We’re DKG Strong!
Congratulations! To Suzanne Foster our most recent Omega State Award winner. Thank you for all your work for Delta Kappa Gamma! Suzanne is serving as State First Vice President and is a member of Alpha Chi chapter in the Edwards area.
Another member, Liz Henrikson, received the Air Force Association State Teacher of the Year for Colorado. Great job, Liz! Liz is a member of Alpha Mu chapter in Grand Junction.
My reflections following the State Leadership Conference, the start of the 2020-21 school year, and recent zooming with chapter presidents are that our organization is shaken up but not broken. We have issues and concerns, but WE are still Key Women Educators Impacting Education Worldwide.
Some of the concerns that chapters have in common are: where can we meet in person? How can we zoom or google if some of our members can’t participate? What can we do to support our members and other teachers in the classroom? What can we do to provide equal access to robust internet service throughout Colorado? Who will step up to lead our chapter?
First and foremost, you are not alone. Most everyone in DKG Colorado and across the country is confronting these same concerns. Second, if we share ideas we can spark solutions. Third, we are teachers; we have been solving problems from the first day we stepped into a classroom. We can do this!
Some ideas from the Presidents’ Zoom about meeting places include meeting in parks until the weather gets too cold. That could also include someone’s patio or the patio of a restaurant. Of course, you may have a member who has a home large enough to allow for distancing while meeting. To throw out some wild ideas, does anyone have a barn or other large space available? What about meeting in your cars in a parking lot using texts or call in zoom to talk? Park in a circle and play the old game of telephone. You know, one person starts a statement to the next, and so on until the statement makes the circle. No telling what might be heard during the circuit. I said these were wild ideas, but at least you would be able to see one another. Is there an empty storefront somewhere, bring your own chair? Other Ideas??
Heidi Ragsdale, our state webmaster, has done a comparison of zoom and google that you may find helpful. Find it on our website. Consider gathering in small groups of two or three to attend a virtual chapter meeting. We have black holes of internet coverage in Colorado. We have members with next to no internet while other members a very few miles away have good coverage. Of course, we also have members with no computers. Members can use their phone to call in to a zoom meeting and at least be able to hear and speak. Find out who doesn’t have good access or who can’t attend your chapter zoom and find a way to include them. If all else fails, print the agenda or minutes for them. BTW, do have your secretary take minutes and record them as you would a face-to-face meeting. Email them to members for your next meeting to be approved.
Probably the biggest reason people give for belonging to DKG is the friendships, caring, and sharing. Thank you to chapter presidents who sent me names of members before the leadership conference. I lost count, but I think those attending signed nearly 50 cards that were sent to teachers going back to school, and for members with health and other issues. I received several nice thank you notes back from those who were included.
At this time of stress and uncertainty, those nice things that we often do for each other are doubly important and appreciated. Notes of appreciation and encouragement often seem to arrive just at the moment needed. Other suggestions include: Gift cards, to pick up a quick bite to eat; Lotions and other pamper yourself items; Wet wipes and other cleaning products; Tea and honey; Soup mix; A cozy throw and a good book. You get the idea. Share your ways of giving comfort and encouragement! Don’t have any members who are still teaching? Adopt a school near you. Take a gift basket to the office for the principal to have a drawing for, or give it to the principal or counselor.
I don’t need to remind you that elections are happening now. Ask the candidates what they will do to promote equity. Do the candidates understand how difficult it is for teachers to do twice as many lesson plans – one set for in person, and one set for on-line and still have time to teach? Have the candidates experienced dead zones on their phones? Do they understand that many of their constituents live in internet dead zones? How can your children do their lessons on-line when you don’t even have internet to connect to, if you could afford it?
We hope to have State Treasurer Dave Young and his wife speak at the Fall Board meeting. As retired educators they will share some of their insights into the problems of funding and working with the diverse populations in our communities.
Who is the problem solver in your chapter? Who is the tech savvy person? Who is the recruiter? Who is the peacemaker? Who is the social butterfly? Who is still teaching or subbing? Who likes to stay up to date on current events and politics? Who likes to read? How do those interests line up with your committees and officer positions? Maybe you need a set of subtitles with each office or committee chairman. Every chapter is solving its leadership dilemma in its own way. But as you do, please follow your chapter rules. It is ok, to use your own subtitles, but keep in mind that you are also aligned with the state and International levels. The system does work, but other chapters may benefit from your creativity. Share your ideas!
Please email me your thoughts, ideas, and solutions. I will put them into some sort of communication and send them back out for everyone to benefit from. If nothing else, we could all use a few good laughs. But your wacky idea may be just the right fit somewhere else. Remember – there are no wrong answers when we are brainstorming.
A rope is made up of many strands braided and twisted together into one larger, longer piece. It is stronger because it is made up of many pieces. By themselves, the pieces would give way or break, but banded together, they can hold many times their individual strength. Our chapters are teacher lifelines. We offer our members the caring, the nurturing, and the strength of the group. We ARE and must stay DKG STRONG!
