Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/712197
At its June meeting, State Council: • Celebrated the 10th anniversary of education support professionals having full recognition as members of CTA. • Elected Robert V. Rodriguez, CTA/NEA Coordinating Director on the CTA Board of Directors. • Elected Ken Tang to the NEA Board of Directors for District 16. • Elected Gretel Rodriguez, At-Large CTA/ABC Commit- tee member. • Voted to support the California Medi-Cal Hospital Reimbursement Initiative on the November ballot. CTA had previously supported the California Children's Edu- cation and Health Care Protection Act and the LEARN (Language Education, Acquisition and Readiness Now) Initiative, formerly called the Ed.G.E. Initiative. • Approved spending up to $25 million from the Initiative Fund to support CTA positions on the November ballot. • Passed a new CTA state budget for 2016-17. This includes a CTA membership dues increase for the fiscal year to $656. • Honored termed-out CTA Board members Dana Dillon, Jim Groth, Tyrone Cabell and Sonia Martin-Solis for their many years of service on the Board. They are all termed out as of June 26. • Honored the 24 union activist educators accepting the CTA "We Honor Ours" (WHO) awards bestowed by Ser- vice Center Councils across the state for this school year. • Held a reception for the 16 winners of the 57th annual CTA John Swett Awards for Media Excellence (see story on page 50). State Council Actions A T T H E J U N E 2 0 1 6 CTA State Council meeting, President Eric Heins noted that the common thread in recent CTA successes as a union is the CTA Strategic Plan. "Guided by our plan, we are listening to and engaging members, advocating for our students, leading our pro- fession, reaching out to our communities, organizing to build a stronger union and standing up for a just society for all," he declared. A big incentive to step into leadership roles in your local association is the many opportunities to grow and acquire new skills or polish old ones. At the Presidents Conference, chapter leaders learn the latest about what impacts their members with such issues as the Local Control Funding Formula, new state standards, and immigration. Snap- shots from the 2016 conference (see #CTAPC16 for more): NEA's Representative Assembly this summer welcomed 7,000 delegates elected by their local and state affiliates, including CTA. The RA sets policy and charts the direction of NEA business. Above, Tulare-Kings Service Center Council represents at #NEARA16. Leaders on the Move Erika Rose and Christina Fontenot are co-presidents with a past. The Los Nietos Teachers Association leaders grew up together; their mothers also grew up next door to each other. Two firsts: Lisa Burkle and Robin Park (center and right) are first-time presidents of the newly formed CTA chapter, the Solana Beach Association of Support Professionals. At left is Doreen McGuire-Grigg, NEA director representing California and NEA 2016 ESP of the Year. 52 cta.org CTA & you