Future Educators at OHS Honor Teachers at Breakfast

A breakfast was served to a group of favorite teachers by FEA students at Ogden High School last week. Each student invited one of their most memorable teachers to a nice breakfast funded by our NEA SOAR grant. We received $2000 from NEA to help our FEA chapters. In December FEA students and Teachers for Tomorrow will visit the WSU campus for a day of classes and activities. Suzy Davis and Stephanie Heath have been the leaders in organizing these activities.

If you haven't entered the BLOG Contest this month, email me at rick@ogdenweber.org and use the word "SOAR" in the message. Thanks Rick

Give Thanks to Those Around You

I came back a day early from St. George, because I missed blogging. Seeing my six grandchildren and my three children made me give thanks for their mother who raised them so well. I was too busy coaching, teaching, doing association work and working a second job (as most of you do to make ends meet). But in the end it all pays off. My youngest is working full time (manager of Pizza Factory) and going to school to be a "product logo" guy. Robyn, his wife, works part time for Sky West and so they have traveled all around the world. Their daughter, Kate, has been on 36 flights at the age of 9 months. I visited my old teaching friends who work at Desert Hills High School (the tragic scene of the "prop gun" death last week). Again, it sobers us to see these tragedies around us. I wish you a great Turkey Day and I am formally announcing I am in a "Biggest Loser" contest with my son. I weighed in at the truckstop in Scipio at a robust 339 (the truck scales worked well) . Maybe next month's contest will be on giving Rick ideas to lose the blubber.

Still time to get your entry into the BLOG Contest. One entry only this month. Next month new rules. Email me at Blob@...oh no it is really rick@ogdenweber.org Thanks Rick

UniServ Council Leads the Association

In my never ending attempt to give you tidbits of knowledge that will change your life forever...Our Ogden/Weber UniServ (comprised of OEA and WEA) is managed by a council made up of the WEA President, Marlene Irons, the WEA Vice-President Terie Maxfield, our OEA President, Mary Courney, the OEA Vice-President, Doug Stephens and our UniServ President, Clay Kirkham.  This council meets monthly to set the agenda for the UniServ and manage its finances.  Oh, and most importantly, manage me.  You are all my bosses.  Your dues pay for my salary and I think I have the best bosses in the world.  No, I am not kissing up to you all.  I really believe that at this time of Thanksgiving and 401-k demise, I love my job and helping you all enjoy your jobs.

This month, our BLOG contest will allow for one entry per person.  I think in the future, I will reward those of you loyal readers to enter more than once.  To enter email me at rick@ogdenweber.org  thanks Rick

The Blogmeister is headed south

Hi everyone. I will be taking a couple days off to visit my six grandchildren in St. George. It is only coincidental that there are also golf courses in St. George. I will be taking time off from posting, but I hope you will still enter, if you have not, in the November BLOG Contest. Just email me with the word "grandchildren" at rick@ogdenweber.org Thanks Rick

Economy Downturn Leads to Budget Cuts

The worst national economic crisis since the Great Depression has finally arrived at Utah's borders and is seeping into our state. In September the Utah State Legislature cut $100 Million from ongoing state agency budgets. Public Education's budget was held harmless, but just for this year. We are hearing now that all state agencies, including public education, can expect a 2-5% (maybe as high as 10%) cut from ongoing budgets for Fiscal Year 2010. The Utah State Board of Education has made the following suggestions:

1. Last program in, first out. (Get rid of the newest programs first)
2. Use the $100 Million one-time unappropriated set aside first.
3. Cut the Early Childhood Learning and Evaluation program $3.5.
4. Cut the Merit Pay program $20 Million. (Both 3 and 4 were in the omnibus bill SB2)
5. Freeze Charter School expansion.
6. Cut the USTAR program $6.9 Million (Omnibus bill)
7. Cut the extended year for special educators program $2.9 Million (Omnibus bill)
8. Cut the Math/Science Salary Supplement program $4.7 Million (Omnibus bill)

As you can see it will be a difficult legislative session and we will need a unified UEA membership to persuade the state to protect Utah's public schools.

To enter the BLOG CONTEST email me at rick@ogdenweber.org and use the word "Budget".

Thanks Rick

National Council of Urban Education Associations

Our UniServ President Clay Kirkham and Paul Fawson (member of WEA's Executive Board) will be attending the Fall Conference of the NCUEA in San Jose in December. The NCUEA is a group of the largest NEA affiliates and meets twice a year to discuss many of the concerns and issues facing associations nationwide. They are a powerful group in making NEA policy. The NCUEA also offers association leaders some great training to help them do their jobs. If you are interested in becoming more involved in OEA or WEA please contact us or your leaders.

To enter our BLOG CONTEST email me rick@ogdenweber.org with "NCUEA" in the message.
Thanks Rick

What the heck is a UNISERV?

UnServ is short for "unified services". Our Ogden/Weber UniServ provides services for over 1600 members in Ogden and Weber. We represent the unified membership of NEA, UEA, OEA and WEA. Your valuable membership dollars come back to our office to help pay for those services. Go to our website at http://www.ogdenweber.org/ and see our staff, OEA leaders, and WEA leaders. Click on the OEA and WEA icons and find copies of our contract and links to the district, UEA and NEA websites. Please give us ideas to make our web page better. I am the UniServ Director and I am here to represent you in any concern you have. Please call me if you have any concerns or questions. Rick Palmer 390-6365

Email me at rick@ogdenweber.org to enter our BLOG CONTEST. Just send me the "word" UniServ and I will enter you in the drawing for prizes. We will draw at the December AR meeting. You may enter once per month. Thanks for your membership.