PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM: HERE’S WHAT’S CHANGED On October 6, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education announced major changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. The new changes might help you if: You have federal student loans AND you work full-time for a school district, or institution of higher education AND you have Direct Loans OR You consolidate into the Direct Loan Program by Oct. 31, 2022 What public service workers need to do before October 31, 2022: Go ...
Dec 16, 2021•19 min•Season 2Ep. 11
PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM: HERE’S WHAT’S CHANGED On October 6, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education announced major changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. The new changes might help you if: You have federal student loans AND you work full-time for a school district, or institution of higher education AND you have Direct Loans OR You consolidate into the Direct Loan Program by Oct. 31, 2022 What public service workers need to do before October 31, 2022: Go ...
Dec 09, 2021•22 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Featured Education Matters guest: Tim Davis, Kenton Education Association Co-President Tim Davis is a teacher in his 26th year in music education, and in his 15th year with the Kenton City Schools. Tim currently serves as Co-President of the Kenton Education Association, as well as on the OEA State Board of Directors representing Northwest Ohio. Prior to his time in Kenton, Tim taught music at Arlington Local Schools (Hancock County) and Pandora-Gilboa Local Schools (Putnam County) Tim earned a ...
Dec 02, 2021•18 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Featured Education Matters guest: Michael Libecap Springfield Education Association President Teaches in the Springfield City School District's OnCourse virtual learning program Connect with us: Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics Like OEA on Facebook Follow OEA on Twitter Follow OEA on Instagram Get the latest news and statements from OEA here Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues Keep up to date on the legislation affecting ...
Nov 25, 2021•18 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Featured Education Matters guest: Malissa Thomas-St. Clair 7th & 8th grade math teacher, Champion Middle School, Columbus Mothers of Murdered Columbus Children founder Central Ohio Crimestoppers Civilian of the Year "I am a 46 year resident of the city of Columbus, Ohio. My heart is with this city. As a native resident I have a rich history that is rooted in Columbus. I was born at the former St. Ann’s hospital on Bryden road, I attended Catholic schools up until my sophomore year in high sc...
Nov 18, 2021•21 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Featured Education Matters guests: Jada Jackson, mentor Jada Jackson is a Mathematics Instructional Coach at South High School in Columbus City Schools. She is currently in my 25th year of teaching. She is also a Faculty Representative in her building. Jackson has been married for 23 years and has two daughters, a sophomore in college and a high school senior. Queena Smith, mentee Queena Smith is currently an instructional assistant at Windsor STEM Academy in Columbus City Schools. She is going ...
Nov 11, 2021•19 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Featured Education Matters guests: Sophie Crawford, FPPA Organizing Committee Member Sophie Crawford has worked as an RBT (Registered Behavior Technician) for Findlay City Schools since 2017. She was a teacher for 23 years in France for the French national Education, including 4 years as a principal. She moved to the USA in 2006 and started to work with autistic children in 2009. Anne Smith, FPPA Organizing Committee Member Anne Smith is in her 28th year of interpreting for Findlay City Schools....
Nov 04, 2021•22 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Featured Education Matters guest: Kurt Russell, Ohio Teacher of the Year Kurt Russell is a veteran teacher at Oberlin High School in the Oberlin City Schools district who believes education can transform students’ lives. For the past twenty-five years, Russell has included cultural relevance in the curriculum for the 9th-12th grade classes he teaches: African American history, US history, IB history of the Americas, and Race, Gender, and Oppression. Russell received the teacher of the year award...
Oct 28, 2021•18 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Featured Educational Service Center Candidate: Barry Alcock, retired educator, running for the Central Ohio ESC Board 46 years in public education Classroom English teacher in middle school and high school Middle School Gifted Language Arts, Middle School Intervention and Inclusion Language Arts, Department Chair. High School English, Intervention and Inclusion Vocational High School English, Intervention. College/University: Professor, Lecturer, Counselor, Supervisor. "I'm running to maximize t...
Oct 21, 2021•25 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Featured School Board Candidates: Jon Parker-Jones , Middle School Band Teacher in Upper Arlington, Running for Hilliard School Board Jon grew up near Dayton and was the first in his family to graduate college. He is proud to have earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Education at Ohio State University, and have completed additional coursework at Northwestern University, The Juilliard School, and Vandercook College. Jon and his wife, Kathy, have lived in Hilliard since 1995 where they raised...
Oct 14, 2021•16 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Featured Education Matters guest: Scott DiMauro, Ohio Education Association President A high school social studies teacher from Worthington, Scott DiMauro was elected President of the OEA in 2019 after having served as vice president for six years. Over his 30-year career as an educator, Scott has worked to provide students the critical thinking and decision-making skills they need to be successful citizens in our democratic society. He has likewise advocated for students, educators, and strong ...
