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READY, SET, RETIRE

1/12/2022

A virtual session hosted by the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) on Jan. 19, 2022 at 4:30 p.m. will provide especially pertinent information for those TRS members who are within five (5) years of retirement.

This virtual session will cover the specific requirements and steps in the retirement application process. Depending on the number of questions received, the workshop should run between 60 and 90 minutes long.

If you are interested, please register at this link:
https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspxid=mEypBw_zu0q9ftY_hyDcAkwnEuTk2DtKv5RgqHC0dedUMFVDSUhPSkpRSENBWDNIVjhYMk1QR0ZUNy4u&emci=2ca87efe-836d-ec11-94f6 c896650d923c&emdi=b80bdaf8-8d6d-ec11-94f6-c896650d923c&ceid=10883275

Watch 'Together, we are stronger!'

MFPE isn't just the biggest and best union in Montana.
We're also the most professionally diverse union in the United States.

MFPE members are educators, public employees, nurses, law enforcement officers, and so much more. Our power is in our unity and solidarity, regardless of location or profession.

Our newest video - "Together" - drives the point home.

Help us spread the word!

Register for the MFPE Montana Teachers' Conference today, October 6, 2021

REGISTER HERE

Conference Registration Fees

NO ONSITE REGISTRATION - See conference registration fees for dates and fees.

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MFPE Teacher Conference will convene in Great Falls, Oct. 21-22

10/6/2021

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GREAT FALLS, OCTOBER 21-22, 2021

Helping our members succeed in their careers is a top priority for MFPE. That’s why, each year, we sponsor the Educator Conference -- the best professional development of its kind anywhere.
MFPE is teaming up with 18 Montana curriculum groups to bring you the best in teacher-led professional learning hybrid conference in 2021. More than 350 workshops, keynotes, & institutes are being offered in 2021's hybrid conference. No matter what, there is something for everyone. And you can earn renewal units!

CONFERENCE LOCATION:
C.M. Russell High School

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE:
Thursday, October 21, 2021 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Friday, October 22, 2021 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

WHERE TO STAY: Great Falls Area Lodging

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT:

https://www.mfpe.org/2021-educator-conference/

Find time to sample the amenities Great Falls has to offer

Fellow teachers and members of the Great Falls Education Association are excited for you to visit us!
Great Falls offers a variety of places to shop, museums to visit, restaurants to sample diverse cuisine, and entertainment venues.
Come to participate in the conference and enjoy your time with us!

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Welcome teachers! Please stop by to say hello, shop our Teachers' Closet

8/26/2021

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Hello teachers and welcome!
We are opening our teacher closet one more time this upcoming week to allow more of you to come pick up materials you might need or want for your classrooms.
We will be open for you to come to the GFEA office, 511 13th Ave S., on Monday, August 30, from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m.
If you have already shopped, but you could use or need a few more classroom items, please stop by!
If you have never shopped with us before, we will be happy to see and visit with you. We wish you a successful school year!

Tom Cubbage, GFEA President
Office: 406.727.4233

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WELCOME to Great Falls Public School's, first day of 2021

8/25/2021

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WELCOME, students and teachers! Canine Companions, service dogs, Hampton and Lavender are excited and ready for students to arrive to North Middle School. All around neighbors and teachers enthusiastically greeted students back to school with balloons and posters. Have a wonderful school year! Photos by Tom Cubbage and Kim Monroe

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Have you received an email from Blue Shield Blue Cross? The following response provides answers to your questions

8/1/2021

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Please note the following information in regard to an email that has been sent to GFEA membership:

RE: Blue Cross Blue Shield Claims Administrator <Notice@BCBSsettlement.com>

The email is not a scam and is legitimate.
If you fill out a claim form, you could receive money as part of the settlement.
If you do nothing, you do not get any of the settlement but cannot later sue them.
You can fill out a form to not be part of the settlement and chose to sue individually in court. (The lawyer will get paid, but you may not get anything and will have lawyer fees).
If you choose to file a claim, you do not need your dates of coverage, group number, or subscriber number, as they will look those up for you as long as you have your name, address and employer information correct.

