Shop On-Line - Make Money for DKG

Shop OneCause - DKG Wins

At the recent meeting of the Non Dues Revenue Committee, members were shown how simple it is to go to the Society website at www.dkg.org, click on shopping then, on the word partnership and go directly to OneCause. Once there, you sign up to indicate that Delta Kappa Gamma Society International is the cause you want to support. Then, begin your shopping. 

You can shop any place you ordinarily would, such as, Macy's, JC Penny, LL Bean, Office Depot, etc. A certain percentage (from 1-3%) of the amount you spend while shopping, will automatically be returned to DKG.  It is a win-win for DKG and also, for members who like to avoid traffic and checkout lines. Often shipping is even free.

If only 10% of our members would shop online through OneCause and spend $100 during the year, DKG could receive $18,000. That's right. Simply by doing your shopping through OneCause, the organization wins. Since its initiation, about 250 members have shopped using OneCause, and earned about $1,200 for  DKG.

 

You can even make OneCause your tool bar and then if you forget to sign in using the Society Website, your purchases still earn money for DKG.

If you are an online shopper, try it for your holiday purchases. You will avoid the crowds and generate income for DKG. It is a great way to generate non-dues revenue.

If you are reading this blog, share it with your chapter. Use the DKG website as a chapter program. Surf all the different benefits that are available to members and the information shared by the non-dues revenue and other international committees. Go to www.dkg.org.

DKG - Members Helping Members

Emergency Fund Supports Members

 In October, thunderstorms and  Hurricane Sandy wrecked havoc in the lives of many up and down the east coast of the United States. Many members of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International were adversely affected.

The Society provides an Emergency Fund Award of $500 to a member who has sustained a loss due to a natural catastrophic disaster and subsequently submits an application. The fund is maintained by voluntary contributions from members. 

Following storms, hurricanes, and other natural disasters, some members are reluctant to apply for the award because they think others have been more seriously affected and may have greater need. However, this is one of the many benefits of belonging to the DKG organization. It is just another great opportunity our members have to demonstrate their support, thoughts and concerns for each other. When a member receives an Emergency Fund Award, she is reminded, again, of the wonderful organization to which she belongs.


As of today, the Society has distributed 29 Emergency Fund Awards as a result of the October storms and hurricane. The awards went to members in the following state organizations.

• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Illinois
• Kentucky
• Maryland
• New Jersey
• New York
• Pennsylvania

Another great benefit of belonging to DKG! Thanks to all who contribute to the Emergency Fund and make this possible.







Arts and Humanities Jury

Arts and Humanities Important in Education

 

In 2011, Steve Jobs introduced the iPad 2 by saying it was in Apple's DNA that technology alone is not enough. He said "technology married to both liberal arts and humanities yields the results that make our hearts sing."

 

Dr. Gay Lynn Smith, University of Phoenix at the San Diego Campus is among those who believe that skills developed through the arts include critical thinking, communication, problem solving, sequential learning, informed judgment, reading, etc. 

 

 At the 2012 International Convention, the members of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International supported the importance of the arts and humanities in the lives of its members. The membership voted to implement an Arts and Humanities Jury. The duty of the Jury is to rate and select members' artwork for online publication and/or display, including sound and motion in two-and three-dimensional art, performance art, literary efforts, photography and crafts.

 

Members have been appointed to serve on the Jury. They are Sandra Smith Bull, Texas, 2012-2014,  chair; Janye Brainard, Texas, 2012-2014,  June Bowers, Nebraska, 2012-2016,  and Catherine Bringselius Nilsson, Sweden, 2012-2016. Dr. Linda Eller will serve as the headquarters liaison for the Jury.

 

For more information on the progress of the Jury, or to share your thoughts, contact the chair, Sandra Smith Bull, or call Society Headquarters.

Administrative Board meets paperless!

At its recent meeting on October 31-November 2, 2012, the International Administrative Board used only electronic documents. All materials, reviewed by the members at the meeting, were contained in a shared Dropbox. Google Docs was used as different board members reviewed and updated  documents.

Members expressed support for the continuation of paperless meetings. The Society saved approximately $600 by not having to provide binders and print all the various reports and information.

Reports were given by the international officers, other board members as well as  headquarters administrators. The board also reviewed and updated the Society Strategic Action Plan.

Sixty- four (64) state organizations requested a Society Representative. These were assigned. The purpose of a Society representative is to provide linkage between international and the state organizations and members. It also provides a venue for sharing information from international and for international to see the great things the state organizations are doing.

The board took action on 17 motions. To view the actions taken, check out the Society website at www.dkg.org or the next issue of the DKG NEWS. They are also being sent to members of the international executive board, and all international committees. If you would like a copy, contact me.

International Committees - Forward Moving Ever

Your International DKG Committees!

The International Educational Excellence Committee met on Friday and Saturday, October 26-27, 2012. This committee is composed of two representatives from each of the five regions, a committee chair, plus the DKG/NGO primary representative, the international music representative, the international president, and a headquarters administrator.

