OEA Student Program Convention

Dear SOEA Advisors, Officers, and Members,

Efforts of the Student OEA members made the fourth Outreach to Teach project on March 7th a huge success!  After an official welcome by SOEA President Patricia Gorgas (UCO) and State Student Organizer Floyd Cox at the Best Western Inn and Suites in Oklahoma City, more than 200 SOEA members, advisors, OEA leadership, staff and managers, spouses and friends traveled on buses provided by the Crutcho Public Schools to their school for a transformation that truly changed lives!

It would be impossible to list everyone and all the kind gifts of money, books, basketball poles, paint, paint brushes, shovels, rakes, and time that many contributed.  A special thank you goes to Kimberly Anderson, NEA Student Program Organizer, for coming to Oklahoma and working with us at Crutcho.  Thanks, too, to our SOEA President, Patricia Gorgas for her leadership.  Modeled after the NEA Student Program’s Outreach to Teach, our goal was to select an appropriate Oklahoma City area school and replicate the national effort.  The difference. . . we don’t have a $100,000 budget!  Our beginning budget was $1,000 from the NEA Student Program and OEA matched the $1,000.  Donations are secured from local associations, area businesses and individuals—17 business or groups contributed to this worthwhile project!  Someone once said that it takes the whole community to raise a child.  Well, it took the whole OEA family (student members, SOEA executive committee members, OEA board members and leaders, OEA staff and family members) and the Crutcho community to fulfill our dreams at Crutcho Public Schools!

Saturday’s portion of the 2008 SOEA State Convention was wonderful, too!  One hundred and fifty-six (156) SOEA members, advisors, presenters and staff participated in nine great professional development sessions.  Sessions included “Budgeting Your Dollars”, “C.A.R.E.—Strategies for Closing the Achievement Gaps”, “Co-Teaching—Making it Work”, “Dealing with Aggressive Behavior”, “Know What’s Out There!”, “Managing an Effective Classroom”, “Principal Panel”, “Reaching the ELL Student” and “Teaching Math on a Beginning Teacher’s Budget” .  OEA President Roy Bishop kicked off the morning with official OEA greetings and donated four Jonathan Kozol books, “Letters to a Young Teacher” for the OEA Fund for Children and Public Education.  Outstanding Chapter Award title went to the SOEA chapter from NWOSU for accomplishments during 2007-08.

Over 200 door prizes were given away during the Convention.  SOEA Executive Committee members, Georgia Perryman (NSU), Alisha Warden (NWOSU), Thomas Parker (USAO), Mallory Marler (UCO), and Stefani Overton) introduced workshop session presenters and accepted contributions to OEA’s Fund for Children and Public Education.  Student members contributed a record-breaking $567.50 for OEA’s Fund!
 
It was an awesome two days!  Thanks to each of you who supported our work at Crutcho Public Schools.  Thanks to each of you who believes in SOEA! 

The following colleges and universities were represented by student members and advisors:

Together we will see great public schools for every child,
Floyd

P.S. – You will soon be able to view a video of the Outreach to Teach experience on this website.  The video will be released at OEA’s Delegate Assembly on April 25.

Channel 5 - OKC

2008 Video
2007 Video
2006 Video
2005 Video

Please pass the word! The SOEA State Officer filing deadline is Friday, March 28, 2008. Positions that will be voted on are: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Legislative Representative, NEA Delegate, and an OEA Delegate.

Candidates for state office must have served at least one term as a local officer and shall meet one of the following:

1. They will have attended at least two Executive Board meetings of the State organization, or

2. They will have attended at least one SOEA/OEA State Convention, SOEA/OEA Leadership Conference or Emerging Leaders Training.

President
The President shall be a voting member on the OEA Board of Directors, serve on the OEA FCPE Committee, the OEA Budget Committee, represent SOEA at the OCEA quarterly meetings, attend the NEA-SP Leadership and Connections Conferences, and shall be the first delegate to the NEA Representative Assembly and the OEA Delegate Assembly.  (The OEA Board of Directors meets 6-7 times per year.)

Vice-President
The Vice-President shall serve on the OEA Convention Committee and shall be the membership promoter of the SOEA and be responsible for all membership programs, drives, and other membership activities.  The Vice-President also shall be the chairman of the Bylaws Committee.

Secretary
The Secretary shall serve on the OEA IPD Committee and shall submit within two weeks of the prior meeting, copies of the minutes to the SOEA Student Organizer, the SOEA President, Vice-President and Legislative Representative.  The Secretary will assist the State Student Organizer by writing articles and news stories for publication.

Legislative Representative
The Legislative Representative shall serve on the OEA Legislative Committee.  The Legislative Representative shall also organize any political activities where SOEA may be involved.

OEA Delegate
The OEA Delegate shall represent the SOEA membership at the OEA Delegate Assembly that year and will give an oral report of the proceedings of the Delegate Assembly at the SOEA Regional Leadership Conferences and/or State Convention.  The SOEA President shall be the first OEA Delegate.  The second OEA Delegate shall serve on the OEA Human and Civil Rights Committee.

NEA Delegate
The NEA Delegate shall represent the SOEA membership at the NEA Representative Assembly that year and will give an oral report of the proceedings of the Representative Assembly at the SOEA Leadership Conferences and/or State Convention.  The SOEA President and President-Elect shall automatically serve as the first and second delegates to the RA.  The third NEA delegate shall serve on the OEA Legal & Corporate Services Committee.  The fourth NEA delegate shall serve on the OEA Resolutions Committee.  Subsequent delegates will serve on the OEA Committees upon appointment by the OEA President.

Additional Requirements

Meetings
All newly elected officers are required to attend a new officers meeting held in June.  The annual Fall Regional Leadership Training shall be held at times and places the Executive Committee shall determine.  The annual State Convention shall be held at times and places the Executive Committee shall determine.  All officers are required to work at the OEA Convention held at times and places determined by the OEA.  Additional meetings shall be held upon the call of the President with approval of the State Student Organizer.  All executive officers must attend all scheduled meetings.  Absences from 2 meetings shall result in the relinquishment of his/her office.

Terms of Office
The elected officers shall serve for one year and their term of office shall begin on July 15.

Vacancy in Office
A vacancy in the office of President shall be filled by the Vice-President.  The vacancy thus created in the office of Vice-President shall be filled by the Executive Committee’s appointee.

General Information
It is essential for state officers to represent Oklahoma’s student members; therefore, attendance at all SOEA meetings and activities is required.  SOEA executive committee members are appointed to the committees identified above.  OEA committees meet in Oklahoma City generally on a Saturday during the fall and on another Saturday during the spring.  All SOEA executive committee members will attend the OEA Summer Leadership Conference.