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Advisors—-here is your SkillsUSA Spring Conference Information Packet: Spring Mailer 2010-1. Sorry it is so late —we have had a small meltdown at the State Office, but are up and running now. If you need assistance with Membership or Conference or State Officer Candidates, just contact me at 503-385-4637 or e-mail at dick.sherman@wesd.org Greetings, SkillsUSA Oregon Advisors, I would like to introduce myself, my name is Samantha Phillips, and the purpose for this introduction is that I have been hired as the interim program director for SkillsUSA Oregon. If you have not heard, Niki Clausen accepted a position with the national SkillsUSA office as the new Alumni Director! Her position began on November 2. I am sure she will be missed by SkillsUSA Oregon advisors and students. I have been associated with the CTSO programs here in Oregon for about 10 years. For 7 of those years I was the program director for Oregon FBLA. As the interim director for SkillsUSA Oregon I bring with me experience as a program director, I have worked with State Officers, two Boards, and the National Office. I have successfully planned the fall and state conferences with over 1500 in attendance. I was also instrumental in re-organizing the Oregon FBLA structure by creating a Foundation and recruiting Board members. Although I have this experience, it is with another organization. And so I ask your patience while I learn the SkillsUSA program and events associated with it. I want to honor the fact that each organization is unique and will do my best to bring this organization success. I already know I will have tremendous support from the Board of Advisors and the Board of Directors as we successfully host the State leadership conference and Skills events on April 9-10, 2010 in Albany and take our students on to the national level in Kansas City, in June. I am hoping for your support as well. As we are painfully aware, the economic times we are currently dealing with are challenging. As educators you are asked to continue to provide your students with opportunities on extremely limited if non-exiting budgets and time. I recognize this is what you are faced with and will do whatever I can to help you run your program successfully within those constraints. We all need to think of the positive things that we still have and not get mired down with the negative situation due to these challenging times. This organization offers so much to the students; leadership and actual hands on competitions. It is unique among the other organizations. Therefore, I challenge you to continue to support SkillsUSA Oregon as you encourage your students to get involved and use it to the full to make that difference. Here at the state level we have also been affected drastically by the cuts. The operation budget for the all 6 CTSO’s was cut by 30% barely giving enough to service all 6 organizations. As a result, the position I am trying to fill temporarily is now .5fte. (FYI : most all Oregon CTSO organizations are now existing on .5 fte. staffing) As a result, I will only be working about 20 hours a week; I am in the office Tuesdays and Thursdays most weeks. But I am available by email all the time. Please, feel free to communicate with me. As the conference draws closer, I will be spending more time in the office to get everything done. Please help me learn and we will get though this year and into next while the search is being made for the next permanent director. I am committed to providing your students the opportunities Skills USA Oregon has to offer. Therefore, please take the time to read though my regular communications ( I promise I will keep them much shorter). If you have other SkillsUSA Oregon Advisors in your school please check to make sure they too received this communication, if not, please forward it on to them and let me know the name and email address and I will make sure to include them in future communications. No matter what the economic climate is our students deserve our best. Please, as a chapter, make use of this program, it is only by your continued support and use of the SkillsUSA program that we can continue to give these unique opportunities to students. Respectfully, Samantha Phillips Dear SkillsUSA Advisors Welcome back to another school and SkillsUSA year. I hope the start to your year has been a good and productive one. SkillsUSA Oregon has experience many changes this summer. The Student Leadership Development Center, and my office, has moved back across the street at the WESD Marion Center main building. (Our address and phone number are the same.) The Coordinator Position has been cut to .5FTE due to Budget Cuts. On the positive side, the new State Officer Team, Board of Advisors and new Board of Directors are excited about this year and Connecting the SkillsUSA Opportunities. Attached you will find the Fall Mailer, including the POW Calendar, and Fall Conference Information and Registration Forms. This year’s Oregon Theme is Champion’s at Work: Time for Service. The State Officers have decided to include a Community Service Canned Food Drive with the Fall Conference Experience. Please collect canned food and bring it to Fall Conference. The Chapter with the most food turned in at registration will get a prize! I look forward to working with you through the coming year. Please let me know how I can help you with Chapter Activities, Advisor Trainings or any other SkillsUSA Happenings. My time is limited due to the cut, but I will do my best to insure that the SkillsUSA Oregon Tradition continues strong and major events still occur. Don’t forget to look at the SkillsUSA Oregon Website (www.oregonskillsusa.com) and the National Website (www.skillsusa.org) for Information – they are great resources. Please contact me with question and I look forward to seeing you at events throughout the year. Niki Clausen, State Director 2009 2009_Fall_Conference_Reg_packet 2009_Fall_Conference_Registration_Forms 2009_Fall_Mailer_SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA is pleased to announce the launch of SkillsUSA’s all-new online store for clothing, branded items and chapter supplies. The official SkillsUSAStore.org is now open and ready for you to visit!
