SDEA Candidate Profiles

Sandy Arseneault

Sandy has been a member of SDEA/NEA since 1995. She is currently term limited as a Black Hills and ESP Representative on the SDEA Board of Directors and is serving on the NEA Women’s Issues Committee. Having a great passion for what is right for children, public education and the education profession is what drives her to advocate on your behalf. Improving member salaries, safe schools and quality education are growing concerns for South Dakota. With a strong voice and the ability to build bridges Sandy will represent members on all issues of RESPECT!

www.sandyarseneault.com

Bonnie Mehlbrech

I am running for SDEA/NEA President because of my enthusiasm and deep commitment to public education, the students of S.D. and public education employees. I have been a teacher for 36 years and an active member of this association at the local, state and national levels since 1972. I pledge to increase members’ involvement, to listen, and to communicate needs. We will strengthen SDEA by increasing member ownership and by building partnerships with other organizations. Working together, SDEA/NEA will be the respected, credible, professional authority on education and the first source people come to for education facts.

Janelle Gregg

I want to be your Vice President. Besides my local experience as president and bargaining team member, I have served on the board of directors and attended the NEA RA the past two years. Having learned much, I want to continue to work for the education staff of S.D. Whether working for teacher rights or lobbying to give students the education they deserve, SDEA is leading the way to a better educational future. I want to work in this association to give students the free, equitable, quality education they deserve, with well paid teachers and staff working with them.

Mary McCorkle

I am a strong advocate for all education employees, students, and public education. I want to be involved in the decisions that will continue to make SDEA and NEA strong and vibrant, dedicated to great public schools for every child. I believe my experiences at the national, state and local levels will help me to be a voice for public education. I would be honored to serve the members of SDEA as NEA Director.

I have served the Black Hills on the Board for three terms. This experience will be useful on the Board as we enter a period having new officers. SDEA must continue to work hard for its members on all levels. I will work more on communication with my members. I would like to continue to represent the Black Hills.

I have enjoyed serving on the SDEA Board of Directors for the past four years. I would like the opportunity to continue having a voice in our professional organization. I feel that my years of experience on the Board will be valuable to provide a smooth transition for the new SDEA officers. Also, I am currently serving on the By-laws Committee and would like to assist in the completion of the projects we have started.

Sandra Jones

I am currently completing my 2007-2008, one year term. I continually learn the importance of the SDEA/NEA organization and the governance function of the board, which I truly enjoy participating on. I have taught in the Wessington Springs School District for the past 15 years. I have served as a negotiator, and have held offices of sec/treas, and president in my local. I believe in SDEA/NEA, and I would sincerely like to continue representing the EGL Governance Unit by having your vote.

Nancy Buehner

I am seeking this position to be involved with SDEA at another level. I have been involved at the local level since being hired at Deubrook. I enjoy working with various groups of education professionals who try to improve education in South Dakota. I believe that the voice of SDEA is a voice that is respected and heard by our legislators. I want to be involved in making sure that the voice of SDEA continues to be heard.

I have been an SDEA member for more than 20 years. I have been a leader in my local association as well as serving on SD EPIC since the 1996 election cycle. I feel that I would like to continue serve the members of my unit here in the southeast corner of our state. The best way to do that I believe is to serve as a member of the Board of Directors.

I am running for the SEKota position. Since I began my teaching career I have been involved in SFEA/SDEA. I have served on the Government Relations Committee and the SFEA Executive Board. Throughout my years involved in the organization I have grown personally and also professionally. I would like to continue this growth and that is why I am asking for your vote to continue the growth for the state.

I have recently spent the past year on the Board as an at-large candidate. This past year ensured me that SDEA and the executive board work to support its members with great commitment and dedication to improving our profession at a time in which change in traditional thinking about education is being challenged. I wish to continue service on the board and work towards a great future for South Dakota teachers and education professionals. As a young professional I count on SDEA and the executive board to ensure that I can stake my career here in South Dakota with you.

Barb Kavanaugh

I believe it is important to be involved in the decisions that determine the direction of my state and national professional organizations--SDEA/NEA. I ask for your support to represent SEKota as a member of the SDEA Board of Directors.

Pat McMunigal

Involvement and commitment are what make organizations strong. SDEA/NEA is strengthened by members who live by these beliefs for children and our profession. I ask for your support to continue my commitment and involvement at the state and national levels to represent you as a member of the SDEA Board of Directors for a second term.

As a twenty-year member and a former SDEA Board member, I wish to be involved again with the SDEA board. I have participated at the school, Sioux Falls SFEA local, state, and national levels, and have worked in both the secondary and post-secondary levels as an advocate for lifelong learning. Your support is appreciated to bring a statewide view to education and learning issues.

I would like to continue serving the Education Support Professionals (ESP) of South Dakota as the ESP-At-Large representative on the SDEA Board of Directors. I have learned a great deal during my time on the board and would like to continue in this endeavor. Representing the ESP members from across the state is an honor. We are all a vital part of the school districts in which we work and I consider representing you on the board an honor and privilege. I thank you for your support and look forward to working for you and with you in the future.

I am a veteran teacher of 14 years from Rapid City. I have been a member of RCEA/SDEA/NEA for 14 years and have been a faculty representative for 10 of those years. I believe teachers have to be involved in all aspects of education--in and out of the classroom, and that it is important to be a member AND voice of our professional organization. I would like the opportunity to represent SD at the NEA convention to both share ideas with fellow educators and grow professionally as an educator.

Serving on the NEA Women’s Issues Committee for the past 6 years has afforded me the opportunity to see what a strong voice representing South Dakota members can do. I have come to understand how valuable the connection between our local, state and national is for our members. I would be honored to be a part of the decision making process that affects our strong beliefs in what is right for our members, our public schools and the children of South Dakota. I would appreciate your vote to elect me as a delegate to the NEA RA.

