(Formerly Kappa State News)November, 2019 Vol. 61, No. 6

Inside This Issue:President’s Letter. . . . . . . . 2 Education Foundation Donations . 10Dates to Remember. . . . . . 10

Seventy-five Members Attended the ASO Fall Meeting The Fall Meeting of the Arkansas State Organization took place at the Second

Presbyterian Church in Little Rock on October 5, 2019. The welcome was given by ASO President Cathy Toney, Theta Chapter. This year there were two speakers for the meeting. Lindsey Bohler, principal of Sheridan Elementary School, gave an inspirational talk about her school’s experiences with the Reading Initiative for Student Excellence (RISE) program.

After the opening speech, Kathryn Dickinson, Alpha Delta, led the Collect and Response. ASO First Vice President Sue Cook, Alpha Beta, was next on the agenda and performed introductions of the state officers. ASO Second Vice President Dee Ann Daniel, Beta Epsilon, recognized all the first-time attendees.

Terri Smith-Leins, Alpha Pi, and Dee Ann Daniel shared their experiences at the Arts and Humanities International Conference in Asheville, North Carolina, June 27-29, 2019. Cathy Toney then took the podium to recognize three members with sixty plus years in DKG. (See page 5 for more) Framed certificates for Kay Shaddock, Mildred Crawford, and Wanda Roe had been prepared. Unfortunately the ladies were not in attendance but their certificates were accepted by members to be given to them.

Following a short break, the business meeting began. ASO President Cathy Toney presided over the meeting. ASO Secretary Claudia Smith, Gamma Omi-cron, called the roll. Eighty-three members had registered for the meeting and seventy-five members were in attendance at the meeting.

The new Task Force Committee report was given by Parliamentarian Candi Martin, Chi. The task force was formed to work on stopping the loss of members and chapters in DKG. They have interviewed all of the chapter presidents and will use this information to develop a plan.

Cathy Long, Gamma Eta, presented the Education Foundation Report to the assembled members. The Foundation welcomed two new members, Paula Williams and Kathryn Dickinson. ASO Webmaster Paula Williams was elected president. The 40 for 40 fundraiser earned $1120. Cathy Long also recognized and thanked outgoing long-term member to the Education Foundation Board, Cissy Pendergrass.

meeting highlights continued on page 9

The ASO Fall Meeting got underway with the opening speaker, Lindsey Bohler, Principal of Sheridan Elementary School.

ASO Secretary Claudia Smith and ASO President Cathy Toney talk about Society business before the first general session.

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“Doing, Knowing, Growing with DKG” From the President:

On Saturday, October 5, Arkansas State Organization Fall Meeting was held at Second Presbyterian Church in Little Rock. We had 71% of our chapters represented at the meeting. First Vice President Sue Cook and her committee did an outstanding job planning the fall meeting. We had two speakers this year. Lindsey Bohler, principal of Sheridan Elementary School and a member of the Beta Epsilon Chapter, spoke about the RISE program in which her school is participating. She talked about how it started and shared highlights about the success they are seeing in their students. Our second speaker was Senator Jane English from North Little Rock. She talked about her life and her educational background. She grew up in the military and married a military man. They moved around a lot as a married couple so she would take a few courses at each place they lived. Finally, they were in the Russellville area long enough for her to finish a Bachelor of Science in Economics & Finance at Arkansas Tech University at the age of 41. We enjoyed both speakers.

During the business session the two published proposals presented by the Rules Committee were passed. One proposal from the floor was tabled after discussion and a proposal to establish a “grant” for a first-time attendee to an International event in summer 2020 was passed. A committee will work on the application for the grant. When completed the application for a first-time attendee will be on the ASO website with the information and requirements to receive the grant. The money will not come from our state money but through other sources.

In addition to the Society business portion of the meeting, breakout ses-sions were held for chapter presidents, chapter treasurers, and member-ship chairs. There were additional sessions on holiday Halloween treats with gloves, decorating projects with items you already have, making a spider for your Christmas tree, mug rugs, using art with young children, digital photography, and fairy sticks! They all were well attended.

