Alpha Sigma Newsletter
March 2021
Guide, Gather, Generate
I do not know about you, but I am so happy to see March! Daylight hours are longer. Today we will have about twelve and a half hours of sunlight! We survived the “Snow-mageddon” in February. Daffodils (Narcissus pseudo-narcissus) are poking their tiny heads up out of the ground! “Daffy down dilly is come up to town, in her yellow petticoat and her green gown.” The Red Maple is starting to bud, and robins are easily found!
As members of Delta Kappa Gamma, we have seven purposes. One purpose is “to unite women educators of the world in a genuine spiritual fellowship”. I believe our last meeting, via Zoom, helped with that purpose. Our guest speaker, Dr. Altha Stewart was our guide in self-care. She encouraged us to take “Calgon Moments”, time to “unplug” and rest. When asked how she stays happy and resilient, she explained her method was to get out of bed singing and dancing. We women educators are giving the task to guide children and families in all avenues of education. That task is easier if we are healthy. Take time for yourself. Check on your friends and family.
This month requires me to complete the Maycie Chapter Excellence Award form. Completion demands me (and others) to gather information from the Executive Board on many areas of our Alpha Sigma activities this year. One piece of the award is “Chapter Attendance”. I understand during this year of the pandemic, we had challenges with both in person attendance and Zoom attendance. Not everyone could attend our meetings but please know that we missed you. We look forward to seeing everyone soon! Each one of us plays a valuable role in Alpha Sigma. “Quality Programs” is another aspect of the award. I want to thank Deborah McDurmon for her amazing planning of our meetings despite this being a difficult year. She has been a light in the dark. Our meetings: “Zoom Training with Deborah”, “Picnic in the Park”, “Author- Guest Speaker (Nancy Foshee) and Book Swap”, “Christmas Craft with Geri and Collection of Toys’, “Schools for Africa with Amanda Warren along with Schools for Africa cash collection and Early Career Educator Gift Card Collection”, and “Mental Health Speaker with Dr. Altha Stewart - Zoom”. Incredible! Another piece of the award is “Chapter Growth”. We have three new members: Nancy, Alice, and Elizabeth! We are grateful for their fellowship! We look forward to knowing them better! “Community Project” is also a piece of the award. Even in a challenging year, we collected gift cards and toys for Brinkley Heights Urban Academy and gift cards for Early Career Educators! Our chapter has risen to the challenge before us! Many thanks to Martha, Betty, and Nancy.
As we move forward in 2021, many of us will get vaccinated and hopefully we can meet in person soon. I look forward to us generating energy for our chapter, each other, our community, and ourselves. We have survived. We are here. We are strong and ready. We have purpose.
“May your Troubles be less; your Blessings be more. And nothing but Happiness come through your door.”
Sonja
Future Meetings
March - We hope to have a tour of Elmwood
April – Founder’s Day
May – Planning for next year
Last Meeting
We were privileged to have Dr. Altha Stewart as our guest speaker. She is currently an Associate Professor and Chief of Social and Community Psychiatry at the University Health Science Center in Memphis. She spoke to us on achieving and maintaining good mental health. Those of us in attendance were encouraged and uplifted by her words.
EEC Corner Spotlight
I asked Deborah McDurmon to submit our “Schools from Africa and Early Career Educator” program to Tennessee Delta Kappa Gamma’s EEC Corner Spotlight. (Our thanks go to Kelly Beach in recruiting Amanda Warren as our speaker.) Deborah also submitted our Zoom program “The Psychological Effects of Covid 19. Programs and projects must meet certain criteria for the award.
Member News
Trish continues to travel back and forth to Texas to take care of grandbabies.
Deborah McDurmon and I tried unsuccessfully to attend the DKG Legislative Forum this week. Dr. Beverly Hall Maughum told me that the meeting will soon be online on the tndkg.org website. We can all view the questions and answers regarding upcoming educational legislation. I encourage you to write, email, and call legislators on your opinions. Education is who we are.
