It seems as if we’ve just gotten started, and the school year is almost over. To me, this school year seems to be the quickest ever, no doubt because of the amount of work done in and out of this office this year. In the office, the year started with me moving into a new space as President, with the first task to get organized and learn my new job. My second big task was to interview and hire a new Field Representative. Belinda Reagan joined the PFTCE staff in that capacity, and we reconfigured the office space to get her set up. Together, we then interviewed and hired our wonderful new office assistant, Allison Houghton. So, now the three of us are generating and accomplishing more work than ever before.

Outside of the office, there was work, as well. Our traveling membership meetings were very successful this year. We averaged approximately 100 people at those meetings---up from about 20 attendees in the previous years. If you have any suggestions on making the meetings more successful – please, let us know. And, of course, there was bargaining---over 20 sessions at the table with the District, which, naturally, included all of the planning and research for those sessions. I mustn’t forget to mention all of the preparation for, and time spent with our informational picketing, and sessions at the School Board. I am still just so impressed and proud of the involvement and actions of you, as members, this year! I can’t thank you enough! Let’s keep it growing next year!

Additionally, there was lots of Union-related travel…the AFL-CIO Convention, AFT Winter School, off to Washington DC for classes, the AFT-OR Convention. In July, I’ll be going to Chicago for the AFT-National Convention, where we will be electing new officers for AFT-National.

Speaking of new officers, PFTCE officers were elected by secret ballot at our last member meeting at Roosevelt High School. Elected were Becky Wright--Executive VP, LindaCarol McKinlay--Secretary, Louise Currin--COPE VP, and Marilyn Kelley and Eddie Reese as VPs at Large. Congratulations to these new and returning officers.

Some of my best memories of the year have been the conversations and exchanges with all of you. It is your ideas, suggestions, and directives that drive us here at the office. Without you, we wouldn’t have much to do. So keep us involved, and we will be keeping you involved, also, with questionnaires, articles in the newsletter, and on the website. We need to keep growing as a union, in body and mind…in other words, in numbers and knowledge.

Our new contract booklet will be printed soon and we will get one to each of you. Please read it and let us help you understand it, and together we will enforce it and make it work for us.
Have a great, restful, fun summer. If you can’t resist the urge for some union action, call me---I’ll be here.
Thanks for a wonderful year!