Seacoast Education Association

16! That's how many new members have joined during MEA's dues-free early enrollment! If you know of a colleague that hasn't yet come aboard - please send them the link - there's still time until July 31st!

Join - Maine Education Association SUPPORT. ADVOCACY. EQUITY. JOIN MEA The Maine Education Association is a diverse group of professional educators, standing together to ensure that our voice, values, and priorities are heard and respected and that every Maine student has the opportunity for an outstanding education. MEA advocates fo...

We had fun at the Trekkers 5k. We had terrific weather and a nice turn out. Thank you to everyone who participated as part of the SEA Team.

ESP ratification (4:45 pm) & SEA annual (5:30 pm) meetings - tomorrow, June 3rd, Oceanside HS auditorium. Hope to see you there!

Send a message to learn more

Welcome aboard Barbara Hendricks, OMS! Barbara is our newest member of the SEA.

Congratulations to Roland Staples for being SEA's May member of the month! Roland won a $25 gift certificate to Athen's Pizza. Thank you Roland for being a member and a fantastic bus driver!

Save the date! On June 3rd, we will hold both an ESP contract ratification meeting and our annual meeting. These will be in the OHS auditorium. The ESP ratification starts at 4:45 pm. The SEA annual meeting will begin at 5:30 pm. Both members and non members are invited to attend. Only members will be permitted to ask questions and to vote. A lucky member will win a crisp, new $100 bill at the end of our annual meeting! This could be YOU!

Welcome aboard new members! If you see Christina Dines and Romnie Gross around, welcome them as our newest members! We are so happy you are a part of our team.

Send a message to learn more

Let's welcome our newest association member, Melissa! We are so happy you have joined.

Welcome aboard new members, Lisa Hildings and Clarissa Feltis, both at OMS! You have joined a union that not only cares, but one that supports its members.

96th MEA RA is fast approaching - May 18-19!

We weren't kidding! We DID hold a SEA bowling event on Monday, April 1st!

Congratulations to our April Member of the Month, Roxanne Snow! Roxanne won a $25 Visa gift card. Thank you for being a member and for joining us at the bowling alley! It was a lot of fun.

Health benefits of bowling - another reason to join the SEA April 1st! According to Capital Bowl...

Health Benefits of Bowling
Health Benefits of Bowling Bowling has one of the longest and richest histories of all sports, dating back approximately 4,000 years ago to Greece and Rome. If you love to play the game, you’re not alone. According to The Bowling Foundation, more than 25 percent of Americans bowl each year, making it the nation’s largest participation sport. Today, bowling is a $4 billion industry with nearly 3,000 bowling centers in the United States. Besides being a fun and competitive game, bowling also offers you numerous health benefits.