It never ceases to amaze me how much work can be accomplished in such a short time, when dedicated, conscientious educators come together in Austin. I have seen this with every international committee that has met.
Check the website at www.dkg.org for the results of the educational excellence committee's meeting. Information will be posted soon. Also, be sure to check the website for updated information from the Constitution, Communications and Publicity, Leadership Development, and Membership Committees, as well as the Editorial Board. All of these met earlier in September and October.

Your International Administrative Board meets this week. Regional Directors will begin on Tuesday evening and the rest of the Board will join them on Wednesday. On Saturday, the International Speakers Fund Committee will meet. Deadlines for submitting applications for an International Speaker is November 10.

Much activity is going on at your Society Headquarters! Keep up to date by reading our Blogs, checking my personal Facebook posting, as well as DKG's page, following us on Twitter and reading your DKG NEWS. While directed specifically to chapter presidents, the Presidents' Page contains useful information for all members. These publications are posted on the Society website. Go to Library, then click on Presidents' Page.

Keep Sharing Our Vision ~ Strengthening Our Society!

Expansion into Japan

DKG Welcomes Kochi, Japan

October 14 was a historic day for The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. While the international executive board voted in July to expand to Japan, the 60 Japanese educators did not become members of the Society until the impressive initiation ceremony that was held in Kochi, Japan on October 14, 2012.

My heart was thrilled when, as the installing officer, I watched sixty key women educators from Kochi, Japan become members of our great organization. They varied in age from 25 to 70+ , and in positions from classroom teacher, nursing instructor, administrator, and university professor to teacher of the fine art of Kimono dressing. Personally, I have never witnessed an initiation ceremony with 60 initiates from the same chapter, at any one time. Perhaps, this is even a first for the Society?

Only one of the original potential members was unable to be present for the ceremony. She is to be initiated soon, along with, Hiroko Minami, the chair of the Board of Directors and President of the University of Kochi and Kochi Junior College.

Dr. Fusa Nakagawa is the state organization's first president. With her enthusiasm, wisdom, dedication and graciousness, she will lead continued expansion in our 18th country. Fusa will be joined by the other eleven founders, as well as the additional 48 members in  extending to other distinguished educators in Kochi and other Prefectures, the gift of membership in our Society.

What an honor it was for me to be the international president and represent our Society. Corlea Plowman, Executive Director, and members from Hawaii, Washington, Arizona and California shared the joyful and historic occasion with me.

Arigatou (Thank you very much, in Japanese) for the ways in which many of you have welcomed Fusa and the other 59 members to our outstanding organization.

Yours in DKG.

If You Can Read this, Thank a Teacher

World Teachers' Day 2012

                   DKG  supports educators and impacts education world wide. 
                            The following information was shared by UNESCO. 

“Take a stand for teachers!” is the slogan of World Teachers’ Day 2012 (5 October) which UNESCO is celebrating along with its partners, the International Labour Organization, UNDP, UNICEF and Education International (EI).  

Taking a stand for the teaching profession means providing adequate training, ongoing professional development, and protection for teachers’ rights.

All over the world, a quality education offers hope and the promise of a better standard of living. However, there can be no quality education without competent and motivated teachers.

On this day, we call for teachers to receive supportive environments, adequate quality training as well as ‘safeguards’ for teachers’ rights and responsibilities...We expect a lot from teachers – they, in turn, are right to expect as much from us. This World Teachers’ Day is an opportunity for all to take a stand.    

       Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General

Teachers are among the many factors that keep children in school and influence learning. They help students think critically, process information from several sources, work cooperatively, tackle problems and make informed choices.

Why take a stand for teachers? Because the profession is losing status in many parts of the world.. World Teachers’ Day calls attention to the need to raise the status of the profession - not only for the benefit of teachers and students, but for society as a whole, to acknowledge the crucial role teachers play in building the future."

Join Delta Kappa Gamma in thanking our educators, everyday!

 

 October 4, 2012

Are You Leading?

     The Leadership Development Committee just completed its meeting. They discussed many issues, including committee goals, regional conferences, pre-conference training sessions, info fairs, workshops, press releases, news articles, chapter strengthening, communications, mentoring, use of technology to enhance communications, resources, members as leaders and visions of leadership.

     Dr. Kay Clawson from West Virginia chaired the committee. Other members included, Dr. Elaine Alexander, Tennessee, Dr. Mary Jane Kaufman, Ohio,  Dr. Donna Niday, Iowa, Beth Schieber, Oklahoma, Bjorg Nakling, Norway, Corlea Plowman, Executive Director, and your international president.

With excitement, animation and a plethora of metaphors and analogies,  the committee agreed  that every DKG member is a leader. Getting each member to understand the role she plays in the chapter's leadership cycle is not always easy. Apparently, some chapters are having difficulty securing leadership. Some have dissolved due to the lack of members being willing to assume a leadership position.

