive, working relationship with Unit and
local leaders.
8. Provide appropriate program leadership skill training to local and
Unit members.
9. Manage the UniServ office.
10. Employ staff.
11. Provide on-site assistance to local associations utilizing:
a. An organized program of assistance.
b. The local association’s and UniServ Unit’s goals and objectives.
c. Effective action that promotes self-sufficient, action oriented
locals.
12. Encourage and assist locals in the development of annual goals and
objectives and action plans that support a United Education Profession program.
13. Coordinate/facilitate the utilization of local, UniServ, CEA, and
NEA resources.
14. Comply with NEA Guidelines and CEA Rules of Operation.
(Sources: NEA and CEA Publications)
4 The Advisor—August 2013
CEA Board of Directors and
Alternates Elected
Pat Otto (Greeley Education Association) our
Director and Nissa Cronin (Johnstown Milliken
Education Association) alternate were elected as
our CEA Board of Director and Alternate.
The Northern Colorado UniServ Unit has one
Director and one alternate. The CEA Board of
Directors meets several times a year and at
Delegate Assembly in April. Congratulations to
both leaders!
(Picture: on left Nissa Cronin; on right Pat Otto)
CEA Board of Directors Report
By Pat
Otto,
CEA
Board
The last CEA Board of Directors meeting
was held June 7-8. During this meeting training
for new board members was included as well as
the final board meeting for the 2012-2013 year.
The new CEA Board of Directors participated in Relationship-Building training presented by
Integrated Work on June 7, 2013. The training
focused on listening skills, building trust, and the
many hats worn by board members. Time was
spent considering the barriers of listening, which
included listening is hard work, lack of training,
professional expertise, and individual experiences. Further discussion focused on the Listening
Point System to see where we could adjust and
improve our own listening skills. “Listening skills
are often neglected because they seem passive in
nature.
However, without listening we cannot obtain
information, build relationships,
or accomplish work with others.
Poor listeners miss many opportunities, and often suggest solutions that are faulty or inappropriate. Lack of listening is contagious. When we stop listening,
they stop listening to us”
(Integrated Work, 2013). It is
important that we remember to
listen to others so we can continue build mutual respect and
understanding for each other.
A regular board meeting
was held on June 8, 2013.
Included on the agenda were the action items:
Certification of the 2013-2014 State Association
Dues, Local Affiliate Charter Requests and
Oklahoma Fund. Nine items were discussed
including information about the 2013 Legislative
Session, membership cards, and Delegate
Assembly Debrief. Reports were given by the
president, executive director, vice president, and
secretary-treasurer.
The next board meeting is September 6-7,
2013 at the CEA Boardroom.
The Northern Colorado
UniServ Unit stands ready to
assist you in your many educational endeavors, do not hesitate to contact us! We all face
many challenges this coming
school year and you should
take comfort in utilizing your
membership benefits and services.
It is a privilege to represent
you on the CEA Board, please
do not hesitate to contact me if
you
have
concerns
at
greeleyea.msn.com.
Thank you for your continued support of the
association—together we stand strong!
Pat Otto is a member to the CEA Board of
Directors for the Northern Colorado UniServ Unit
and is on leave from Winograd K-8 School as the
Media Specialist. Currently she is the President
of the Greeley Education Association.
3 Members of the NCUU Membership Cadre
Receive CEA Membership Award
Three Members of NCUU received a
Membership Award from CEA at Delegate
Assembly last April. Laurie Sitzman, (PVEA),
Sharleen Michaels (WCEA), and Andi Lee
(GEA); members of the NCUU Membership
Cadre received the “Outstanding Contributions to
Membership Award”. Their dedication to increasing and maintaining membership is evident in
their active participation in the Membership Cadre
for the 2012-2013 year.
Their willingness to spend time beyond reg-
ularly scheduled Association meetings in each of
their locals demonstrates their desire to continue
building effective Associations through a strong
membership. In addition, these Membership
Cadre attendees share their knowledge, ideas, and
expertise for building memberships with other
education associations so that together we are a
stronger organization.
Pictured is Sharleen Michaels (WCEA),
Sharleen represented the group at Delegate
Assembly to receive the award. Congratulations!!!
The Advisor—August 2013
5
Kerrie’s Korner
Welcome to a New School Year
Unleashing the Power of
Educators’ Ideas:
Raise Your Hand campaign launched to
help NEA members become leaders in a
national movement for public education.