Birthdays:
Becky Cross – March 8
March 2021
Guide, Gather, Generate
I do not know about you, but I am so happy to see March! Daylight hours are longer. Today we will have about twelve and a half hours of sunlight! We survived the “Snow-mageddon” in February. Daffodils (Narcissus pseudo-narcissus) are poking their tiny heads up out of the ground! “Daffy down dilly is come up to town, in her yellow petticoat and her green gown.” The Red Maple is starting to bud, and robins are easily found!
As members of Delta Kappa Gamma, we have seven purposes. One purpose is “to unite women educators of the world in a genuine spiritual fellowship”. I believe our last meeting, via Zoom, helped with that purpose. Our guest speaker, Dr. Altha Stewart was our guide in self-care. She encouraged us to take “Calgon Moments”, time to “unplug” and rest. When asked how she stays happy and resilient, she explained her method was to get out of bed singing and dancing. We women educators are giving the task to guide children and families in all avenues of education. That task is easier if we are healthy. Take time for yourself. Check on your friends and family.
This month requires me to complete the Maycie Chapter Excellence Award form. Completion demands me (and others) to gather information from the Executive Board on many areas of our Alpha Sigma activities this year. One piece of the award is “Chapter Attendance”. I understand during this year of the pandemic, we had challenges with both in person attendance and Zoom attendance. Not everyone could attend our meetings but please know that we missed you. We look forward to seeing everyone soon! Each one of us plays a valuable role in Alpha Sigma. “Quality Programs” is another aspect of the award. I want to thank Deborah McDurmon for her amazing planning of our meetings despite this being a difficult year. She has been a light in the dark. Our meetings: “Zoom Training with Deborah”, “Picnic in the Park”, “Author- Guest Speaker (Nancy Foshee) and Book Swap”, “Christmas Craft with Geri and Collection of Toys’, “Schools for Africa with Amanda Warren along with Schools for Africa cash collection and Early Career Educator Gift Card Collection”, and “Mental Health Speaker with Dr. Altha Stewart - Zoom”. Incredible! Another piece of the award is “Chapter Growth”. We have three new members: Nancy, Alice, and Elizabeth! We are grateful for their fellowship! We look forward to knowing them better! “Community Project” is also a piece of the award. Even in a challenging year, we collected gift cards and toys for Brinkley Heights Urban Academy and gift cards for Early Career Educators! Our chapter has risen to the challenge before us! Many thanks to Martha, Betty, and Nancy.
As we move forward in 2021, many of us will get vaccinated and hopefully we can meet in person soon. I look forward to us generating energy for our chapter, each other, our community, and ourselves. We have survived. We are here. We are strong and ready. We have purpose.
“May your Troubles be less; your Blessings be more. And nothing but Happiness come through your door.”
Sonja
Future Meetings
March - We hope to have a tour of Elmwood
April – Founder’s Day
May – Planning for next year
Last Meeting
We were privileged to have Dr. Altha Stewart as our guest speaker. She is currently an Associate Professor and Chief of Social and Community Psychiatry at the University Health Science Center in Memphis. She spoke to us on achieving and maintaining good mental health. Those of us in attendance were encouraged and uplifted by her words.
EEC Corner Spotlight
I asked Deborah McDurmon to submit our “Schools from Africa and Early Career Educator” program to Tennessee Delta Kappa Gamma’s EEC Corner Spotlight. (Our thanks go to Kelly Beach in recruiting Amanda Warren as our speaker.) Deborah also submitted our Zoom program “The Psychological Effects of Covid 19. Programs and projects must meet certain criteria for the award.
Member News
Trish continues to travel back and forth to Texas to take care of grandbabies.
Deborah McDurmon and I tried unsuccessfully to attend the DKG Legislative Forum this week. Dr. Beverly Hall Maughum told me that the meeting will soon be online on the tndkg.org website. We can all view the questions and answers regarding upcoming educational legislation. I encourage you to write, email, and call legislators on your opinions. Education is who we are.
Birthdays:
Becky Cross – March 8