2009-2010 Adviser Updates

March 2010

FCCLA Adviser Email Update
March 2010
 
State Leadership Conference
The registration deadline for the State Leadership Conference is this Friday, March 12, 2010. Please fax your forms in if you haven't mailed them already. If your school district will not be able to cut a check in time to reach us by Friday, please submit the Payment Deadline Extension Request Form that can be downloaded from our website at http://www.mifccla.org/advisers/link0910/conferences/07_deadline_extend_distributed.pdf .
 
A tentative agenda and registration forms are available on our website at http://www.mifccla.org/meetings/slm.html .
 
Registration Questions
Ann and I are out of the office at the DECA State Conference tomorrow and Friday. If you have any questions regarding registration, please email or call me today for the best response before the deadline. If you have questions about registration after today, fax in what you can, and then email me your questions. I'll get back to you on Monday, and as long as we have your forms – including a payment deadline extension form if your payment will not arrive by Friday – we won't charge a late fee. Thanks for your understanding.
 
State Officer Candidates
Do you have an outstanding student leader? Michigan FCCLA is in need of student leaders to take the organization in to the future. If you have a freshman, sophomore or junior that may make a good state officer, encourage them to run for a state office. Information and forms are on our website at http://www.mifccla.org/students/running.htm . The deadline to apply is this Friday, March 12, but I'm extending that to next Wednesday, March 17.
 
Award Applications
Fit to Fly State Community Service Project and Five Star Chapter applications are due by March 12, 2010. If you haven't already mailed them, please fax them to my office at 734-487-4329.
 
National Leadership Conference
Registration for the National Leadership Conference will be due shortly after the State Leadership Conference. Please talk to your competitors prior to the State Leadership Conference, and get School Board Approval (if necessary) before the conference as well. I will be sending registration information to you late next week so you will have everything you need prior to the State Leadership Conference. This year's conference is July 3-8, 2010 in Chicago. Michigan will be coordinating bus transportation once again to help keep the cost down.
 
Bylaws Amendment Proposal
The State Advisory Board and State Executive Council are recommending a change to our bylaws that would alter the way that the state officers select who will serve in each office. Currently, the newly elected officers meet immediately following the election to decide who will be president, vice president of programs, etc. The major drawback with this process is that the officers don't know each other yet, they haven't worked together as a team, and don't know each others' strengths and weaknesses. The proposal changes the timing of the selection of offices to be after their first meeting in the spring – after four days of intense training and teamwork experiences. The Advisory Board and State Officers all agree that this method would be the most effective in selecting the right student for each office. The language of the change is below:
 
  1. The newly elected State Executive Council members will then meet to decide which office that, in their best judgments, would suit each individual's skills and character after their first meeting in the Spring . The state office will coordinate this meeting, but staff will not have a vote.
 
  1. All state officer elects newly elected State Executive Council Members shall will be installed at the annual state meeting.
 
This measure will be voted on during the Voting Session at the State Leadership Conference on Wednesday evening. Please be sure to share this information with your voting delegates.
 
STAR Events
The National STAR Events Manual has had some updates, please be sure to check out the National STAR Events Website for replacement pages: http://www.fcclainc.org/content/star-events/
 
As you're preparing your students for competition, several questions about the guidelines may come up. When you have a question, be sure to check out the STAR Events FAQ document before calling or emailing: http://www.fcclainc.org/assets/files/star/20092010_star_qa.pdf
 
Membership
It's not too late to add members! If you have anyone participating at the State Leadership Conference that is not yet a member of FCCLA, you must affiliate them prior to the conference. If they end up qualifying to compete at the National Leadership Conference, there will still be additional paperwork and a late fee imposed by National FCCLA, but not if they're only participating at the State Conference. Again, this is a critical year for membership, so every student counts.
 

