Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/39006
AROUND AEA Local Leaders Gain New Skills and Knowledge at Summer Conference Local association leaders from across the state met at the Wigwam, July 11 – 13, to learn about upcoming education issues, building local association capacity, and the skills to help them become effective leaders for their associations. The annual AEA Leaders’ Conference is another professional development opportunity the Association offers to members to provide leadership skill development and the chance to network with other Association leaders. “I keep learning new things about how to be an effective leader,” says Chinle EA member Cat Thompson. “This year I learned more about the needs of my local and how to ad- dress those needs.” This year’s conference focused on the following outcomes: Strengthen lo- cal capacity for establishing and advancing agendas that promote relevance, power, and member engagement; develop individual, local, and state knowledge and skills related to issue and relational organizing; and support AEA leaders at all levels in increasing skills and effectiveness. As a result of the legislation restricting pay- roll dues deduction, the campaign to flip every member to an alternative form of dues pay- ment, such as EFT, was also an important focus of the conference. Participants were given the opportunity to flip and many of the training ses- sions’ content centered around this campaign. The first day of the conference included local “I keep learning new things about how to be an effective leader. This year I learned more about the needs of my local and how to address officers’ training, ethnic minority leadership training, and a workshop covering bullying and educators’ role in prevent- ing bullying as part of NEA’s campaign Bully Free: It Starts With Me. The second and third day those needs.” —Cat Thompson, Chinle EA of the conference offered topics including organizing, membership, advocacy, con- flict management, communi- cations, and an overview of the new teacher evaluation framework (page 17). Local associations worked together to identify targeted goals for the upcoming years. Lower left: Chinle EA member Cat Thompson 12 Fall 2011 ❘ AEA Advocate