Hi Wonderful WACA People!
The WACA Board met a few weeks ago and the WACA conference is going to be exceptional this year! Here are some important things for you to know:
WACA is almost here! It’s easy to register on the new website@
http://www.wacaonline.org/conference-2014.html
The WACA website – The website (wacaonline.org) is renovated and easy to use. Our Technology Coordinator Ryan Healy has breathed new life into our site. The “Idea Share” link has tremendous ideas for any situation. You can add items: Got a cool activity or mini-lesson? Go to the website, click on the “IDEA SHARE” tab at the top (it turns green for you), and scroll down to the “Your Ideas” section. Follow the easy prompts, and submit. Try it out!
Another key feature is “Leadership Videos.” There are lots of great short clips for use in your program. Most videos are 3-5 minutes in length; although there are some longer ones, like “The Butterfly Circus”. Take a peek!
The WACA Conference, WACA 2014 – Help! (That’s the theme, not a cry for help J)
Meals:
Lodging: The Hilton Garden is already full, but the Red Lion has lots of room. And there are a variety of other hotels in the immediate area. Check out the websitefor a list, and for contact information.
Attire: Casual attire is the conference norm. Wear your school colors on Friday (wear your favorite school shirt/sweatshirt).
Elections. President-Elect, the Middle-Level Representative, and our Area Representative are all up for election. In addition, we’ll take applications for two appointed positions, the Program Coordinator and the Treasurer. Check out the website for position descriptions.
Resource Table: We will have lots of books and other items to look at/purchase this year. So file those POs, warm up those P-cards, dust off those checkbooks, and get ready to haul away some great resources.
Area Meetings: In our area meetings, we always have give-aways/drawings. So, let’s continue the tradition. Like last year, if you’d like to participate in ourChocolate Basket, just bring some of your favorite chocolate. When you drop it in the basket, I’ll give you a ticket. We’ll draw a winner on Friday. Likewise, if you want to win our Movie Basket, just bring in your favorite DVD or your favorite movie treat, and get a ticket for a drawing on Friday. I’ll have some other surprises and drawings as well… but you’ll have to wait and see…
New to Area 2! Bring a favorite school or event t shirt for an idea exchange/Tshirt Swap! Share that Fab T shirt and come home with a new one!
HELP! We need YOU! The strength of our conference is YOU: Sharing your excellent programs, lessons, activities and events. Let me know if you’re interested in presenting, or if you know someone who does something really great that THEY should share. Remember, sometimes things that you do that seem normal to you are extraordinary to someone else. Please consider presenting in your strength. Check out the website for Session Presenters application, or again, just let me know.
The WACA Board met a few weeks ago and the WACA conference is going to be exceptional this year! Here are some important things for you to know:
WACA is almost here! It’s easy to register on the new website@
http://www.wacaonline.org/conference-2014.html
The WACA website – The website (wacaonline.org) is renovated and easy to use. Our Technology Coordinator Ryan Healy has breathed new life into our site. The “Idea Share” link has tremendous ideas for any situation. You can add items: Got a cool activity or mini-lesson? Go to the website, click on the “IDEA SHARE” tab at the top (it turns green for you), and scroll down to the “Your Ideas” section. Follow the easy prompts, and submit. Try it out!
Another key feature is “Leadership Videos.” There are lots of great short clips for use in your program. Most videos are 3-5 minutes in length; although there are some longer ones, like “The Butterfly Circus”. Take a peek!
The WACA Conference, WACA 2014 – Help! (That’s the theme, not a cry for help J)
- This year, the WACA conference will have a yearbook! Yep, every delegate will receive a “yearbook” of our conference. One of our vendors, Balfour Yearbooks (Kerri Smead, out of Renton), is offering the service. Balfour will take photos of each delegate, and cameos of the various activities, and they’ll create a yearbook. Then they will deliver a yearbook to each delegate (no charge!) soon after the conference ends. Very cool!
- B Reactor Pre Conference Session: Since we’re in the Tri-Cities, President Tim Turner thought it would be great to offer a Hanford site tour! He arranged for a tour of the historic B-Reactor. The tour starts early – Wednesday morning at around 8am; we’ll ride out to the site and have a grand tour, and have lunch on the return trip… about 4 hours all in all. It’s at the regular pre-conference fee. The tour is based on a minimum number of attendees (but has a maximum of 40). So, if you’re interested, be sure to sign up. The deadline for reserving your spot is February 15th.
- The WACA Social: This year we have a special speaker – Mr. Robert Fulghum. He’s the author of the book “All I Really Need to Know, I Learned in Kindergarten” (He has a number of books to his name, all great reads, all filled with inspiration, humor, and down-home wisdom.) So be prepared for an hour of warmth and laughter after dinner on Thursday.
Meals:
- If you’re doing a pre-con, lunch on Wednesday is included.
- Dinner on Wednesday is “on your own”. (The predominant feedback on conference evaluations suggested that people wantedWednesday night to touch base with friends. If you want ideas for dining in the area, check out the ”conference location” bullet on the conference 2014 menu of the website).
- Thursday, all of your meals are included as part of the conference.
- On Friday, breakfast is provided, and we’ll close the conference and send you off with a “box lunch”.
Lodging: The Hilton Garden is already full, but the Red Lion has lots of room. And there are a variety of other hotels in the immediate area. Check out the websitefor a list, and for contact information.
Attire: Casual attire is the conference norm. Wear your school colors on Friday (wear your favorite school shirt/sweatshirt).
Elections. President-Elect, the Middle-Level Representative, and our Area Representative are all up for election. In addition, we’ll take applications for two appointed positions, the Program Coordinator and the Treasurer. Check out the website for position descriptions.
Resource Table: We will have lots of books and other items to look at/purchase this year. So file those POs, warm up those P-cards, dust off those checkbooks, and get ready to haul away some great resources.
Area Meetings: In our area meetings, we always have give-aways/drawings. So, let’s continue the tradition. Like last year, if you’d like to participate in ourChocolate Basket, just bring some of your favorite chocolate. When you drop it in the basket, I’ll give you a ticket. We’ll draw a winner on Friday. Likewise, if you want to win our Movie Basket, just bring in your favorite DVD or your favorite movie treat, and get a ticket for a drawing on Friday. I’ll have some other surprises and drawings as well… but you’ll have to wait and see…
New to Area 2! Bring a favorite school or event t shirt for an idea exchange/Tshirt Swap! Share that Fab T shirt and come home with a new one!
HELP! We need YOU! The strength of our conference is YOU: Sharing your excellent programs, lessons, activities and events. Let me know if you’re interested in presenting, or if you know someone who does something really great that THEY should share. Remember, sometimes things that you do that seem normal to you are extraordinary to someone else. Please consider presenting in your strength. Check out the website for Session Presenters application, or again, just let me know.