WACA WORDS 2017

​Hi all,
Here’s the second of several emails.  We chatted about a plethora of topics at the Winter Board meeting a couple of weeks ago.  So, I’m spreading things out over several notes to you.  Here we go again!  ;-)
 
Highlights of first email (all time sensitive!):
1)If you reserved a hotel room but have not yet registered for the conference, you’ll need to do that by February 1st.

• You can also stay at the Comfort Inn (secondary conference hotel, nearby).  It offers a room rate of $107, that includes a continental breakfast.  The Comfort Inn information is also on the wacaonline.org website.

2)At this year’s conference, we’ll present the first awards for state Advisor Certification.  The deadline for submission to be included in this year’s conference is February 1st.   And of course, the Advisor Certification application is on wacaonline.org.
3)If you are attending the conference, and have food allergies, would you please contact me about them? Vegetarian/vegan, gluten-free, peanut allergy,… We’ll accommodate as much as we can.

• Note that coffee, tea, and water are the beverages provided at each meal.  If you wish something more (soda, milk, that neat chai tea of yours,…) please make arrangements to bring that with you.  (non-alcohol of course)

 
New Items:
1)Pre-Conference Sessions.  We have four Pre-Con sessions this year:  Marty Fortin – ASB Law, John Norlin – Character Strong, Scott Backovich – Engage! Creating Culture that Works, and Susan Fortin and Joe Fenbert – Leadership Class Lessons and Resources.  Please sign up!  And recall that space is tight this year, so you must attend the session that you sign up for (no switching when you get there).
2)How about presenting a session this year?  Area 8 has been very well represented in the past, and I hope that continues.  You’ve got a cool activity/project/event that you do at your school.  Please share the experience!

• You can present a full 50 minute session, or a shorter (and repeated several times)  10 minute Meet the Pros session.  For example, I have a stress reduction workshop that I like to present.  It has lots of components, so I use the 50 minute session for that.  But I also just picked up a new book (got it from my daughter at Christmas, actually!) called “Just Do Something!”.  It has some great twists on activities that I already do, so I thought that might be nice for a Meet the Pros session.
• Session presenter registration is found online of course!  Wacaonline.org.
• At the board meeting, it was noted that we need some more ASB law sessions, and last year’s survey results suggested a need for more sessions for secretaries and bookkeepers.  Please consider helping out with these content areas.
• When you present, you will be provided with a screen, a power source, and a table/podium.  Other AV items need to be supplied by you.  (I’m bringing my overhead projector!)
• Tammy Caldwell will have the program completed – with your session descriptions! – in early March.  She’ll put it online as soon as it is ready.

3) Each conference includes elections.  This year, we will run elections for President-Elect, High School Representative, and Odd-Number Area Representatives (I have one more year on my term).  We will also fill appointed positions of Program Chair, Treasurer, and Partner Coordinator.  If any of these positions are of interest to you, please find descriptions online.  And of course, you can chat with me if you have questions.

• Applications for these positions will be due at 4pm on Thursday of the conference.

 
Okay, that’s enough for this installment of WACA Words.  Next week we’ll chat about some final items, including conference attire and fun activities for our area meetings!  Until then, have a great weekend!
Jb