By NEA President Dennis Van Roekel
When I taught high school math, most students would say that they
wanted to make an A, but only some were willing to do what it took to reach
that goal. When it comes to the commitment of educators, I have no doubts.
I believe that we were drawn to this profession because we passionately want
to make a difference in the lives of our students, and that our members are
willing to do whatever it takes to achieve that.
But too often we have been forced into futile endeavors like drilling students to take a test, instead of teaching them to think for themselves. Or we
have been forced to defend ourselves against attacks that sap our energy and
enthusiasm – and, over time, dull our once-bright dreams.
When I talk to NEA members around the country, they discuss the threats to
public education that are occurring in so many states, but they also share
hopeful stories about good things that are happening in their schools and districts and other things that they would like to do. Our members already have
a powerful vision of what public education ought to be. It is our challenge as
an Association to help them realize those aspirations.
At NEA’s Representative Assembly (RA) in July, NEA launched the
Raise Your Hand Campaign—an effort to help educators across the nation
become the leaders in a national movement for public education. The campaign kicked off with a day highlighting some of great ways that educators
are working through our local associations to improve student success. One
of the speakers was Dr. Jerry Weast, former school superintendent in
Montgomery County, Md., where minority students are succeeding in AP
courses at rates well above the national average. He said collaboration, trust,
and stability were keys to that success.
Attendees to the RA also approved an important bylaw amendment that
will provide resources for the campaign and enable more state and local affiliates to undertake initiatives to boost student success. By supporting Raise
Your Hand, it will help us unleash the power of our members’ best ideas. That
is our obligation as the organization representing our professions. And if we
do our part, our members will do theirs.
Let me start off by
saying WELCOME to a
new school year! While
some of you are ready to
get the year started and
By Kerrie
dive into your new career,
Steinbach
some of you are not quite
ready to set the alarm and
go back to the routine of
another school year.
Wherever you are in your
participation in Public
Education, let me say welcome and if you are new to the Association or a longtime member, we want to say a special THANK YOU for your support and participation in a professional organization that is all about you!
With the world so busy these days, it is important to remember what and
why you are a member of a professional organization and one of the 37,000 members across the state as part of the Colorado Education Association! If you are just
beginning your membership year for the first time, or if you have been a member
for a long while, a “refresher” course or reminder of how you came to be a part
of this amazing organization is the topic of Kerrie’s Korner this month.
I wanted to remind you of a few things to explore and review before you get
too busy as you return to your routine. There are so many levels of participation
in the Association, but the best way to start and to explore is through asking questions and becoming an active member in your own Local. Your Local Executive
Board is made up of a President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary, along
with a Building Representative or Association Rep (AR) for each building. Your
Local will probably kick off the school year with a social gathering and a back to
school event that will bring everyone together and the new members can meet
everyone in their local organization. As a new member, you are always welcome
to bring new ideas and share your strengths with the group. The leadership opportunities at the Local level and on up the line into the CEA and NEA and UniServ
levels are amazing! The Leadership development programs are there for you to
take advantage of and you can either “get your feet wet”, or jump in the water altogether. All levels of participation are welcome!
There’s a place for you in our Association. Teacher, education support professional, college faculty member, student preparing to teach, or retired educator,
you can be on the strong, united team of men and women who are making a difference for Colorado’s children and youth.
Your Association membership is an investment in your career and your
future. As a member, you join with three million members throughout our nation
who proudly promote public education – and you help all of us make gains for
students and for educators.
Your UniServ team Welcomes you and your Inspiration, Involvement, and
Investment in our Association!
Kerrie Steinbach is the Northern Colorado UniServ Unit’s Program
Assistant and can be reached at [email protected].
6 The Advisor—August 2013
Top Eight Challenges Teachers Face
This School Year
By Mary Ellen Flannery
With teacher bashing all the rage these days, we
thought we’d show what teachers are actually facing when
they step into the classroom each day. In no particular order,
here are the top eight challenges facing educators this year:
1. All those Kids.
In Georgia this May, after state funding for schools
was cut by nearly $1 billion, the state Board of Education
voted to lift all class size limits. “We don’t have a choice.
We didn’t give them enough money,” said state school
Superintendent Kathy Cox.