I would like to send a great big thank you to First Vice President Sue Cook and her committee members in making our fall meeting a success!

ASO President Cathy Toney

Gamma Theta President Lisa Steeland and ASO President Cathy Toney are shown at the September 3, 2019, meeting in Brinkley. The chapter gave Cathy a beautiful fall wreath.

ASO President Cathy Toney meets with chapter presidents during a breakout session at the ASO Fall Meeting.

Below, the ASO Executive Committee met on Friday evening before the ASO Fall Meeting.

ASO President Cathy Toney introduces the first speaker during the ASO Fall Meeting on October 5th.

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ASO Fall Meeting Photo Highlights

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ASO Fall Meeting Photo Highlights Continued...

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ASO Fall Meeting Photo Highlights Continued...

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Three Members Were Honored for 60+ Years of Membership

Kay Shaddock, Alpha Chapter

Member for 62 years

Mildred CrawfordChi Chapter

Member for 61 years

Wanda RoeBeta Pi Chapter

Member for 60 yearsMildred was not present and her certificate

was accepted by Candi Martin, Chi Chapter.Wanda was not present and her certificate

was accepted by Cathy Long, Gamma Eta.Kay was not present and her certificate was

accepted by Jackie Phillips, Alpha.

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Arkansas State Organization SEEK applicants were selected by the Educational Excellence Committee. Three first year teachers were selected to receive the ASO Project SEEK stipends for 2019.

Cassidy Russell, a Central Elementary 4th grade teacher in Magnolia, will use her stipend to purchase Legos and Expo markers for teaching hands-on educational activities in science and math.

Ashley Collums’ stipend will enable her to purchase materials for centers and leveled readers in her classroom at W.J. Clinton Primary in Hope.

Ariel Castleman will now have a rug for her reading center in her classroom at Central Elementary in Magnolia.

The winners are each respon-sible for making a storyboard with pictures that explains how they each used their stipend to purchase materials for their classroom for the 2020 ASO Fall Meeting.

Sue Cook, ASO First Vice President

Three First-Year Teachers Win ASO SEEK Stipends

Above, ASO First Vice President Sue Cook is shown presenting checks to Ariel Castleman and Cassidy Russell, both from Magnolia.

Alpha Delta Second Vice President Dana Cox, along with Alpha Delta President and Area 4 Leader Carolyn McCough, present a check to SEEK Award Winner Ashley Collums in Hope.

Puzzled or perplexed by Parliamentary Procedures?

Your ASO Parliamentarian is happy to help you figure it out.

Questions are welcome by email:

(going2bigflat@yahoo.com) or text message/calls

(870-365-6343).

Thank you for the amazing job you do for us!

Candi Martin, Parliamentarian,

Arkansas State OrganizationInternational Membership

Committee 2018-20,The Delta Kappa Gamma

Society International

From ASO Treasurer Linda Vailes:

Be aware chapter treasurers must file

their 990N form by November 15.

Linda Vailes: phone: 870-941-8702;

email: linda5662@windstream.net

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News from Chapters

Over 200 children received a free book at Autumn on the Square Fall Festival September 28th in Marian-na through Omega Chapter booth. Children just signed their names to receive a book.

Omega Chapter

Gamma Theta Chapter

ASO President Cathy Toney visited the Gamma Theta Chapter in Brinkley on Sep-tember 3, 2019. Cathy was their program speaker. This is a photo of members at the first meeting of the year. (See page 2 for another picture)

Alpha AlphaChapter

Alpha Alpha Chapter in Helena-West Helena inducted 3 of their 5 new members during their September meeting. The two other candidates will be inducted in Octo-ber. Pictured are Treasurer Liz Hensley, Corresponding Secretary Tina Grubbs, the 3 new members, and Parliamentarian Su-zanne McCommon.

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Alpha Beta Chapter

Zeta Chapter

News from Chapters Continued...

Delta Chapter

ASO President Cathy Toney attended the October meeting of Alpha Beta in Mag-nolia.

