ETA STATE, NORTH CAROLINA BEAUFORT AND HYDE COUNTIES Volume 12 THE DELTA KAPPA GAMMA SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL ALPHA OMEGA HAPPENINGS Betty Cochran, President Dear Alpha Omega Sisters, I am very proud of Alpha Omega chapter. The friendships and fellowship that women educators share when we meet and when there are casual encounters in stores or at ballgames or at community events are delightful extras to DKG membership. Someone saw excellence in teaching and potential for leadership in each of you, and that somebody nominated you for membership in Delta Kappa Gamma. We wear our pins with pride Ours is truly a fellowship uniting key women in education. I am proud to have represented you as president for the past two years. Today Alpha Omega finds itself in a crisis of leadership. As of today, no one has accepted the challenge to be president for 2016 2018. While it is true (and your Board recognizes that truth) that educators have HUGE demands made on their time that make being president seem impossible, we nevertheless hope and pray that one of you (or two of you as co-presidents) will find a way to say, I will serve. It is my turn to serve. Because the chapter must be prepared for what the future holds, your Board has made a plan- an alternative-for moving forward. This is what we plan to do from 2016 to 2018 when Dava Jarman will move up to president. 1) Each hostess group will be responsible for the chapter meeting, as well as local arrangements (food, meeting place, information to members). Washington III will be responsible for the October 6 meeting. 2) A representative from the hostess group will attend the Board meeting, at which time meeting details will be set out and an agenda developed. 3) Someone from the hostess group will preside. (Does your group have a former president? Ask that former president to preside.) The Board will secure speakers, when necessary. 4) The hostess group will write and submit the news article. 5) The hostess group will greet and collect meal money, turning it over to the treasurer. If holding an office in Alpha Omega is not your thing, here s a job that may be custom made for you! Someone needs to keep the Alpha Omega scrapbook. Vicki Jones has done an excellent job of scrapbooking Alpha Omega information for a 1
number of years, but Vicki has moved to Beaufort. The scrapbook is the most reliable source of information about our chapter when it comes to writing about our history. When I updated the chapter history in 2004, I went to the scrapbooks (and we have many of them!) and found a wealth of information from newspaper articles, agendas, thankyou notes, and other correspondence. Will one of you please become our scrap booker? Commendations go to June Arnold for the innovative music program she has implemented. There was recently a fine article in the Daily News about June and her teaching. We re proud of you, June! About the time you receive this message, I will be representing Alpha Omega at the Eta State Convention in Winston- Salem. Among other things, I will attend the memorial service on Sunday morning, at which time Laurie Hodges will be remembered, along with other DKG sisters who died in 2015. There will be business sessions to attend, banquets to enjoy, and (my favorite) workshops in which to learn new tricks. In past conventions, I have enjoyed the legislative sessions involving how education is faring in the legislature. I will report to you in our May meeting. I have just learned that one of our own will receive a high honor at Convention. Mary Alice Chapin has been chosen to receive the Golden Key Award. This award is given to members who distinguish themselves in Delta Kappa Gamma as well as in their communities. A committee of Board members, together with Pat Lurvey, Jane Alligood, and Dee Congleton worked in secrecy to complete the nominating form. We are proud that our own Mary Alice Chapin now holds the Golden Key Award! Congratulations, Mary Alice! I hope to see all of you at Fish Hooks in Belhaven on May 5. Carpool, enjoy the ride, and travel safely. Betty REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Alpha Omega Chapter Beaufort and Hyde Counties March 3, 2016 The Meeting Place Washington, NC President Betty Cochran called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone to the meeting. Avis Wainwright gave the devotion and the blessing. She shared the story of St. Peter and Forest Gump. You will always have a student who gets the answer, but not the way you taught him. There s always another point of view and each student is entitled to his own. President Cochran introduced our special guest, Sharon Frazier, Eta State Second Vice- President from Enfield. Sharon shook us all up with her icebreaker. We had to find items in our pocketbooks. Ready, Set WAIT Go!!! Sharon shared suggestions from Eta State with us. She said we are the largest chapter she has visited. Everyone is having a hard time get- 2
ting officers. These problems are the same across the Eta State chapters as well as other organizations Rotary, Kiwanis, etc. Why is there a problem getting members? The increase in dues and the busy schedules of young people are part of the problem. If you have a limit on new members, that needs to be changed. The International organization is updating their website to become more attractive to young people. To access this website, you will need your membership card. Information is in the Eta State newsletter. We need to change the ways we recruit new members. We need to recruit every day of the year and we need to initiate new members every meeting. Eta State suggests we fill out a prospect card for a new member and give it to the membership chair. The prospective new member receives a prospect letter telling her a little bit about DKG. We no longer have to get a life history and three signatures. Then our new member receives a letter of initiation. A gift basket containing items representing our area was presented to Mrs. Frazier. President Cochran stated we needed to revise our By-laws to implement initiating new members at each meeting, A motion to amend the By-laws to follow the new procedures was made by June Zurface. It was seconded by Pam Hodges and the motion passed. Honoring Our Own Nancy Hill shared with us that Pam Hodges has been traveling since she has officially retired. Pam was presented an Alpha Omega vase. There was no secretary s report. Treasurer Linda Beddard gave her report. Committee Reports Educational Law and Policy Pam Hodges reported that more happens in an election year. If you are active in the classroom, you have