Board
Elections, ICDC--April 3 and April 10
Congratulations
to our newest Board members. They are Gretchen Cline, Lisa Baynes, and
Suzanne Campbell. IF YOU ARE FROM THE NORTHERN AREA, there will be a
run-off election between Shane Thomas and Donna Celio. Voting will begin
now and will end at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, 4/25. Please be sure and place
your votes. ALL NORTHERN AREA AFFILIATED ADVISORS are encouraged to
take part in the run-off election. Visit the Web site under CONTACT
US/BOARD OF TRUSTEES for your ballot. (Before voting, click your
refresh button if your ballot still has 4 names on it.)
Since I normally get so many
recertification calls this time of year, I'm heading you off at the
pass. I have posted a Web page with some summer course offerings, including
a 5-day Fashion Trends and Issues course in New York City. I've also
provided you with an update on the fashion academy for your students,
as there are still a few slots available. For more information, please
visit http://www.lions2.odu.edu/org/deca/advisors/update041907.html.
The remainder of this message
pertains to ICDC. The ICDC memo needs correcting with regards to this
year's dress code, which you can find on page 60 of your DECA Guide.
Jackets are not required at event briefings, manual registration, testing,
or LDA/SMI. For boys, a shirt and tie with dress slacks is ok. All students
must wear a DECA blazer when appearing before a judge OR to receive
recognition on stage. EVERY STUDENT APPEARING ON STAGE, INCLUDING MEMBERSHIP
AND SCHOLARSHIP AWARD RECIPIENTS, IS REQUIRED TO WEAR A DECA BLAZER.
Please review page 60 of your DECA Guide (and include leadership workshops
in the "Event Briefing" category).
The main airport shuttle
company in Orlando--MEARS--is sold out on 4/27. If you have not yet
made your reservations, you might try MEETING MOVERS. Our contact person
is Susan Fatutta, and you can reach her at 407-644-1601 or sfatutta@meetingmovers.com.
And
finally, we have purchased 700 Virginia Tech pennants for all attendees
at the opening session of ICDC, as well as two 3' x 5' flags for waving
throughout the conference. I've no doubt that we will display them as
the proudest and most united state in the nation.
Board Elections, ICDC--April 3 and April 10
ICDC MEMO/ASSIGNMENTS
- Attached is a memo that includes the ICDC information you'll need.
The memo contains information that you are responsible for knowing,
so please take the time to read through it. It also contains your advisor
assignments for the conference, and should clear up most of the questions
you may have. A copy is also posted on the Web at http://www.lions2.odu.edu/org/deca/conferences/icdc.html
ROAD TO NATIONALS - Information
on the Road to Nationals training for ICDC is now posted on the ICDC
page of the Web, and will be conducted at Chantilly High School
in Northern Virginia. If you're serious about performing well in Orlando,
consider attending. Registration is preferred by 4/13 so that an accurate
meal count can be tallied. See the flyer for details.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES VOTING
- Board of Trustees ballots have now been posted on the Board page of
the Web site. You can get there by visiting http://www.lions2.odu.edu/org/deca/contact/board.html.
If you are a paid, affiliated advisor, please take the time to vote
and let your voice be heard! Voting will continue through 4/12.
ICDC
Refunds--March 27
Sorry to fill
up your mailbox. If you are in need of an ICDC refund, please visit
the Web site and complete the ICDC
refund form, then return it to me at your earliest convenience.
In a few cases, you'll need to do this by tomorrow to get a full refund,
so don't delay!
Online
Lessons, ICDC--March 27
You've pointed
out several errors that were on the Lessons section of the Web site.
I think I've got them all cleaned up. If you tried to pull up a lesson
that was linked to the wrong place, or if you sent a lesson in that
appeared to have never been posted, that should now be fixed. If you
find any additional errors, please make me aware so that I can correct
it.
If you are attending ICDC,
PLEASE CHECK THE ATTACHED LIST. This year I have to send our housing
and registration out on the morning of 3/29, the morning after your
materials are due. With housing being at a premium, if you are not included
in the initial submission, YOU MAY NOT HAVE A ROOM. Even if you know
that you have sent everything in, please check behind me. Maybe I lost
it. I will profusely apologize, but it still won't get you a room because
everything still needs to be in on the 28th.
