Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/175002
EXEC. DIRECTOR MESSAGE ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVES Are Vital As your school year ramps up into full swing, so has the year for the Wyoming Education Association. Organizing and Advocacy. This is a busy time of year for these volunteers. They are assisting your local president or leadership team with the important work of confirming membership information, as well as asking potential members to join your Association. This is a great opportunity to share your thoughts with your AR about the new year and any concerns you may have with your work environment, and to ask questions about your Association. This is also a great time to offer to help. WEA Attorney Greg Hacker facilitates a mock scenario with Your local is planning for Kristina Millard of Eastern Laramie County EA, to illustrate the entire year's events how an Association Representative can serve as an advocate and can always use your for a member. This training was provided during Summer Synergy, with a version now offered to ARs in their locals. assistance! Our staff members are logging thousands of miles in order to ensure that our locals have the resources needed to make our Association a smooth-running machine. A vital part in this machine is our Association Representative (AR). ARs are members, your colleagues, who have agreed to take on the responsibility of assisting members at the building level. Much of the work in your Association begins with your AR. These members are often the conduit between you, your local President, the WEA, and the NEA. The AR's job revolves around two important areas: Membership/ The WEA field staffers, called UniServ Directors, are providing AR training to locals everywhere in the state. This year they have fine-tuned their support for ARs, which includes practicing a variety of possible scenarios, such as how to best communicate with administrators over a potentially difficult issue. Your AR is your first point of contact if you are having work-related issues. This can range from concerns in your classroom or workstation to termination. Keep in mind: if the situation appears serious, the AR will contact your WEA Executive Director Ron Sniffin local president, who in turn may contact your UniServ Director. Some locals are dividing up the responsibilities of the AR so that one person may not have to do everything. Some people prefer the organizing part of membership, while others enjoy serving as a member's advocate. Every local is different, and the better the AR structure, the better the Association! We value our ARs and couldn't function without them. If you are interested in becoming an AR, please contact your local president or your UniServ Director. After all, together we succeed! DON'T PANIC ORGANIZE! BACK TO SCHOOL 2013 BTS 2013.indd 5 | wyoea.org 5 9/17/13 6:47 PM