Welcome to FEA Online!
New on FEAONLINE
Respond to Furlough Notices Using FEA's Letter
From the May 21, 2013 FEA President's Report
FURLOUGH NOTIFICATIONS. DoDEA has begun to serve nine-month employees with furlough notices. By law, bargaining unit members have 20 calendar days to respond to the notices. FEA has posted a form for DODDS employees to complete and return to their administrator upon receipt of the furlough notification. That response form can be found at this page. We advise ALL DODDS bargaining unit members to complete this response form and return it to their administrator within the 20-calendar-day window. DDESS bargaining unit members who receive furlough notices are advised to contact their Local Association President on how to proceed.
Furloughs: What Can You Do?
Upset about Pentagon plans to close DoDEA schools and furlough employees?Follow this link to write to Congress using our updated online letter. (If you've written using the previous online letter, please write again using this new letter.)
ATTENTION: Do not view this information while on government work time, while on government property or while using government equipment.
FEA Will Continue to Fight Threat of Furlough Days Next School Year
The Pentagon and DoDEA announced Tuesday (May 14) that DoDEA employees may be furloughed for up to five days between the start of the 2013-2014 school year and the end of September. While this is a significant reduction from the 22 furlough days originally proposed and is less than the 11 furlough days most other DOD civilian employees are facing, FEA still strongly objects to this decision. To cause students to lose even a single day of education due to this manufactured sequestration crisis (let alone five days) is unnecessarily harmful to the educational environment. Furthermore, it constitutes a breach of faith with the military families whose children Congress and the Pentagon have promised to educate. Education of our military's dependents is mission essential!FEA will continue to press its case to the Pentagon, Congress, the White House and elsewhere that military children should not have their education compromised because of politically orchestrated crises such as sequestration. Yes, five days is much better than 22, but it is still five days too many!
Read the Secretary of Defense Memo on Furloughs, posted May 14, 2013.
Get Excess Placement Information
Learn more about the Excess Placement process being used this year and the VSIP/VERA program at FEA's information page.Most recent information posted May 13, 2013
Sub Days for BAS Testing ARE Available
posted April 29, 2013As mentioned earlier, DoDEA has already put FEA on notice that it wishes to have students tested with the BAS the last 5 weeks of school. They have asked us for proposals and we are taking your suggestions directly to DoDEA Headquarters. We have had reports that principals around the world are pressuring teachers not to request or use substitute teachers. Not only does this violate management's agreement, it does a disservice to children. This is a time consuming test (taking 45 min/student), and to continue to rob instructional time from the entire class is not doing what is best for the children. Do not be intimidated by such actions. Request your substitute teachers, provide instruction for all children and report intimidation tactics to your FRS. DoDEA Director Marilee Fitzgerald has reported that substitute days are now available and were released to the schools on Thursday, April 25.
 |  |
Read the Journal here
FEA Elects New Board Officers
The following individuals were elected by their fellow FEA members to serve on the FEA Board of Directors for three-year terms in the positions indicated. Congratulations to the winners and thank you to all the candidates for office.FEA President - Charles (Chuck) McCarter
Vice President - Michael Priser
Secretary/Treasurer - Anita Lang
NEA Director for FEA - Brian Chance
Human & Civil Rights Coordinator - Noemi (Mimi) Cuadrado
In addition, the proposed amendment to the FEA Constitution passed.
FEA members can view a tally of the results for each office by clicking here. (login is required)
FEA/NEA Annual Meeting Information
Learn more about the FEA Annual Membership Meeting and NEA Representative Assembly being held this summer in Atlanta, GA.Information on DoDDS Pay Lane Case
As a result of FEA legal action, an arbitrator recently ruled that DoDDS has for years been granting inadequate credit to many employees in the MA+15 and MA+30 lanes of the DoDDS salary schedule. This means many current and former DoDDS employees (including retirees and those now working in DDESS) may qualify for backpay and interest. Learn more about the case, including whether you qualify and how to file your claim with FEA, by viewing our legal update.Teaching Channel: Videos that Inspire Teaching
The Teaching Channel website offers a growing library of short videos to inspire K-12 teaching. These video lessons - in English language arts, math, science, and history/social sciences - include lesson objectives, questions to consider, homework ideas, and more.Free registration provides access to:
- Highlights of skilled teachers teaching a lesson, such as Kick Me: Making Vocabulary Interactive
- Tips and tricks for new teachers, such as Attention Getting Signals: One Spot and Planning Full Days & Practicing Fast Facts
- Featured "Amazing Classrooms," such as Building Community in a Multi-Language Classroom
See the Welcome to Teaching Channel video.
Updates for our Members
Read the FEA President's Report and sign up to have updates from FEA's Washington office sent directly to your e-mail (member login required).