I realize you still have
through Wednesday to get this in, and I'm jumping the gun on some of
you, but the deadlines are making me very nervous this year, as there
is absolutely no wiggle room. Thanks for checking. We want you to have
a bed in Orlando!
ICDC
Tidbits --March 20
Based on your feedback, it
seems that we had another very successful SLC. I'm glad to see that
you and your students had such a good time! If you requested scores,
I'm going as fast as I can! Please be patient. I anticipate having them
all out by week's end, as originally promised.
And now, a few things to
remember while gearing up for Orlando...
1. Your online registration,
housing form, and invoice must be in no later than 3/28.
We can be flexible with your check if need be, but we do need the
data.
2. If you are rooming with another chapter that is not arriving on
the same date as you are, someone still needs to pay for the first
night of lodging, and adjustments must be made. Let me know if you'd
like assistance with the calculations.
3. If you are rooming with another chapter, BOTH CHAPTERS should still
send housing reports, identifying which person is with which chapter.
Cross-referencing is the only way I can verify your housing, and it
also makes it a lot easier for me to keep you in a room near your
students. And yes, I want you near them just as much as you want to
be near them. Thanks for your help with this one.
4. Remember, if you know your competing student is not going to attend,
please notify me at your earliest convenience so that I can notify
the "next in line."
And keep your students working.
The challenge this year is to put 131 Virginians on stage? We've got
our work cut out for us, but confident we can do it. Have a great week!
SLC
Final Notes--March 5
Less
than a week away from SLC, and I hope your students are getting excited!
I was watching basketball yesterday and noticed that it was snowing
in Blacksburg. Grrrrrrrrrr. In the unlikely event we need to implement
an inclement weather plan, we will try and post instructions on the
home page of the Web site.
DAYLIGHT
SAVINGS TIME
This weekend is Daylight Savings Time. That means that we'll all have
to set our clocks ahead one hour on Saturday before going to bed. Did
I say Grrrrrrr? Sleep? We don't need no stinkin' sleep! We'll remind
you of this several times during the sessions.
ADVISOR ASSIGNMENTS
Thanks to all of you that have taken it upon yourself to swap assignments
if yours creates a conflict for you. Short of a family emergency, if
you need to swap assignments, please take it upon yourself to find someone
to swap with. We REALLY need someone filling each of those assignments.
Without your help, we cannot make this conference work. While they don't
realize it, nobody appreciates this more than your stressed out students
when things run smoothly. Checking your assignment now rather than waiting
until you arrive will also make the orientation meeting end much more
quickly. (Please let your series director/testing director know who
you have swapped with.)
SCHEDULE
CARDS
Schedule cards for chapter/written events will be in your registration
packets. ADC and TSE participants will pick theirs up following their
test.
SUBSTITUTIONS/DROPS
While substitutions for competitors can no longer be made, if you have
a drop, we would still very much like to know who they are for scheduling
purposes. Just drop me an e-mail. If someone drops, we don't want you
to lose that registration fee. In that case, we will allow you an extra
SLDA slot for the replacement (or the "stranded" MDM teammate).
All they'll need to do is take the dropped person's name badge to HQ
on the second floor, pay $1, and get a new name badge. We don't need
their name in advance. However, please do verify their membership first.
(All name badge proceeds go to the Virginia DECA Foundation).
We do have
a few surprises in store for you at this year's SLC, and we're confident
that you and your students will have a fun and meaningful weekend. See
you in a few days!!!
SLC
Instructions, Assignments--February 27
While there may be a few
last minute tidbits that I'll remind you of, the final instructions,
as well as advisor assignments, are now posted on the SLC
page of the Web site. Go ahead
and click through to it now before you forget! (I haven't included
the attachments to reduce the risk of getting filtered.)
I look forward to seeing
you and your students next week.
SLC
Refunds, Substitutions, Scholarships--February 21
I hate when
this happens. Page K 5 of your Chapter Management Guide has a typo in
it that I need to correct. It says that the last day to request refunds
or to make a substitution is February 28. The date should read February
21 (today). All other print and online materials, including the CMG
calendar, the Web calendar, and the refund/substitution forms themselves
state the correct date of the 21st, and I know that most of you have
been using references that are correct.
Unfortunately it would be
impossible for me to process the conference if I waited until the 28th,
so thank you for understanding. However, as a result, I am going to
add a day to those deadlines, and make them tomorrow, 2/22. I apologize
for any inconvenience this may cause for you.