teacher working conditions surveys, testing materials, staff development, and salary issues going on now. Health plan updates, career status for teachers, and Connect NC Bond referendum are also issues. Mary Alice Chapin shared that we needed to lobby our legislators by going to Raleigh or corresponding by note to let them know our education concerns. Membership June Zurface reported there were no nominations for new members. Literacy Pat Lurvey shared that the Literacy Volunteer fund raiser at Pizza Inn was very successful. The committee has been supporting BCCC students to help defray the costs associated with taking the GED. Nominations The Board met the 1st Thursday in April and proposed the following slate of officers: 1st Vice president Dava Jarman; 2nd Vice president Katherine Holt; Secretary Jane Griffin; Treasurer Barbara Jones (Linda Beddard has retired as treasurer after serving for 10 years we are very grateful to Linda for her service); Parliamentarian Diane Wingate. Linda Beddard made the motion that the membership accept this slate of officers for 2016 2018. Pat Lurvey seconded and the motion passed. 3
The Eta State project for convention is books: for children: new books; monetary donations; or Barnes and Nobles gift cards. Please get your donations to Betty before April 15 and she will take them to convention. We have lost our scrapbook chairman. Vicki Jones has moved to Beaufort. Let us hear from you if scrapbooking is your thing. Our May meeting will be in Belhaven. We will install the new officers and meet our grants-in-aid winners. Phyllis Balance reported that we collected $64 in scholarship donations. Dava Jarman and Avis Wainwright won the handbook prizes. Nancy Hill and Aleta Cox won the pin prizes. President Cochran thanked the Washington II hostess committee for our meeting arrangements. The meeting was adjourned with the reciting of the Irish Blessing. Respectfully submitted, Jane B. Griffin, Secretary EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING The Board of Alpha Omega Chapter met at 4 pm on April 7, 2016 in the home of Betty Cochran, Chapter President. Dava Jarman, Linda Beddard, Katherine Holt, and Betty Cochran were present. Nancy Hill, Barbara Jones, and Jane Griffin were unable to attend. Under Old Business, Betty led the group in a discussion of ways of moving forward without a president. The way that seemed most workable was to ask the Board member living in the area where the meeting will take place to preside at the meeting or get a substitute to preside (as in the case of the Treasurer, who will be busy with money matters). Members then discussed making calls to try to get a chapter president for 2016 2018. Dava agreed to call three people. The group made plans to expand the list of calls, if necessary. Linda reported a checking account balance of $1330.60 and a savings (grant) balance of $3922.60. Under New Business, Betty announced that the Belhaven Hostess Group will host the May 5 meeting at Fish Hooks. Hostess chair guessed that the cost of the meal would be $16-$17. She will let us know as soon as Fish Hooks gives her a price. If the cost of the meal is in this price range, there will be no collection of $1 hostess fee. The meeting will include awarding of three scholarships (Kaitlin Brescia student, Abbe Stacia and Dana Hudnell, teachers), installation of new officers, and the rose ceremony. The awards and installation will be the program. The Scholarship Committee feels that the awards should be greater than $200. After much discussion, the Board voted to award $300 each this year and re-evaluate next year. Having approved a new method of identifying new members, Board members approved two amendments to the bylaws. The changes are as follows: Article III: Membership, B.4. 3. Recommendation for Member ship (Form 11) shall be completed by 4
the sponsor and returned to the Membership Committee chairman. Article III: Membership, B. 4. 4. New members shall be elected by secret ballot and approved by 4/5 of members in attendance. These changes will be made in the By-laws and will appear in the 2016 2018 handbooks. These changes will allow for the submission of a name for membership at any meeting. Linda volunteered to print some recommendation cards. Copies of the changes will be on the table at the May meeting. Pat Lurvey has emailed Betty a suggestion to help with expenses for new members. The Board voted to present it to the membership in the May meeting to pay for the pin, handbook, and badge for new members. Betty will be attending the Eta State Convention in Winston-Salem, April 22-24. The convention project is books for children or Barnes & Nobles gift cards. Betty will deliver the contributed books and cards to the convention. Dava. will attend the Leadership Conference for new officers in the summer and will ask Dianne Wingate to attend with her. The Board hopes that Barbara Jones will be able to attend to get updates of treasurer procedures. Finally, Board members discussed a revision of committee assignments, since none have been made in more than two years. Members will have an opportunity to select another committee if they do not feel comfortable with the assigned committee responsibility. Respectfully submitted, Betty Cochran HEALTH AND HAPPINESS Congratulations to Mary Alice Chapin for receiving the Golden Key Award. This award is given to members who distinguish themselves in DKG as well as in their communities. Please keep Lauren, the daughter of Renee Douglas, in your prayers. She is having serious health problems. Melissa Houston s mother continues to have health issues. You are in our prayers. The sister of Vicki Jones passed away. Vicki s new address is: 119 Palmetto Place Beaufort, NC 28516 Ted Hodges, son of Pam and Ed, will graduate from the UNC School of Medicine on Saturday. He will do his residency in Internal Medicine at Vanderbilt in Nashville. PRESIDENT S INFO BETTY COCHRAN 402 OAK DRIVE WASHINGTON, NC 27889 bbc7988@gmail.com 252-946-3531 (H) 252-945-3531 EDITOR S CORNER JANE GRIFFIN 414 LODGE ROAD WASHINGTON, NC 27889 jrbg49@aol.com 252-946-6129 (H) 252-402-5414 5
IMPORTANT DATES ALPHA OMEGA August Workshop TBA Mission Statement The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International promotes professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education. ETA STATE ETA STATE CONVENTION April 28 30, 2017 Hilton Riverside Hotel Wilmington, NC REGIONAL SOUTHEAST REGIONAL CONVENTION July 19 22, 2017 Myrtle Beach, SC INTERNATIONAL DKG International Convention July 5 9, 2016 Nashville, TN 6
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