(Middlefield, OH) - Sharron Callahan will begin her 25th year with the Cardinal School District in the fall of 2024. She began her teaching career at Parkman Elementary School where she served as a Kindergarten teacher. As she quickly transitioned to first grade and then second, when Huntsburg and Parkman Elementary Schools consolidated with Jordak Elementary School in 2005. Every morning, Callahan lives out a childhood dream.
“If you had asked me when I was a little kid what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer would have simply been, "a mom," said Callahan.“That dream morphed over the years to being everyone's mom. As an elementary teacher, I get to play a small part in raising generations of children. I love the light bulb moments where kids finally get what you are teaching them. I especially love to help instill the joy of reading to my students. No matter what, I fit some read-aloud time into every day to help them to love stories as much as I do.”
“Mrs Callahan is an exceptional second grade teacher whose dedication and passion for education are truly inspiring,” said Robert Kujala, Principal of the new Cardinal Elementary School. “She creates a nurturing and stimulating environment where each child feels valued and encouraged to reach their full potential. In addition to all that she puts into the students, she also works hard to support the Cardinal teachers and all teachers across Ohio and the nation through her work with the OEA and NEA.”
In a March 21, 2024 article, statistics show that the “number of newly licensed teachers has gradually declined since 2014” (Poiner, 2024). A career that seems to be quickly declining, Callahan has gone above and beyond to keep fighting for her fellow teachers. When she joined the Cardinal family in 2000, Callahan wasn’t familiar with the union and what OEA (Ohio Education Association) would mean to not only herself, but teachers around the area. The OEA is home to more than 100,000 teachers ranging from kindergarten teachers, to high school staff, and even college professors. OEA’s mission statement “is to lead the way for the continuous improvement of public education while advocating for the members and the students they serve '' (OEA, paragraph 1). Callahan quickly joined the union when she was first hired, but did not know the significance of what it meant to be a member of it and what their members did.
“When I started at Cardinal in 2000, I didn't know anything about belonging to a union, but I joined. Over the years, I discovered the importance of the union in making sure that we earn a living wage and have fair working conditions. I wanted to be a part of that representation,” said Callahan.
Eventually, Callahan became more involved in 2016 when she joined the CEA (Cardinal Education Association). This group advocates for the local members of Cardinal Local Schools to make sure that the members have a voice in their district’s decisions. The members bargain for a fair contract and keep an eye on working conditions. They serve on other district committees and also provide advice and assistance when members have troubles or questions within their own district. They have a committee that meets with the administration team a few times a year to help resolve any workplace issues.
Not only does Callahan serve on the CEA, she now serves on the NEOEA (The North Eastern Ohio Education Association), OEA (Ohio Education Association), and the NEA (National Education Association) boards which are all certified staff who are involved. Since then she has served on all of the current boards; the CEA, NEOEA board or the OEA board. Though the boards are similar in providing assistance and guidance for educators, each board offers and serves something different.
The NEOEA is one of ten districts in the Ohio Education Association that serves in eleven Ohio counties. The NEOEA “provides leadership training, professional development workshops, group discounts, and an active committee structure that talk about the needs that educators and school support staff need” (North Eastern Ohio Education Association, 2021). While the OEA dives deeper into “the initiatives, they enhance student learning, student achievement, and well-being, as well as promote social justice,” (Ohio Education Association, 2022). The OEA is an association of the larger NEOEA group.
“As an OEA board member, I serve on committees and go to monthly board meetings in Columbus. We oversee hiring of staff at OEA and we make sure the priorities of our OEA members are served. One of my committees is called professional efficacy, and we have tackled issues such as remote learning, best elementary reading practices, and student behavior supports. The committee work guides the budget and also our legislative agenda. As an OEA board member, we keep up on education bills at the State House and make sure the legislators know the needs of our teachers, support staff, students, and districts.”
Callahan will embark on another challenge when her school district consolidates from three buildings to two as many staff have made it their mission to go from a “survival mode,” to a “thrive mode” for the district. First year teachers and staff can learn from her as this is her second time transitioning in the district.
“I think the most important thing is that as a board member, I am a voice for small rural locals. The large and urban districts have so many advocates, but rural districts tend to be small and isolated. We are not the same,” said Callahan. “Our needs are different, and we matter too.”