Also, the National Association
of Mortgage Brokers will be providing a $1000 scholarship, and it will
be posted on the scholarship page of the Web within the next day or
two. Simply follow the instructions on the application, and be sure
it gets back to my office no later than 3/21. That's a relatively short
turnaround given that we have SLC coming soon and I know you are involved
in other things, but if you win, it'll surely be worth your while. Please
make your students aware.
SLC,
Fashion Camp, etc.--February 7
Happy snow day for many of
you!
While you're sipping on hot
chocolate and warming your toes, please remember that ALL SLC
PARTICIPANTS MUST BE REGISTERED ON OR BEFORE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15--no
exceptions. That's this Thursday, so PLEASE don't let it slip through
the cracks. Might I recommend that you do this by tomorrow in anticipation
of a "glitch?" Full refunds for cancellations can still be
made through 2/15, and partial refunds and substitutions can be made
through 2/21. All refunds must include a signed "Refund Request"
form (Section K of the CMG). I'll try to have
some participant numbers for you early next week.
Scholarship finalists have
now been posted at http://www.lions2.odu.edu/org/deca/conferences/scholarshipfinalists.html.
You can click through to this list from either the scholarship
page or the SLC page. Congratulations!
Your students will now have
a new SLC secret weapon in predicting their success at SLC. Have them
take a moment to click through "The
DECA Guru" from the SLC page. It's a pretty sure thing. :o)
On a couple of non-SLC moments,
Old Dominion University will be hosting a fashion camp this summer for
interested high school students. For more information, visit http://www.lions2.odu.edu/org/deca/advisors/fashioncamp.html.
And finally, the DOE is looking
for someone willing to provide a 45 workshop (back to back) in Franklin
on 2/23. The topic is International Marketing and career preparation/opportunities.
If you're interested, please contact Anne Rowe at Anne.Rowe@doe.virginia.gov.
SLC
Registration Info--February 7
Remember the upcoming deadlines...
SLC Registration, Thursday, 2/15
Written Manuals, RECEIVED by Wednesday, 2/21
Last day for substitutions, 2/21
Last day for full refunds, 2/15 (CMG
"Request for Refund" form required before refund can be
processed; p. K20)
Last day for partial refunds, 2/21 (CMG
"Request for Refund" form required before refund can be
processed; p. K20)
I know that we try to be
as flexible as humanly possible most of the year, but please remember
that there is no wiggle room with these deadlines. Please don't wait
until the last minute. Something like a snow day can really damage your
plans, and we don't want that to happen!
Remember that your student
must be on your membership roster before you can register them for SLC.
If they are not, please include them by 2/15. That doesn't mean your
check has to arrive at DECA, Inc. by then, but their names must be submitted.
Only one student from your
chapter may have the SOLE role of voting delegate. CBCE competitors
are a good choice for your remaining voting delegate(s) if you have
any. There is a time conflict between SLDA and the business sessions,
so SLDA participants should not represent you as a voting delegate.
And finally, please remind
your team decision making team members how much their partner is counting
on them! If they drop after the substitution deadline, the remaining
teammate cannot compete. I know that things happen, but please remind
them. This seems to happen to one or two teams every year, and I know
how disappointed the remaining teammate must be.
I'll remind you one more
time about your registration deadline next week, as we don't want anyone
"falling through the cracks."
Have a great week, and send
me a picture of your snowman. The best DECA snowman gets on the Web.
:o)
Board
of Trustees Election Memo--January 30
I'm keeping
the message short and sweet this week, as I don't want it to get clouded
with anything else.
The election memo/application
for the Virginia DECA Board of Trustees has now been posted. If you
are energetic and pro-active, please consider running for the Board!
If you are interested, please read the materials found at the top of
the Board
page of the Web site (http://www.lions2.odu.edu/org/deca/contact/board.html).
If you are SORT of interested, but have some questions, call me. We
want you to run!
There are FIVE openings on
the Board this year.
(PS I am not attaching the
documents, as often attachments will result in a "filtered"
message from many of your systems.
SLC
Information--January 23
If you are planning
to bring along a chaperone that might be qualified and willing to judge,
we will be happy to waive their registration fee if they are willing
to judge. We would love to have them join us! Please contact Tina Walsh
at kwalsh@nps.k12.va.us or myself. We'll be happy to make contact with
them and provide them with the necessary information. Your help in this
area is ALWAYS appreciated!
