A MESSAGE FROM
PRESIDENT, GAE-RETIRED
KAREN SOLHEIM
YOU ARE THE FACE
ON THE FRONT LINE.
BE A KNOWLEDGEABLE
ONE, SHARE YOUR
KNOWLEDGE WITH
OTHERS, AND SUPPORT
THOSE WHO ADVOCATE
FOR A PRO-PUBLIC
EDUCATION AGENDA.
28 | KNOW • Volume 15 Issue 2
THE BEGINNING OF
ANOTHER SCHOOL YEAR…
ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY
TO “GET IT RIGHT”!
As a 29-year-veteran in the classroom, I embraced
the onset of each school year with energy,
enthusiasm, and optimism, hopeful that I would
be an even better educator with each year of
experience I accrued. With the onset of this
academic year comes the opportunity not only to
continue to make the difference in the lives of your
students and in the public education community
of which you are a part but also to intensify your
interactions with GAE.
WHY SHOULD YOU BECOME EVEN
MORE INVOLVED WITH GAE?
ADVOCACY
Unlike other professional
education organizations in the
state, GAE and its members
advocate on three levels:
local, state, and national.
Most other public education
organizations in Georgia are not tridimensional.
Being involved with an organization
involved on three levels is important because
educational issues do not just happen on one level.
Being informed about, advocating for, and having
others advocate for public education locally, statewide,
and nationally means that all bases are covered.
What can you do? Below are several suggestions,
not at all an inclusive list but a starting place for
thinking about even greater involvement with
your organization.
On the local level, get to know your school board
members, attend school board meetings, and even
run for a seat on the school board. Who me?
Yes, who better to know what should happen
within your school system than you, the expert.
Who is with the students (hopefully) 180 days
during the academic year?
On the state level, get to know your legislators
before the session starts. Attend community events
at which they are present. Host a legislative forum
in your area. During the legislative session, read and
share the GAE Legislative Hotlines and participate
in the action alerts, and attending GAE’s Day at
the Capitol is a must.
On the national level, know your U.S.
Representative and Senators. Put their phone
numbers in your contact list, and don’t be afraid
to call and voice your opinion. Attend their “back
home” events within your community. To know
more about the advocacy work that NEA is doing,
visit the NEA website (nea.org), read the NEA
Education Insider. (Go to http://edadvocacy.
nea.org to subscribe), and subscribe to Education
Votes: EdVotes.org.
You are the face on the front line. Be a
knowledgeable one, share your knowledge with
others, and support those who advocate for a
pro-public education agenda.
BENEFITS
Knowing what benefits are
available because you are a
member of three organizations
means that you can save
money on your membership
dues. Finance, insurance,
shopping, car rentals, magazine subscriptions, travel,
and degree programs are just some of the areas in
which you can save money.
Sometimes a potential member will utter “I cannot
afford to join GAE.” Having saved $350 dollars
per year by switching to an NEA homeowner’s
insurance product, I maintain that you cannot afford
NOT to join GAE.
Being part of a three-million-member organization
means greater member benefits and coupled with
GAE’s Access Card program, these benefits extend
wherever you are throughout the United States.
What can you do?
Check out what is available at the NEA Member
Benefits website: neamb.com.
Check out what is available at the GAE
members-only portion of the website: gae.org.
Download the “My Deals” Access App.
Whenever you are spending, check out NEA and
GAE Member Benefits to see how much money
you can save!
COMMUNITY
Knowing as much as you can
about the organization of
which you are a part gives
you the edge over just the
“average member.” For example,
knowing that GAE is the oldest professional public
education organization in the state and, unified
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