The End

If you have returned to this blog from time to time, wondering if there will be new information, I either have wonderful news for you or sad news for you.  There will no longer be new posts made to this page.  I no longer serve as your Governance District 6 representative on the MNEA board.  Because of re-configurations on the board, our area will be represented by one member on the board.  Since spring 2013 would have been a re-election for me, that meant my first term expired and thus my time on the board has ended.  Trish Reding has remained on the board to serve.  I'm sure by now she has contacted you and has continued to provide information for you and your local.

It was an exciting three years on the board serving you.  I must say that the most fun was traveling to the various locals to meet you, the heart and soul of G.D. 6 and MNEA.  I will miss eating at the Apple Basket in Macon, driving to Moberly, and getting lost on the way to Hannibal.  I will miss seeing the good people of Jefferson City and getting members connected to the online website that is designed to help members in isolated areas more apart of the MNEA family.  I hope to see you at an RA or on a committee.  Don't forget that in the summer of 2014 the Summer Academy will return to Columbia.  Please attend.  Maybe we can have a reunion.

I wish you and your family and local the very best this holiday season.  As you and your local continue to speak out for students, public education and for our profession, I leave you with a quote from a man who's home going we celebrate today.  "We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.

Nelson Mandela

Send Minority Members to the NEA Black Caucus Meeting

G.D. 6 Locals-

If your budget allows, consider sending your minority members to the NEA Black Caucus meeting.  This is an excellent opportunity to send member for future leadership training.  This year it will be held in Savannah, GA.  Registration ends March 12th.  Registration may be found at: http://www.neablackcaucus.com/

2013 NEA BLACK CAUCUS

ANNUAL BLACK ISSUES CONFERENCE

April 12-14, 201

Savannah, Georgia

“STILL WE RISE”

TENTATIVE AGENDA

FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2013:

3:00 – 6:00 PM                                  Registration

6:00 – 7:30 PM                                  Dinner/Greetings:  Calvine Rollins, President, Georgia Association of Educators

7:30 – 9:00 PM                                  NEA Officer

                                                               

SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 2013:

7:00 – 8:00   AM                               Breakfast

 8:00 – 9:00 AM                                History of Blacks Within the NEA/NEA Black Caucus                       

                                                                Al-Tony Gilmore

9:00 – 10:30   AM                             Concurrent Workshops:

1.        Eradicating the School to Prison Pipeline

2.       Our Association in Action: Creating Change Through Social Justice

3.       Recruitment and Maintaining Ethnic Minorities into the Profession

4.       Protecting the Legacy: Leading into the Future:

                                                               

10:30 - 10:45                       BREAK

10:45 –   12:15 PM                             Concurrent Workshops Repeat: 

12:30 –    1:15                                      Lunch

1:15   –   1:45   PM                              Keynote Speaker:  Reg Weaver, NEA Past President

2:00 PM                                               Cultural Tour

                                                                Evening on Your Own

SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 2013:

7:00 – 8:00    AM                              Breakfast/Sunday Morning Inspirations

8:15 – 12:00 AM                                NEA BLACK  CAUCUS – Meeting/Planning Session

12:00 – 12:15   PM                             Closing and Adjournment

MNEA ESP Conference Coming March 23rd

MNEA Hosts ESP Conference March 23 in Columbia 

There is still time to register for Missouri NEA's ESP conference. It will be held at the Courtyard by Marriott in Columbia on Saturday, March 23, 2013. We are excited to offer this statewide conference for our ESP members. You can register online by going to www.mnea.org and clicking on "Conferences and Events" and then "ESP Conference."
The conference this year will have the theme "My Local, My Job, Myself" with sessions falling into those three categories. Session scheduled so far include:

• Taking the Steps to Bargaining for ESP Locals
• Bullying on the Bus - What You Can Do
• Impacting Student Progress from the Control Panel (For Secretaries and Administrative Assistants)
• Relaxation

Other sessions are planned specifically for job categories of our ESP members. If you have questions, please
contact Karen Sholes at 800-392-0236 or karen.sholes@mnea.org.

The registration fee is only $10 for members and $20 for non members ($10 of which will apply to an ESP
membership if the non member joins on or before the conference). Also, to encourage conferees to carpool, we will rebate the $10 registration fee for each conferee who brings at least three other conference participants along to the drive-in conference. Lunch and refreshments are included in the conference fee. Don’t miss out – register today!

MNEA Spring RA Award Nominations Due March 7lth

An Opportunity to Recognize Those Who Contribute to Public Education

Each year at our Spring RA we recognize recipients of the Horace Mann Friend of Education Awards. There are six award categories and each is an opportunity to recognize Missouri NEA members, community leaders and legislators who have supported our public schools. The MNEA Board makes the final determination on the winners of the awards at their March meeting. I encourage you to read the description of the awards and consider nominating members, community leaders and legislators for these prestigious awards. The information on how to nominate, as well as a list of previous recipients, can be found on pages 57-66 of your Timeline for Action  Nominations are due March 7th
.