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Sunchild will serve as school board trustee for next three years

5/7/2021

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Marlee Sunchild has won, with a ballot count of 3,711 votes, the one open trustee position with the Great Falls Public Schools district by a wide margin in the 2021 school election.
Sunchild, who retired from teaching in 2020, ran in a pool of eight candidates vying for the position being vacated by Trustee Teresa Schreiner, who did not seek reelection after serving her term.
Sunchild will serve as a trustee for a three year term.

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A big 'Thank You' to Great Falls teachers...

5/5/2021

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From Bob Griffith, GFEA president
Through this trying time in the education of our students, our kids, we want our teachers to know how much we not only appreciate all they do, but that we recognize the extent of how they go above and beyond.
Even though we know that to do our best teaching, we must stay connected, this time of zoom meetings and social distancing has created challenges for maintaining these connections. And yet, we must stay focused and find ways to connect to our inner lives, our colleagues, our students as well as the skills and knowledge we teach.
When we live and work in isolation, we miss out on what we need most: empathy, shared wisdom and communal expertise. And so, to all of you who teach, we know how you are working every day to make a difference in kids' lives. The "connections" you strive to make for the benefit of kids do not go unnoticed. Stay safe. You are appreciated.

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GFEA endorses Marlee Sunchild for position as Great Falls School Board Trustee

4/13/2021

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   School Board Trustee Position
  The only item on the ballot this year is one three-year term trustee position on the school board.

GFEA has interviewed the eight candidates. Of these, GFEA has chosen to endorse Marlee Sunchild for the open school board position.
For more information on Sunchild's campaign, please see her Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/Marlee-Sunchild-for-School-Board-102744488574563/

  The deadline for candidates to have filed for election was March 25, 2021.
The mail ballot election will be run by the Cascade County Elections Department. Ballots will be sent on April 19, 2021, and in order to be counted, must be received by May 4, 2021.

Ballots can be mailed back or dropped off at the Cascade County Elections Office until May 4.

Ballots may be dropped at the Elections Office at the Courthouse Annex. The address: 325 2nd Avenue North, on Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. before Election Day.

  Voters may also vote in person at Expo Park on May 4.
On Election Day, ballots can be dropped at the Exhibition Hall at the Montana Expo Park. The address: 400 3rd St. NW and/or at the Courthouse Annex from 7 a.m.-8 p.m.

2021 Great Falls Public Schools Election Information

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Ready, set, plan to present a session and attend the 2021 MFPE Educators' Conference

3/23/2021

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Even during a pandemic and legislative session, MFPE staff, governance and members continue to planning to provide the BEST professional development available to educators.

Yes, the conference is seven months away, and that feels like an eternity; however, the deadline for applications to present sessions for the conference is April 30, 2021.

Please encourage amazing MFPE members and community partners to submit applications to present soon!

Go here to read all about the 2021 MFPE Educators' Conference.

We have recently updated the website to include a local hotel list:
https://www.mfpe.org/2021-educator-conference/#

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Federal Retail Pharmacy Program now offers vaccines for teachers, school staff, childcare workers

3/5/2021

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Montana Educators Now Qualify for COVID-19 Vaccine Following Tester Push

(U.S. Senate) – As part of his continued efforts to ensure that Montana schools can fully reopen as quickly and safely as possible, U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced that, following his efforts, school teachers and staff in pre-K-12 schools and childcare programs are now able to sign up to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at pharmacies participating in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program.

They can find the nearest pharmacy at vaccinefinder.org to make an appointment.

These vaccines are not a part of Montana’s state allocations, instead coming from the Biden Administration’s Federal Retail Pharmacy Program which partners with pharmacies across the country to distribute vaccines as quickly and effectively as possible.

On Monday, Montana will move into Phase 1B+ of its vaccination plan, but educators and other essential workers are still under Phase 1C.

“In my conversations with parents, students, and teachers across Montana, it’s clear we all share the same goal of getting our schools fully reopened as quickly and safely as possible,” said Tester. “That is why I fought to extend this initiative to ensure Montana’s teachers, school staff, and childcare workers can get vaccinated. I’ll continue to prioritize the safety of our students and educators as we fully reopen our schools.”