Muscle toning and strengthening: Bowling helps promote muscle exercise of the lower body, as you are doing a lot of walking with the extra weight of a bowling ball in your hands. Further, when you are swinging your arm to throw the bowling ball, the stretching and flexing that occurs provides enough exercise for the tendons, ligaments, muscles and joints in your arms.
Weight loss: Bowling helps you slim down by speeding up your metabolism. Although the game is restricted to a small area, your constant movement while playing helps burn excess fat. You’re exercising your legs while walking back and forth, and working the rest of your body as you lift and swing the bowling ball down the lane. The average bowler walks approximately 3/5ths of a mile during a three-game series. Depending on your weight and amount of effort you put into the game, bowling can burn anywhere from 170 to 300 calories per game. An adult who weighs 200 pounds can burn up to 275 calories per hour while bowling.
Improve social life: Approximately 2 million bowlers socialize and bowl together each week in leagues throughout America, according to The Bowling Foundation. Bowling leagues and teams allow you to meet fellow players and spend time with old friends. Finding companionship through bowling leagues and teams can ease loneliness in the elderly and others who live alone, reducing stress and depression. Social relationships around shared interests can increase longevity.
Reduce risk of disease: A sedentary lifestyle is one of the leading risk factors for heart disease, according to WebMD. Exercise, including bowling, lowers your risk of stroke, heart attacks, diabetes, increases bone density, improves circulation, lowers cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and helps your body utilize oxygen better. Try to bowl once or more each week for optimum benefits.
Can be enjoyed at any age: Bowling is one of the few sports that allows you to compete at any age and become a pro. The game is enjoyed by everyone from preschoolers to senior citizens and is currently the fastest growing high school varsity sport. There’s a low risk of injury, which makes it a popular game for older individuals. Many bowling alleys can accommodate those in wheelchairs and bowlers who are blind.
Stress relief: By engaging in physical activity, bowling allows us to relieve daily stress. Socializing with people during the game also acts as a mental stress reliever.
Easy to learn: It encourages easy adjustment methods, which is why it is liked by most children and adults. In the opinion of 95% bowlers, it can be played for recreation, relaxation, competitively and socially. The simplicity of this game is making it a favorite sport of people all over the world.
Healthy heart: Relationships and friendships built during this sport helps in better performance of heart muscles. Also, the adrenaline that is felt during a match also increases heart rate. Bowling thus promotes a healthy heart.
Fun for the whole family: A large contributing factor to the simplicity of this game is the immense adaptability that it offers. The rules of the game are very easy to understand and learn, and the automatic scoring systems take care of all the scoring for you. Participants enjoy this sport not because they like the competition that comes with it but because of the fun they have and the ease with which they are able to pass the time with their family and friends.
Hand-eye coordination: Throwing the bowling ball and hitting the pins requires a great amount of hand-eye coordination. This kind of focus stimulates mental alertness, concentration and tactical strategy. This makes bowling the perfect game for young people to sharpen motor skills and hand-eye coordination, and for older people to refine tactics.

Health Benefits of Bowling | Capitol Bowl | 916-371-4200 Health Benefits of Bowling has one of the longest and richest histories of all sports, dating back approximately 4,000 years ago to Greece and Rome

BOWLING! We have our special SEA event, April 1 from 4 to 6 PM, at the bowling alley. This event is for members as well as new members signing up! Looking forward to seeing everyone there! We will have food and prizes. Spread the word! Who's going?

Congratulations to Frances Angelopoulos-Howard, OMS, for being March's Member of the Month! Frances won a $25 gift certificate to Hannaford. Thank you Frances for being a member! Seacoast Education Association appreciates you.

SEA Members! Spread the word! We will have a fun afternoon of bowling on April 1. Know someone who's not a member yet? Get them to sign up on April 1 and join us for bowling.

Congratulations to Josh Mahar, our February member of the month! Josh won a $25 gift certificate to Shaw's. Josh is also one of our amazing building reps. Thank you Josh for being a member and one of our reps!

Do You Qualify for Free Tax Preparation for Teachers? Find out if you’re eligible for free tax preparation assistance for teachers based on your total income, age and more, to help you keep more of...

Congratulations Oceanside Mariners Girls Class B Southern Regional Class B Champions ! 44 to 33 over Spruce Mountain. On to the State Championship!

Have you been following changes with state statutes and dangerous behaviors? Check out LD6555.

Title 20-A, §6555: Dangerous behavior prevention and intervention Title 20-A, §6555 Dangerous behavior prevention and intervention

Congratulations to Kevin Moholland for being our January Member of the Month! Kevin, who is also our amazing ESP Vice President, won a $25 gift certificate to Rock Harbor. Thank you Kevin for all you do and especially for being a member of the SEA!

https://kdkstore.com/seastore/shop/home

SEAstore

Welcome table at TGS!

Here are our new BYLAWS. You can also find this on our website.

SEACOAST EDUCATION ASSOCIATION BYLAWS
Maine Education Association/National Education Association

ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership Categories

There shall be two (2) categories of membership in the Association: Active Professional and Active Educational Support Professional.