February 2010


February 2010 Adviser Update
Michigan FCCLA
 
Membership Affiliation
National FCCLA's rollout of our new online membership system has been rocky, to be sure. Many of you have had a lot of challenges, and I apologize for the confusion you may have had. I finally got reassurance that my data is accurate. I've sent each of you a copy of your membership roster, as well as instructions if things are not accurate. Please take care of this right away when you get the memo in the mail. Many advisers nationwide have skipped a key step in the affiliation process, which means many or none of their students are registered as members of FCCLA, and I want to make sure that we avoid any challenges along these lines.
 
That being said, because of the major glitches that have been happening, as well as confusion over the process, the $10 State Dues Rate will apply until March 1. If you need your login information, please email or call me.
 
Membership numbers and Gimme Five results have been updated on our website. Many chapters are only a couple of members away from receiving this recognition! Check out your goal at http://www.mifccla.org/membership/goals.htm
 
This is a critical year for membership. We need to show a growth, and at this point we're nearly 200 members away from last year's number. Please, if you have any students left to affiliate, do so as soon as possible. Many long-time active chapters are not yet affiliated, and others have experienced a drop in membership, which is understandable given our economy. However, every member counts, and you can keep adding them throughout the year. This is the perfect time to take advantage of the lower state dues.
 
All students participating in STAR Events or Power of One must be affiliated by March 1. In addition, all students attending the State Leadership Conference, applying for FCCLA scholarships, listing FCCLA as an activity on College Applications, Employment Applications, or Scholarship Applications must be affiliated by the time the application(s) are submitted.
 
State Leadership Conference
This year's State Leadership Conference is April 14-16, 2010 at the Valley Plaza Resort in Midland. Registration is due March 12. Registration information, forms and a tentative conference agenda are posted on our website at http://www.mifccla.org/meetings/slm.html
 
State Officer Candidates Needed
Michigan FCCLA is looking for a few good individuals that want to help provide direction to the organization. We're hoping that your chapter may have someone that wants to run for a state office this year.
 
The opportunities to develop teamwork, public speaking, decision making, and social skills are unparalleled as a state officer. The officers put in a lot of hard work, from planning the Fall Leadership Workshops, the State Community Service Project, and the State Leadership Meeting, to writing letters, articles, and visiting chapters – but the rewards are great. I can speak from experience. You learn and grow more than you can imagine when you serve as a state officer in any organization. If you have a student that you think would benefit from this experience, please encourage him or her to run for office.
 
As an officer's adviser, we only ask that you help proofread assignments they are given throughout the year, to keep them on-task, and help to ensure that they can be at all of their commitments. Complete information and the application can be found on our website at http://www.mifccla.org/students/running.htm
 
Scholarships
I recently mailed a letter to all of the seniors that participated in STAR Events last year and all of the seniors that were submitted as chapter officers encouraging them to apply for the FCSEM Scholarship and the Ethel Washington Scholarship. The Family & Consumer Science Educators of Michigan (FCSEM) annually awards two $1,000 scholarships to FCCLA members, and the Michigan Association of Family & Consumer Sciences awards a $1000 Scholarship in honor of Ethel Washington from Detroit. Neither of these scholarships have many applicants each year, so if you have any stand-out senior members of FCCLA, please encourage them to apply. The deadline for the FCSEM Scholarship is March 12; the Ethel Washington Scholarship Deadline is May 31. The information and forms can be found on our website at www.mifccla.org .
 
STAR Events
There were corrections made to four pages in the National STAR Events Manual in the past couple of weeks. Be sure to download the new pages at http://www.fcclainc.org/assets/files/star/star_events_manual_replacement_pages_1.27.10pdf.pdf
 
The STAR Events Frequently Asked Questions document has also been updated recently. As you're preparing your students, be sure to check it out to see if some clarification will be helpful. You can acces the FAQ on the National FCCLA STAR Events Page at http://www.fcclainc.org/content/star-events/
 
National FCCLA Adviser Resources
Lesson plans and activities for all National Programs: http://www.fcclainc.org/content/lesson-plans--activities/
Adviser Blog (updated every Monday): http://fcclaadvisers.blogspot.com/
E-Adviser Newsletter – emailed twice a month, Subscribe here: http://www.fcclainc.org/content/chapter-advisers-email-listserv/
Chapter Adviser Page – FILLED with great resources: http://www.fcclainc.org/content/chapter-advisers/

 

 

November 2009



November 2009 Adviser Update
Michigan FCCLA
 
Thank you to everyone that attended last week's Leadership Conference! From all accounts, it was a huge success.
 