The Federal Retail Pharmacy Program for COVID-19 Vaccination is a collaboration between the federal government, states and territories and 21 national pharmacy partners and independent pharmacy networks to increase access to coronavirus vaccinations across the country. On March 2, following pressure from Tester and education advocates across the country, the Biden Administration announced a directive that all states prioritize school staff and childcare workers for vaccines, challenging states to get everyone in this group vaccinated by the end of March.

Tester has been working diligently to ensure that Montanans are able to receive a COVID-19 vaccine as quickly as possible. This week, he secured $20 billion for vaccine distribution in the COVID relief package making its way through Congress, and over the past few weeks, he has successfully pushed the Biden Administration to allocate significant increases in vaccine distributions to Montana.

Tester also fought tirelessly to secure $11 billion as a part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to support the development of a COVID-19 vaccine, including $156 million for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease to accelerate research and development of treatment and vaccines, and to secure additional funding of $4.5 billion for vaccine distribution and administration in the December COVID relief package.

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2021 Legislative Issues

GFEA-GFPS CBA

2021-2022 GFEA Calendar

MFPE

Youth Art Month

The Youth Art Month
2022 Art Show
at the Montana State Capitol is fast approaching!

• If you would like to participate please beginning preparing artworks for the show!
• Each teacher can send two to three 2-D pieces, pending scale & response
• Works must be mounted/matted and hang-able (hot glue and string works great)
• We use Command strips on marble to hang, so works can’t be too heavy
• NO FRAMES unless YOU provide the easel
• 3-D works are encouraged, number is not as limited but please think of media when shipping

To register artworks, please fill out a separate form for each student located at the following link: https://forms.gle/x5HvLozL9rTfkK9UA //forms.gle/qSyhFfCGRqj96JQE8
(The registration link is also available on the Youth Art Month Website)

Important Dates:
Feb. 3 - Mail art:
Victor Daniel,
MAEA Youth Art Month Chair
C/O Helena High School
1300 Billings Ave
Helena, MT 59601
Feb. 23 - Show Install
Youth Art Month Show : Through March
April 6 - Takedown

Please email
vdaniel@helenaschools.org

Belgrade art teachers welcome students, teachers
to the Montana
Art Invitational

Hello,
Art Teachers of Montana!
This April 29-March 1, come join us here in beautiful Belgrade, Montana, for our annual Montana Art Invitational (MAI).
What is MAI exactly? Well, my friends, it's an amazing opportunity for your students to experience art outside of the classroom.
It includes classes showcasing local artists who are excited to share their techniques, a look at what it is like to go to art school here at MSU, and fun games to get to know our awesome Montana art community.
Students will be housed over the weekend here at Belgrade High School, meals provided, with a small fee of $35 to cover costs of materials.
Our Covid-19 policy reflects our district's decision to strongly recommend masks.
Please consider this opportunity. As a fellow art teacher, we all know the power of creative communities. Let us help facilitate the future of Montana.
-Belgrade Art Department

MEMBERSHIP EVENTS

WHEN:
Thurs., Dec. 9, 2021
from 6- 6:30 p.m. MT
The registration link:
https://secure.ngpvan.com/KJvCz8522UGo6BnGEzIFMQ2
WHO:
Presenter: Sarah Piper
WHAT:
Contract rights and workplace protection are critical reasons to be an MFPE member – but your union membership comes with lots of other benefits too. Learn more about free college for your family, life insurance, trauma counseling, home/auto insurance, discounts, and more. Find out how your membership can help you have more freedom in ALL areas of your life.

Watch 'Together, we are stronger!'

Register for the MFPE Montana Teachers' Conference today, October 6, 2021

Find time to sample the amenities Great Falls has to offer

Youth Art Month

Belgrade art teachers welcome students, teachersto the Montana ​Art Invitational

MEMBERSHIP EVENTS

Archives

Belgrade art teachers welcome students, teachers
to the Montana
Art Invitational