Two T’s in a Pod

Episode 80: Summer Reset

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 [https://www.theconnectioninc.org/], 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 [https://substack.com/@thatspiritualgangster?r=47grnk&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=stories&shareImageVariant=blur].

Episode 79: Leading by Example

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.

Episode 78: Slow and Steady Isn’t Working for CT Schools

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.

Episode 77: A Fair Share for Public Education

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 [https://www.fairsharema.com].

Episode 76: Treasurer Erick Russell on Teachers’ Pensions

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.