And, of course, it’s the same story in states across the country. It’s tough for educators—but even tougher for those
kids who need their attention. “There are a lot of geniuses
sitting in the back of our classes, but they don’t get properly taught in classrooms with more than 30 other kids,” said one Los Angeles student in a
recent news article.
2. Turning on Teconology.
Students today are technophiles. They love their video games—all fastpaced and addictive—and they can’t put down their smart phones, iPods, and
social networks. And educators? They might also love new technologies, but
even if they don’t, they realize that technology often is the key to locking in
a student’s interest. The challenge is, how? Deitrya Anderson, a Tulsa
teacher, puts those phones “to an educational use” through a site called
Wiffiti that receives and displays student questions via text message. Others
are using Twitter—sending tweets to students to remind them of key points
from the day’s lesson or use it as a language arts tool. Even Facebook has its
merits. Susan Colquitt, a New Mexico teacher, says she uses it to answer her
students’ questions and mentor them.
3. Cyberbullying.
Remember Phoebe Prince? Or Megan Meier? Both girls committed suicide after long, humiliating bouts with cyberbullies. Their deaths were tragic
and unusual, but many kids are struggling to cope with this particularly virulent form of bullying. According to Pew Research, nearly one in three teens
say they’ve been victimized via the Internet or cell phones. A teacher’s role—
or a school’s role—is still fuzzy in many places. What legal rights or responsibilities do they have to silence bullies, especially when they operate from
home? To more clearly define their prerogative, many schools are writing
cyberbullying policies into their handbooks, in effect forcing students and
their parents to sign contracts that allow schools to discipline them for
Internet abuse. But prevention is the best policy and experts say the answer
is more conversation with kids. Peer models—often from older high school
grades—can be effective discussion leaders.
4. NCLB.
“Testing, testing, testing, what is the point of testing? Do we use the data
to remediate those who do not measure up? No!” complained Shelley
Dunham, a Kansas special educator, on an NEA discussion board. Instead the
federal law takes those test scores, which are incredibly flawed pictures of
achievement, and uses them to punish schools. (And don’t even get us started on the inappropriate use of tests with students with disabilities….) This
year, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (better known as NCLB)
is up for reauthorization. The Obama blueprint offers more of the same, but
the NEA’s Positive Agenda for ESEA Reauthorization would
offer multiple measures of student learning, smaller class
sizes, adequate funding, and support for teachers—even
while insisting on high standards for students. Go to
EducationVotes to find out more about this sensible
approach.
5. Parent Involvement.
Often, it feels like there are just two kinds of parents: The
ones hunkering in a cave somewhere and the ones camping in
your pocket. Unreachable? Or unavoidable. Either way,
teachers wish for the kind of parent involvement that supports
learning. Elusive parents usually have a reason for their mysterious ways, like language fluency. In New Mexico, teacher
Ricardo Rincon asks students to host parent conferences. He
also crafts homework assignments that don’t assume parents have advanced
skills. For example, instead of asking them to supervise the addition of fractions, they might be asked to ensure their kids read for 30 minutes at home.
6. Your Salary.
What salary, educators ask. After paying the mortgage, student loan
debts, medical bills, utilities, car and food, what’s left? “With pay cuts, furlough days, increased taxes and other bills, for the first time I am falling
behind in my financial obligation, ruining a 30-year record of perfect credit,”
writes one fed-up California teacher. “I feel my only route is retirement and
possibly filing for bankruptcy.” NEA’s campaign for professional pay for
teachers and support professionals is trying to change that.
7. Getting Healthy.
Everybody has turned their attention to that kid who can’t quite fit
behind his desk in the back row. According to the federal government, nearly one in five children and adolescents are obese—nearly triple the rate of a
generation ago—putting them in great risk of diabetes and heart disease. The
Child Nutrition reauthorization bill, which would establish national nutrition
standards for school food and provide more training opportunities to cafeteria employees, needs support. It passed the Senate in August and still needs
a vote in the House. Some school districts are ahead of the curve. In Oregon,
as part of a growing effort to close inequities in hunger and nutrition, using
local produce and balanced meals, head cook Rhonda Sand has been slicing
up jicama spears and filling trays with mixed berries—“They really weren’t
a fan of the beets though,” she told Today’s OEA, smiling.
