Support for NESPA!

The greatest strength we have as a Union lies in our support and advocacy for one another… Our voices are loudest when they ring out together! Right now, our voices are needed to help support The Naperville Educational Support Professionals Association (NESPA) as they fight to reach a fair agreement with the Board.

Below is a message from the NESPA team asking for all of the District 203 community to come and show their support at the Monday, November 15th Board of Education Meeting. If you aren’t able to make it to the meeting, consider writing a letter to be included in the written public comments to the Board. If you are able to make it, they are also looking for people to speak during the public comments to show a united front of support.

Dear NESPA friends and colleagues,

NESPA is planning a rally for prior to the Board of Education meeting November 15 to demonstrate our unity and to make the public aware of our fight. 

We have two gathering locations, one at Washington Junior High, where the Board meeting takes place, on the east lawn (closest to  Washington) and one in downtown Naperville at the northwest corner of Washington and Jackson, near Beidelman’s Furniture. 

We will gather the downtown group starting at 5:45. We will start walking at 6:00, moving north on Washington to the junior high building to arrive by 6:15.. 

Rally-ers at Washington will gather starting at 6 and will make noise and ensure their signs and presence are seen!

We will wear red! Bring noisemakers (especially if you have the clappers given to us as morale boosters by the District) and signs. We want to be seen! Make sure to bundle up so you are warm and comfortable. 

You can park at the Van Buren lot, near the school or in downtown, whatever is most convenient for you. 

We will enter the building together before the meeting which begins at 7.  

Those who want to attend the meeting are welcome to stay. We encourage people from all positions to speak so that the Board and the public can hear from the breadth of our membership. You have an important role in your  building and for your students!

Our primary negotiation issue is pay and recognition of years of experience. While we can’t get into specifics at this time, keep in mind that the national average for superintendent pay is $166,800 and 203’s superintendent is paid $273,206,164% higher than average; national average for special education assistants is $27,396 and District 203’s is $18,557, 32% lower. Also bear in mind that District 203 has a $240 million dollar surplus—tax dollars that they collected from this community (maybe even you) that they have not spent on education—all of us. 

Thank you for your continued support

NESPA Negotiations Team