Minutes of the Alpha Sigma Meeting on 10/28/19
Chapter President Deborah McDurmon called our meeting to order at 5:45 in the Germantown Library meeting room. We had lots of delicious snacks and the Schools for Africa donations were collected. Deborah welcomed Mary Jo Wilson, member of Alpha Lambda chapter and Chairman of the Tennessee State Nominations Committee. Mary Jo urged all of us to consider serving on a State Committee, “If you think you can’t, you can. You are more than qualified.” The committees need new blood to keep our organization healthy. State officers will be elected in 2020; President, 1st & 2nd VP, and recording secretary. The Finance Committee, Nominations, Personnel and Vision Foundation have open positions that require election. There are many other committees that would welcome your assistance. Typically all committees are balanced with members from the 3 divisions of Tennessee and they meet in person once a year. Other meetings take place as needed over the internet or via emails and phone calls. Mary Jo is a very active DKG sister and a generous supporter of our Game Day and Brinkley Heights!
Our Vice President, Trish Stephenson, presented a Legislative Report including very helpful tips for how to effectively communicate with our legislative representatives. In the past DKG has been successful in getting a Human Trafficking bill and is currently working on Cyber Bullying. The legislative committee picks about five issues that affect women and children as well as education each year. Trish passed out a list of pending legislation in the South East including Social Security Fairness, Universal Childhood and Early Learning, and Educator Preparation Reform. Please read your Leadership Links each month, click on links to read more and find out if you support the issue enough to contact your representative. Sonja Glaser also suggested we follow TRT (Tennessee Retired Teachers) on social media. Trish reminded us that the Legislative Symposium will be Held on Mar. 3rd & 4th at the Best Western Plus in Nashville (room rate $111 plus tax). The symposium includes a Forum discussion, going to the Hill to observe government hearings and making contact with our representatives. The Symposium is eye opening and empowering. Trish also explained that we need a new name for the Xi State News. Please email your suggestions to her. Spoiler alert - chapter renaming is coming so be thinking about that!
Penny Powers gave a financial report about how much money we have and where it all goes. The good news is we have money and we need to use it! Those in attendance discussed ideas for how we can help early career educators, your ideas are encouraged. We also pay for our president to attend Tennessee State Convention each year. The chapter rules were amended to authorize that expenditure, as moved by Betty Only and seconded by Trish Stephenson. The bad news is we lost nine members this year: Allyson Bryant, Lou Ann Vaught, Judi Sipowitz, Christy Dunaway, Robyn Gore, Sharon Williams, Cathy Hoag and Linda Corrigan have dropped.
The minutes of our last meeting were approved as moved by Trish and seconded by Betty.
Are we interested having quarterly Lunches for the Retirees? June Douglas has done a great job organizing those for us in the past! Perhaps you might like to make arrangements for those informal gatherings in the new year? Pat and Martha, your names came up for that. :-)
We will need a whole new board in April. I am the chair of the chapter nominations committee and my sister friends Martha, Pat, Emily, Betty, Rhetta, Trish and Sue also serve. Please let any of us know if you are willing to hold an office for the next bienium. We need a new president, VP, and recording secretary. We are lucky to have filled the office of Treasurer!
Deborah would like to see us award Creative Writing awards to Middle and High Schoolers. The topic is Women’s Suffrage and the piece needs to be 450 - 600 words. Talk to your student and teacher friends about it and encourage them to enter by Jan. 10. Deborah has the contest details.
Deborah thanked Trish, Linda, Penny, Mary Jo and I. She reminded us that the next meeting is at Kelly Beach’s on Nov. 16th. Penny moved to adjourn and I seconded. Before we left Trish reported that Team Read students at Goodlett Elementary were effected by the recent storms and took up donations to buy them personal necessities.
Respectfully submitted by substitute recorder Laura Evans
Chapter President Deborah McDurmon called our meeting to order at 5:45 in the Germantown Library meeting room. We had lots of delicious snacks and the Schools for Africa donations were collected. Deborah welcomed Mary Jo Wilson, member of Alpha Lambda chapter and Chairman of the Tennessee State Nominations Committee. Mary Jo urged all of us to consider serving on a State Committee, “If you think you can’t, you can. You are more than qualified.” The committees need new blood to keep our organization healthy. State officers will be elected in 2020; President, 1st & 2nd VP, and recording secretary. The Finance Committee, Nominations, Personnel and Vision Foundation have open positions that require election. There are many other committees that would welcome your assistance. Typically all committees are balanced with members from the 3 divisions of Tennessee and they meet in person once a year. Other meetings take place as needed over the internet or via emails and phone calls. Mary Jo is a very active DKG sister and a generous supporter of our Game Day and Brinkley Heights!
Our Vice President, Trish Stephenson, presented a Legislative Report including very helpful tips for how to effectively communicate with our legislative representatives. In the past DKG has been successful in getting a Human Trafficking bill and is currently working on Cyber Bullying. The legislative committee picks about five issues that affect women and children as well as education each year. Trish passed out a list of pending legislation in the South East including Social Security Fairness, Universal Childhood and Early Learning, and Educator Preparation Reform. Please read your Leadership Links each month, click on links to read more and find out if you support the issue enough to contact your representative. Sonja Glaser also suggested we follow TRT (Tennessee Retired Teachers) on social media. Trish reminded us that the Legislative Symposium will be Held on Mar. 3rd & 4th at the Best Western Plus in Nashville (room rate $111 plus tax). The symposium includes a Forum discussion, going to the Hill to observe government hearings and making contact with our representatives. The Symposium is eye opening and empowering. Trish also explained that we need a new name for the Xi State News. Please email your suggestions to her. Spoiler alert - chapter renaming is coming so be thinking about that!
Penny Powers gave a financial report about how much money we have and where it all goes. The good news is we have money and we need to use it! Those in attendance discussed ideas for how we can help early career educators, your ideas are encouraged. We also pay for our president to attend Tennessee State Convention each year. The chapter rules were amended to authorize that expenditure, as moved by Betty Only and seconded by Trish Stephenson. The bad news is we lost nine members this year: Allyson Bryant, Lou Ann Vaught, Judi Sipowitz, Christy Dunaway, Robyn Gore, Sharon Williams, Cathy Hoag and Linda Corrigan have dropped.
The minutes of our last meeting were approved as moved by Trish and seconded by Betty.
Are we interested having quarterly Lunches for the Retirees? June Douglas has done a great job organizing those for us in the past! Perhaps you might like to make arrangements for those informal gatherings in the new year? Pat and Martha, your names came up for that. :-)
We will need a whole new board in April. I am the chair of the chapter nominations committee and my sister friends Martha, Pat, Emily, Betty, Rhetta, Trish and Sue also serve. Please let any of us know if you are willing to hold an office for the next bienium. We need a new president, VP, and recording secretary. We are lucky to have filled the office of Treasurer!
Deborah would like to see us award Creative Writing awards to Middle and High Schoolers. The topic is Women’s Suffrage and the piece needs to be 450 - 600 words. Talk to your student and teacher friends about it and encourage them to enter by Jan. 10. Deborah has the contest details.
Deborah thanked Trish, Linda, Penny, Mary Jo and I. She reminded us that the next meeting is at Kelly Beach’s on Nov. 16th. Penny moved to adjourn and I seconded. Before we left Trish reported that Team Read students at Goodlett Elementary were effected by the recent storms and took up donations to buy them personal necessities.
Respectfully submitted by substitute recorder Laura Evans