This last weekend, several West Hartford teachers attended the annual CEA RA in Hartford.  I want to take a moment to publicly thank those teachers and to quickly explain what the R.A. is.

If you see any of the following teachers today, please take a moment to thank them for their service.  Theresa McKeown, Michelle Lacroix, Tom Devine, Marilyn Tracy, Joyce Bogdan, Lillian Rausch, Eric Feeney, Marcelo Pelliccioni, David Dippolino, and myself spent about 5 hours on Friday after school and about 6 or 7 hours on Saturday at the Hartford Convention Center.

R.A. stands for representative assembly.  If you picture a session of congress or a delegate convention, then you have a good idea of what an R.A. is.  About 400 CEA members from across the state gathered to discuss, debate, and vote on a wide range of issues.  Elections for CEA take place at the R.A. as well and we elected the CEA treasurer, secretary, and Ethnic Affairs Director for the next two years.

Any CEA member can attend the R.A.  The number of delegates allowed from each town depends upon that town’s CEA population.  For example, West Hartford could have brought 16 people this year.

If you have ever wanted to have some influence upon the direction of CEA, you should know that the R.A. is one of the ways that you can be heard.  The process is tightly governed by Roberts Rules of Order and can be very confusing and tedious at times, but it is also a fascinating way to see “government” in action.  Amendments to the CEA constitution and bylaws are proposed, new business items are introduced, speeches are made, (President Sheila Cohen and Executive Director Mark Waxenburg both delivered powerful messages), people are recognized, and awards are presented.  (Joyce Bogdan and Shannon McNeice were presented awards for their newsletter and website)

Please consider attending next year’s CEA RA.  If you have ever asked yourself, “Why doesn’t CEA do such and such?”….please remember….you are the CEA…and there are many ways for you to have some say in the direction that your organization proceeds.