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Summer Academy

Summer Academy 2022, Building Power for Public Education: Fund our Future

June 12-17, 2022

Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort
100 N Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach, FL 32118

Covid-19 Information: We will follow CDC guidelines and participation will be limited to 150 people, with single occupancy hotel rooms. All participants must wear a mask, socially distance and either be vaccinated or receive a negative Covid-19 result test three days prior to attending.

The Florida Education Association’s Summer Academy brings together in one place, at one time, trainings for FEA members and leaders.

This year’s Summer Academy runs from June 12-17, 2022 and will be held at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort (100 N Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach, FL 32118).

The conference activities are planned to meet the needs of all levels of experience. New, emerging and seasoned leaders and members will find sessions of interest during the week-long event.

Please note: Registration is handled by your local. Members interested in attending the FEA Summer Academy should contact their local union.

Questions and Answers about Summer Academy

This year’s Summer Academy will be held July 12-17, 2022.

This year’s Summer Academy will be held at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort (100 N Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach, FL 32118).

Attendees will have the opportunity to learn new skills, enhance skills and become more familiar with their union’s programs. Members will gain a better under-standing of the entire union movement and how they can be part of advocating and organizing for our public schools

Registration includes

  • All training materials
  • Meals during your scheduled session only:
    • Breakfast (Tues. & Wed) (Thurs. & Fri)
    • Lunch (Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday with box lunch given out on Friday)
    • Dinner (Mon & Tues) (Wed-Thurs)

Please note: Registration does not include hotel reservations.

This year’s Summer Academy will be held July 12-16, 2021, both in-person and online via Zoom.

The in-person portions will be held at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa. The Sawgrass Mariott is located in Ponte Vedra Beach, midway between St. Augustine and Jacksonville. (1000 PGA Tour Blvd., Ponte Vedra Bch., FL 32082)

For the online sessions, once a participant registers for a class the Zoom link will be sent directly to them.

Attendees will have the opportunity to learn new skills, enhance skills and become more familiar with their union’s programs. Members will gain a better under-standing of the entire union movement and how they can be part of advocating and organizing for our public schools

Newly elected for the first time? FEA’s intensive leadership training will help you develop the skills that are essential for organizational success and meeting the difficult challenges facing our profession today. (If you have previously attended NOIT, this is not for you.)

Anyone who is personally preparing to be the next generation of leaders in their local and wants to optimize their talents and effectively execute the goals and strategies of their union in a complex and ever-changing political environment. (Attendance must be approved by the local’s president.)

Registration includes

  • All training materials
  • Meals during your scheduled session only:
    • Breakfast (Tues. & Wed) (Thurs. & Fri)
    • Lunch (Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday with box lunch given out on Friday)
    • Dinner (Mon & Tues) (Wed-Thurs)

Please note: Registration does not include hotel reservations.

Top 10 Reasons to Attend the FEA Summer Academy

10. Organizing with Member Benefits.
Did you know that every member of FEA including staff has a “Members Only” profile at FEAweb.org? Join us to learn how to engage members virtually using member benefits as well as how to access your members only profile and start saving today!

9. Enhance your leadership skills.
Gain the knowledge essential to building stronger locals, better serving your members and developing stronger professional relationships.

8. Networking, networking, networking.
FEA Summer Academy is a great opportunity to meet your peers and learn from each other, as well as find a mentor or two.

7. Share and learn organizing techniques that work.
Come participate in group discussions on how to make your local thrive in today’s changing world.

6. Build strong union advocacy.
Have a voice in issues affecting your profession.

5. Connect.
Connect with national faculty, state staff and attendees, and with your peers all year round – attend and make those connections and be only an email, text or phone call away.

4. Tips, ideas and more!
The conference provides a great way to collect new ideas and strategies for your many initiatives.