If you have a student that
is interested in sitting on the nominating committee, please let me
know. These are the students that interview state officer candidates,
and no experience is required. They will be trained on site, and should
find it to be an excellent learning experience. We can only take six
students (two from each area). They must be able to attend the nominating
committee meeting on Friday at 1:30 to be eligible. Chapters that are
running a state officer candidate are not eligible.
Congratulations to Clarke
County, Riverbend, Abingdon, and Courtland for qualifying for the Quiz
Bowl. Thanks to all of you that participated.
And finally, last call for
hotel/motel teachers. If you teach 8160, 8161, 8162, or 8163, and have
not notified me already, please do so. We may have a special opportunity
for you at ICDC. I need to know how many students are in your program,
and how many of those students are DECA members. Details will come out
in the next week or two.
SLC
Info, Project TLC, Hotel Programs, etc.--January 16
I try to hold these e-mails
to once a week, but now that it's officially DECA season, please be
patient if the messages arrive a bit more frequently to address repetitive
questions.
We're only a couple hundred
members away from 13,000!!! Can we reach another milestone? Mr./Mrs.
13,000 will be recognized at SLC with a lot of hoopla!
For those of you that have
participated in Project TLC (hygiene kits), please be sure to complete
the form found at The
POW page and let us know how you've done! (And while you're on that
page, go ahead and complete the other two POW award applications.) We'll
be sure to recognize you at SLC. There may even be a BA trophy involved
for your chapter.
Don't forget, as you register
your students for SLC, only ONE student may participate at SLC with
their sole role being voting delegate. All other VD's must have another
role making them eligible for the conference.
If you teach a state approved
Hotel/Motel course (8160, 8161, 8162, 8163), please notify me. There
may be a special opportunity available for your students at ICDC, and
you need to start planning now. Please tell me which course(s) you teach,
how many are in your class(es), and of those, how many are DECA members.
I will follow up with each of you after you've notified me.
Your superstar status has
not been updated recently on the Web, but will be by the end of the
week. If you feel your status is incorrect as of Friday (first hit your
refresh button), please contact me and let me know.
And if you haven't yet purchased
your Virginia DECA flip-flops, it's not too late! You can get there
through the home page of the Web site, or by visiting flipflops.
(All net proceeds go directly to the Virginia DECA Foundation.)
Quiz
Bowl, SLC, ICDC, Scholarships--January 9
Happy New Year!
I know, you've quit smoking, lost 40 lbs, run 5 miles a day in your
spare time, and will never use a profanity again. Me too. :o)
You can now
start sending your SLC pictures for the slide show to vadeca@mmproductionsusa.com.
The Quiz Bowl information
is now posted online. You can link to it from the
home page, or you can visit directly at http://www.thequizbowl.com.
You DO NEED TO TEST THE SOFTWARE IN ADVANCE, so please do that as soon
as possible to head off any technical challenges. There's no cost to
you, so consider having 1-4 of your students participate. What do you
have to lose? (Be sure to read through the instructions first.)
The SLC
registration form, as well as the ICDC
rates, are now posted online. Go at it.
I've been receiving a lot
of inquiries about how many members you currently have in your district,
so rather than respond to them one by one, here's the number, as of
this minute:
| Dist |
01 |
02 |
04 |
05 |
06 |
07 |
08 |
9.1 |
9.2 |
9.3 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
22 |
23 |
24 |
25 |
26 |
27 |
28 |
| Memb |
143 |
452 |
424 |
283 |
147 |
175 |
180 |
438 |
707 |
470 |
423 |
577 |
787 |
650 |
747 |
466 |
666 |
471 |
265 |
424 |
740 |
714 |
292 |
283 |
281 |
234 |
531 |
588 |
However, don't stop there!
We're currently at 12,574 members. WOOOOHOOOOO!
And finally, Inve$co has
made a $1000 contribution that will go towards a student scholarship
for a student in one of the following counties: Bedford, Botetourt.
Carroll, Floyd, Franklin, Grayson, Montgomery, Pulaski, Roanoke, Smyth,
Wythe.
This will not take the place
of any SLC scholarship, but is in addition to, so therefore it is simply
an additional opportunity for those of you attending school in those
counties. Take advantage of it! It will not be awarded at SLC, so your
applicant may not have to attend SLC to be eligible. Details on the
process will be announced in next week's message. Meanwhile, you will
find more information, including the application (due 2/6/07) on the
scholarships page of the Virginia DECA Web site.
