Wyoming Education Association

Fall 2015

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Back To School 2015 | wyoea.org 9 ESP Summit The 2015 ESP Summit was held this past summer in Jackson, WY. We had about 25 ESPs from around Wyoming in attendance. Presenters from NEA's Para Power and the Utah School Employees Association gave our ESPs many ideas to use with their students, as well as in their job situations. Senator Wasserburger, along with Representatives Freeman and Northrup, addressed the group regarding the Joint Appropriations Task Force on Community College Funding. Higher Education Summit The WEA Higher Ed Summit was held over the weekend of July 10 th in Jackson, Wyoming, with direct involvement by all the community college campuses. The legislative front was of major importance as we gear up for an unprecedented overhaul of the funding formula. The Joint Appropriations Committee (JAC) has created a Subcommittee on Community College Funding. Steve Thulin, Higher Ed representative to the WEA Board, said, "The WEA leadership and staff put their hearts into our needs and gave full support to the Higher Education Summit that took place. In all the years of my experience in WEA activities, I had never seen such a high-energy and successful gathering as that summit. Faculty and staff leaders from six campuses joined with state lawmakers (from the Education and Appropriations Committees), members of the Wyoming Community College Commission (WCCC), a representative of the Wyoming Association of Community College Trustees, WEA statewide leaders, and a representative from the NEA, as well as our WEA staffers, all of whom spent three days in discussions." A higher education coalition began to emerge from that summit, and they developed clear strategic goals as far as legislation and organizing were concerned. As a result of the information shared in Jackson, attendees found themselves at "work" soon after, as a session of a subcommittee of the JAC working on the community college funding formula met in Buffalo the next week. That coalition that began in Jackson materialized again, alongside WCCC Executive Director Jim Rose, as well as Northwest College President Stefani Hicswa, who spoke on behalf of the Presidents Council. For more information regarding the JAC Subcommittee on Community College Funding, turn to page 19. NEA ESP of the Year Janet Eberhardt poses with WEA's 2014 ESP of the Year, Liz Crislip. ESP members listen to Wyoming legislators addressing attendees about interim legislative education meetings and general education concerns brought forward from the group. Goshen County Education Association members work on using Para Power resources in the classroom. Para Power presenters from the NEA. Grace Hwang-Friedman from the NEA also joined participants in Jackson this summer. NEA Western Region Executive Director Jason Burns addresses attendees at the Summit in July. Around 30 Higher Ed members from around the state attended the WEA summit during the summer.

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