Ideally, members volunteer to lead their group for a period of time. Often, members wait on someone else to step up and say, "I will." Occasionally, there may be members willing to assume leadership positions, but are not asked. Regardless, each member was invited to join Delta Kappa Gamma because she was a key woman educator and possessed the ability to impact education worldwide.

My question to you is, "Are you leading?" You don't have to be a chapter officer or a designated leader to be leading others. There are many who support, encourage, assist, mentor and enable others to serve in designated leadership positions.

At your next chapter meeting, make a point to speak to, engage and connect with members with whom you rarely talk or sit. Connect with the members who don't attend the meetings. Never let a member miss a meeting without you, or someone, making contact to let her know she was missed.

Never forget. You are a leader. You may be the very person who can make a huge difference in your chapter.



DKG International Committees - Sharing and Strengthening!

The International Constitution, Communications and Publicity, and Membership Committees, as well as the Editorial Board, have met at Society Headquarters. Nearly 70 percent of the members of these groups are new to international committee work. All are leaders in their state organizations and catylsts in their chapters.

The Constitution Committee has its work cut out. This is a Constitution biennium. That means that any member, chapter or state organization may submit proposed constitutional amendments to the committee, for consideration, for the 2014 International Convention in Indianapolis.

The Communications Committee is actively involved in strengthening the Buzz about the Society. They are also updating the criteria used to approve chapter and state organizations requesting linkage of their websites to the Society website www.dkg.org
.
Members of the Membership Committee are exploding with excitement and ideas as to ways to connect with state organization membership chairs. This committee has a relentless, compelling desire to help members better understand and share the benefits of belonging to the DKG Society.  We have so many exemplary chapters. Some are struggling. Since the chapter is the heart of the Society, and the member, the lifeblood, this committee is focused on providing assistance and support to state organizations, as they increase their efforts to strengthen chapters.

The Editorial Board is diligently upholding standards of high quality in evaluating manuscripts for The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin. The Bulletin is another opportunity for promoting the professional and personal growth of members through publication of their writings.

The Leadership Development Committee meets October 1-3, 2012,  Keep reading my blog for even greater things to come.

The more of you who comment, and/or let me know you read my blog, the more frequently I will communicate.



Committed to Delta Kappa Gamma? 





September 27, 2012

 

    The Planning Meeting in Spokane, Washington was a great success. All administrative board members, chairs of international committees, the four Forums, the Educational Foundation as well as the NGO Representative and the international music representative were in attendance. Many leadership activities were structured to assist the individuals in better undertanding the duties and responsibilities of their roles or positions as leaders in the 2012-2014 biennium.

 

     Each person in attendance was requested to share a quote that could be used by others throughout the biennium. As we share them, we give recognition to each other's thoughts. Who better to quote than a member of DKG? In fact, Jeannette Zuniga, Member At Large, 2010-2014 said, "Commitment is the key word to strengthening our Society." Are we all, equally, committed to our Purposes and Mission? Perhaps not. Should we be?

 

     I have committed to make contact with every state organization president during the biennium. I would also like to contact a random sampling of chapter presidents. My purpose would be to share my excitement that they are members and leaders of our organization, and to see if I can be of assistance. I hope that all members are being contacted by their chapter president, and others, and are actively involved in the activities of the chapter.

 

     I also commit to do a better job of blogging, and more frequently. I am learning new skills and perhaps in time, my blogging will be more evident of such.

 

     Stay in touch with each other and with those of us at YOUR Society Headquarters.

Communication - Staying Connected

August 30, 2012

 

The last five weeks have been awesome! It is such an honor to serve as the international president of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. I am excited as we work together during 2012-2014,  Sharing Our Vision - Strengthening Our Society.

 

Communication is important to the continued relevance and health of our organization. We must communicate frequently, and at all levels of the Society. Members at the chapter level must stay connected with each other. We need to check on, encourage and support each other regardless of how active, or inactive, we may be, at this point in our lives.

 

Let's connect with, and engage, the marginal member, those with young children, the older members who can't drive at night or who need assistance to get to our meetings. Many of our members are actively involved in graduate degree programs or have such professional responsibilities that make it impossible for them to attend our meetings on a regular basis. Many members have a combination of the above. I ask you to be intentional in developing and/or enhancing your relationship building process within your own chapter.

 

During this biennium, you are also encouraged to share our vision by making sure that all members are fully aware of the enormous benefits of belonging to Delta Kappa Gamma. Excellent resources are available from Headquarters to assist you in this effort.

 

Stay connected with your international leaders by checking the Society website at www.dkg.org Open a free account at www.twitter.com  and follow us. We tweet frequently so you can keep up with what we are doing. Email us with your thoughts, concerns, suggestions. I will try to keep my blogs updated so that you are better informed of the many activities in which I am involved.

 

The Planning Meeting for the Administrative Board, Professional Staff, International Committee and Forum Chairs, and others, will be held September 5-9 in Spokane, Washington. Following that, I will share more about the numerous other exciting things going on at the international level of  your Society.