DBay,
Local Messages--December 5
Let the bidding
begin!!! D-Bay is now live and
running, so check it out, and feel free to do all of your Christmas
shopping there. Bidding will run through 5 p.m. tomorrow afternoon,
and will close precisely at 5 p.m. Highest bids are posted regularly,
SO BE SURE TO HIT YOUR REFRESH/RELOAD BUTTON EACH TIME YOU VISIT THE
ITEMS PAGES to ensure that you are looking at the most current high
bids.
And for those of you from
the Eastern and Western areas, you have a new message from your area
VP. To read the messages, visit CONTACT US/REGIONAL/EASTERN or WESTERN,
then click on AARON'S or
LOGAN'S MESSAGE to see what
they have to say. We hope that you will point your students in that
direction, as well.
Thanks to all of you that
have purchased Virginia DECA flip-flops
so far. We appreciate it, and know that you now have cuter students
than the other chapters. Remember, all net proceeds go to the Virginia
DECA Foundation, so we hope that you will involve your chapter. Wouldn't
they make a great Christmas gift for your chapter officers?!?!
Happy bidding!
Membership
Issues --November 13
Several of you
have contacted me, telling me that you are having difficulty in entering
the membership system online. If that’s you, read ahead. If that’s
not you, feel free to stop reading. That all that this message pertains
to.
When logging into the system,
everybody must have a login name and password that is self-created.
If you haven't done that yet, that's why you're not able to log in.
To do that, go to the membership
login page at http://membership.deca.org/app_main.htm
(you can copy and paste this into your browser to avoid making a typo).
Once there, click beneath the blank login fields where it says, "Don't
have a user name or password? Click Here." Then click on the appropriate
link (for example, “existing chapter”) and complete the
information requested, including creating a login name and password.
You'll instantly get confirmation that you have successfully established
your account, and can go back and enter your students (and advisors
and professionals and alumni).
You will have to look up
your chapter code during this process. This is not the same chapter
code that has been designated for you by Virginia. Rather, it’s
a different code that has been designated by DECA, Inc. Simply enter
the information requested, and it should show you your DECA, Inc. chapter
code. I do have this list, and will send it to you upon request (or
just send you your number). (I’m not attaching it because there
are some “issues” with the list, and it would take too long
to explain.) Next year I will incorporate both school codes in your
Chapter Management Guide, but didn’t have the codes in time to
do that this year.
If this doesn’t get
you through the system—and it should, unless your computer simply
doesn’t like the system (and I’ve had one of those already)—your
next step is to contact:
Michael Mount
Michael_mount@deca.org
703.860.5000
Michael is in charge of membership
at DECA, Inc., and is ordinarily very responsive to e-mail. I would
try that first. You’ll likely receive a reply within a few hours.
Once again, don’t get
frustrated! Most of you are finding this system simple and you like
it. For those of you that are hitting the wall, once you get through
this first year, it should be smooth sailing. Honest!
And, if you are still having
difficulties, please let me know.
Newsletter,
Flip-flops, Auction, Hygiene Kits, etc.--November 7
NEWSLETTER
The fall student newsletter has been posted online. You'll find it both
in an online format, as well as a print format. I hope you'll share
this information with your students! (go to STUDENT
TOOLS/NEWSLETTER)
FLIP-FLOPS
The Virginia DECA flip-flops have arrived, but I haven't yet taken a
picture of them. Information will be posted before the end of the week
on the home page. Be sure to hit your refresh/reload button when you
visit! More details, including how to order, will be posted, as well.
AUCTION
The Christmas/holiday auction will be held on December 6th and 7th.
Mark it on your calendars! A promotional flyer with items to be auctioned
will be sent in next week's e-mail. If you have an item(s) you are willing
to donate for the auction, please let me know at your earliest convenience.
Any and all donations are appreciated!
HYGIENE KITS
Remember, because of shipping difficulties, we are no longer asking
you to drop off your hygiene kits at ODU (or my house). Drop them off
at your local outreach center. We will soon provide you with an application,
identifying your donations, and will recognize all participating chapters
at SLC. We may even have an award or two for the most assertive chapters...