3. Politics begin at home.
The 2024 election cycle will be here before you know it. This election cycle can change the face of Florida and the United States. Don’t sit on the sidelines and miss a great opportunity to elect pro-public education candidates.

2. Communicate like a pro.
Develop a truly engaging and responsive communication style, leading to positive results for you and your local.

1. Yes, your local can run like a well-oiled machine!
Build a stronger local, better serve your members and become a strong public education advocate in your community.

Course Descriptions

  • All Monday thru Wednesday’s events will start with lunch on Monday so that participants may travel to the training Monday morning and will end with lunch on Wednesday, so that participants may travel home on Wednesday.
  • All Wednesday thru Friday events will start with lunch on Wednesday so that participants may travel to the training on Wednesday morning and end with lunch on Friday, so that participants may travel home on Friday.

Online Courses

Train-the-Trainer: GKE Math Review

(Mon. 2pm – 6:30pm/ Tues. 2pm – 6:30pm/ Wed. 3pm – 6pm)

The General Knowledge Examination Math Review – Train-the-Trainer will prepare participants to become certified trainers and provide quality professional development in their home locals. Additionally, it will provide locals with another means to engage and recruit New Educators. The GKE Math course content covers various math skills necessary for preparing to take the FTCE GKE – Math.  We encourage locals to send teachers certified and experienced in teaching Math to this course. Candidates should be comfortable with facilitating adult learning but are not required to have experience in adult ed. Candidates will be expected to work with their local leadership to offer the GKE Math Review course in their home local.

Train the Trainer: GKE English Language Arts Review

(Mon. 2pm – 6pm/ Tues. 2pm – 6pm/ Wed. 2pm – 6pm)

The General Knowledge Examination English Language Arts Review – Train-the-Trainer course will prepare participants to become certified trainers and provide quality professional development in their home locals. Additionally, it will provide locals with another means to engage and recruit New Educators. The GKE English Language Arts course covers content in Grammar, Reading and Essay Writing. We encourage locals to send teachers certified and experienced in teaching Reading and Writing instruction to this course. Candidates should be comfortable with facilitating adult learning but are not required to have experience in adult ed. Candidates will be expected to work with their local leadership to offer the GKE ELA Review course in their home local.

Computer Skills: Excel Basics

(Tues. 9am – 5pm)

Must have a computer to participate.  Microsoft Excel is the most commonly used spreadsheet application. Learning how to use Excel is an investment in both your personal and professional life. Excel makes it easy to monitor financial performance, such as business profit or loss, calculate payments on large purchases, plan a budget or stay organized with checklists. Learn the basics with hands-on computer learning in a supportive environment with your colleagues.

Organizing with Member Benefits 

(Tues. at 7pm & Thurs. at 7pm)

Educators spend their own money on materials, classroom decorations and supplies. To help you save money, FEA and our national affiliates—AFT and NEA—have partnered with merchants you know and trust to provide discounts year-round.

These programs are a part of our commitment to helping our members live the American Dream —by providing members solutions that improve their lives, allowing them to focus on supporting their students.

Join us to learn how to engage members virtually using member benefits as well as how to access your members only profile and start saving today! We will even tell you how to earn cash back while you shop great deals!

In-Person Courses

New Officer Intensive Training (NOIT)

Session A:
(Mon. 1pm – 5pm/ Tues. 9am – 5pm/ Wed. 9am – 12pm) 

Session B:
(Wed. 1pm – 5pm/ Thurs. 9am – 5pm/ Fri. 9am – 12pm) 

So, you were elected as a new officer of your local— now what? Begin this year-long journey with 2.5 days of intensive training to build your personal leadership skills – from identifying your top strengths to building productive teams. You will learn how to increase your level of influence with your members, district, and community, as well as, increase your skills in having tough conversations, running effective meetings, and dealing with challenging situations. We will also highlight tools available from FEA and our national affiliates

Train the Trainer: Florida Reading Endorsement Competency 3

(Mon. 1pm – 5pm/ Tue. Wed. Thurs. 9am – 5pm/ Fri. 9am – 12pm)

Locals are invited to send 2-4 Reading Endorsed trainers to learn how to teach this new FEA Reading Endorsement Course, focused on Competency 3. This competency is focused on the Foundations of Assessment. Teachers will understand how to select and administer appropriate assessments and analyze data to inform Reading instruction to meet the needs of all students. Teachers will engage in the systematic problem-solving processes.

