Coronavirus: Resources, Support and Updates

Your union is working to protect you and keep you informed.

Missouri NEA’s top priority is the health and safety of our members, staff and students we serve. The issues surrounding COVID-19 have changed and challenged our lives both personally and professionally, leaving the next several months posing ongoing uncertainty and fear with our members and those they hold dear. As the pandemic affects you, we are here to support you, and provide ongoing communication and resources as we all work through this crisis. If you have specific questions or need general information, send your questions to coronavirus@mnea.org.

Missouri NEA is coordinating bipartisan action at the state level to protect members, their families and students:

Ensuring students, teachers and school personnel can count on their schools to receive full funding during extended closures
Minimizing disruption for all staff by continuing pay and benefits
Calling for employees of Missouri’s colleges and universities to continue to receive pay and benefits
Waiving testing requirements in Missouri (Due in part to our efforts, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced this decision last night.)
Adjusting student-teacher requirements to allow them to complete their programs
Working to pass legislation to allow maximum flexibility for local districts and colleges to address this crisis

NEA is protecting our members, students and families at the national level:

Fighting successfully for passage of The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, securing free COVID-19 testing, paid emergency sick leave, and food security initiatives both in and outside of schools
Communicating with Congress and the U.S. Department of Education to secure greater flexibility for local districts to support students and educators
Providing emergency food assistance to children and families
Pushing for federal recovery funds to support local educators, families and students

The Latest

MNEA: Federal and Missouri State Guidance on COVD-19 Update (4/2)	Resources and forms for IEPs and special needs students (4/1)
Joint Union Letter to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (3/29)	DESE: Calendar and Attendance Reporting (3/27)	NEA: Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (3/26)	MNEA: Federal and Missouri State Guidance on COVD-19 Update (3/25)

Message from MNEA Pres. Phil Murray

Online Training

Distance Learning and the Coronavirus
Presenter: Vincenzo Iuppa, MNEA Attorney

Many educators are being asked to continue their instruction using online services. Providing instruction in this way creates a variety of potential legal issues that this presentation is designed to address. The presentation will address FERPA and confidentiality issues, questions about using personal devices, and ways to protect yourself while also educating students. We will also touch on some of the new types of protected leave provided under the various coronavirus bills.

When: 04/02/2020 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM

Conference Number: 1-888-512-3146
Participant Code: 52873196

Join the meeting >

How to Make that Difficult Parent Phone Call
Presenter: Chris Eager

Don’t fear the parent phone call! Learn the 4 goals which all parents have for their children and how to use those goals to reduce resistance during phone calls and conferences. Learn specific language and techniques to help establish positive partnerships with parents.

Watch Now >

Read the Article in the fall 2019 issue of Something Better >

More on-demand trainings >

Rights of Education Support Professionals

Rights of Certificated Educators

Data Breaches, District Technology and Legal Updates as of March 24, 2020

Mandatory Reporting of Suspected Abuse or Neglect

Faith and Public Schools

Limits on First Amendment Rights of Educators

Take Control of Evaluations

Book Clubs in Action

Technology, Social Media, and Your Job

Members in Action

Share your stories with MNEA
Even though we are not at school supporting Missouri students, members continue to help every day during this crisis. MNEA wants to share your stories as we struggle through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are hearing about members who are continuing to care for their students by

• volunteering at school district Grab & Go meal distribution centers and food drives
• providing child care for essential medical staff
• shopping for the elderly so they don’t have to leave the safety of their homes

Your stories help show that educators don’t stop caring. Please send your stories with pictures to MNEA at coronavirus@mnea.org, so we can share them. You can post to social media, making sure you tag @MissouriNEA and use the hashtags #MNEAheroes and #MNEAprotects.

NPR: School from home has extra challenges for kids with special needs (4/1)
features Special District NEA Pres. Monica Jefferson

FB: Independence School District parade

Special Education Resources

USDOE: Q & A for providing services to special needs students during COVD-19 School Closures (4/1)

DESE: IEP Implementation Plan Form (4/1)

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education advises school districts to document services to special education students so that they can demonstrate a good faith effort to provide services during the school shut down. To that end, DESE developed a form to ease the documentation and Missouri NEA made it fillable for teachers to document services to students with an IEP or 504 plan. Please send feedback on the form to Ann.Jarrett@mnea.org.

Edutopia: Apps for students with special needs help bridge the divide during school closures

Stay-At-Home Resources for Virtual Classrooms
coming soon

Practice Prevention and Links to the Experts


Schools and Coronavirus: What You Should Know	Centers for Disease Control and Prevention	Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services

Nation Association of School Nurses	World Health Organization	United States Department of Labor - OSHA

MNEA Cancellations

MNEA offices will be open to STAFF ONLY after 5 p.m. March 20

School Board Elections have been postponed to June 2

Deadline to apply for absentee ballot is now May 20 by mail or June 1 in person.

ESP & Aspiring Educators Conference - Sat., April 4

MNEA Capitol Action Days - March 18-May 6

MNEA-Retired Annual Meeting and Luncheon - April 24

Spring RA at Margarita Lake Resort in Osage Beach - April 25-26

Beginning Teacher Assistance Program - April 24

More Information

From DESE	From PSRS-PEERS
COVID-19 Information for Missouri Public Schools (Student Attendance, Assessments, Virtual Education, Food and Nutrition Services) COVID-19 School Closure USDA Waivers for serving meals Coronavirus informational page with listing of all school closures	Confidence in Your Benefit During Challenging Times Coronavirus and the Investment Environment

HOPE Fund

Contribution Form | Request for Assistance

Through its Humanitarian Outreach Project for Education Fund, Missouri NEA assists students and schools.

The HOPE fund aids students who have been affected by a natural disaster, hardship or other special circumstance with school-related expenses such as the purchase of school supplies or clothing.

The HOPE fund also provides financial assistance for educational-related supplies to schools that have been damaged or destroyed by fire or natural disaster.

Requests for assistance should be directed to MNEA President by completing the application form.

The HOPE Fund accepts charitable contributions. You may designate your contribution for a special cause or in honor/memory of a loved one. Missouri NEA will send a notice of the contribution to the recipient(s) indicated on the contribution form. You can either choose to contribute online with a credit card or download a mail-in form (pdf). Contributions are tax deductible.

MNEA/KNEA
Read to Achieve Contest

If your school is within the KCTV5 viewing area (greater Kansas City), teachers at your school are eligible for a chance to win $1,000. The Read to Achieve contest is co-sponsored by Missouri NEA and Kansas NEA.

Contest Entry >>