15-B Insider -- September 2003

Although it is hard to let go of summer, by now most returning staff are glad to be back at school. If this is your first year as a school employee, we welcome you and hope it is an exciting and rewarding experience for you. If you are returning after a relaxing summer, welcome back – and try to remember why you decided to pursue this career. This is an exciting time of year for children. You really cannot afford to give less than your very best. Their future depends on it.

For you new members, my name is Judy Pullen. I am the 15-B secretary and am here to help you in whatever way I can. I also keep lots of chocolate on hand for stress – so stop in anytime!! I would also like to encourage you to check out our award-winning web page designed to help you do what you do even better. Our Webmaster, Jim Neff, is a retired English teacher. He constantly updates our site with new and exciting materials. This publication, the 15-B Insider, is published each month throughout the school year with the exception of April. We hope to continue to make it informative, relevant, and thought provoking.

A new school year has begun; your schedule may have changed; some of your co-workers have retired; and things will be different. This is also the case for MEA – and, more personally, for your local Uniserv office. For those of you who may not know, Roger Hopkins, our 15-B Uniserv Director, elected to take the ERI that MEA offered in June. By now he is enjoying his retirement, and probably wondering why he waited so long! We will miss him and the passion he had for his job – and his dedication to our members. As his secretary, I can say without reservation that he put 110% into everything he did. His days were quite often 10 to 12 hours or longer, yet he was back in the office early the next morning ready to "tackle" a new day!! He always remained positive and willing to go the extra mile whenever necessary. He wasn’t afraid to go out on a limb for the things, or people, he believed in. His heart was in his work, and he felt an obligation to members right up to and through his last day of work. In his 10 years with MEA, he made a positive difference! MEA – and 15-B have lost a very special person, but we wish him the very best in his retirement.

Cyndi Austin became our new Uniserv Director on August 18^th. Although things will be different, I want to reassure you that we will do our best to continue to give you the excellent service you have come to expect. Most of us don’t like change; however, change is inevitable. Just remember, it is our attitude that makes it either a positive or negative experience. Let’s stay positive!! Although MEA is cutting back in a lot of areas, we will attempt to continue with as many workshops and services as possible. If you have a problem, a question – or just need chocolate, please stop in or give us a call.

Hello, my name is Cyndi Austin, and I am your new Uniserv Director. I am very proud to have been selected to work in Cadillac, and I am looking forward to meeting and working with all the associations here.

I am moving here from Port Huron, Michigan where I worked at St. Clair County Community College. I am a graduate of the NEA Uniserv Intern Program and have worked for the Clarkston/Holly School Districts as a Uniserv Director.

I know I have "Big" shoes to fill, but I plan to continue the fine work Roger did in this office. The next few weeks will be a very busy time for me. I will be scheduling time to stop by and meet with your leadership and the administration for your schools. If I don’t get a chance to meet you, please feel free to stop by the office or call to say hello.

I will leave you with a part of my favorite poem called "Promise Yourself" that I feel is the reason I work for you, the members…

Along the same line, Lee Longfield is our new Northern Zone Director, transferring here from the Central Zone. She replaces Tom Taylor who also took the ERI incentive. She is an avid horse lover and an excellent advocate for our members. She is very approachable and will certainly be an asset to our Northern Zone. Her secretary, Jody Jaeger, is located in Escanaba and is always willing to "go the extra mile" for the Northern Zone staff as well as our members.

Yes, it is that time of the year again – time to get involved!! Every decision about public education, from textbooks to transportation to your health care benefits to your retirement, is a political decision. Your participation in Cash for Kids helps elect officials who support our issues. Your contribution maintains and strengthens your influence in the political system. When your Cash for Kids representative contacts you, please consider making a donation. Any amount is appreciated! The stakes are too high for any of us to sit on the sidelines.

We will be having some exciting incentives again this year – both for individuals and for your association. Watch for the flyers that will be sent out soon. And remember ….. With teamwork, together we can achieve the extraordinary!

As most of you may know by now, I retired on June 18^th. MEA offered 25 ERI (Early Retirement Incentive) slots to its Uniserv staff, and I was number 25. I hadn’t expected that a slot would be available, but when it opened up, I opted to accept it and leave MEA a little earlier than I had planned. It seems the economy has impacted MEA, and the ERI was one way of dealing with it. I am now enjoying bike riding, fishing, farming and my two beautiful granddaughters, Hope and Hannah. Hannah is two and a half and Hope was born August 27^th. They, of course, think their Grandpa is the best!!

We (you) now have a new staff member in the 15-B office. She may have some of that idealism and optimism in her that many of you newer staff members have. Please don’t destroy that fire in her. She may ask you to work with her in a different manner than you worked with me. Please encourage her.

I want to thank you for letting me serve as your Uniserv Director for the past 10 years. For many years, I wanted to be a Uniserv Director, and you folks gave me my chance. I have been truly impressed by you and the job that you do. It is amazing that we have so many dedicated and competent people working in the many school communities that are part of the 15-B Coordinating Council. "Don’t worry! Judy is still here, and that warm and helpful greeting will still be there when you call." My best wishes to each of you for a rewarding and successful year.