Professor LeAnne Syring and I will be co-advisors for the Education Minnesota Student Program (EMSP) at SMSU beginning this fall. I have been the advisor of this esteemed group of future educators for quite a few years. Last spring when I asked LeAnne if she would be willing to co-advise with me she graciously accepted and then said, “You are starting to phase out, aren’t you?”

Yes, LeAnne. Yes, I am. With retirement just around the corner, it is time to have someone join me on this adventure. Thanks a big bunch of roses for being willing to take this journey with me! 🙂

We attended the first ever EMSP Advisor’s meeting in Brooklyn Park, MN, and below are a few of the highlights of that meeting…

• EMSP is headed for a name change. At the Student Leadership Conference held July 2017 in Boston, MA, the EMSP members expressed their wishes…they do not want to be called students. They are asking that the S in EMSP be changed to aspiring educators. We will find out in April 2018 what the final decision will be.

• The Student Leadership Conference will be held June 30^th – July 5^th, 2018 in Minneapolis, MN. This is great news for all of us! Less travel!!

• Education Minnesota offers many professional development opportunities for the university aspiring educators. There are seven modules which can be presented at chapter meetings or during education courses. These modules are 1. Member Promotion, 2. Collective Bargaining, 3. Organizing, 4. Member Rights, 5, Why Politics?, 6. Education Issues, and 7, Professionalism. In addition to the modules, a few other professional development options offered are Degrees Not Debt, Teacher Licensing, Energize Yourself, Use of Social Media, and Student Bullying. All education professors may use these PD services.

• The Minnesota Board of Teaching (BOT) is now called the Professional Educators Licensing Standards Board (PELSB). Our governor will be appointing new members to this board. You may go to the Secretary of State’s webpage to see the names of all those who have applied thus far.

• New teacher licensures that are projected to begin July 2018 are Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, Tier 4, Short-call substitute license, Long-call substituted license, and Life-time substitute license. According to the gal presenting, Minnesota has been considered a powerhouse in teacher licensure. Sadly, she stated this is beginning to change because of this new rule making on licensing. We were told we will be kept posted on this.

• Education Minnesota will be leading the state’s educators in a movement to live equitably and practice equity literacy. It’s time for all of us to work together to take down the fence that hinders.

A fun surprise was at lunch when we were blessed to see a few of our kids…our SMSU EMSP officers. Thanks ladies and to ALL officers, for all the hard work you do for our EMSP Chapter.

EMSP…collaboration and solidarity of aspiring educators. Here’s to a great year! 🙂

Stay Calm & Aspire On!
Profs Dr. Wendy & Dr. V.