Congratulations! To Suzanne Foster our most recent Omega State Award winner. Thank you for all your work for Delta Kappa Gamma! Suzanne is serving as State First Vice President and is a member of Alpha Chi chapter in the Edwards area.
Another member, Liz Henrikson, received the Air Force Association State Teacher of the Year for Colorado. Great job, Liz! Liz is a member of Alpha Mu chapter in Grand Junction.
My reflections following the State Leadership Conference, the start of the 2020-21 school year, and recent zooming with chapter presidents are that our organization is shaken up but not broken. We have issues and concerns, but WE are still Key Women Educators Impacting Education Worldwide.
Some of the concerns that chapters have in common are: where can we meet in person? How can we zoom or google if some of our members can’t participate? What can we do to support our members and other teachers in the classroom? What can we do to provide equal access to robust internet service throughout Colorado? Who will step up to lead our chapter?
First and foremost, you are not alone. Most everyone in DKG Colorado and across the country is confronting these same concerns. Second, if we share ideas we can spark solutions. Third, we are teachers; we have been solving problems from the first day we stepped into a classroom. We can do this!
Some ideas from the Presidents’ Zoom about meeting places include meeting in parks until the weather gets too cold. That could also include someone’s patio or the patio of a restaurant. Of course, you may have a member who has a home large enough to allow for distancing while meeting. To throw out some wild ideas, does anyone have a barn or other large space available? What about meeting in your cars in a parking lot using texts or call in zoom to talk? Park in a circle and play the old game of telephone. You know, one person starts a statement to the next, and so on until the statement makes the circle. No telling what might be heard during the circuit. I said these were wild ideas, but at least you would be able to see one another. Is there an empty storefront somewhere, bring your own chair? Other Ideas??
Heidi Ragsdale, our state webmaster, has done a comparison of zoom and google that you may find helpful. Find it on our website. Consider gathering in small groups of two or three to attend a virtual chapter meeting. We have black holes of internet coverage in Colorado. We have members with next to no internet while other members a very few miles away have good coverage. Of course, we also have members with no computers. Members can use their phone to call in to a zoom meeting and at least be able to hear and speak. Find out who doesn’t have good access or who can’t attend your chapter zoom and find a way to include them. If all else fails, print the agenda or minutes for them. BTW, do have your secretary take minutes and record them as you would a face-to-face meeting. Email them to members for your next meeting to be approved.
Probably the biggest reason people give for belonging to DKG is the friendships, caring, and sharing. Thank you to chapter presidents who sent me names of members before the leadership conference. I lost count, but I think those attending signed nearly 50 cards that were sent to teachers going back to school, and for members with health and other issues. I received several nice thank you notes back from those who were included.
At this time of stress and uncertainty, those nice things that we often do for each other are doubly important and appreciated. Notes of appreciation and encouragement often seem to arrive just at the moment needed. Other suggestions include: Gift cards, to pick up a quick bite to eat; Lotions and other pamper yourself items; Wet wipes and other cleaning products; Tea and honey; Soup mix; A cozy throw and a good book. You get the idea. Share your ways of giving comfort and encouragement! Don’t have any members who are still teaching? Adopt a school near you. Take a gift basket to the office for the principal to have a drawing for, or give it to the principal or counselor.
I don’t need to remind you that elections are happening now. Ask the candidates what they will do to promote equity. Do the candidates understand how difficult it is for teachers to do twice as many lesson plans – one set for in person, and one set for on-line and still have time to teach? Have the candidates experienced dead zones on their phones? Do they understand that many of their constituents live in internet dead zones? How can your children do their lessons on-line when you don’t even have internet to connect to, if you could afford it?
We hope to have State Treasurer Dave Young and his wife speak at the Fall Board meeting. As retired educators they will share some of their insights into the problems of funding and working with the diverse populations in our communities.
Who is the problem solver in your chapter? Who is the tech savvy person? Who is the recruiter? Who is the peacemaker? Who is the social butterfly? Who is still teaching or subbing? Who likes to stay up to date on current events and politics? Who likes to read? How do those interests line up with your committees and officer positions? Maybe you need a set of subtitles with each office or committee chairman. Every chapter is solving its leadership dilemma in its own way. But as you do, please follow your chapter rules. It is ok, to use your own subtitles, but keep in mind that you are also aligned with the state and International levels. The system does work, but other chapters may benefit from your creativity. Share your ideas!
Please email me your thoughts, ideas, and solutions. I will put them into some sort of communication and send them back out for everyone to benefit from. If nothing else, we could all use a few good laughs. But your wacky idea may be just the right fit somewhere else. Remember – there are no wrong answers when we are brainstorming.
A rope is made up of many strands braided and twisted together into one larger, longer piece. It is stronger because it is made up of many pieces. By themselves, the pieces would give way or break, but banded together, they can hold many times their individual strength. Our chapters are teacher lifelines. We offer our members the caring, the nurturing, and the strength of the group. We ARE and must stay DKG STRONG!