Oct 07, 2021•22 min•Season 2Ep. 1
ACTION ALERT: Urge your state lawmakers to support the Fair School Funding Plan now! SHOW US YOUR SUMMER OF FUN: OEA Members, submit your photos here. Featured Education Matters guest: Scott DiMauro, Ohio Education Association President A high school social studies teacher from Worthington, Scott DiMauro was elected President of the OEA in 2019 after having served as vice president for six years. Over his 30-year career as an educator, Scott has worked to provide students the critical thinking a...
Jun 17, 2021•22 min•Season 1Ep. 21
SIGN THE PETITION | Tell Ohio's policymakers to fairly and fully fund public schools for Ohio's families now. No matter where they live or what they look like, all of Ohio’s kids deserve a public school that inspires their creativity, unlocks their potential, and nurtures their dreams. But for years, certain politicians have pitted parents against teachers and communities against each other while they drain resources from our public schools to give tax cuts and tax breaks to the wealthy few and ...
Jun 10, 2021•20 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Featured guest: Antoinette Miranda, State Board of Education Member - District 6 Dr. Antoinette Miranda is Professor and Director of the School Psychology Program at The Ohio State University and holds the Casto Professorship in Inter-professional Education. She has spent well over 35 years in education both K-12 and post-secondary. She has worked as a school psychologist in urban, suburban and rural districts in New York City, Ohio and Kentucky. During her tenure at OSU, she has consistently wo...
Jun 03, 2021•21 min•Season 1Ep. 19
OEA MEMBERS | Click here to learn more about how you can get involved in OEA Educator Lobby Days on June 8 & 9, 2021. Featured guest: Jeff Wensing, Ohio Education Association Vice President A high school math teacher from Parma, Ohio, prior to his election as OEA Vice President in Spring 2019, Jeff Wensing served as the President of the Parma Education Association and as the President of the North Eastern Ohio Education Association. One of Jeff’s accomplishments was organizing members and th...
May 27, 2021•21 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Featured guest: Karen Wright, Ohio Education Association 2021 Education Support Professional of the Year Karen Wright has served as the Wellington High School Principal's Secretary in Wellington Exempted Village Schools in Lorain County for 30 years, spending the last 20 years as President of the Wellington Support Staff Association. She grew up in a union family, joining her first union (Local 880, Retail Clerks) at age 18. Karen and her husband, Ralph, a retired school custodian, have one son,...
May 20, 2021•19 min•Season 1Ep. 17
ACTION ALERT: Urge your state Senator to support the Fair School Funding Plan now! Featured Education Matters guest: Stephen Dyer, Director of Government Relations, Communications & Marketing, Ohio Education Association Prior to joining OEA, Stephen Dyer was the Education Policy Fellow at Innovation Ohio, a Columbus-based Progressive think tank, where he fights for the right of all Ohio’s children to receive a world-class education, regardless of where they live. He has authored several repo...
May 13, 2021•21 min•Season 1Ep. 16
To connect with a crisis counselor through the National Crisis Text Line in Ohio , text 4HOPE to 741 741. The Crisis Text Line is a free, confidential service available 24/7 via text on mobile devices Wellness Wednesday: DeStress Disco Bash Wednesday, May 26 @ 6 p.m. Open to all OEA members Click here to register Featured Education Matters guest: Andrew Smith, MSW, LISW-S Andrew is a school social worker in the Sheffield-Sheffield Lake City Schools (Lorain County) and has over twenty years of ex...
May 06, 2021•20 min•Season 1Ep. 15
The Ohio Education Association has partnered with the Children's Hunger Alliance in support of the Breakfast in the Classroom program | Learn more here For more on some of the recent the Breakfast & Beyond District success stories, click here . Featured guests: Brenda Lemon, Logan Education Association President A veteran educator, Ms. Lemon began her career teaching Spanish and English. She was a classroom teacher for 18 years and received her Master's degree in Library and Information Scie...
Apr 29, 2021•21 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Featured guest: Kara Jankowski, Dayton-area English Learner teacher Kara Jankowski teaches 4th and 5th grade English learners in West Carrollton, Ohio, and is a member of West Carrollton Education Association. In her five years as a teacher, she has taught students from over 30 different countries speaking ten different languages. As a member of Ohio's New Educators (ONE) , she enjoys meeting other educators across the state and hearing their stories. In this episode: "Our English Learners are a...