ASO Parliamentarian Candi Martin and ASO President Cathy Toney attended the October meeting of Zeta Chapter in Blytheville.

Donna Osborne visited with Charlotte Akelaitis, Kappa State Past President 2001 - 2003, on Monday, Oc-tober 7th. Charlotte is recovering from a recent fall.

Donna shared, “Charlotte was brought to tears when I gave her the get-well card signed by nearly every attendee to Saturday’s Fall Meeting. She repeatedly expressed her appre-ciation for all the thoughts and prayers received over the last three months. Hopefully Charlotte will be released to home on Thursday, October 10.”

Charlotte Akelaitis, Kappa State (ASO) Past President 2001 - 2003

Laura West, Delta Chapter, (seated) is shown helping with registration at the ASO Fall Meeting on October 5th.

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November, 2019

Other officer and committee reports had been distributed by email and weren’t read aloud during the meeting.

There were changes made to Standing Rules during the meeting:Standing Rule 8.3 8.35 Membership Recruitment and Retention, c. (6) The committee chair or her designee

shall participate in the training session for new state organization membership committee chairs presented by the International Membership Committee prior to the International Conference.

Standing Rule 12 Publications 12.1 Arkansas State Organization News, Website, and the Update for Chapter Presi-

dents. Official ASO publications shall include the Arkansas State Organization News, the

Arkansas State Organization Website, and the Arkansas State Organization Update for Chapter Presidents.

12.1.c. Arkansas State Organization Update for Chapter Presidents (1) The ASO Update for Chapter Presidents is a digital publication sent via email on the first day of even-numbered months. (2) The ASO Update for Chapter Presidents shall be published by the ASO editor at the direction of the ASO president.

Leadership Development Committee Chairman Karen Roe, Gamma Rho, read another proposed change to Standing Rules Section 8.34 and Section 8.44. This change gener-ated quite a bit of discussion from the floor. A motion was made, seconded, and approved that the issue be tabled to a later time.

Second Vice President Dee Ann Daniel read a proposal from the Executive Committee. The committee moved that the ASO raise funds to send at least one first-time attendee to an International event in 2020. The member would be selected through an application process and not use current budgeted funds. The motion was seconded and approved.

Other items of business involved a vote to approve the dissolution of Beta Omicron in Area 3, the merger of Alpha Eta and Beta Gamma into Gamma Chapter, and the name change for Beta Epsilon to Grant County Beta Epsilon.

The business meeting was adjourned. Members had a short break then attended the first set of breakout sessions. There were 10 different sessions offered over the 3 breakout periods.

General session II started with Sue Cook presiding. An inspirational thought was of-fered by Jackie Phillips, Alpha. A wonderful lunch was then enjoyed by all. The luncheon speaker was Arkansas State Senator Jane English, Chairman of the Arkansas Education Committee. Senator English talked about her own educational background and then shared information about some of the programs and achievements made in Arkansas education.

The luncheon was followed by two more breakout sessions.The closing session shared some announcements, and thanks. The emergency fund

raised $842, and Leadership funds totaled $594. (Vendor Fee Broken China Jewelry, $60; 50/50 Raffle, $104; Past ASO Favor Sales, $30; Christmas Wall Decoration Raffle, $140; and Broken China Jewelry Raffles, $260) Dianne (Letsch) Thompson won the 50/50 draw-ing. Donna Tarpley won the quilt donated by Joy Graham. A Christmas themed art piece donated by Jo Jones was won by Debbie Merritt. Finally there were a large number of donated door prizes won by lucky members.

meeting highlights continued from page 1...

Committee Members: Chairman Candi Martin, Elizabeth Waldrip, Linda Vailes, and Linda Fullerton

The Arkansas State Organization’s Awards Committee has set the follow-ing goals for the biennium:

1. To encourage all chapters to nominate at least one member for the Order of the Rose Award and to ask the nominee to attend State Convention.

2. To inform chapter of ASO Awards and to encourage them to make nomi-nations for the awards. This can be done through the newsletters, Presi-dents Updates, and email.

