Inez Somers to Retire
On May 3rd Inez Somers will be honored at an afternoon reception at E.C. Mason Elementary. She has been a TSTA member since she began teaching, will celebrate her retirement. ATA and TSTA are joining her colleagues in honoring her career. more

ATA/TSTA/NEA members need to recruit non-members during the special “5 months free” promotion this spring. Alvin ISD employees can sign up for TSTA membership that will give them free membership from April 1st until August 31st, 2006. ATA/TSTA/NEA members were given forms and promotional material. Materials have also been sent via mail to campuses.

Second, on May 3rd a very special lady will be honored at an afternoon reception at E.C. Mason Elementary. Inez Somers, who has been a TSTA member since she began teaching, will celebrate her retirement. ATA and TSTA are joining her colleagues in honoring her career.

In 1973 TSTA supported Inez’s efforts to overturn a discriminating policy in Aldine ISD. It had required pregnant teachers to resign from their jobs. The case went all the way to the 5th Circuit Federal Court.

Somers v. Aldine set the precedent for pregnant teachers to be able to teach.

You can read more about Inez’s experience in the Spring 2005 Advocate magazine (page 29). Just go on line to www.tsta.org and click the picture of the Advocate magazine. Then scroll down to see back issue links of the magazine.

Also in May: ATA/TSTA/NEA has $1,000 allocated for two $500 scholarships to be presented to two Alvin High School seniors on May 1st at the Scholarship Awards at Alvin High School Auditorium.

Looking to the Future:
ATA Nominating committee is looking to identify members who can assume leadership roles in the association and should e-mail those names to Nancy Goodnight at ngoodnig@earthlink.net

To help develop young leaders in the teaching profession TSTA has an opportunity this summer. The Ambassadors Academy will be held July 10-14 in Austin. ATA will pay the $50 registration fee and TSTA will pay for lodging and meals. This is a leadership building seminar that is offered to teachers with less than five years of experience and wanting to become more involved with their professional organization. Members should discuss with other members to find young and upcoming leaders to attend. If you are interested contact Nancy Goodnight.

August 2005
BACK TO SCHOOL BASH 2005
“Plug into a Bright Future” is the theme of our  BACK TO SCHOOL BASH which has been set a little later this year to give people some time to “settled in” to their routines. It will be on Thursday, September 8th at 4:30 at Harby Junior High. This is a “get acquainted” time with food provided by Simply Lunch (Simply Chocolate) and some nice door prizes. Bring some of your AISD colleagues along. It is free to members and a $5 donation for non-members. Liz Picone from NEA Members Benefits will be there to explain all the member benefits available to us and we will have a brief meeting to update what impact the Texas Legislature’s actions will have on our community.

Also, information on the annual “Read Across America” will be available. Make sure to mark the date in your TSTA planner!  (If you are a member and have not received a TSTA planner please email Cindy Hickman.

READ ACROSS AMERICA
It is not too soon to sign up for March 2, 2006 “Read Across America” celebration. Using Dr. Seuss’ birthday as the occasion, students, parents, and community leaders become involved in the fun of reading. Characters from many of Dr. Seuss’ stories are featured in posters, bookmarks, pencils, and balloons, and many other items. Check the www.nea.org web site to sign up, or sign up at the Back to School Bash on September 8th.

NEW EDUCATORS ORIENTATION BREAKFAST
New teachers were welcomed with a breakfast co-sponsored by Alvin Teachers Association/TSTA/NEA on July 28, 2005 at Harby Junior High and “apples” was the theme. Thanks to members Dorlynn Appelt and Deanna Remington for rising early on a summer day to help out!

Over 120 new teachers received TSTA bags with the Advocate magazine and a folder of information about TSTA/NEA. Hand decorated wooden door hangers with the TSTA star logo were given to each new person as they arrived. Paints and materials made available for further decorating during breaks that day were a hit. Ten door prizes were awarded to teachers compliments of The Learning Tree Teacher Supply in League City.

For the first time TSTA President Donna New Haschke was unable to attend Alvin’s NEO due to the busy schedule in Austin as Texas legislators were still in session for the second consecutive time this summer working on Education Finance and Reform. However, the latest Advocate with only a single apple core appearing on the cover summed up the current status of legislation. Plates of whole apples were the table centerpieces symbolizing what was necessary to educate Texas children. Alvin Teachers Association president, Nancy Goodnight, spoke to the crowd about TSTA and how it has impacted teachers lives, including current Alvin TSTA member, Inez Somers. Her case concerning employment termination (with another school district) due to her pregnancy, was a landmark win in Federal Court, for teachers then and now. The child from that eventful time is also a teacher now in Alvin ISD.

Huge thanks go to TSTA support personnel, Sam Blackman, LaBeth Pondish, Vera Loyd, Susan Wilson, and many more. They helped answer questions and lend a big hand to the event.

VOTER REGISTRATION CAMPAIGN
Alvin Teachers Association also kicked off its Voter Registration campaign on July 28th.  New teachers who registered to vote signed a banner that will tour this fall during registration sign ups. “Vote for Texas Children” is the theme.

Be on the alert for more information in the future. Check this website or email Nancy Goodnight.

Have a great year!

TSTA/NEA: FIGHTING FOR TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS SINCE 1880

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