MEMBERSHIP
Most of you seem to like the new process, and thank you for your willingness
to learn it! To date we are 555 members AHEAD of last year. Keep it
going! The most common problem I've encountered from you so far this
year is realizing that entering names is not all you need to do. Once
your names have been entered, be sure to hit the "submit chapter"
button online. Keep up the great work!!!
Membership
Changes--October 24
Many of you have now used
the new online membership system, and I hope you are finding it easy
to use. The memberships are rolling in, and the feedback has been fairly
positive thus far.
More importantly, you have
been told that your members are not considered official until they have
been paid for, and we have identified how that may be problematic. Our
concern is that we don't want anyone to miss out on membership because
you cannot have a check prepared and processed in time! Following our
Board meeting this past week, Virginia DECA has decided to consider
your members official whether or not they have been paid for. By entering
the name(s), we are going to consider that a commitment to membership
and to payment.
Do be aware that once a name
is submitted, you cannot remove it, and you must pay for that member.
I trust that, by giving chapters this leeway, it will not become an
obstacle. It will provide you with more flexibility, particularly once
you start submitting your additions rosters.
If you have affiliated in
the last two years, your chapter name should be in the system. Check
variations of the name (i.e., Frank W. Cox and Cox). IF YOU DO NOT SEE
YOUR CHAPTER LISTED, DO NOT CREATE A NEW CHAPTER. Simply call DECA,
Inc. at 703.860.5000 and ask for assistance. The same holds true for
any other "process issue" you may encounter. It's a new system,
and at times you may not be comfortable with the changes. Don't get
frustrated, and don't give up! Between DECA Inc and myself, help is
here. You provide the members, and we'll get you up and running.
Finally, I want to ensure
that a new system does not cost Virginia DECA even one single member.
Membership is the heart and soul of our organization, and we're not
number one by luck--we're number one because of YOU. Keep up the great
work!!!
Wizards,
VCU Fashion Career Day, Hygiene Kits- October 16
Short notice, but a LOT of
money nonetheless! If you plan to attend DECA Day with the Wizards,
the read this! One school attending the game will be drawn at random
to receive a prize--a significant prize--during the Wizards' game. The
selected school will receive $100 for every point scored by Gilbert
Arenas during the game. Last year he averaged 29 points per game. YOU
do the math...
The catch is, however, that
you have to register by Wednesday, October 18. That's the day after
TOMORROW! Do don't delay. Register your school by clicking through to
http://www.nba.com/wizards/community/GSS0607.html
Fashion Career Day at VCU
has now provided us with their information. They've sold out the past
two years (and had to turn some of you away), so if you are interested
in attending, visit the CONFERENCES/OTHER
EVENTS section of the Web site for details.
And for those of you that
have contributed hygiene kits thus far, thank you! We hope to get many
more throughout the year. If you simply don't have a way to get them
to us, keep collecting. We'll take them now, and we will take them all
the way through SLC (where you can drop them off). Have a great week!
New
Marketing Specialist, Operation TLC - October 12
We finally have
a new marketing specialist! I think you'll all be as excited as I am,
that our new, FEARLESS leader will be none other than our very own Sharon
Acuff!!! As you know, Sharon has a wealth of knowledge and history in
Virginia marketing education. I'd give you the down and dirty bio, but
you already know it because she's involved in EVERYTHING! We are very
fortunate, to have Sharon as our new specialist! Welcome aboard, Sharon.
Due to the recent events
in Franklin/Smithfield, Virginia DECA would like to direct its efforts
with the hygiene kits (See September 12 e-mail) to that area. We've
made contact with a church organization that will truck the items for
us, and will have drop off areas in Southside Hampton Roads, as well
as the Peninsula. Please make an effort to contribute! I will have those
drop off zones for you next week. You can always use ODU as a drop off
zone, as well.
Our officers would like to
gauge participation, so if you do participate, please send me a quick
message and let me know that you participated. If you can, we'd also
like to know approximately how many kits your chapter has contributed.
DAs,
VBC, SBE, OTC - September 19
Your DLC materials have either
all arrived, or have been ordered. However, I still don't have a DA
for the following districts: 9a, 9c, 10, 20, 23, and 24. If someone
in each of those districts will please make me aware of who
your DA is, I would greatly appreciate it!
If you have a school store,
or school-based enterprise (SBE), consider entering your SBE in competition,
possibly becoming eligible for ICDC competition. The guidelines for
06-07 have now been posted on the lessons page under "DECA
In The Classroom."
