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First I want to share with you how
honored I am to be your new executive director – and how excited I am to
be working with you to move us forward. You are Alaska’s finest
educators and education support professionals, and your commitment to
Alaska’s schools and children is second to none.
My vision for NEA-Alaska is to make us
the strongest, most united and high performing association in the
country.
Now is the time to break new ground in
strengthening our state and local associations. The dust is still
settling with the work of the Joint Legislative Education Funding Task
Force. Many of our locals have achieved multi-year contracts after
months and even years of labor unrest. We have a ruling – though not the
one we wanted – in our adequate funding lawsuit. And we’re at the
beginning of a new election cycle.
Conditions are ripe for accomplishing
the critical work of building strong locals.
We do this through enhancing membership,
organizing our members and the community, and developing the ranks of
our leaders. An organized, engaged and educated local is a powerful tool
for accomplishing the priorities of our members.
Similar work will be ongoing at the
state level. Together, a team of state and local leaders, and NEA-Alaska
staff and management, working with our 13,000 members, can accomplish
what may seem impossible today.
We will become a high performing team
because we appreciate the uniqueness of being Alaskan, we respect the
diversity we bring to our tables, and we relish the opportunity to learn
together. Our shared vision, mutual respect, and commitment to learning
will be the wind beneath our sails for future success Many challenges
lie ahead of us, including:
• restoring a defined benefit retirement
plan
(Ask your legislators to support SB 183!)
• increasing education funding
• electing education-friendly candidates
on the local, state, and national levels
• improving rural teacher housing
I urge you, in the coming months, to
take a few minutes and learn about your state and local associations and
how you can participate. Get politically involved and active. Stretch
out of your comfort zone and experience the possibilities. With all of
us working together, we can accomplish our goals, and more. There truly
will be no holding us back. |