8. Finding the Funding.
On the one hand, there are public schools that can’t afford to pay their
educators, fix their leaky roofs, or replace their moldy textbooks. On the
other, there are hostile legislators who would love to divert the ever-dwindling funds for public education to private schools and companies and a federal government that believes the Race to the Top Fund, a $4.35 billion
reward for states that promise to tie teacher pay to test scores, is the answer.
(Clue: It isn’t!) Activism is critical this year. NEA activists will help elect
pro-public education candidates—through donations to the NEA Fund for
Children and Public Education and participation in local phone banks and
door-to-door walks. And they’ll be holding those politicians accountable.
“Sometimes I hear people say, ‘Oh, but I’m not political. I’m an educator!’”
says Lee Schreiner, an active Ohio teacher. “And I say, ‘Bull! Name one
thing in your job that isn’t political.’” To learn more about NEA’s work for
pro-public education candidates and issues, visit EducationVotes. (Source –
NEA Publication)
The Advisor—August 2013
7
BIKING, RUNNING AND WALKING
Boost Your Health With
Inspiring Smartphone Apps
From tracking holiday calories to finding a doc
on the road, these 16 apps bring healthy
solutions to your fingertips.
When it comes to personal wellness, we’re capable of getting far more than
just a second opinion. Thanks to the proliferation of mobile apps devoted to health,
fitness and proper nutrition, you’re always a download away from having your
own team of consultants and coaches at your fingertips.
Surprisingly, only 10% of Americans with smartphones have downloaded
health-related apps on those devices, while about 60% of American adults go
online for health information (up from 25% in 2000), according to the Pew
Research Center. By 2015, three out of every 10 global smartphone users likely
will use “wellness apps,” according to research from the Boston Consulting Group
and Telenor Group.
Even with the abundance of information available online, apps and the Web
aren’t replacing face-to-face consultations, as 86% of Americans say they seek the
services of health professionals when they need information or help, Pew reports.
That’s good news: Apps should never serve as a substitute for going to the doctor’s office, experts say.
If used properly, technology can lend solid support for traditional medical
services. “Having an app to track progress, increase compliance, monitor results
or produce any other general ‘patient-reported outcome’ will allow the physician
to get a better sense of health management between visits,” says Seth Ginsberg,
co-founder of the Global Healthy Living Foundation, a patient-advocacy nonprofit. “Technology can better prepare the patient for a visit with the doctor. But it
should never be viewed as a replacement for the physician.”
With this in mind, these free or low-cost apps address a wide range of healthand wellness-related topics that can help put you on the road to better living:
GENERAL MEDICAL SUPPORT
Developed by two emergency-room doctors, iTriage (free; Android and
Apple) maintains a national database of hospitals, urgent care facilities, physicians
and home-health agencies. Users can look up symptoms, pinpoint possible causes and get a sense of potential procedures/medications, then connect with an
appropriate medical provider anywhere in the country.
HealthTap (free; Android and Apple) connects device owners to a network
of more than 15,000 doctors who will respond to specific health questions.
Citing findings that indicate 90% of people are not prepared for an emergency, EmergencyLink (free; Android and Apple) allows owners to store and
share with loved ones important medical information and documents as well as to
contact a free, 24-hour emergency response center. Every EmergencyLink member gets account ID tags and cards to put into the wallet, keychain, child’s backpack, etc.
Mental Health America and The National Council, two of the leading mental-health advocacy organizations in the country, have adopted WhatsMyM3 (99
cents; Android and Apple), which confidentially assesses your health risk for
depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
OVERALL FITNESS
UltraTrainer ($2.99; Apple) promises to be your “virtual coach, trainer and training partner,” allowing you to set durations, intensity levels, exercise instructions
and other workout variations for a wide variety of disciplines—including martial
arts, boxing, strength training, swimming and stretching.
Navy SEAL Fitness ($1.99; Apple) will have you training like the most elite of
military special ops forces. The rigorous program combines strength, flexibility
and cardiovascular conditioning.
You can find and create running routes of every distance, no matter where
you are, with WalkJogRun Running Routes ($4.99; Apple), which also comes
with progress tracking and more than 20 training plans.
My Walks/My Bike Rides ($3.99; Apple) provides users with duration, distance, average speed and calories burned. The app will even send you a warning
to turn back if dusk is approaching, and it’ll help direct you home if you get lost.
