ISEA Executive Board Meets and Bids Farewell to Outgoing Board Members

The evening of Friday, May 11th and until noon on Saturday, May 12th found the ISEA Executive Board meeting in Des Moines. At our Friday evening portion of the meeting we welcomed five incoming Executive Board members (terms beginning in late July) to be our guests to observe the board's process.

Our Friday evening session revolves around board discussion items. On our agenda first was to hear from the state committee "Building a Better Teaching and Learning Environment". Representing the state committee were ISEA staff members Dave Wilkinson (pictured at right) and Stan Burke, UniServ Director for Mid-Iowa. Dave, Stan and UniServ Director Bob Brown from JDC are staff liaisons for this state committee. Dave and Stan shared the numerous classes offered by ISEA for relicensure credit including support for members considering and going through the process of National Board Certification. In addition they spoke of bringing the state committee together to discuss ways to support members in implementation of SF 277, the Teacher Quality law.

The Executive Board heard next from Team ISEA lobbyists Brad Hudson (on left) and Jon Studer (on right) as they summarized the work of the recently completed 2007 legislative session. Lobbyist shared that Community Colleges had the largest increase in state aid with a 9% growth over last year's allocation. Community Colleges saw the largest increase in their General Fund in recent history coupled with a $2 million separate salary package for Community College instructors--something that had not been done in 15 years! Our K-12 schools saw a general aid increase of 7%--a 4% allowable growth coupled with the increase in Teacher Quality aid increase.

We ended our evening Friday by honoring ISEA Executive Board members that are leaving the board. In total we have eight members leaving the board.

Outgoing Team ISEA Executive Board members pictured are (from left to right): Nancy Porter, ECUU; Gayle Jeffers, NEA Director; Paul Burrow, State Unit 9; Jan Olson, Siouxland UU; Sally Hansen, Mid-Iowa UU; and Jean Swenson, NEIEU. (Not pictured are Sarah Topliff, Student Program Chair; and Michael Hall, Higher Ed Chair.) Thank you ISEA leaders for your many years of providing leadership on behalf of all Team ISEA!

Team ISEA Executive Board members were challenged at our April meeting prior to Delegate Assembly to bring back to the May meeting 10 new contributors to the NEA Fund for Children and Public Education. Leading the effort was ISEA Vice President Chris Bern with 10 new contributors. Ten Executive Board members returned to us a total of 37 new contributors for a total of $868.00! Board members rising to the challenge were: Rhonda Anderson, Chair for ESP Standing Committee; Vice President Chris Bern; Geneva Grooters, Northern Pride UU; Rob Hirst, Hawkeye UU; Al Mattison, UU 2; Ruth Moorberg, UU 10; Dave O'Connor, DMEA; Oscar Ortiz, SCUU; Jean Swenson, NEIEU; and Anne Travis, SWUU. I rewarded two board members for their collections of contributions to the NEA Fund--1) Oscar Ortiz with the largest total dollars with $370; and 2) Dave O'Connor with the 2nd highest number of individual contributors (7 individuals)--each with an ink pen used by Governor Culver in the bill signing ceremony for Early Childhood education (VP Bern was present at a previous bill signing ceremony and has a ceremonial pen).