Weekly update 8/5/12

Dear Member,

 Welcome back.  Your MVEA has been busy over the summer!   Executive Council set the following major goals for this school year:

1)      Ensure the three school board seats that are up for election in November are won by pro-public education candidates,

2)      Increase membership and build the involvement level and leadership capacity of our current members, 

3)      Actively partner with administration in increasing the organizational health of each school, especially surrounding the 
implementation of the new teacher evaluation system, and

4)      Increase our compensation package. 

With these guiding areas of focus, we recognized the need for a web site to help with communication.  Members Becky Johnson, Mike Warner, and Paul Van Camp deserve kudos for the many hours they spent on creating this quality site.   In future letters, I will point out the multitude of resources that are available.  

On the main page you will notice a great video that can be used in recruiting the potential members in your school.  Many thanks to members Brad Thomas, Justin Whiteford, Trey Downey, Tracy LeFebre, Katie Schaffer and former members Mark Schmalz and Vernon Walker for articulating so well why every teacher should join the MVEA.  And we have made it even easier to join this year by having printable membership forms on our website.    

Also, please thank your AR.  They will be a wonderful resource for information as we all push hard for success in reaching our collective goals this year!  They have already spent a day at the AR Training and then were part of a wonderfully successful New Teacher Orientation membership drive.  If you notice your school does not currently have an AR, please decide who will be representing your school this year and let me know ASAP.  

There is so much more to share, but no doubt each of you are hitting information overload as you think about how much needs to be done prior the first bell on August 12th.  Just know that the MVEA is stronger than ever, and that together we will do great things this year!  

Best,

Darren