Charity Miles (free; Android and Apple) allows walkers and runners to earn 25
cents per mile, and 10 cents per mile for bikers, for select charities, including
Feeding America and the U.S. World Food Program.
NUTRITION AND SPECIAL DIETS
Load your age, height, current weight and goal weight into MyFitnessPal
(free; Android and Apple) to find out how many calories you should consume to
achieve your goal. When you track your exercise, MyFitnessPal will let you add
calories to your daily limit.
The Guiding Stars Shopper App (99 cents; Apple) gives grocery store items
a one- to three-star nutritional value rating to help you make smart choices while
you’re shopping. With access to thousands of healthy recipes through Edamam
(free; Android and Apple), you can create dishes based on calorie count, specified
ingredients and diet type. Substitutions (99 cents; Apple) offers more than 400
substitutions to cater to those with diets restricted based on dairy, gluten, meat,
alcohol, sodium and other factors.
One in 133 people suffers from celiac disease and must avoid many kinds of
foods. The database in Find Me Gluten Free (free; Android and Apple) contains
gluten-free eateries along with reviews and pictures of the dishes.
SLEEP AND RELAXATION
You’ll start the day feeling more rested if you wake up during a light-sleeping stage. However, your alarm clock rings no matter what stage you’re in, which
can leave you feeling groggy. Sleep Cycle (99 cents; Apple) works with your
iPhone to monitor your movement and evaluate your current cycle to wake you
up at your lightest sleep phase within a 30-minute alarm window that you designate. Long Deep Breathing (99 cents; Apple) helps you learn and practice long,
deep breathing techniques for mediation, yoga or during stressful moments.
(Source – NEAMB Publication)
Let Our Strength
Be Your Security
NEA Complimentary Life Insurance (formerly called DUES-TAB) is
no-cost insurance for CEA-NEA members. It is FREE and AUTOMATIC
when you belong to our Association. It provides a guaranteed benefit up to:
• $1,000 of term life insurance
• $5,000 of accidental death and
dismemberment (AD&D) insurance
• $50,000 of AD&D insurance if you die from an on-the-job accident
• $50,000 of AD&D insurance if you die while serving as an
Association leader
• $150,000 of life insurance for unlawful homicide while on the job
This all sounds a bit grim, doesn’t it? But insurance protection is important in our unpredictable lives. Besides, the NEA Complimentary Life
Insurance is a benefit of your Association membership, so you can’t go
wrong. And it’s for all Active and Reserve members at no additional cost
beyond your dues. You must be a continuous Association member to keep
this free insurance (no break in your membership). If you go on leave, you
can convert to Reserve membership so you won’t lose your coverage.
NEA Complimentary Life Insurance benefits are paid to the beneficiary
you select. You can change your beneficiary any time. It’s important to register your beneficiary so you can be certain that your benefit goes to someone you choose. Here’s how to register:
• Call 800-637-4636 (NEA Member Benefits) and ask that a beneficiary registration form be mailed to you, OR
• Register online on a
secure server at neamb.com/home/1199_881.htm
Another great benefit of belonging. (Source CEA Publication)
8 The Advisor—August 2013
10 Tips to Help You Choose
the Right Tablet
A tablet can be a great resource at home and
in the classroom. We’ll help you pick the best one
for your needs.
Tablets are everywhere these days. They
range from about 11” tall to the phablets—the
large cellphones that are almost the size of a small
tablet. How do you decide what type of tablet is
best for classroom use? How do decide what is
best for your personal use? What are the pluses
and pitfalls of each? Here’s what you need to
know before picking your perfect tablet.
1. There are three main operating systems,
with the current versions being Google’s Android
4.2 (also known as Jelly Bean), Apple’s iOS 6 and
Microsoft’s Windows RT. A few manufacturers of
Android-based tablets, most notably Amazon and
Barnes & Noble, run a specialized version of
Android with some limitations on access to applications.
2. For apps, both Android and iOS (Apple)
tablets are good choices for personal use.
Applications (commonly called apps) are the real
strength of mobile devices. There seems to be an
app for everything! I think your best choice for
your personal use is an iOS or Android device so
you can take advantage of the huge number of
apps that are offered.
Many of the most useful apps are available
for all operating systems. These include Twitter
clients, Evernote, newsreaders, mapping and GPS
apps, social networking apps, instant messaging
apps, online file storage apps and many more. The
Apple and Google Play stores both offer hundreds
of thousands of apps. The Windows RT platform
is fairly new, however, so its app store is still
growing.
