Resources, January 2024

Gun Violence: How You Can Make a Difference

Working together, educators can have a profound impact on creating safer schools and communities. NEA is committed to ending gun violence through legislative action, crisis preparation, and support for the health and well-being of every student and educator.

Visit nea.org/gunviolence to find the following resources and learn how you and your colleagues can take action:

• Advocate for change. Educators have a distinct voice in the national conversation about how to end gun violence. Send letters to Congress through NEA’s online Action Center, and learn about ways to make your voice heard.
• Find violence-reduction language to include in your district’s policies and your next contract.
• Take NEA’s pledge to help end gun violence in our schools.
• Download the NEA Crisis Guide—a step-by-step outline of what to do before, during, and after a school or community crisis. Help students process what they see in the news or cope with thee tragic realities of gun violence.
• Create a positive environment and support students’ mental health. These are critical steps in reducing gun violence. Find information about social and emotional learning and how to help prevent bullying.

Learn more at nea.org/gunviolence

Ideas for Earth Day - And Beyond

Visit NEA’s new online climate hub, nea.org/climatejustice, to find lessons on climate change for any grade level that can be integrated into any subject. Check out these highlights:

• New resources to help you stay up-to-date on the latest climate science.
• Lessons that help students think critically, find solutions to climate change, and take an active role in protecting the Earth.
• Information about how NEA members around the country have incorporated climate education into curricula and how they are empowering the next generation to take action.
• Six new NEA micro-credentials about how climate change impacts school communities and how to advance environmental justice for all students and educators.

Find it all at nea.org/climatejustice

Three Steps to Financial Wellness

Falling short of your retirement savings goals or having trouble paying the bills? You are not alone. Many people are financially out of balance. Financial wellness means finding a balance between living for today and preparing and planning for tomorrow.

1. Protect what you have with insurance.
   “Life, disability, and long-term care are vital components of a comprehensive financial strategy,” says financial planner Nick Ventura, president and CEO at Ewing, N.J.-based Ventura Wealth Management. “Having these elements in place will offset the risks of catastrophic events.”
2. Plan for life after you’re gone.
   Most people don’t want to con-­tem­plate their own mortality, but putting off estate planning is ill-advised. In addition to arranging for an authenticated will and a trust, you should designate beneficiaries for your retirement accounts.
3. Get an early start on saving for retirement.
   Putting off long-term retirement saving could cost you. To get started, designate contributions as a percentage of your income, not as a flat dollar figure. Also  consider increasing your contributions each year to match any salary increases.

NEA Member Benefits can help. Get started with benefits for insurance, retirement, and more at neamb.com/overview.

NEA Foundation Resources

Need a Grant?

Apply for the NEA Foundation’s $2,000 and $5,000 grants for individuals and teams of education professionals to support instructional practice or professional development across all subject areas and grade levels. Applications are reviewed three times a year (winter, spring, and fall).

Want to Bring the World to Your Classroom?

These resources and opportunities can help connect you, your classroom, and your students with ideas and people around the world.

Download classroom resources from the NEA Foundation’s Global Learning Resource page to help your students become 21st century global citizens.

Join a learning community of educators committed to global education advocacy.

Find more resources and programs offered by the NEA Foundation— a public charity founded by educators for educators—at neafoundation.org. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for updates.

Find Tools for Your Practice

• Looking for professional learning opportunities and resources to bolster your lessons?
• Legal guidance on educator rights?
• Or just good advice from fellow educators?

Check out NEA’s online resource library, where you can search by keyword, issue, resource type, and more to find the
latest and best professional resources from NEA.

Visit nea.org/resource-library.