Train the Trainer: Running Your Local Like a Well-Oiled Machine (Organizational and Leadership Structure)

(Mon. 1pm – 5pm/ Tues. 9am – 5pm/ Wed. 9am – 12pm)

In this session, FEA Leaders and Staff will learn what is an effective organization and leadership structure.  The session will focus on the tactics necessary to assess and evaluate your local’s program, creating a representative structure that works for your local, and empowering other local leaders to help drive our union’s agenda. Participants must be impowered to implement plans and training in their local.

Organizing Communication

(Mon. 1pm – 5pm/ Tues. 9am – 5pm)

This session will equip FEA Leaders and Staff with the communication tools and skills necessary to reach our goals and successfully communicate our message to varied and larger audiences.  The session will focus on Foundations of Organizing Communications, Message, and Media Training.

Courageous Conversations: Race and Equity

(Mon. 1pm – 5pm/ Tues. 9am – 5pm/ Wed. 9am – 12pm)

Courageous Conversations About Race & Equity in Schools challenges us to think critically about the effects of race on student achievement. In these unique times, educators must ask themselves if they want to stand by and observe or act! This session begins the process for having meaningful, open dialogue about equity in schools for all students. You will take a deep dive into the Six Conditions of Courageous Conversations and explores the use of Courageous Conversations as a strategy for achieving equity in schools.

Managing Behavior for ESPs

(Mon. 1pm – 5pm/ Tues. 9am – 5pm/ Wed. 9am – 12pm)

Participants in this interactive session will develop a common understanding of what behavior is and why students exhibit certain behaviors; we’ll also examine ways we can influence student behavior. We will discuss schoolwide behavior intervention systems, as well as individual tools and techniques that can be employed to encourage positive behavior and extinguish negative behaviors.

Train the Trainer: Organizing to Win (Campaign Structure and Planning)

(Wed. 1pm – 5pm/ Thurs. 9am – 5pm/ Fri. 9am – 12pm)

Participants will learn goals, strategies and tactics to implement a local campaign and mobilize members to win on essential educator issues.  Including outreach prior to the start of school, planning for legislative session and elections, partnering with other stakeholders, organizing conversations, identifying issues and interests, and ways to follow up and engage. Participants must be empowered to implement plans and training in their local.

Professional Development Program Structure

(Wed. 1pm – 5pm/ Thurs. 9am – 5pm/ Fri. 9am – 12pm)

This course explores examples of member-driven professional development programs and the role of a local to provide professional development. Additionally, participants will develop a plan for implementing an agenda-driving program that provides our educators with the PD they need to meet the needs of our students. Utilize tools that can aid in assessing your member’s interests and needs for personal and professional growth. Identify leaders who can help develop and maintain a needs-based professional development program. Finally, design a program that aids in the recruitment and retention of union members and strengthens your local’s role in their success.

Ignite the FYRE (Emerging Leaders)

(Wed. 1pm – 5pm/ Thurs. 9am – 5pm/ Fri. 9am – 12pm)

The purpose of this training is to help active members build their skills to become future leaders in FEA locals. The training will focus on enhancing personal and professional skills to actively engage others at our worksites and local organizations. Participants will explore FEA structures and resources available to support emerging leaders, along with the history of collective action in Florida. Participants will learn about themselves through the True Colors Personality Spectrum including communication styles; will practice effective collective action for membership development, organizing and mobilization; and will discover how they “fit” as agents of change within the union.

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