Section 2. Membership Categories
Active Professional membership - shall be open to a person who is engaged in professional educational work or who is on limited leave of absence from professional educational work or who is serving as an officer of the state Association or as an officer of the local Association from the Regional School Unit #13. An active member shall hold or shall be eligible to hold a baccalaureate or higher degree or the regular teaching, vocational, or technical certificate required by his or her employment or shall be an exchange teacher who is regularly employed as a teacher in another country. Active members shall hold appropriate memberships in the local Association, Maine Education Association, and the National Education Association.
Active Educational Support Professional membership - shall be open to any educational support employee of Regional School Unit #13 who is not eligible for Active Professional membership, including a person who is on a limited leave of absence from such employment or who is serving as an officer of the state Association or as an officer of the local Association. Active Educational Support Professional members shall hold appropriate memberships in the local Association, Maine Education Association, and the National Education Association.
Section 3. Aid and Services
All Active Professional members and Active Educational Support Professional members shall be entitled to receive assistance in organization and negotiations from the local Association, to obtain assistance in the protection of professional and civil rights, and to receive special services, reports, and publications of the Association.

ARTICLE II. OFFICERS
Section 1. Powers and Duties of the President.
The President shall:
Preside over all Association meetings and prepare agendas.
Represent the Association on all matters of Association policy.
Serve as the ex-officio member of all Association committees.

Appoint members to Association committees.
Appoint Chief Negotiators.
Appoint a Public Relations Director & LD1370 representative.
Recruit and appoint MEA Ambassador(s).
Recruit and appoint delegates for the annual MEA RA.
Section 2. Powers and Duties of the Vice Presidents
There shall be two Vice Presidents, one elected from the Active Professional bargaining unit and one elected from the Active Educational Support Professional bargaining unit.

Vice Presidents shall:

Co-preside over Association meetings in the absence of the President.

Learn the role of President with the expectation of assuming that role if elected.

Serve as the representative for each respective bargaining unit for grievances.

Perform such other duties as delegated by the President.

Section 3. Powers and Duties of the Secretary
The Secretary shall:
Prepare the agenda for Association meetings.
Keep accurate minutes of all official meetings of the Association.
Maintain official files of the Association.
Oversee the SEA annual scholarship.
Oversee the recognition of retiring members.
Perform such other duties as delegated by the President.
Section 4. Powers and Duties of the Treasurer
The Treasurer shall:
Hold the funds of the Association and disburse them upon authorization of the Executive Committee.

Maintain records of receipts and disbursements.

Maintain membership rolls.

Prepare financial reports for meetings of the Executive Committee and the annual financial statement to be distributed to the general membership.

Perform such other duties as delegated by the President.

Section 5. Succession and Vacancies

If a vacancy occurs in the office of the President, the Vice President from the President’s Active Professional bargaining unit shall immediately assume the duties of President until the vacancy is filled by the election process prescribed in the Constitution. The election shall be held within thirty (30) calendar days.

If vacancies occur in the offices of President and Vice President, the remaining Vice President will assume the duties of the President until the vacancies are filled as described above.

If vacancies occur in the offices of the Treasurer and/or Secretary, the President will appoint interim officers for the remainder of the term.

Individuals elected for vacancies outside of the regular annual meeting election of officers, shall assume the duties of the positions immediately following elections and shall continue in office until the end of the term for which they have been elected.

ARTICLE III. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1. Powers and Duties

The Executive Committee shall:

Be responsible for managing the affairs of the Association.

Approve budgeted expenditures.

Carry out the adopted policies of the Association.

Have the power to make decisions consistent with the provisions of the Association’s Constitution and Bylaws and action of the general membership.

Have the power to censure, suspend or expel a member.

Have the power to reinstate a member.

Enact rules and procedures to govern the conduct of its meetings.

Perform such other duties as delegated by the President.

ARTICLE IV. BUILDING REPRESENTATIVES

The Building Representatives shall:

Be the communication liaison between NEA/MEA/SEA and building members.

Act as advocates for building members.

Attend Executive Committee meetings and represent concerns of building members.

Hold building meetings as necessary.

Work closely with the Vice Presidents regarding potential grievances.

Perform such other duties as delegated by the President.

