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Erin Brockovich |
Erin Brockovich, whose triumph over PG&E in an environmental lawsuit was dramatized in the hit movie of the same name, will be the featured speaker at the opening session of CTA's Summer Institute.
The deadline to sign up for the institute, scheduled for the last week of July at UCLA, is June 30.
Brockovich is director of environmental research at Masry and Vititoe. Julia Roberts received a best actress award for her portrayal of Brockovich in the movie, which was released in 2000 by Universal Studios. The movie received five Academy Award nominations.
Registration for the conference starts at 12:30 p.m. on July 27. Brockovich speaks at 3:30 p.m. The institute concludes at noon Aug. 1.
Following is an overview of the major strands and the training tracks available within them:
The Negotiations and Finance Strand offers a variety of choices, whether you are new to the bargaining process (Essential Bargaining) or have more experience and want to sharpen your skills (Advanced Bargaining). To support bargaining, the School Finance Track is designed to help participants understand a school budget. The expanded session on The Rising Cost of Health Care Benefits will provide information on the options available to respond to members' needs. Tracks designed specifically for Emerging Leaders and County Office Teachers are also being offered. New this year are the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) track and the Organizational Capacity track.
The Communications Strand will offer three tracks. Chapter Newsletters from A to Z deals with creating and producing local association newsletters and producing the official Summer Institute newsletters to be distributed to all participants. Chapter Websites: The Best of the Basics will offer a beginning look at creating and writing for local websites. It's News to Me: Effective Communications deals with ongoing chapter communications, crisis situations, media and community relations, and speaking before groups.
The Running for Office Track is designed to provide members with the skills necessary to run for association or local public office. The Women's Leadership Training Program Cadre developed the program, which is open to men and women. Components include: Making a Decision to Run; Preparing Your Campaign; Creating a Budget; Presenting Yourself; Speechwriting and Presenting; and Running for Public Office.
The Instruction and Professional Development Strand will provide teachers with the knowledge and skills necessary to make a difference in schools besieged by the accountability movement. Participants in the Improving Schools track will discuss effective teaching under the pressure of large class sizes, inadequate instructional time and high-stakes testing. Members will get a chance to investigate the best instructional practices for helping students achieve, as well as time to plan and conduct best practice "experiments."
For more information, call CTA Negotiations and Organizational Development at (650) 552-5395 or visit the CTA website [www.cta.org] and click on conferences.
