The short summer was even shorter for members of the Beaumont Teachers Association Executive Board. President Jody Behrens-Blaul, First Vice President Norman Ault, Second Vice President Trina Brown, and Secretary Michelle Arifuku met for nine hours on Friday, July 15 to plan and strategize for the 2011-2012 academic year. Jody, Trina, and Michelle (along with Monica Rice, board member emeritus and active BTA member) spent the first week of August at UCLA participating in the California Teachers Association Summer Institute (yes, these dedicated women spent five days in dorm rooms in order to serve you better). Norman would have joined them, but he was down the road in San Diego at the AVID summer institute. Jody and Trina also spent five days in Pacific Grove at the CTA President’s Conference, while Monica spent seven days in Chicago as an NEA/RA representative. In addition to meetings and training each officer spent hours—some dozens, some hundreds—working on all the behind-the-scenes things that, we hope, will make 2011-2012 a watershed year for BTA.
The Executive Board of Officers: Michelle Arifuku, Trina Brown, Jody Behrens-Blaul, and Norman Ault
The fruits of some of our efforts will only be seen over time. Others, like the new and improved website upon which you are reading this article, will be immediately evident. All of our efforts, however, have a common intent—to improve the lot and perception of teachers. To this end we need to foster a sense of community amongst ourselves, establish cordial working relationships with other members of the BUSD community, and a become a visible, positive presence in the community. It was a busy, productive summer, but forward momentum can only be sustained if we all remember that BTA is 370 certificated educators, not five executive board members, a handful of committee chairs, and a score of site reps. Pitch in where your talents are needed. Follow us on Facebook. Teach us to tweet, as we are currently in the “experimental” phase. Let us know when we mess up, but be constructive in your criticisms and balance them with an occasional pat on the metaphorical back. Join us in the ongoing process of making 2011-2012 a great year for BTA and the students we serve.