The Awards Committee will support and assist in reaching the ASO Essen-tial Goals as established at Officers’ Training immediately after the 2019 ASO Convention in June.

Awards Committee Report

Committee members: Chairman Stacy Potter, Chi, Harrison; Janie Hickman, Beta Omega, Stuttgart; Tonja Fillippino, Alpha Beta, Beebe/Searcy; Roberta Parks, Alpha Rho, Fort Smith; Brenda Sharpmack, Epsilon Beta, Austin; and Jane Williamson, Alpha Pi, Fort Smith.

Goals: 1. Increase member awareness of

legislative issues pertaining to educa-tion and educators.

2. The chapter president and another member of each chapter will be emailed legislative issues, who will in turn, email and inform the members of their chapter of those issues. The chapter president has numerous emails/items sent to them each month; it is best if another member is also responsible for informing chapter members about the legislative issues. Any member that wishes to receive the monthly US Forum newsletter that is sent to com-mittee chairman may ask for their email address to be added to the list.

Education Legislation Committee Report

Committee members: Sue Cook, Alpha Beta, Chairman; Jessica Wright, Lambda; Whitney Gass, Alpha Beta; Sarah Porter, Alpha Eta; Megan Ables, Beta Omega; Audrey Wright, Gamma Chi; Diana McWilliams, Mu; Paulette Parker, Alpha Alpha; and Leisa Phillips, Chi.

GOALS1. Award new educators in their first, second, or third year of teaching with

a $200 SEEK grant to support classroom projects. Four $200 grants will be awarded.

2. Encourage chapters to support Schools for Africa with donations that help the most disadvantaged children in Africa to get a quality education.

3. Collaborate with the Arkansas State Organization Leadership Development Committee to present a one-day seminar on a topic of current educational inter-ests for members and non-members.

(see page 6 for more from Educational Excellence Committee)

Educational Excellence Committee Report

* December 1, June 30, Annual deadlines for submitting applications for the Arkansas State Organization Scholarship* February 1, May 1, September 1 Applications for Cornetet Professional Development Awards deadlines. (dkgef.org)* April 4, 2020 Area 3 Meeting, McCrory High School. 515 N Jackson Street McCrory, AR * April 18, 2020 Area 1 Meeting, Church of Latter-Day Saints, 6738 Lynch’s Prairie Court, Springdale, AR* April 25, 2020 Area 4 Meeting, First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, Hope, AR* May 2, 2020 Area 2 Meeting, Arkansas State University in Heber Springs, AR* July 7-11, 2020 International Convention, Philadelphia, PA

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Arkansas State Organization News is published online the first of each odd numbered month atdkgarkansas.weebly.comSend articles, pictures, comments, and questions to: Linda Davidson at

lindavidson@comcast.net or 618 LaSalle DriveLittle Rock, AR 72211

or text to (501) 580-4309

Dates to Remember and Deadlines:

Contributions to the Kappa State

Education Foundation

Memorials:Martha Day and Betty McKenzie

of Epsilon by Audrey Powell, Mu Chapter

Bill Hankins husband of Earlene Hankins Beta Xi Chapter

by Dr. Jo Chesser, Gamma Chapter.

Honorarium:

Jo Nell Lowry, Theta Chapter

by an Arkansas State Organization member.

The International Membership Commit-tee met in September at DKG Headquar-ters in Austin. Shown above are Ella Kelly, International President Cathy Daugherty, Candi Martin, Claire Swanson, Pia Nyman, Patricia Woodley, and Connie Hoag.

Candi is shown at a dinner held at the meeting in Austin.

(The photos are borrowed from the Facebook page of Pia Nyman.)

Attention State Scholarship Chairs:

At this time it is important to remind your members of the annual International scholarships awarding advanced degrees for the amount of $6,000 and $10,000 for doctoral degrees. Applications are found at dkg.org.

The deadline is February 1, 2020. I am your contact person on the DKG International Scholarship Committee and

am happy to help you apply for the International Scholarships. My email address is powlld1@hardemancountyschools. Dorrie J. Powell, Ed. D.