AFSCME
Bev Payne has been a secretary in Crestline City Schools for 38 and a half years. She’s a leader in OAPSE Local 419 and a member of OAPSE’s state executive board. Bev gives back to her community and has twice been elected to Crestline Village Council. She is a shining example of just how important OAPSE members are to their jobs and their communities. Bev Educates Ohio!
Take a look at the short video and see how important Bev is in her school and in Crestline.
The OAPSE Making a Difference Program went to Dayton to feed 2,600 elementary students. What a success! Leaders and members of Locals 627 and 643 joined OAPSE statewide leaders and representatives of Dayton Public Schools to give the bags to students at Roosevelt Elementary on Thursday, October 13. See below for details and photos.
OAPSE MEMBERS IN DAYTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO DONATE FOOD TO 2,600 PRESCHOOL AND ELEMENTARY STUDENTS; UNION MEMBERS RAISE THOUSANDS EACH YEAR THROUGH THE OAPSE MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOUNDATION TO FEED HUNGRY CHILDREN
DAYTON – Leaders from the Ohio Association of Public School Employees (OAPSE/AFSCME Local 4) provided meals and snacks to 2,600 elementary students at six schools in Dayton Public Schools (DPS) as part of the union’s OAPSE Making a Difference (OMAD) program. The charitable foundation has helped feed more than 22,000 hungry students throughout Ohio and has raised more than $175,000 since its start in 2014.
Statewide union leaders and officers and members from OAPSE locals 156, 158, 191, 627, 643, 766 and 766B, which represent workers at Dayton Public Schools, made the delivery at 9:30 a.m. October 13, at Roosevelt Elementary School, 1923 W. Third St. Dayton. The local union represents mechanics, secretaries, mental health assistants, bus drivers, paraprofessionals, interpreters, and psychologists in Dayton’s elementary, middle and high schools.
An 11-year employee of DPS, Kenny Jones is a paraprofessional for the district and is president of Local 643.
“OAPSE started our foundation because we see children every day – in Dayton and in schools across Ohio – who just don’t have enough to eat. Our members know that kids can’t be at their best when they are hungry. So, we started our foundation to raise money and provide food for some of the neediest children in our state. As parents and grandparents, OAPSE members know every family can use a little help, and we wanted to make a meaningful contribution,” Jones said.
Volunteers from the OAPSE local unions at DPS stuffed the bags for students who attend Eastmont, Ruskin, Westwood, Valerie, Kiser, and Roosevelt elementaries. And OAPSE has worked closely with Champion Foodservice on all its OMAD projects. Champion Foodservice gives OMAD a great price on the food and allows OAPSE locals to feed students every year.
“The district is grateful that OAPSE chose to donate food to six DPS elementary schools,” said Dr. Elizabeth Lolli, Superintendent of the Dayton Public School District. “This work truly makes a difference for DPS families and helps ensure students have the resources they need to be successful in school. ”
Past projects of the 501(c)(3) organization include establishing a permanent food bank at Fairland Local Schools in southern Ohio; providing take-home meals and tote bags to 2,000 students at select elementary schools in Columbus City Schools; 1,500 students in East Cleveland City Schools; 1,800 students in Lima City Schools; 2,000 students in Zanesville City Schools; 1,500 elementary students in Canton City Schools; 1,000 students in Manchester City Schools in Adams County; and 1,700 students at Fremont City Schools. OAPSE is the union for workers in all eight school districts.
“We are proud to serve children and families as members of OAPSE. And it means a lot to us to give back to our communities,” said Sandy Wheeler, state secretary of the union for 34,000 members in Ohio and president of the non-profit OMAD.
Also at Roosevelt Elementary to distribute totes are OAPSE Executive Director Joe Rugola; State President Lois Carson; State Vice President Mike Lang; Roosevelt Elementary Principal Therman Sampson; and Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Lolli.
