It’s a new school year for Jocelyn Morrison, and it’s also the beginning of a new role as state president of the Education Support Professionals’ Council. When asked how she feels about all of the changes occurring, she responded, “I feel just a bit more confident about the new school year because I’ve experienced many new school years. However, I know the job of ESP president is a huge responsibility and I want to make sure I do it justice. It is one I won’t take lightly.”
Jocelyn is completing the term of former ESP President Tijuana Greene, who retired in August. “Tijuana sprung all of this on me during the Summer Leaders Conference,” said Jocelyn with a laugh. “I had no idea that news was coming, but I am looking forward to serving in this role until the term expires in January 2024.”
An administrative assistant and bookkeeper at Johnsonville Elementary School in Harnett County, Jocelyn is no stranger to Association work. Over the course of her 20+ years as a member, she has served as a local president, vice president, treasurer and most recently as vice president of the ESP Council. She is also a member of the NCAE Board of Directors.
She recalls her first role within the Association as well as the first day she joined. “I became a member during an era when local presidents didn’t give you a choice. You were given a membership form and were expected to sign up, which I did. For a long time I was a card-carrying member but that changed when the local’s treasurer asked me to attend a meeting to learn more about the Association. Little did I know she was making her exit and seeking a replacement. I ended up getting appointed as treasurer and the rest is pretty much history.”
Jocelyn said being an active member of HCAE/NCAE is refreshing. Being able to work for and share information with her ESP colleagues and enlighten them to use their voices gives her a sense of pride. “One of the goals the ESP Executive Board has set for this year is to make our members more aware of what we do as a Council and to let every member know they are not a second-class citizens but part of this union with equal rights and an equally important voice. So many times ESPs are made to feel less than. Our jobs are just as important as any staff working in our schools. It’s about teamwork. In order to win the game you must have a complete team!
Incorporating the Association’s strategic plan into the Council’s work is also a goal the Executive Board is striving for, particularly when it comes to growing the union. To help with member recruitment and retention, Jocelyn said the Board wants to have a representative from each of the nine ESP career fields serve on the executive team in an at-large capacity (for example: a custodial/maintenance service representative would represent all custodian and maintenance worker members). She sees this as a big plus. “The representative of each category will work with members in their specific ESP category in tandem with their assigned regional director and local presidents. Not only will members receive assistance and information from the Council as a whole but from the rep assigned to their specific job category; a person they can relate to who has the same work experiences.”
What is in store for members of the ESP Council this year? “We are working on plans for a state conference, and we want to offer a variety of other trainings based on the needs of our ESP members,” said Jocelyn.
“We also want to begin building more relationships within our communities because there are so many people who have a certain perception about NCAE. The Council wants to help our members help those in the community understand what NCAE is really about – the betterment of public education and that we’re 100 percent focused on ensuring every child receives a quality education.”
This is the fourth feature in the series on ESP members who were part of the Panel of Professionals at Summer Leaders Conference. In this series, they share their “WHY,” the importance of membership, and their work to help grow the union, lead the profession, and restore the promise of public schools and our democracy.