3. Stick with the Apple Store for the classroom. Many have strong feelings about the platform of choice for the classroom. Apple seems to
have higher quality standards for the apps that
make it into its apps store.
Does this mean the content of the apps in the
Apple app store is more pedagogically sound than
those for the other platforms? Absolutely not. You
still need to evaluate the apps for their ease of use
and good content before having students use
them. Check out the links to these two evaluation
sheets, which can help you evaluate both content
and creation apps to use with students and work
for any tablet operating system.
4. Most tablets should last you through the
school day. The majority of tablets claim to have
an 8- to 10-hour battery life. This makes them perfect for classroom use since they can be used for
the entire school day without being recharged.
5. There are two main sizes for tablets. There
are the full-size tablets that range from about 10
inches tall x 7 inches wide and weigh approximately 1.5 pounds, to the smaller tablets at about
8 inches tall by 5 inches wide and weigh a bit less
than a pound. The resolution (the number of pix-
els on the screen) varies with the devices, and
although the larger resolution is absolutely stunning, the screen on the smaller device is perfectly
fine for reading and viewing.
6. Larger is better for younger students. For
the classroom setting, I recommend a larger tablet
for the younger students (grades PreK-5) and a
smaller tablet for the middle-school and highschool students.
The larger screen for younger students is
helpful when using the device for writing and
drawing projects and the large onscreen keyboard
is easier for them to use. In these grades, the
devices often are used on a flat surface or in the
student’s lap, and the larger form factor supports
this.
7. Older students benefit from a smaller
tablet. For older students—who might be shooting
video in the field, working on projects on lab
tables, using their thumbs to type on the tablet’s
onscreen keyboard or reading a lengthy novel—I
believe that the smaller tablets are a better choice.
And, in a one-to-one initiative, the backpacks of
middle-school and high-school students benefit
from the lighter weight of the smaller tablets.
8. Consider your lifestyle when choosing
your own personal tablet. The most important
question: How you are going to use your tablet? Is
it something that you'll use when you're at home,
in a comfortable chair or at your desk? If so, a
full-size tablet is for you.
Do you want to carry the tablet around in a
jacket pocket or purse? Will you be reading with
one hand as you ride public transport? Do you
want to use your tablet as a GPS in the car? Then
a smaller one is recommended.
Many carry an iPad Mini with them all of the
time. It has service on a cellphone provider’s data
network in addition to its built-in 802.11x Wi-Fi.
9. Sharing tablets takes a little extra effort. A
tablet is intended to be a single-user device. This
makes it difficult to share these devices, whether
among family members or students in a classroom. Out of the box, tablets get set up for a single user. The customization of email settings,
browser bookmarks, music lists and such, are
intended for that one user. Of course, other users
can use the Web browser or sign out of apps that
permit that and sign in as themselves so they can
use the device, too.
For classroom deployments of tablets and
purchasing of apps, Apple offers this deployment
guide. However, the management of iOS devices,
whether they’re shared or one-on-one, often
requires the addition of a third-party management
program.
The newest version of the Android operating
system, Jelly Bean, as well as the Windows RT
operating system do allow the easy creation of
multiple profiles on the tablet, providing each user
with access to their own information. So, for your
personal use, if the tablet is to be shared among
family members, this provides a way to separate
each user’s information.
For schools that are just starting out, it is suggested that devices be deployed to one or two
classrooms rather than put them on one or two
shared carts. The great successes that come from
the use of tablets depend on them being available
all the time and at point of need, not just on a
scheduled basis. Once the successes in those
classrooms have been documented over the school
year, it makes it so much easier to expand the program to additional classrooms.
10. Use “the cloud” to access your files anywhere. Each of the tablet operating systems provides access to an online file storage location. By
saving your files “in the cloud,” you can access
them from desktops, phones and other devices.
Apple has iCloud, which provides the users with
the ability to sync their photos across devices and
to have access to Pages, Numbers and Keynote
documents.
On the Android side, Google has Google
Drive, which provides the user with the ability to
store any type of file in that space. (There’s also a
Google Drive app for the iOS users.) Microsoft
has its own online file storage area called
Skydrive. It’s built into the Windows RT operating
systems, but there are also Skydrive apps for the
iOS and Android platforms.
