HEA Newsletter
October 2026
Hello, Members and Potential Members,
As October comes to a close, I want to take a moment to reflect on the important work happening throughout HEA and express my appreciation for our Building Reps and the many members who continue to show up for one another, our students, and our profession.
Advocacy remains at the heart of our work. Throughout the month, HEA has continued supporting members with workplace concerns, contractual rights, staff and student safety, special education workloads, and other challenges affecting our educators. We remain committed to listening to members, addressing concerns with district leadership, and working collaboratively toward meaningful solutions. Some matters require ongoing conversations and follow-up, while others take more time to resolve. Regardless of the challenge, our commitment to advocating for our members, upholding our contract, and ensuring educators are treated with dignity and respect remains our top priority.
Preparing for Bargaining: Our Collective Strength Starts with You! Our HEA Bargaining Team has been hard at work preparing for our upcoming contract negotiations! Team members attended the OEA Advocacy Conference during the first weekend of October and participated in additional training with OEA staff member Robert Young on October 17. These opportunities have helped strengthen our team's knowledge, skills, and strategies as we prepare to begin negotiations on January 21, 2027.
Please understand a strong contract isn't won at the bargaining table alone. It takes an informed, engaged, and united membership! Please make it a priority to attend your upcoming 10-minute meeting, where your Building Reps will share information about our Contract Action Team (CAT) and how you can get involved. CAT Organizers will play an important role in strengthening communication, engaging members, and ensuring educators' voices are represented throughout the bargaining process.
Lastly, I want to emphasize something that is fundamental to who we are as a union: WE are HEA! Our union is not just the President, the Executive Board, or our Building Representatives. Our union is ALL of us. Every member brings valuable experiences, perspectives, and a voice that contributes to our collective strength.
Our greatest power comes from our solidarity, our shared commitment to one another, and our willingness to participate in literally shaping our future. Whether you attend a building meeting, share your concerns, support a colleague, or become a CAT Organizer, your involvement makes a difference.
We are stronger because of one another. We are more powerful through our collective voice. Together, WE are HEA!
In Solidarity,
Mary Kay Babcock,
HEA President | she/her/ella
Join us Thursdays from 4:00–5:00 p.m. for virtual HEA Office Hours!
Connect with your HEA Executive Board leaders, learn more about your contractual rights, receive important updates, ask questions, and connect with fellow members.
First and third Thursdays: Dedicated breakout rooms will be available for Special Education (SpEd) and Dual Language educators.
To join us, visit www.heaoea.org and click on the HEA Office Hours graphic to access our weekly meeting.
HEA Office Hours launch Thursday, September 3, 2026. We hope to see you there!