Soar With the Eagles Award

As I’ve traveled around the state, I have met many new leaders who are energized and helping to move our local associations forward. Here is your chance to recognize a new leader from your local. Nominate a member whose presence and contribution of time, energy, and/or wisdom within the past year has made a difference. The recipient will be recognized at the April Representative Assembly.  Nominations must be submitted to MNEA by March 7. The nomination form can be found on page 67-68 of your Timeline for Action.

Spring RA Membership Awards

If applicable, you should complete the following (enclosed) forms and return them no later than March 1, 2013. Please note these forms were included in the Timeline for Action, so you may have already completed them.
1. Verification of Membership Potential (for teacher locals and locals with both teacher and ESP members)
2. Verification of Membership Potential For ESP Locals (ESP locals only)
3. Verification of Enrollment of New Employees for School Year
This information is necessary so we can recognize qualifying locals at the Spring RA. You can fax the forms to the attention of Sigrid Enloe  573-634-5645, email them to Sigrid Enloe at Sigrid.Enloe@mnea.org or mail them to the address listed on the form to the attention of Sigrid Enloe.

Register for MNEA Spring RA/40th Anniversary Celebrations!

Spring RA Information and Deadlines

Please plan to join us in Celebrating Missouri NEA's 40th Anniversary!  We hope you will be able to join us on Saturday, April 20th, when Missouri NEA members and guests celebrate the Association's 40th Anniversary.  NEA President Dennis Van Roekel will be the keynote speaker at the dinner. We look forward to an evening of reminiscing about our past while celebrating the present and future of our organization.Dinner tickets are now on sale ($40 for our 40th anniversary celebration) by going to our MNEA web site (www.mnea.org / Conferences & Workshops / Representative Assembly / Spring RA / MNEA 40th Anniversary Reservations) and reserving your ticket.

Reserve Your Hotel Room and Register for Lunch for the Spring RA

You may reserve your hotel room(s) now for the Spring RA. Room rates are $102 plus tax for single, double, triple or quad. The deadline for making your reservations at this special conference rate is March 30. You may pay a higher rate after this date, if rooms are still available. To make your reservation, call Tan-Tar-A at 800-826-8272 and indicate you are with the MNEA conference. You may also make your reservation online at http://www.tan-tar-a.com/ Choose “Groups and Conferences” and
enter “NEAS” as the group ID.  MNEA also plans a lunch on Saturday, April 20. The lunch honors our Education Support Professional members and our Horace Mann Award winners. The cost is $20. Details and online registration are available at http://www.mnea.org/Missouri/SpringRA.aspx.

MNEA Milestones Needed Soon!

Governance District 6 locals ~

We're in the process of finalizing our program for MNEA's 40th anniversary celebration.  Included in the program will be "milestones" of our progress.  If your local has a "first" or "milestone" that you think should be included, please send it to me (examples might be when your local first "hit" the 1,000 membership mark or when you achieved exclusive representation)

If you could get those to me by the end of the week, it would be greatly appreciated! 

We're looking forward to celebrating our accomplishments on April 20th!

Chris Guinther

Voting for NEA RA Delegates Ends Soon!

Cast your ballot for NEA R.A. delegates before it is too late Online voting closes March 1. The nation's largest democratic body will be meeting in Atlanta, GA, July 2-6. Representatives from each state will gather to debate and vote on NEA policy and the business of the Association. Missouri NEA will be sending 27 state delegates to the NEA Representative Assembly. This is your chance to vote for who represents MNEA at the NEA Convention. Online voting for state delegates to the 2013 NEA R. A. ends March 1. All MNEA members* are eligible to vote in the election.Log in the MNEA.org website to vote.  Please remember that we have 4 Governance District 6 members who are running for NEA RA delegate.  Please cast your votes for: Monica Miller, Kathy Steinhoff, Susan McClintic and Michelle Shepard! Your user name is your last name followed by the last four digits of your social security number (e.g. "smith1234"). Your password is your NEA ID number unless you changed it in the last year. You can find your NEA ID number on the mailing label of either your Something Better or NEA Today magazine, or your local president can obtain this number for you from a membership roster. Once you have logged in, click on "Voted in the NEA RA Category 1 (and 2) Election" under the reminder section on the right side of your screen. You can vote for up to 26 Category 1 candidates and one Category 2 candidate. When you are done voting, click "Cast ballot" at the bottom of each ballot. If you have questions regarding voting or cannot vote online, please contact Karen Sholes atkaren.sholes@mnea.org or Beeb Gillis at bernadette.gillis@mnea.org. Both can be reached at 800-392-0236. * Student and Retired members elect their delegates using a different process and are ineligible to vote in this election.