Log on today to discover an exciting array of new products, including stylish fashion apparel, accessories and gift items. From new personalized products — such as name badges and toolbox plates — to new tools to help students get organized this school year, all products have been carefully selected to help SkillsUSA instructors and students show their pride.
Now more than ever, value is important. SkillsUSAStore.org offers more than 40 items for under $20 and more than 20 products under $10. There is truly something for everyone and every budget atSkillsUSAStore.org UPCOMING DATES: Please note the following additions to the new SkillsUSA online shopping portal: · On Sept. 18, all chapter supplies and competition uniforms will be available to purchase. They are finalizing an inventory transfer from our previous supplier, so these items will be available as soon as possible. · This October marks the much-anticipated arrival of our redesigned SkillsUSA official blazer. The blazer will be offered in expanded size ranges (from women’s size 0 to men’s 66L) with many custom details — a personalized patch inside, specially designed buttons, a lighter/easy-wear fabric — and a $99.99 price tag! · Also coming later this fall: a new made-to-order online store for products that can be personalized to your school or state. Please stay tuned for these exciting new SkillsUSA products and services. Meanwhile, browse theSkillsUSAStore.org site and share your SkillsUSA pride today! I just added the WordPress Mobile Edition . Think of this as a must have for your platform in today’s world. So now you can view OregonSkillsUSA on your Mobile Phone. Visit http://mobile.nytimes.com using your phone. Incredibly useful and lightning fast, even when compared to the NYTimes iPhone Application which pales by comparison. Please consider using the following informatin when Advocating for the SLDC and SkillsUSA.
STUDENT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CENTER FUNDING IMPACT TO OREGON CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION
The Co-Chairs of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means recently released their 2009-11 Recommended Budget. The budget calls for the elimination of the Student Leadership Development Center (SLDC) from the Oregon Department of Education budget, impacts the following Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs), and delivers a devastating blow to Career and Technical Education in Oregon.
FUNDING IMPACTThe elimination of the SLDC and CTSOs would result in the loss of: · The more than half a million dollars in matching funds represented by in-kind and real dollars contributed during the last two years.
The total amount lost to Oregon’s Career and Technical Education during the coming biennium exceeds 2.2 million dollars, or the equivalent of almost three times the state investment!
PROGRAM IMPACT
Please contact the State Office with questions or for Advocacy Ideas. We need your help! Due to the current economic situation the Student Leadership Development Center (SLDC) that houses SkillsUSA Oregon, as well as the other Student Leadership Organizations (such as FBLA, DECA, FFA, HOSA, and FCCLA), is not currently in the budget to be refunded for the next biennium. It is possible to be put back into the budget by raising awareness about what we do, how we support education, and by sharing what an essential asset we are to Career and Technical Educations teachers, students and programs. Please contact your Senators and Representatives and share your testimony of support for us. Dear Tech Chairs, Judges and Supporters, On Behalf of SkillsUSA Oregon I would like to thank you all for your support of the SkillsUSA Oregon and our Spring Leadership Conference and SkillsUSA Championship. This conference was a huge success with 685 participants from 41 different schools competing in 64 different competitions, both Skills and Leadership. Those competitions would not have been possible with out your involvement and dedication. We truly appreciate all that you do for SkillsUSA Oregon and these student members. I hope that you all enjoyed this conference and getting to interact with these talented students from across the state. Because of your efforts the Gold Medalist in each competition is now preparing to compete at Nationals, representing Oregon in the top 2% of Career and Technical Education Students across the country. Attached is a letter for Chris Rankin, the Director of the Student Leadership Development Center (SLDC). This letter includes important information about the funding of the SLDC. Public Testimony Hearing in Salem at the Capital – Thursday, April 23, 5:30p-8p. (That’s today!) Advisors, Students, Parents, Alumni, and Supports – please plan to attend and share why SkillsUSA is important and should not be cut. Please wear official dress or professional attire, prepare written testimony to submit as well as to be orally presented. This is a chance to share your voice about the importance of the Student Leadership Development Center and SkillsUSA Oregon. Attached are several documents that may help you prepare. If you cannot attend, please contact your local Senator and Representative personal to share the importance of the Student Leadership Development Center and specifically SkillsUSA Please contact Niki Clausen at the State Office with questions. |
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