ARTICLE V. PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR, LD1370 APPOINTED EMPLOYEE, & MEA AMBASSADOR(S)
The Public Relations Director shall:
Positively promote the NEA/MEA/SEA on social media and through other media sources.
Organize activities and events to help retain members and attract new members.
Perform such other duties as delegated by the President.
The LD1370 Appointed Public School Employee shall:
Review reported incidents of dangerous behavior as the law allows.
Attend meetings associated with an LD1370 reporting.
Perform such other duties as delegated by the President.
The MEA Ambassador(s) shall:
Work with the local unit to help build & maintain membership.
ARTICLE VI. COMMITTEES
Section 1. Election Committee
The committee shall also be responsible for the balloting procedures, counting of the ballots, and announcement of the results. The committee shall consist of two (2) members and shall serve for a term of two (2) years. Meetings shall be held as needed.

Section 2. Negotiation Committees
Negotiation Committees shall negotiate employee contracts between the Association and the Regional School Unit #13 Board of Directors.
There shall be two (2) Negotiation Committees, one representing each of the two (2) bargaining units within the Association. A Chief Negotiator, for each unit, will be appointed by the President. Negotiation Committees will be representative of the members in each bargaining unit. Members shall serve for a negotiating term. Meetings shall be held as needed. Upon a tentative agreement, all bargaining unit members shall be notified of a special meeting for ratification of the agreement. A majority of members present and voting will be needed for ratification.

Section 3. Grievance Committee

The Grievance Committee shall represent the membership and its rights to fair and equitable administration of the negotiated collective bargaining agreements and to represent member(s) in the processing of any grievances arising from alleged violations of those Agreements. The Grievance Committee shall consist of the President, two Vice Presidents and the involved building representative. Meetings shall be held as needed.

Section 4. Membership & Engagement Committee

The Membership & Engagement Committee shall be responsible for ensuring recruitment and retention of all eligible bargaining unit members. The committee shall consist of a Membership Chair appointed by the President, the Public Relations Director, and all building representatives. The local Union Ambassador(s), if applicable, will also be on this committee. Meetings shall be held as needed.

ARTICLE VII. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern the Association in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Constitution and Bylaws, or any special rules of order that the Association may adopt.

ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENTS

Bylaws may be amended providing that copies of the proposed amendments have been distributed to all members at least ten (10) days prior to a scheduled meeting where discussion and voting will take place. Amendments to the Bylaws shall require a majority vote of those voting at the general membership meeting.

Ratified by SEA Membership April 14, 2009
Amended by SEA membership September 15, 2023

Greetings SEA Members,

I hope that your school year is off to a good start.

The amendments to our SEA Constitution and Bylaws have passed. One of these amendments makes our elected positions two-year terms. This will begin with our elections scheduled for September 25 - 29, 2023.

All current incumbents, except for the Bus Barn building rep, are seeking reelection. I encourage any member who is interested in running for a SEA Executive Board position to get their name on the ballot! Elected positions include President, VP Teachers, VP ESP, Treasurer, Secretary, and Building Representatives. Other positions on the Board including Public Relations Director, LD1370 Appointed School Employee, and Chief Negotiators, are appointed by the President. MEA Ambassador positions are hired by the MEA.

If you are interested in a position, please send Wendy Jacques an email by this Friday to get your name on the ballot. [email protected]

On another note, be sure to stop by and visit the SEA table that will be set up by each of the building reps tomorrow! Celebrate your membership, get a snack, and encourage others to join us! And, if possible, wear blue tomorrow to showcase your SEA pride!

Charting the Course Together,
Lynn, SEA President

OMS:

Welcome boards abound the schools! Thank you building reps for hosting these tables and thank you to our new members who signed up during this time.

Mindfulness in the Classroom: Strengthen Students' Focus in 3 Minutes a Day (Opinion) Mindfulness exercises are easy to teach and to learn, writes a veteran educator.

Please vote on our new Constitution and ByLaws! https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fGsIA_UG2EMBFCRv-7-Constitution: Mx2O8711v8zbWPiZI0WmZoyc/edit
ByLaws: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Y0IYvBQBpQNBZouuyNMstLV9tL1NwlvECwG6MiulAno/edit

SEA BYLAWS - suggested revisions BYLAWS SEACOAST EDUCATION ASSOCIATION Maine Education Association/National Education Association ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP Section 1. Membership Categories There shall be two (2) categories of membership in the Association: Active Professional and Active Educational Support Professional. Sect...