MATSOL Advocacy Capacity-building 2011-12 Question Title * 1. I am willing to participate and lend a hand in MATSOL's advocacy priorities, that are right now URGENT, and dependent on our collective "power in numbers" approach. We can have an impact ONLY with the collective commitment of our excellent and responsive MATSOL members and advocacy partners. Make a difference right now. Name: * Address: * Address 2: City/Town: * State: * -- select state -- AL AlabamaAK AlaskaAS American SamoaAZ ArizonaAR ArkansasCA CaliforniaCO ColoradoCT ConnecticutDE DelawareDC District of ColumbiaFM Federated States of MicronesiaFL FloridaGA GeorgiaGU GuamHI HawaiiID IdahoIL IllinoisIN IndianaIA IowaKS KansasKY KentuckyLA LouisianaME MaineMH Marshall IslandsMD MarylandMA MassachusettsMI MichiganMN MinnesotaMS MississippiMO MissouriMT MontanaNE NebraskaNV NevadaNH New HampshireNJ New JerseyNM New MexicoNY New YorkNC North CarolinaND North DakotaMP Northern Mariana IslandsOH OhioOK OklahomaOR OregonPW PalauPA PennsylvaniaPR Puerto RicoRI Rhode IslandSC South CarolinaSD South DakotaTN TennesseeTX TexasUT UtahVT VermontVI Virgin IslandsVA VirginiaWA WashingtonWV West VirginiaWI WisconsinWY Wyoming ZIP: * Email Address: * Non-school Phone Number: * Question Title * 2. I can commit to attending the following meeting of the Board of Education. Most meetings are in Malden starting at 8:30AM. Changes will be announced. (NOTE: We are attempting to get a representative group at every meeting. We understand with some school and work schedules this is not possible for many, to attend every meeting. We are hoping that your commitment to one, combined with the commitment of 20-30 other member-advocates to just one meeting, will result in a representative group at all meetings.) MATSOL advocates will be advised of a pre-meeting location prior to each Board meeting so that we may enter together. Tuesday November 29, 2011 Tuesday, December 20, 2011 Tuesday, January 24, 2012 Tuesday, February 28, 2012 Tuesday, March 20, 2012 Tuesday, April 24, 2012 Tuesday, May 22, 2012 Tuesday, June 26, 2012 I need help getting out of my district to do this, but would like to participate. I am not able to attend a single meeting this year. I will write a public commment instead, however, and provide it to the MATSOL Advocacy Co-chairs to deliver at the meeting. Question Title * 3. In addition to attending I am willing to do the following--mark ALL ANSWERS that apply: Wear a yellow shirt or scarf showing unison and dedication to English language learners Speak/read testimony briefly during the public comment period of the meeting (MATSOL will provide some talking points to anyone who needs them prior to a meeting) Help the committee draft written notes and positions to be used by advocates representing ELLs at these meetings Bring a parent or group of parents or community members to the Board of Ed meeting Work with a parent to provide L1 public comment -serve as translator. Host a MATSOL advocacy meeting at your school or building Write a letter to educate legislators about issues of primary importance to ELL programs ON FAIRLY SHORT NOTICE Call Education Committee and your legislators ON FAIRLY SHORT NOTICE with some talking points about ELL program needs Host a regional meeting to update members of advocacy steps and actions needed. Secure the involvement (write letter, contact legislator, come to a meeting) of 3-5 additional people concerned about the ELL education and needs to help in some way. Other (please specify) Question Title * 4. Telling the Stories that MUST BE TOLD: We are gathering stories from MATSOL members that exemplify the need for some change in regard to improving the educational opportunities and quality of education for English language learners - we want a broad sharing of real stories so that people can better understand the needs that exist behind the current advocacy work we do and priorities we have set. Could you write up a brief true experience or vignette, or re-tell a conversation or something that happened in your district, school or classroom, that can help explain the realities of these concerns for bilingual students to a legislator, policymaker, layperson or fellow educator, in ways that larger research reports and assumptions do not directly capture? Yes I can do this by November 15, 2011, and happy to have this story told in MATSOL Currents, testimony, and advocacy work. Yes, I can tell the story by November 15, 2011 but I will do this under circumstance of MATSOL maintaining confidentiality on some information such as keeping my name anonymous. (The MATSOL committee will be in touch about any concerns that would compromise a teacher in their district power structure) No I can not provide a story or real-life example that shows some example of the need for change on behalf of English language learners. Question Title * 5. In what region are you located if we were to hold a regional advocacy meeting or focus group? Greater Boston Central MA Northeast Southeast Lower Pioneer Valley Berkshires Question Title * 6. Would you be able to host a regional advocacy meeting ? Yes I can help with that. No I can not. I'll check and see. Comment: (please specify) Question Title * 7. Are you willing to educate your legislators? We need 1000 MATSOL friends and advocates to do a couple of simple things related to educating legislators about our work and ELL students and programs. I am happy to write 2-3 brief letters to my legislators I am happy to make 2-3 phone calls to legislators I can not help Other (please specify) Done