Vol. 35

June, 2006

No. 5

President's Year End Report Once again, we have had a very busy and successful year. Representative Council meetings were well attended. We would love to see a rep from Kenilworth. If anyone from Kenilworth is willing to attend a meeting, let me know. The meetings are held at the UCEA Office in the Target Shopping Center in Clark. Rarely, do they last beyond 6 PM. Dinner is served. At the meetings, I try to update the group on issues facing us in public education and share information from NJEA and NEA. Four issues of Interloc were mailed. The newsletter is mailed out by a mailing house. However, we still depend on our faithful retirees from time to time to assist with mailings. Thank you retirees! The UCEA trip program has been very successful this year. Trips are open to, not only UCEA members, but to the general public as well. I urge you to read your Interloc and watch for flyers at your work sites. Interloc is our method of communicating what is available to you. So many times members call the office to say they did not know about one of our workshops or trips. They do not know because they do not read their literature. Dinner workshops in honor of National Educational Support Professional Day, Professional Secretaries' Day, and National School Nurse Day were successful. In addition, we had a dinner workshop entitled "Highly Qualified Paraprofessionals" and a workshop on 504 plans for Guidance Counselors. There were about 10 additional two-hour workshops on a variety of topics held at the UCEA Office. Professional development certificates were presented to attendees for most of them. In order to receive a certificate, one had to be on time and stay until the completion of the session. Reservations are required, prior to the day of the workshop. On October 11th, I brought greetings to those present at the Union County Retired Educators luncheon. The UCEA reception at the NJEA Convention was attended by approximately 500-600. We will be taking a close look at this event in terms of refreshments. Although it is listed as a "reception," many of those in attendance treat it as a "dinner." We ran out of food quickly this year which caused those arriving around 5 PM to face empty plates. During the NJEA Convention, I attended the meeting of the Teachers Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) and the ceremony honoring the recipients of the Frederick L. Hipp Awards. Also in December, I represented Union County at the retirement dinner for Leonard Koch, who retired from NJEA. On Read Across America day, March 2nd, UCEA members, retirees, and students from Kean University participated in activities at Barnes and Noble in Springfield and in Clark. They served as readers and assisted in other ways, including greeting children and walking around the store in costumes. The event was a success, despite the inclement weather that day. On March 4th, I attended the dinner honoring Joyce Gerstorfer from Plainfield, who was selected the NJEA ESP of the Year and the other county ESP of the Year winners. The UCEA Legislative Reception, in March, was well attended. It provided an informal, relaxed atmosphere in which members could interact with our legislators. Also in the area of legislative and political action, I attended meetings with several of our elected officials and several receptions for our Union County legislators. In February, I attended the NJEA Legislative Conference. During July and August, I shall participate in the screenings of candidates in the election this November. The Weekend Professional Development workshop at the Villa Roma Resort was a success. Approximately 100 members attended. Evaluations were complementary. The UCEA phone bank was turned on in October and again in April, prior to school budget elections. Several local associations used the phones to work in the November elections and in the April school board elections. A reception was held at Molly Maguire's in Clark to thank the volunteers who worked in the November election. The UCEA Office is available to all Union County local associations for meetings and events. Other groups that have met in the UCEA Office include the Union County School Nurses Association and the Union County Retired Educators Association. Also, the Union County Municipal Alliance Steering Subcommittee (CASS) met several times at the office. The CASS is part of the GCADA (Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse). I serve as chairperson of the CASS. UCEA and NJEA sponsored a reception in December to honor the LACADA (Local Advisory Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse) volunteers of the year from Union County. Project Links, a group that strengthens communities through substance abuse education held a multi-day training program at the UCEA Office. The group is supported by the Union County Probation Department and the Union County Family Court. This summer, we will once again sponsor a concert at Echo Lake Park. It will begin at 7:30 PM on July 12th. Admission is free. This is part of our Union County/NJEA Pride Project. VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED TO HELP AT THE CONCERT! Come out and have a fun evening! The group is "The Sensational Soul Cruisers." Throughout the year, I represented your interests at various meetings, conferences, and other functions. In January, I attended the NEA Northeast Regional Leadership Conference in Philadelphia. I attended the Somerset and Ocean Counties Legislative Dinners. I served on the screening committee for the Union County Teacher of the Year and attended the Union County Teacher Recognition breakfast in May. On May 24th, I attended the Union County Outstanding Scholars' breakfast. I met with the officers and Union County committee chairs and attended meetings of the Budget Committee and the Nominating Committee. Between now and the end of the year, I shall represent UCEA at various retirement and end of the year events. At the end of June, I plan to represent you at the Summer Conference of the National Council of Urban Education Associations in Orlando, Florida. I attended the Fall Conference in December in Louisville, Kentucky. I am an elected delegate to the NEA Convention in Orlando, Florida. I serve on the Board of Directors of the NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education and chair the Program Committee of that Board. We met on May 31st in Washington, DC. In December, I attended the Foundation's Excellence in Education Gala in Washington, DC and participated as one of the award presenters at the Gala. I attended a site visit in Hamilton County Tennessee (Chattanooga) in January. We visited several schools. Hamilton County is the recipient of one of our Closing the Achievement Gaps Grants. They are currently in the second year of the program and have made dramatic advances in closing the gaps. I attended meetings of the NJEA Delegate Assembly and the County Presidents' Council throughout the year. At the May meeting of the CPC, I was elected president for next year. As chairperson of the NJEA UniServ Committee, I chaired several meetings of that group. As a member of the New Jersey Professional Teaching Standards Board, I have attended meetings of the Board throughout the year. The Board meets monthly, usually at the Department of Education in Trenton. We will be having a two-day retreat in July. I was selected to serve on the NJEA Pen-Ben Advisory Committee. This is a committee that is keeping watch over our pension and post-retirement health benefits. We have had two meetings. On March 11th, I was part of a contingent representing UCEA in the Union County St. Patrick's Day parade in Union Township. We had about 30 members participate. Realizing that it is time that UCEA entered the electronic age, I have met several times with Ken Betros, UCEA member from Rahway, to discuss the development of a UCEA webpage. Look on the front page of this Interloc for our web address. Visit us often, and please submit ideas. Once again, let me remind you that this is your association. Your local association, UCEA, NJEA, and NEA cannot succeed without you. Get involved! There is a place for you. Come out and meet new friends. There is always something to be done. You do not need any experience. Give us an hour or two when we need you. We feed our volunteers well! If you are brand new in the Association, I invite you to become active. If you have been in for a while, completed your graduate studies, raised your family, fulfilled personal obligations, and addressed whatever it was that kept you from association involvement, please consider giving some time to the Association. Get involved in your local association and/or UCEA. I am completing my 29th year as president of UCEA. It is time for me to move on. We need new leaders. I am working to identify emerging new leaders. I know they (you) are out there. If you would like to get more involved in Association activity, please let me know. Don't feel that you do not know enough to get involved. With almost 12,000 members, we must have some potential leaders. Whether your interests lie in professional development, legislation and political action, social activities, public relations, membership, human rights, assisting with clerical work, or taking care of hospitality at meetings and workshops, we have a place for you. Thank you for the support you have given me over the years. My very best wishes for a very pleasant and relaxing summer. Be well! Herb