On May 22, 2024, the SDEA Board gave the following awards to recognize specific actions that built collective power this year:
SDEA President’s Award: Roosevelt Middle SDEA and Student Leaders
When faced with hundreds of layoffs of our newest educators, union educators and students at Roosevelt Middle led a solidarity march with parents, students, and community organizations. This was a powerful part of the collective efforts to rescind layoffs and keep our colleagues at our schools. See more photos from this action here.
SDEA Board Award: SDEA Organizing Committee
Another big part of the layoff fight was the coordination of the SDEA Organizing Committee, which mobilized across the district to defend our colleagues, our school communities, and the students who we build connections with.
The Organizing Committee arranged these collective actions:
- Signs on the doors of classrooms throughout the district, protesting layoffs and promoting the SDEA “Plan for Strong Schools”
- A school board rally that included union educators, students, families, and community allies.
- Thousands of flyers for parents asking them to contact board members and demand that layoffs be rescinded.
- Site-based accountability sessions with laid-off educators and school board members.
The power of this organizing moved the Superintendent and School Board to rescind the layoff notices for the newest educators in our district.
Executive Director’s Award: SDEA Recognition Committee
- Gretchen Casey Nakanishi, EB Scripps Elementary
- Kristin Brown, Silver Gate Elementary
The Recognition Committee is responsible for planning and organizing the Day of the Educator Celebration and for the organization of the SDEA Scholarship program. This includes coordinating scholarship applications, selection of winners, and presentation of the awards. Gretchen Casey and Kristin Brown’s dedication and hard work made this possible!