OAPSE/AFSCME Local 4 is the most powerful voice for the hard-working women and men who serve Ohio’s school children, community and technical college students, those in early childhood education programs, children and adults with special needs and those who take advantage of our public libraries and other community services.
Ohio’s election laws mean we don’t have to wait for Election Day to vote. In fact, you can vote from October 12 through November 8. And, you can request an absentee ballot from your county board of elections.
When you do cast your ballot, please consider voting for the candidates who have been vetted and endorsed by OAPSE. You can find them by clicking on the MyOAPSE tab and logging into the members-only website. Endorsements can be found under the Issues and Politics tab. OAPSE leaders have chosen Democratic and Republican candidates based on their support for the issues that matter to our members. The recommendations were made after screenings and questionnaires completed by the candidates.
So, please take a look at the OAPSE-endorsed candidates for the important offices on the ballot this year when you make your voting decisions.
You can vote on Election Day, November 8, at your polling place from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Or, you can vote at your county board of elections from Wednesday, October 12, through 2 p.m. on Monday, November 7. Full early voting hours are below.
October 12-14: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
October 17-21: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
October 24-28: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
October 29: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
October 31: 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
November 1-4: 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
November 5: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
November 6: 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
November 7: 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
AFSCME is committed to helping you get the student debt relief you deserve.
Thanks to the Biden administration, millions of public service workers, including AFSCME members, are eligible for student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program or (PSLF). And even more public service workers are eligible under a temporary waiver that expires Oct. 31, 2022.
If you are a public service worker and have outstanding federal student loans, join us and our partners at the Student Borrower Protection Center (SBPC) for an informational webinar that will walk you through how to qualify for student debt forgiveness under the PSLF program and answer your questions about the temporary waiver. There are several opportunities to participate.
Thursday, Sept. 22, at 12 p.m. ET
Tuesday, Sept. 27, at 6 p.m. ET
Monday, Oct. 3, at 6 p.m. PT
Tuesday, Oct. 4, at 6 p.m. ET
Thursday, Oct. 6, at 12 p.m. ET
Wednesday, Oct. 12, at 6 p.m. PT
Monday, Oct 17, at 12 p.m. ET
Tuesday, Oct. 25, at 6 p.m. ET
Click here to register.
The webinar will provide you with the information you need to take advantage of a temporary waiver program that makes it easier for millions of public service workers to qualify to have their debt wiped clean under PSLF. The waiver expands the types of loans that can become eligible for forgiveness and allows borrowers to earn PSLF credit for past loan payments, even if they were previously denied.
But the waiver period is set to expire on Oct. 31, 2022, so be sure to take advantage of this opportunity now.
In addition to overhauling PSLF, President Joe Biden took another bold step, cancelling up to $20,000 in federal student loan debt for millions of working people.
The president also announced a final extension to the pause on federal student loan repayments, with payments expected to resume on Jan. 1, 2023. More information on broader student debt cancellation is available here.
The OAPSE/AFSCME Memorial Scholarship Committee has announced the 2022 winners. Twelve children of OAPSE members have been awarded $2,500 scholarships for the fall.
Click here to see all the winners.
The OAPSE/AFSCME Memorial Scholarship Program is available to children whose parent or legal guardian is a member in good standing of the Ohio Association of Public School Employees (OAPSE/AFSCME Local 4/AFL-CIO). Under the program, scholarships of $2,500.00 each are awarded to at least one winner from each of the ten (10) OAPSE Districts selected from the applicants who meet the eligibility requirements.
Any graduating high school senior who is a daughter or son of an active OAPSE/AFSCME member or whose legal guardian is an active OAPSE/AFSCME member and who intends to enroll in a full-time degree program in any two (2) or four (4) year accredited university, college, business or technical school is eligible to apply for a scholarship. The scholarships may be used for any field of study.
To be eligible, all information or supportive documentation requested in the application must be received by the committee by March 1 each year.