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My First Lobbying As WEA President WEA President Kathy Vetter and SWEA UW Chapter President Kendall Workman announced a fundraising event for the University of Wyoming Literacy Research Center and Clinic at a Laramie Community Literacy forum. (l to r) SWEA UW Chapter President Kendall Workman, First Lady Carol Mead and WEA President Kathy Vetter. WEA President Kathy Vetter hands Connecticut Education Association President Meg Gruber a $1000 donation from the WEA Board of Directors for the Sandy Hook Scholarship. If you would like to contribute, donations for the Sandy Hook Scholarship are being accepted at the 2013 Delegate Assembly in Casper. 4 SPRING 2013 Spring 2013.indd 4 Business Officials (WASBO), My first year lobbying as WEA Wyoming Association of Special President was interesting, fun, Education Administrators tense, and tiring all at once. (WASEA), Wyoming Association WEA lobbied many pieces of of Secondary School Principals legislation. Some we lobbied in (WASSP), Wyoming Children���s favor of, others against, and some Action Alliance (WCAA), Wyoming we just monitored. The WEA Legislative Action Team, comprised Curriculum Directors Association (WCDA), Wyoming Early of myself, Executive Director Childhood Partnership (WECP), Ron Sniffin, Government and Wyoming School Boards Relations Director Ken Association (WSBA). Decaria, Professional Issues Director Kathy Scheurman, and Communications Director Coleen Haines, worked well with legislators, even on tough issues. The WEA The Coalition is comprised of was also sought out many statewide groups who work by legislators for advice together to promote legislation on educational and that will have a positive impact on school employee issues. Wyoming���s public schools and the As you read through students that we serve. this magazine, you will see some tough issues I would also like to thank Betty we faced and issues we lobbied Jo Beardsley from the WPEA, for that were beneficial for WEA and Dan Neal from the Equality members. Without our members participating and giving their voice, State Policy Center for their hard work lobbying in favor of the positive changes in this legislative 1% Retention Incentive and the session could not have been Wyoming State Retirement Plan possible. contributions. Without the work of This year, our Wyoming Education our Wyoming Education Coalition and these other organizations, Coalition grew to our biggest these improvements most likely numbers yet. The Coalition is would not have happened. comprised of many statewide groups who work together to Now that the legislative session is promote legislation that will have over, it is time to look forward to a positive impact on Wyoming���s the end of another school year. As public schools and the students your local associations plan end-ofthat we serve. the-year activities, please consider inviting me to join you. I would Along with WEA, the following love to get a chance to meet with members make up the Wyoming more local members around the Education Coalition: Wyoming state. I hope to hear from you! My Association of Elementary email is kvetter@nea.org. and Middle School Principals (WAEMSP), Wyoming Association of School Administrators (WASA), Wyoming Association of School R B L CONFERENCE PRESIDENT���S MESSAGE | WEAnews Wyoming Education Association ��� Wyoming Association of PM 3/11/13 2:47 Elementary & M Wyoming Association of School Business Officials ��� Wyoming Association of Wyoming School Boards Association ��� Wyoming Association of Special Edu