STAR Events Update
The State Advisory Board met last month, and took two major actions in regards to STAR Events.
 
•  The theme for the Healthy Lifestyle Challenge State STAR Event is: “Disease Control and Prevention.”
•  Michigan will not offer the new “Food Innovations” STAR Event. This makes two events that are included in the National STAR Events Manual that Michigan does NOT offer: Food Innovations and Hospitality.
 
Membership Affiliation
Please remember to affiliate before December 1 to receive the $19.00 dues rate. After Dec. 1, dues go up to $29 per person. The online membership system can be accessed at membership.fcclainc.org. If you have trouble logging in, or if you need your login and password re-sent to you, email me right away and I can take care of that for you. National FCCLA did prepare a guide to help you through the affiliation process – it's available online at http://www.fcclainc.org/assets/files/pdf/chapter_affiliation_guide.pdf . There is also a “Frequently Asked Questions” document at http://www.fcclainc.org/assets/files/pdf/membership/online_faq.pdf .
 
Gimme Five!
As I've mentioned before, it's critical that Michigan FCCLA show a growth in membership this year. We have several new schools on-board, but it will help immensely if every chapter is able to increase their membership as well…even by just a few members. The Gimme Five program recognizes chapters that increase by at least 5 members over last year…chapters receiving this recognition are awarded a plaque on stage at the State Leadership Conference, and receive recognition in Focus on FCCLA and on our website. To check your chapter's goal, visit http://www.mifccla.org/membership/goals.htm .
 
Fuel Up to Play 60
The National Dairy Council and the United Dairy Industry of Michigan have partnered with the NFL to help Michigan's students eat right and stay active with Fuel Up to Play. This comprehensive program focuses on empowering kids to make smart choices about their nutrition and physical activity. You can participate by ordering a new 2009-10 FREE Fuel Up to Play Wellness Activation Kit. This program is an EXCELLENT way to implement our State Community Service Project, Fit to Fly. For more information on the Fuel Up to Play program, and to order your Activation Kit, visit www.SchoolWellnessKit.org .
 
Chapter Officer Reporting Forms
If you haven't already completed one, please send me a “Chapter Officer Reporting Form” for your chapter. Even if you don't have elected officers, it's great for the state officers to be able to reach a student leader or two in each chapter. I also use this contact information to send scholarship and Alumni information to chapter officers. The form can be found on our website at http://www.mifccla.org/advisers/link0910/general_info/09_chapterofficers_distributed.pdf .
 
Fall Leadership Conference Follow Up
Photos from the Fall Leadership Conference are available on our website at www.mifccla.org . Send your students to see if they can find pictures of themselves or their friends!
 
Cindy Salfate asked me to send this to all of you that attended:
_________
Dear Advisers,
Thank you so much for your active participation during my presentation at the FCCLA Fall Leadership Meeting.  I loved the opportunity showcase the Durand FCCLA and I also learned so much from you, especially about STAR Events. It was really fun  for me and I hope you the hand santizer keeps you healthy!  Please feel free to email me at salfate@durand.k12.mi.us if you have any questions.

Cindy Salfate
Family and Consumer
Science Teacher
________
Thank you again for all of your service to Michigan's students. I know this isn't the easiest time to work in education, but heroes like you truly make a difference in the lives of so many students. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
 

October 2009

Fall Leadership Conference

Our Fall Leadership Conference on November 2 is sure to be one of the best on record - we have great speakers lined up, fantastic workshops that will help your members achieve success in school, FCCLA and life. Don't miss out on this great opportunity to help your chapter really go "Out of this World!"
The Fall Leadership Conference early registration deadline is Monday, October 12. To receive the reduced registration fee, please fax in your forms by the end of the day. The regular registration deadline is October 23.
Download the FLC Registration Information
Download the FLC Registration Form

adviser information updates

We mailed second requests for the Adviser Information Update Form today. Your original form was included in the mailing with your Michigan Link.  Please take a moment to make any corrections and fax it back to us ASAP.  This will help to make sure that we have the best contact information possible throughout the year.