The Virtual Business Challenge
registration started yesterday, so don't delay! It's a FREE download
from http://knowledgematters.com/vbc/,
and it's a GREAT learning tools. There are two tracks--retail and sports--and
not only will your kids love this, but they'll learn from it. And most
of all, don't worry about it if you're not familiar with the software.
Your students will be teaching it to you in no time. :o) You'll be surprised.
They'll even "play" from home.
And finally, I hope you're
putting one of the state-sponsored OTCs
on your calendar. Even if you have a city/county-wide OTC, your officer
team will still get a lot out of meeting students from around the state
and participating in team-building/leadership activities. The dates
are Oct. 14 (Hollins University) and Oct. 28 (Richmond). Registration
has already begun, so we hope to see you there!
Community
Service, Virtual Business, Spirit of Norfolk - September 12
Virginia DECA
is making arrangements to perform a wonderful community service project
this year, and it will only work if you are willing to participate (and
I know you will!). We need your help! Virginia DECA is planning to provide
"hygiene kits" for people/families in need. Recipients have
already been identified. Each hygiene kit will contain the following
items:
-toothbrush
-toothpaste
-bodywash/soap
-deodorant
-shampoo
-lotion
-hand sanitizer
All sized items are acceptable,
including travel/trial sized items. Are you willing to participate?
I personally feel that this is one of the best/most meaningful program
of work items our state officer teams have initiated in a while, and
the potential for helping others is significant if we all get involved.
PLEASE SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS IF YOU CAN!
The cost to you should be
minimal. A kit can be put together for under $10. For those of you that
work with grocery/drug stores as training stations, my guess is that
you can even get some of these items contributed. If you are willing
to provide kits as a part of this statewide effort, place the items
in a large ziploc bag, and send them to me. I'm not sure where I'm going
to put them yet, but I'll find a place. Please explain to your students
that this is yet another opportunity to help those in need. Thank you!!!
Registration for the first
Virtual Business contest starts on Monday, 9/18. Be sure to visit http://knowledgematters.com/vbc/
and register your teams. If you're not familiar with this event, don't
worry about it. The students love it, and they always figure it out
how to play and win. I hope to see several Virginians on the winners
list this year!
And finally, while Friday
afternoon didn't work last year, I'm considering making "Spirit
of Norfolk" dinner cruise arrangements for THURSDAY EVENING, prior
to SLC. If you are interested, please let me know. If I don't get enough
of a response/interest, I won't make the arrangements.
Once again, please consider
helping us with the hygiene kits. We want this to be a statewide effort,
and it will only be effective with your help. Thanks for considering
it, and have a great week!
SoNAR,
DAs, Wizards - August 29
TRIP TO ITALY
Last call for Italy! Many of you have said that you wanted to attend
the trip to Fashion/International marketing trip to Italy this July,
and you have received the information. Don't forget that your deposit
is due by September 15 (otherwise your seats
will be released). If you plan to attend, even though you are send your
deposit directly to The Traveling Classroom, do me a favor and drop
me a quick note letting me know that you still plan to attend.
YSTREET STUDENT OPPORTUNITY
The YStreet (Ydouthink/Virginia
Tobacco Settlement Foundation) campaign has grown exponentially over
the past couple of years, and your students seem to love it! If you're
new, this is a marketing effort where your students participate in various
marketing events including concerts, rallies, etc., and they get to
act in the role of marketers. (They learn quite a bit from it!) It also
gives them a great opportunity to perform customer service. Please visit
http://www.lions2.odu.edu/org/deca/students/yst06.html
for more information on how to get your students involved.
PRINCIPLES OF BUSINESS AND
MARKETING
And finally, after a clarification from the VDOE, if your student is
enrolled in Principles of Business and Marketing, your student may join
either DECA or FBLA, REGARDLESS OF HOW THE COURSE IS CODED. In other
words, your student may now be a DECA member even if the course is coded
as a business course (and the reverse is true, as well). This is very
important, and is contrary to what I've told you in the past. My apologies
for any confusion, and I hope that we'll all make the most of this opportunity!
I hope that most of your
stayed out of the floods this past weekend, and are now enjoying time
with your students. Have a great rest of the week!
SoNAR,
DAs, Wizards - August 29
For many of
you, enjoy your last week of "pre-student" summer. Of course,
I'm only kidding. I know how much you are looking forward to having
your students back. It's an exciting time of year!
