Welcome 2009 TOYS! Our newest group met in Dallas at the end of January. First Vice President Joan Brummond and Second Vice President Sherri Gould were there representing NSTOY to welcome the new TOYs and to introduce them to the benefits of NSTOY membership. It is my sincere hope that each and every one of you has the opportunity to experience all that NSTOY has to offer.
Maine is the location of our upcoming annual NSTOY National Conference. Send in your registrations now by using the form included in this newsletter. Pre-conference activities will take place from July 6-8, and the conference itself will be held from July 9-12. Conference Chair Sherri Gould and her group of Maine TOYS have been busy putting the finishing touches on the plans for the big event, which is shaping up to be one of our very best yet. Our summer conference offers the opportunity to share ideas and classroom strategies, attend outstanding workshops, engage in rich conversations during business meetings, enjoy the fun and laughter, and take part in educational tours and adventures, as well as family activities. We hope to see many of you in Maine this summer!
For me, the annual conference has always been a time for renewal and rejuvenation. It's a time to make new friends and reconnect with old ones as we participate in educational experiences that both inspire and invigorate. It's also an opportunity for NSTOY members to share their talents and knowledge as part of a group of amazing individuals who all possess a similar passion for their craft and who strive daily to do “what's best for kids.”
Congratulations to our own Joe Fatheree (IL 07) who recently received the NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence,
along with the Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence in Washington, D.C. He is yet another NSTOY example of one who continues to excel on the national level.
NSTOY's mission is to take a leading role to involve teachers in making educational policies and decisions in the classroom, school, community, state, national and global arenas. This is one way that we can have a significant impact on the direction of education in the country, and we need everyone's help and involvement to accomplish this goal.
This is truly an exciting time to be in education! We have a new President, a new Secretary of Education, and a new hope for better times. In spite of the recent economic downturn, I sense a new spirit among educators as we rededicate ourselves towards improving the lives of children. Let's work together to make our vision a reality!
See you in Maine!