Parliamentary Youth Day

Do you want to know how to manage your club meetings in a professional manner or prepare for parliamentary procedure team competition? You will not want to miss out on this dynamic, interactive training from professional registered parliamentarians. The Michigan State Association of Parliamentarians is hosting a low-cost day of training at Eastern Michigan University on Saturday, October 24. Download the Registration form for more information.

star events manual - changes for 09-10

The New STAR Events Manual is now available on the National FCCLA website at http://www.fcclainc.org/content/star-events/. Be sure to download and print the new Manual - the guidelines and score sheets have changed, and we'll be using the new ones for competition in Michigan. One thing that I would like to point out is that the guidelines specify that members must be affiliated online in order to be eligible to compete in STAR Events this year - that is NOT correct. Members CAN be affiliated either on the paper forms, or online, to be eligible. There will most likely NOT be a paper affiliation option next year.

membership affiliation changes

Great News! The New online membership system is now active! You'll find that this system is MUCH better than the old one, and you'll have much less data to enter from now on - it will "remember" all of your general chapter information from year to year. Instructions are available on the National FCCLA website at http://www.fcclainc.org/assets/files/pdf/chapter_affiliation_guide.pdf. A guide listing frequently asked questions is also available at http://www.fcclainc.org/assets/files/pdf/membership/online_faq.pdf.
To affiliate your members using the new system, go to membership.fcclainc.org.

I would like to encourage you to affiliate your members as soon as possible this year...don't worry - if more members join, you can always add them later.  I'd really like to encourage every chapter to set a goal to achieve the Gimme Five Award this year by having at least 5 more members than last year.  As many of you know, our budget was cut by the state, and we not only need to make some of that up with membership dues, but we really need to be growing if FCCLA will continue to be supported by the Michigan Department of Education. Michigan's state dues are $10.00 if you pay before December 1.  The minimum number of members is 9 per school.  Early Affiliation Incentive National FCCLA is offering one FCCLA publication, FREE OF CHARGE, for all chapters that affiliate before November 1, 2009.

To receive the incentive advisers must be affiliated before November 1 and MUST fill out the Incentive Request Form upon affiliating online.

Advisers must indicate their preferred publication by marking their highest preference with 1, followed by 2, 3, and 4 for their second, third, and fourth choices. (Please note: that the number of publications is limited and availability is based on first-come first-serve basis).

FCCLA Publication Options:

  • Community Service CD
  • FACTS (Families Acting for Community Traffic Safety) CD
  • The Middle Level Comprehensive Guide CD
  • STOP the Violence Toolkit CD
Incentive Request Form link: http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/survey-intro.zgi?p=WEB229A78CGUZZ .  

Adviser Code of Ethics

All advisers are required to have a Code of Ethics form on-file in our office for each academic year.  This form is extremely important in the event that something were to happen to you or a chaperone on an FCCLA trip that would leave your students without an adult from your school.  Please take a minute and complete the form and fax it in to us today.  Thank you for your help! The form is in your Michigan Link and online at http://www.mifccla.org/advisers/link0910/conferences/04_ethics.pdf

 

September 2009

Welcome to the NEW Michigan FCCLA Advisers' Update

Michigan FCCLA has gone Out of this World with our new and improved Advisers' Update this year.  I hope to be able to provide you with more information on a regular basis to help your chapters succeed this year.  If you have any questions throughout the year, do not hesitate to call me at 734-487-8657, or email me at bschmidt@emich.edu . Your 2009-2010 Michigan Link was mailed on Thursday; if it hasn't arrived yet, it will any day.  Until then, you can access the entire Link online at http://www.mifccla.org/advisers/link.htm
 