Apr 22, 2021•20 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Enter the Design Ohio's Future contest to redraw Ohio’s district maps OEA's contest is open to all Ohio middle schoolers, high schoolers, and OEA members. Categories: Most politically competitive | Fewest community splits | Most creative DEADLINE UPDATE: Due to intense interest in the contest, the deadline for submissions has been extended until JUNE 1, 2021 For full details and rules, click here . Featured guest: Katy Shanahan Katy Shanahan currently serves as the Ohio State Director for All On...
Apr 15, 2021•21 min•Season 1Ep. 12
READ THE BLOG POST | Check out Julie Holderbaum's Doing Whatever it Takes: A Changed Perspective post on Voices of Change here Featured guest: Julie Holderbaum, High School English Teacher, Minerva, Ohio Julie Holderbaum has taught high school English for 25 years. She currently teaches 9th and 11th grade at Minerva High School in Minerva, Ohio. She is a frequent contributor to OEA’s Voices of Change blog and has also been published by Plunderbund, Education Week, and the Washington Post’s educa...
Apr 08, 2021•21 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Featured guest: State Rep. Gayle Manning (R-North Ridgeville) State Representative Gayle Manning is currently serving her second term in the Ohio House of Representatives, after serving two four-year terms in the Ohio Senate where she was elected to the Leadership Team as Majority Whip. She represents the 55th Ohio House District, which encompasses a portion of Lorain County. Prior to her time in the House and Senate, Manning spent 37 years as an elementary school teacher. Representative Manning...
Apr 01, 2021•21 min•Season 1Ep. 10
"These tests are just a snapshot of one day, of one way, of how they're doing on a certain test... The tests did not do what the tests were supposed to do." Featured guest: Jane Mitchell, retired teacher After a 40 year career, Jane Mitchell retired as an intervention specialist from Dublin City Schools in 2013. She got her Bachelor's degree in Social Studies and English Education from the University of Illinois in 1973, then pursued her first Master's from the University of Iowa in K-12 Develop...
Mar 25, 2021•21 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Featured guest: Jeff Wensing, Ohio Education Association Vice President A high school math teacher from Parma, Ohio, prior to his election as OEA Vice President in Spring 2019, Jeff Wensing served as the President of the Parma Education Association and as the President of the North Eastern Ohio Education Association. One of Jeff’s accomplishments was organizing members and the community to elect a new local Board of Education majority in 2017. This successful undertaking highlights his skill set...
Mar 18, 2021•19 min•Season 1Ep. 8
"I just thought to myself, if I could just bottle this moment up, just to pull out on a rainy day to remember that joy -- [My students] have a way of inviting all of us into something really, really special." Featured guest: Chris Williams, MEDL, Intervention Specialist, Columbus City Schools Check out Chris' blog Follow Chris on Twitter "This is my 6th year as an Intervention Specialist in Columbus City Schools. I am passionate about students and the issues that impact them most. They teach me ...
Mar 11, 2021•21 min•Season 1Ep. 7
"The first DeRolph decision came down in 1997, so we've been all those decades without a funding formula. That's why I ran for the statehouse. A retired teacher, I saw the impacts of what was happening when things were getting cut and the damage it was doing to our students." "The idea was to develop a plan that was fair for all of Ohio's children, fair for all of Ohio's districts, and fair for the state of Ohio." Featured guest: Former State Rep. John Patterson (D-Jefferson) Dr. John Patterson ...
Mar 04, 2021•22 min•Season 1Ep. 6
New episodes are published every Thursday morning. Catch up on the full season so far: https://feeds.transistor.fm/education-matters Then, subscribe to Education Matters for more insightful conversations with the people who are shaping the education landscape in Ohio. Education Matters is available on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify and many other platforms. About us: The Ohio Education Association represents more than 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who wo...
Mar 01, 2021•58 sec
Featured guest: Rob Niedermeyer, innovation teacher, Reynoldsburg City Schools This is Mr. Niedermeyer’s eleventh year teaching. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Ecology from The Ohio State University and a Master of Science in Education from Ashland University. Niedermeyer developed the STEM Middle at Baldwin Road Junior High Sustainable Outdoor Innovation Learning (SOIL) Lab. The SOIL Lab was the district’s first middle level, science-based elective course that focuses on sustainabilit...
Feb 25, 2021•18 min•Season 1Ep. 5
"The understanding is it's the state's responsibility to set up a school system with proper funding that will meet the needs of all the kids across the state. We've got 610 school districts, which is a lot even for a state our size, which is 11 million people, and that creates two concerns about the funding formula - one is adequacy and one is equity." Featured guest: Howard Fleeter, economist & Ohio Education Policy Institute consultant Dr. Howard B. Fleeter received his BA from Northwester...
Feb 18, 2021•21 min•Season 1Ep. 4