I have been honored to serve previously as a delegate to the RA and ask for your support to again return and represent you. I feel that it is important to be involved and represent the members of SDEA. This is an interesting and challenging way to see our association work on its policy making procedures.

In order to continue to represent SDEA on the Resolutions, I need to be a delegate. During the past years as a delegate, I have developed networks with delegates from other states. Our numbers are small but with those connections our voice is stronger. I feel I also have a good understanding of NEAland issues and their effect on SDEA.

Attending the RA is truly an amazing experience. Being a representative has afforded me the opportunity to see democracy in action. In addition, as a member of the SD delegation, I am not only able to meet with Association members from our state, but also with delegates from virtually the entire world to learn what issues face them and what issues we share. Please allow me to continue to be a voice for South Dakota and TNT.

I am running to be a delegate for the NEA. I have been a local and state delegate before and would again feel honored to represent South Dakota. I would listen to issues that would best represent South Dakota.

I would be honored to represent the Black Hills area at the NEA Representative Assembly this summer! As an educator I feel it is vitally important to be involved with the local, state and national Education Associations. This involvement makes me a better association member and a more informed advocate for our students’ education. The opportunity to be a voice in the decision-making is very exciting to me! In the past I have gained much knowledge about how SDEA and NEA work and I am looking forward to learning more.

I would like to run as a delegate for the 2008 NEA RA. I would like to run as a local delegate, a delegate from the Black Hills Unit and as a delegate for the state. I am running because I am passionate about education issues facing public educators and students today. Attending two previous Representative Assemblies has offered experience and perspective on many unresolved issues. In this election year I would like an opportunity for a voice and a vote for education at the RA.

I believe involvement and commitment are crucial to a strong SDEA/NEA. We must be involved in the decision making that impacts our profession and our association. The NEA/RA brings delegates from every state together to make a difference. I feel it is important to be part of this process, and I would appreciate the opportunity to continue to be a strong voice for the members of SDEA.

I would like the opportunity to be a delegate to the NEA RA. I have gone for the past two years and feel that I now have a good understanding of how the RA runs. This will make me a better delegate. I will represent South Dakota well and work with other delegates to continue to make NEA the strongest association working for education.

I am asking for your vote to being a representative to the National NEA Assembly. I have attended several of the state assemblies and find them interesting and informative. I would like to experience as well as represent our state at the national level. It is important to me to show representation from our state of South Dakota.

I’m in my 17th year as a middle school educator. While I have not yet attended a national convention, I have been heavily involved in our local organization over the years holding every office except treasurer. I’m excited to see our national convention in action and learn about educational issues and information I can bring home to SD.

I wish to run for a position as a delegate to the NEA Representative Assembly. The RA offers one the opportunity to help shape our national organization. It would be a privilege to represent the EGL unit as important decisions for NEA are being made.

I would like to be the delegate to the NEA RA to represent the SECOR region. We did not have a representative last year, and I believe that with my experience, I can give our voice its vote. This will be an important assembly as we need every vote we can muster for Donna’s candidacy and support NEA in its advocacy for public education.

I’m running as an NEA At-Large Delegate because I want to continue to be a part of the association’s decision making process. As a standing member on NEA’s Legislative Committee one of our charges is to make recommendations to NEA’s Legislative Agenda, based upon suggestions brought forth from members either from last year’s RA or from this year’s Regional Conferences. I have been working on this process and would like to continue it to the RA where final action on the Legislative Agenda will be taken.

My first experience at the NEA/RA gave me a unique and rewarding perspective on the workings of the NEA. I would like to be able to continue my growth and my decision making at a national level.

I am a candidate to be a delegate to the NEA/RA because I believe that every teacher should take an active role in their professional organization. I have been a member for many years and have taken part in many great opportunities that NEA/SDEA has offered. The chance to be a part of a delegation to one of the biggest conventions around is just so exciting and seeing the democratic process at work is even better. Representing South Dakota as a delegate would be a great honor.

As a twenty-year member and nine-time NEA-RA delegate, I wish to be involved again with the NEA-RA. I have participated at the school, Sioux Falls SFEA local, state, and national levels, and have worked in both the secondary and post-secondary levels as an advocate for lifelong learning. Your support is appreciated to bring a state-wide view to education and learning issues.

Being a delegate to the NEA Representative Assembly is awesome. The business at the RA connects our local, state and national, and gives voice to all members. I have been honored to represent you at the NEA-RA, and would appreciate the opportunity to continue doing so. Thank you.

I’ve been interested in government since high school civics when Mr. Grebin, my teacher, encouraged me to work in a campaign office. Naturally, when I became a teacher, I became active in the Sioux Falls Education Association - and the SDEA. Now, I am in the process of learning how our association works at all levels: local, state, regional, and national. Currently I serve on the BOD and Executive Board of the SFEA, vice-chair of SeKota Unit, and am a building representative for Terry Redlin Elementary. I would be honored to represent our association at the National RA.

It is very important to be involved with our professional organization as we continue to face the challenges of preserving and improving public education for our students and protecting the rights and welfare of all educators. I would like to be part of the policy-making body that greatly influences our profession.

I have been actively involved in my local for 23 years serving as a delegate at the South Dakota Representative Assembly for many of those years. I would appreciate having the opportunity to be part of the bigger picture by attending the national convention. I get excited thinking about making decisions that impact students in South Dakota. Thank you for your consideration.

What does public education look like 5 years from now, 10, 15? I ask the members of the South Dakota Education Association to vote for me as a representative voice in advocating for students and education professionals at the 2008 NEA RA. Our future depends on active participation in the process.