Its your turn to step up and be counted.

Schiltz, Jack

VAHPERD struggled for many years trying to establish its role in your professional life. The convention was the primary focus for many years. It started as a platform for a few state public school teachers and many college /university professors to share their knowledge and experience. Today it is considered one of the most comprehensive conventions in the nation. Along with your colleagues, speakers are brought in from California to Maine. Over 10 presentations per hour occur from 8am to 5pm over a two day period. Over $15,000 is now committed to speakers. The last two conventions have been held at a 4 star Hyatt with the cost of a room only $113. Last convention over $2,000 in gifts and promotional items were given away (including a sport watch to every participant). Registration for the convention has remained more than reasonable at $40-45 dollars.

But your VAHPERD organization hasn't stopped there. It now helps fund the Health and Physical Activity Institute ($3,000). It sponsors the Virginia Dance Festival ($1,000). It helps city and county supervisors get together to work in solving the many challenges of health and physical education programs ($5,000). It rewards outstanding Teachers of the Year (In some cases up to $750 per person). It funds the many dynamic OHPEP speakers make presentations throughout the state ($4,500). It funds the travel of Jump Rope for Heart demonstration teams ($500).You now have a website which you can register for conventions and renew your membership. Add in a minimum of two newsletters, two journals, and a list serve.

Remember, for all this you are paying $25 per year. You can't even fill your gas tank up one time for that!!!!!!!!!!

Let me give you a better reason why every health and physical education professional should join VAHPERD...........

VAHPERD is the only state association in the nation where if you take advantage of what it offers, not only will your membership be free, you can make money. If you attend the summer Health for Success Institute you receive a $25 check (you have just paid for your membership). If you attend the other summer Health and Physical Activity Institute you receive another $25 check (now you are ahead). If you serve as a Board Member much of your state convention expenses are reimbursed (now you are really ahead).

The bottom line is if you are willing to be an active professional your VAHPERD is there to support you. VAHPERD is now investigating how it can assist teachers seeking National Board Certification. Things like pre-convention workshops and access to state consultants who have passed the certification are being considered.

Financial Update

The operating budget for 2005-6 is a very unique one. Because there will be no VAHPERD convention as such, significant income (and Expenses) have been eliminated. If you attend the upcoming SDAAHPERD/VAHPERD convention your association will do fine. It will be a little more expensive as registration is around $95.00. The rooms are only 112 for a single or double. (see specific information elsewhere in this issue)

Our investments at Legg Mason are now a little over $500,000. We have approximately $50,000 that can be used in case of an emergency. Growth over the past years has ranged from 7 to 10 %.

Membership

We now have approximately 1200 members as of 10-15-05. This is simply not good enough. Our goal is to have 1500 members on a continual basis. Of the 1200 members 200 are students. Talk to your colleagues. Put a copy of this article and the membership form in their mail boxes. We need your help to increase our membership. This fall alone we have sent information in the form of the fall newsletter to every member, every public school, every private school, every jump for heart coordinator, every hoops for heart coordinator, and every university with a professional education program (some 4,000 copies). And our membership still is not what it should be. Fuss at your colleagues. Help them fill out the form ... help them fill out their checkJ. It's your time to step up to bat and help your organization.

SDAAHPERD/VAHPERD Convention and Hard Times

From what I have heard from local school district teachers, support for you to attend the March 1-5, 2006 convention will be limited. Please don't let that scare you away. This may be your one chance in quite some time to see presentation of colleagues from Texas to Virginia (13 different states). The exhibits will be at least twice the size of our convention. Here are some penny pinching strategies:

1. Sleep 2 to 3 to 4 people in a room. You can easily get the cost per night down below $50 a night.

2. Try to get your city or county to pay part of your expenses rather than all. Get requests in early. Submit your first request asking for everything. Then resubmit asking for what you think you can get. Talk to your supervisor as to what strategies would work best. You never know what you might get if you don't ask.

3. Bring some snacks and beverages so you don't have to buy things in the hotels and restaurants.

4. Eat cheap! Try to stay away from popular restaurants. Fast food for two days won't kill you.

5. Don't bring husbands, wives, kids and significant others as they represent an additional financial burden. (If on the other hand, you can get away with calling this a family vacation to Virginia Beach.... in March.... you can probably save money in a long run. But, boy will you have to be a fancy talker for that one J.)

Well, that's about it from the oval office. Have a great year and I will see you at Virginia Beach.

Jack Schiltz