Weekly Update 8/26/13

Dear Member,

Hopefully, everyone has had a fantastic start to their school year!   Your MVEA has a lot going on, so please scan through the bullets below:

• The AR Council was a huge success, with only two schools missing due to their Back to School nights.   Areas B, F, and H elected Area Directors.   We also have a new Secretary.  You have an excellent Executive Council with a great vision and action plan for the future of the MVEA.  
• Each building will have a "911 Emergency Meeting" in the next 10 days to bring everyone up to speed on the happenings in the School Board election.   Your AR will be in touch soon.   The building in each Area with the highest volunteer turnout will get a pizza lunch for all members at your school courtesy of CEA!  If everyone has 100% turnout, everyone gets a pizza lunch.  (We're not fooling around with this School Board election!)  To see how your school is doing, look here.  We will update it daily, so check back! 
• We have had 90 new members sign up this month with many of them being returning members, which is amazing!  But we're not done yet.  Make sure each potential member in your building takes a look at our website and watches the video of our members explaining what it means to be a member of the MVEA.  If they choose to sign up, make sure your name is listed on the bottom so we can send you $10 as a thank you.  Our association is able to do more and more to support our profession as we grow in membership!
• The SB191 Educator Effectiveness training on the 7th of September is quickly filling up.  We only have 21 spots left, so if you have had a few questions as you've worked your way through your self-assessment, you might want to sign up here.  It's free to members, and you will receive credit for 4 hours of Professional Development.  We intend to have monthly Professional Development opportunities this month, so be watching for more!
• We'll speak specifically about offers and promotions through MVEA and NEA in the future, but if you want to scan for some great savings opportunities, look here and here.   As an example, member Mary McGuire took advantage of the attorney referral program's two free thirty minute legal consultations per year, and then she used the information to negotiate a great settlement with an insurance agency offsetting many years of her membership dues.  
• No one has forgotten the negotiated settlement from last year that tied us getting the remainder of the 20% of our step to enrollment and grants.  We are keeping a careful eye on the counts and should be able to report out on it soon.   
• Do you have any students or families that need help?  Susana Wittrock with the Office for Advocacy, Outreach, and  Connections is coordinating with the many government and non-profit organizations around the valley to get students and families the help they need.   

Have a great week!