For those of you planning
to attend SoNAR, I would like
to ask a favor of you. As you register directly through DECA, Inc. this
year, I would ask that you also cc: a copy of your registration documents
to me. I would greatly appreciate it if you will take the time to do
that! I don't need your housing form; only your registration. And, if
your read through the documentation, you'll also note that once the
first 500 rooms have been blocked, the remaining attendees will be staying
at a satellite property (likely the attached Crystal Marriott, but a
separate building, nonetheless). So, be sure to get your housing form
in EARLY! It's not yet posted on the Web, so if you are ready to block
your rooms before it's up and posted, I have a "secret copy."
Let me know and I'll make sure that you get it.
DECA
Day with the Wizards is now set for Friday, Dec. 1, so put it on
your calendar! Remember, all participants should be DECA members. Registration
materials and other information is now posted on the Web.
And finally, be sure to check
the DA/DP page of the Web site (under
"Contact Us"). If I don't have a name on there yet for your
district, it's because I don't know if yet! Please help me to collect
as many names as possible at your earliest convenience. I really appreciate
your help with this.
Thanks a bunch, and may this
be your biggest and best year ever!!!
PS Did I mention that we
get extra slots at ICDC this year in ALL written events, all thanks
to YOU?! (I did, but I wanted to say it again.) Keep up the GREAT WORK!!!
SoNAR,
Wizards, Scav. Hunt, GREAT NEWS! - August 22
I've been out of the office
since VAME, and a LOT of information has been sent to me since I left.
Before the week is out, check the Web site for the Virginia
DECA scavenger hunt (now posted), DECA
Day with the Wizards, and SoNAR
information. All will be posted before the week is out. Pay special
attention to the SoNAR information. Note that you can get a $10 per
person discount if you pay (that means check in hand or PO faxed) by
Sept. 22. I'm really glad to see that so many of you are going to take
advantage of the conference this year. It's going to be a good one.
Opening session will be held at MCI Center following the Capitals game,
and it's all uphill from there. Do make a note of the changes in the
registration/lodging process, and do note that once the Marriott is
filled (500 rooms), it's filled. You'll then stay in an adjacent property,
so get your lodging taken care of early.
And that great news I was
talking about? Because of last year's membership, Virginia DECA will
have SIX slots this year FOR EVERY WRITTEN EVENT. We'll still have 7
for series events and MDMs, but have moved from 5 to 6 slots in all
written categories. Woohoo! Lookey lookey what YOU'VE done! Now the
challenge is to keep us there. We just BARELY got that extra slot, so
keep up the great work!
And finally, a question for
you. If you plan to go to ICDC (and I hope that's all of you), I'm a
little torn between which hotel to select as our first choice. Virginia
has opted for the Wyndham the past couple of ICDCs. It's a nice property,
and in the heart of I-Drive, surrounded by restaurants, etc. The downside
to this location is that you need transportation (personal, DECA buses,
or I-Ride passes) to get to the convention center. The other option
is one of the Rosen Hotels, located directly next to the convention
center, and within walking distance--very convenient for general session
and competition. However, if you don't opt to eat in one of the hotel
restaurants, there are only about 4 dining options within walking distance.
This hotel is nicer, but is about $30 per night more. Here's your opportunity
for input. Which do you prefer? Please let me know. I need to submit
our request soon, so if you have an opinion, don't delay.
Welcome
Back! - August 14
By now I'm assuming
that you are all back to work with bells on, smiling, chirping, whistling
a happy tune, yadda yadda... Welcome back! I know you've been counting
the days.
A couple of quick notes as
you start to plan your year. DECA Day with the Wizards is now set for
Friday, December 1. Hope to see you there.
If you know of someone new,
if you have transferred, your e-mail has changed, or anything of the
like, please let me know about it. I received a lot of changes from
the VAME conference and have updated those records. Also, when you read
this, ask your colleagues if they've also received the message. If not,
I may not have their correct address.
And finally, if your district
is aware of who your DA/DP will be this year, please let me know that,
as well. You may have told me at VAME, but I'm old and feeble and need
it written down. Thanks for your help.
We have a lot of new faces
around the state (I count 30, but I'm sure there are more). Welcome
to you all! For you seasoned advisors, be sure to extend them a warm
welcome as you always do. It's going to be another great year in Virginia
DECA!
Enjoy yourselves!
