Hello Dear Sisters:
I know that you share my question: Where did the summer go?To
follow up on my July message, I need to let you all know that Zoom has already become my
friend. I met with the Team Leaders via Zoom the first week in August; they, in turn, will contact
their teams to begin the process of setting goals and planning. If you are on a State Team, look
for a communique from your Team Leader by the end of this month. Cela Varosy and I are
working very hard to get the names and contact information as correct as possible; I will be snail
mailing the Team Leaders their team member list, the biennium reports presented at the June
Convention and a planning sheet. They will then communicate with you via Zoom, Google
meets, emails, phone calls, whatever works. The goal is to have something to share by the Fall
Board meeting, which will be in Pueblo West on October 16. Plans are well underway for this
Board meeting; details to follow both in The Call and on the website.
Speaking of Teams, I need to give a shout out to Virginia and Patricia, who were at the
Spring Board meeting, and who voiced an interest in being a part of the Leadership
Development Team. I did not get your last names or your chapters( my error), so, if you are still
interested, please contact me as soon as you can so that we can get you on the team! To
anyone reading this, being on a State Level Team is the BEST way to see the connections
between the Chapter/State/International, and a wonderful way to network as well.
I will be compiling my notes about keeping Early Educators as members; the notes from
our June Convention and those from the Leadership Conference in Portland will be included.
Our concerns are mirrored around the country; perhaps some of the solutions discussed will
also help, so please look for that information in the Fall issue of the PEAKS AND PLAINS.
I have been through two amazing trainings; the Conference in Portland and the focused
President’s Training in Atlanta. DKG International set the President’s Training apart as a pilot
program. The training was also for new Executive Secretaries, new State Treasurers and State
Membership Chairs. Each group received very specific training and an opportunity to work
together with their teams for a couple hours on Saturday afternoon. To be in a room with 50-55
other State Presidents; to hear their stories, challenges and successes; to become friends and
colleagues with Presidents from the Southwest Region was/is/will be a blessing for my biennium
and beyond. I will be using materials from the workshops in Portland to help Chapters with the
beginning of our year. Once again, membership is a goal, but so is involving current members
and rejuvenating our chapters. We don’t have to do this; we get to do this!
As many of you return to the classroom, I hope that Colorado State DKG can be of help
to you. As an Executive Team, we will also be looking at ways to support you in your important
work. I also know that many of you will still be dealing with COVID to some extent; I will be
substitute teaching again this year as well, so I will be dealing with some of the same issues;
use your DKG support system. Those of you who are fully retired, listen to the needs of the
still-working teachers and support them in a meaningful way. There will be more on this in my
article for PEAKS AND PLAINS.
Finally, thank you to everyone who has embraced me as the new President; you have
been kind, supportive and know that I will both accept help and return the favor by offering any
help I can. Thank you for all that you do in and out of the classroom.