UEA celebrates 100 years

SANDY -- In case anyone is interested, the Utah Education Association is hosting its annual convention.

UEA is celebrating its 100th anniversary, but few educators appear headed to the South Towne Exposition Center for the big event today and Friday, which includes booths, workshops, banquets and keynote speakers.

More than a dozen districts around Utah, including Morgan, are not giving teachers fall break until mid-October.

In some of those districts if a teacher wants to go, he or she must pay around $80 for a substitute.

Other districts are Alpine, Daggett, Grand, Iron, Kane, Millard, Nebo, North Sanpete, Park City, Piute, Provo, San Juan, Tintic, Tooele, Wasatch and Washington.

Other districts are taking fall break and don't require attendance at the convention because today and Friday are considered unpaid vacation days. It has been that way for a few years now, said Mark Peterson, spokesman for Utah State Board of Education.

"I don't know where my teachers go. If they choose to go, it's on their own time," said Art Hansen, principal at Orion Junior High in Harrisville.

"Teachers are encouraged to go," said Rick Palmer, director of Ogden/Weber Education Association.

Michael Kelley, communications director for the event, said about 5,500 educators attended in 2008.

There are more than 22,000 regular K-12 teachers in Utah this year, according to the State Office of Education.

That number has been pretty consistent in recent years, Kelley said. Attending the event has become a challenge because the date has been juggled and location has moved around.

"It's of concern when teachers aren't able to participate. We're disappointed some districts have decided to not have their fall break coincide with the fall convention, but we understand why they didn't," Kelley said. "We will have a lot of great things lined up. It will be a great opportunity for teachers to get together and hone their skills."

Kelley said the association's goal is to move the convention back to middle of the month. Ideally, the convention is held at the Salt Palace Convention Center, but more profitable conventions have bumped UEA off its preferred mid-October date, Kelley said.

Despite the small turnout, the association has done is best to fill both days with compelling speakers and worthwhile workshops. Highlights include speakers Pamela Perlich, a senior research economist in the University of Utah Bureau of Economic Research; Lily Eskelsen, vice president of the National Education Association and former Utah teacher; KSL radio personality Amanda Dickson and best-selling author Harry K. Wong.

Workshop topics include classroom management, culturally responsive teaching, meeting the needs of gifted students, and utilizing free technology resources. Special workshops for new educators and student teachers are available today. More than 200 vendors are scheduled to be at the event.

Joanne Christensen, the library/media teacher at Weber High School, is going all by herself because she is interested in attending one of the workshops. She also hopes to hear Wong's keynote address about his book, "The First Days of School." Generally, teachers attend based on what is being offered, she said.

"If it is not applicable or beneficial to what I do with students in the library, I don't go," said Christensen, a member of UEA.

Two teachers from the Top of Utah will be presented with the "Excellence in Teaching" award. Among those being honored with an award at the UEA's annual Superstars in Education Banquet tonight are Weber School District teachers Pamela Searson and Norm Unck.

Searson is a special education teacher at Sand Ridge Junior High School. Unck is a science teacher at Wahlquist Junior High School.

Recipients each receive a crystal award, a check for $1,500 and a plaque for their school.

According to UEA's Web site, the Deseret School Teachers Association, the precursor to UEA, was formed in 1860 "for the purpose of establishing a society for promoting the educational interests of the community."

For information about the convention, go to www.utea.org and click on the convention tab.

Along with convention information, there is a convention program that can be downloaded.