Many users take advantage of the easy-to-use
Dropbox app online file storage system. There is a
Dropbox app for both iOS and Android, and one
for Windows RT should be available soon.
By saving items in the cloud, it’s easy to get
to your files, no matter what device you are using.
The Bottom Line
These are just some of the items to consider
when contemplating the purchase of tablets for
both personal and classroom use. I didn’t include
the processors and the size of the internal storage
on the devices in the article. Suffice it to say, the
tablets are all speedy, and many come in different
“flavors” with additional internal storage available. Also, some versions of the tablets include a
special option for using the cellphone provider’s
network for Internet access in addition to the
internal Wi-Fi ability all tablets have.
If you’re interested in that feature, ask your
cellphone provider about it, as the devices that do
allow this access often are different from the base
model. (Source – NEAMB Publication)
The Advisor—August 2013
9
Delegate Assembly Well Represented
Delegate Assembly was held April 25, 2013 through April 27,
2013 in Denver. Many items of important CEA business were discussed and voted upon. NCUU was well represented as you can
see by our many fine delegates!
Our NCUU Delegates were:
BERGER
JILL
PVEA
BUTTON
RHONDA
FLEA
CAREY
COLLEEN
WEA
DELGADO
DAVID
GEA
FARBO-ORR
LUCINDA
WEA
FISCHER
ROSIE
JMEA
FOTSCH
MIKE
WEA
HARMON
THOMAS
GEA
HILL
MATT
WEA
MARTINEZ
JUANITA
GEA
METIVIER
REGINA
FLEA
MICHAELS
SHARLEEN
WCEA
MIECZKOWSKI
MARCELLA
GEA
NEERGAARD
DEBBIE
GEA
OTTO
PATRICIA
GEA
RAY PARSONS
SHELLY
AIMS
REYNOLDS
EDIE
GEA
ROBERTS
HENRY
GEA
SEELEY
KATIE
PVEA
SKOW
GWEN
GEA
SMITH
ALICIA
JMEA
WRIGHT
LISA
FLEA
Thanks to all that organized this event and attended!
10 The Advisor—August 2013
NCUU’s June 3, 2013 Membership Recruiter Training a Success
At the Membership Cadre’s recommendation a Membership Recruiter Training, “The
IDEA Bank V,” was held on June 3, 2013. The training was held from 9:00am-Noon at the
NCUU office in Greeley.
The target audience for the training included all of our Association Representatives, our
Executive Committee members, and any other identified member that each local would use
to recruit new members. All three of our UniServ staff were the trainers and in addition
Kathy Bridges-McMahon, Membership Organizing from CEA assisted in the training.
Membership recruitment remains the Unit’s number one goal and this will continue for
2013-2014. The NCUU Membership Cadre met last school year to develop a Unit-wide
membership plan for the coming year. Instead of giving a Unit goal for membership growth,
the NCUU Membership Cadre will continue to have each local set its own goal for 20132014. The Unit Cadre has established an ongoing goal of 85% membership in each local.
For the 2013-2014 membership year, each local will strive to increase membership by 10%.
To achieve the above goal we needed to get recruiters to this training. We had almost all
of our locals represented! Thanks, Recruiters!!
The Credit Union Difference
By Natasha
Meisner,
Marketing
Director
Weld
Schools
Credit
Union
Weld Schools Credit Union has been
in business since 1936, when 34 school
employees pooled a total of $842.72 to
start the Greeley Public Schools Credit
Union. By the year 1945, the credit union
had grown to $3,500 in assets. Through
the early years, the credit union thrived
because of the volunteer efforts of many
individuals and the support of its members. Today we are celebrating 77 years of
strong service and serve all Weld County
Schools education systems, their families,
as well as community members.
What is the Credit Union difference?
With New Federal laws and regulations
changing the structure and face of the financial industry, it is truly important to understand how Credit Unions are unique and different, and why we remain a necessary and
popular financial choice.
• Not-for-profit. We exist to serve our
members, not make a profit.
• Ownership. Each credit union member
has equal ownership and one vote—regardless of how much money a member has on
deposit.
• Volunteer Boards. Each Board of
Directors member is a Volunteer (most of
ours are former teachers!)
• Financial Education for members.
Credit unions assist members to become better-educated consumers of financial services.
• People helping people. Credit Unions
exist to help people!
The Advisor—August 2013
11