 

Membership

I would like to encourage you to affiliate your members as soon as possible this year...don't worry - if more members join, you can always add them later.  I'd really like to encourage every chapter to set a goal to achieve the Gimme Five Award this year by having at least 5 more members than last year.  As many of you know, our budget was cut by the state, and we not only need to make some of that up with membership dues, but we really need to be growing if FCCLA will continue to be supported by the Michigan Department of Education.  If you're not sure how to recruit new members, there are a some ideas on our website at http://www.mifccla.org/membership/recruitment.htm .  If fundraising is an issue, we also have quite a list of ideas at http://www.mifccla.org/students/fundraising.htm .  To affiliate online, go to http://www.fcclainc.org/secure/Affiliation/index.tmpl , or to access the paper forms to send in through the mail, go to http://www.fcclainc.org/assets/files/pdf/membership/0910_affilform_web.pdf . Michigan's state dues are $10.00 if you pay before December 1.  The minimum number of members is 9 per school.  Early Affiliation Incentive National FCCLA is offering one FCCLA publication, FREE OF CHARGE, for all chapters that affiliate before November 1, 2009.
To receive the incentive advisers must be affiliated before November 1 and MUST fill out the Incentive Request Form upon affiliating online.
Advisers must indicate their preferred publication by marking their highest preference with 1, followed by 2, 3, and 4 for their second, third, and fourth choices. (Please note: that the number of publications is limited and availability is based on first-come first-serve basis).

FCCLA Publication Options:

  • Community Service CD
  • FACTS (Families Acting for Community Traffic Safety) CD
  • The Middle Level Comprehensive Guide CD
  • STOP the Violence Toolkit CD
Incentive Request Form link: http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/survey-intro.zgi?p=WEB229A78CGUZZ .  
 

Adviser Information Update Forms

Your 2009-2010 Adviser Information Update Form was included in the mailing with your Michigan Link.  Please take a moment to make any corrections and fax it back to us ASAP.  This will help to make sure that we have the best contact information possible throughout the year.
 

New Adviser Inservice

Michigan FCCLA is hosting an inservice for new advisers on October 1 at Eastern Michigan University.  For more informaiton and an RSVP form, go to http://www.mifccla.org/meetings/inservice.htm .
 

Fall Leadership Conference

Our 2009 Fall Leadership Confernece is November 2, 2009 at the Causeway Bay Hotel (formerly the Holiday Inn-South) in Lansing.  Registration materials and forms are in your Michigan Link, and online at http://www.mifccla.org/meetings/flw.htm . 
 

Chapter Officers

The State Officers and I would like the opportunity to correspond with your chapter officers occasionally thoroughout the year.  Once you have your officers elected, please fill out the Chapter Officer Reporting Form and return it to my office so we can have their information.  This is incredibly helpful to us when we send out scholarship applications, adviser award nominations, and other tips from the officers.  You can complete the form online at http://www.mifccla.org/advisers/link0910/general_info/09_chapterofficers_distributed.pdf
 

Adviser Code of Ethics

All advisers are required to have a Code of Ethics form on-file in our office for each academic year.  This form is extremely important in the event that something were to happen to you or a chaperone on an FCCLA trip that would leave your students without an adult from your school.  Please take a minute and complete the form and fax it in to us today.  Thank you for your help! The form is in your Michigan Link and online at http://www.mifccla.org/advisers/link0910/conferences/04_ethics.pdf
 

National FCCLA Adviser Resources

National FCCLA has a wealth of resources on their Chapter Adviser Home Page.  I encourage you to check them out at http://www.fcclainc.org/content/chapter-advisers/ .  I would also strongly encourage you to subscribe to the e-Adviser, National FCCLA's Adviser Newsletter.  To subscribe, go to http://www.fcclainc.org/content/chapter-advisers-email-listserv/ .  National FCCLA also has a blog for chapter advisers at http://fcclaadvisers.blogspot.com/ .  You'll find helpful hints and tips there as well.