1

Inside this issue:

1st Vice Presidents’

Report

2

Treasurer’s Report,

2nd Vice President,

transfer member

Debbie Hiatte

3

Recommendation

for Membership

4

Committee Reports 5

Mid-MO Meeting

Highlights and Presi-

dent Groves

6-9

Spotlighting Tau,

Committee Updates

10-

11

President Linda

Eisinger

A Letter from Tau President

Tau Tales February 2011

Volume 10, Number 4

I am always amazed at what I learn while teaching. How former stu-

dents continue to shape my thoughts and days. The Wednesday before

Christmas break, my principal knocked on my classroom door. Standing

behind her I spied a tall, movie star handsome, young man. He pushed

his way in front of my principal and began talking about his memories of

West School. As I listened and tried to figure out who he was, I began to

realize I hadn’t had this student in my classroom. He had been in my for-

mer coworker’s room. He kept reminiscing about two of my former

teaching friends and I too began to share memories of these teachers .

My visitor kept changing subjects and memories but kept coming back to

these two teachers. I had to tell him one teacher had retired and one

teacher I was sad to tell him had passed on several years before. He be-

gan recalling things we three teachers had done as a team and he re-

marked on how he always liked seeing us in the hallway laughing. I then

realized for the first time, students are always watching and learning

from EVERYONE. Not just from their teacher, but from all the teachers

they encounter. A student’s photographic memory may come from a

teacher that never had the student in his or her classroom . How many

times have you and a coworker laughed? I hope many. Some student

somewhere is silently watching you and enjoying the exchange. As we

were finishing up our rapid-fire talking he asked me very politely, “Can I

have a hug?” I told him, “I never pass up a hug with a good looking

young man.” As he hugged me he said, “You know, you are my last link

to my favorite teachers.” My principal and I looked at each other and

tears began to flow.

I’ve written before on how former students recognize us after many years

and make our lives brighter with their remembrances. But, have you ever

thought that you represent the past for so many other students just by

being a part of a terrific teaching team, or just part of a supportive and

professional staff?

I’ve often wistfully thought about the time I lost my final aunt, my final

uncle, my final parent. All of these losses made even more profound be-

cause they represented the final link to a past we shared. I never honestly

thought about being a final link to a teacher, a staff member, or a class-

room time long past for former students. Think of all of the people you

have taught with who are now gone for whatever reason. You represent

to someone a final link. Please see President’s Letter, p. 2 Directions 12

TAU

CHAPTER

Biennium

Meetings

10:00 am

February 12, 2011

California

April 9

Miller County His-torical Museum,

Tuscumbia

Delta State Convention

April 15-17

2011

Truman Hotel and Conference Center

Jefferson City

July 23

Lake Ozark

September 10

California

December

Mid-Mo Council

February 11, 2012

Jefferson City

April 14 or 21

Eldon

2

President’s Letter continued from page 1

THE DELTA KAPPA

GAMMA SOCIETY

INTERNATIONAL,

AN ASSOCIATION

OF MORE THAN

111,000 KEY

WOMEN

EDUCATORS IN 16

COUNTRIES,

PROMOTES

PROFESSIONAL

AND PERSONAL

GROWTH OF

WOMEN

EDUCATORS AND

EXCELLENCE IN

EDUCATION.

I look at my young 22 year old coworker in a different light also. Will one of my third grad-

ers sitting in my room this year find her sometime in the future and say, “I remember the

year you and Mrs. Eisinger taught together. I remember you laughing in the hallway. ”

I love these moments in teaching. When on an ordinary Wednesday a student can show up

at school and unknowingly touch your life.

Linda

Dear Tau Chapter Members, I’ve just come back to school after two glorious snow days! I’m sure we’ll have a few more before the winter is over. Hopefully, the weather will be wonderful for our Febru-ary meeting in California, Missouri. The meeting will be held at the UCC Church in California (see directions on page 12) on Saturday, February 12th at 10:00 a.m. Paulette Fischer, our hostess, and her committee are planning on a continental style breakfast to kick off our proceedings. Our February program will be a brief discussion on State Convention planning by NE Area Coordinator, Jana Siefkas. Jana is an energetic, enthusiastic member of Nu Chapter who is in charge of planning several things for our Delta State Convention to be held in April 15-17 in Jefferson City. Linda, Paulette, Cherylyn and I met with Jana briefly in January to brainstorm some ideas for the convention. Jana will be sharing Tau Chapter’s responsibilities and opportunities for the convention. In addition to our brief program, the chapter will be voting on prospective new members and recruitment grant recipients. As a reminder, if you have changes in personal information that need to be updated in our handbook, please let me know, and I will make sure the membership is informed of any and all additions and changes. I look forward to seeing all of you at the February 12th meeting! Gloria Fields 1st Vice President Tau Chapter Delta Kappa Gamma

Gloria Fields

First Vice President

First Vice President’s Letter

3

Treasurer’s Report 20 January 2011

Cherylyn Branstetter

Second Vice President

Second Vice President’s Membership Update

Paulette Fischer

Treasurer

Delta Kappa Gamma Tau Chapter

Treasurer’s Report January 20, 2011

Balance on hand November 22, 2010 $1,873.03

Receipts: 12/4 Brunch receipts 480.00

Dues payments 76.00

Total Receipts: 556.00

Expenses:

12/4 Mid-MO Regional Brunch 658.00

(NOTE: total brunch receipts were $720!)

Delta State (1 Active dues) 53.00

Total Expenses: 711.00

Balance on hand January 20, 2011 $1,718.03

We are looking forward to our state convention in April and are expecting to have a new

member by then.

Tau members please be on the lookout for other colleagues who might be interested in

joining a progressive, student achievement oriented, and community involved society of

great teachers.

Our February meeting is the time to “share all recommendations for membership, lead

discussions, and encourage endorsers to tell more about each recommendation: note eligi-

bility guidelines.”

We welcome our newest member Debbie Hiatte who transferred

and attended our Mid-MO Council meeting in December! Be sure

to introduce yourself in February to Debbie.

4

5

Committees

Arlene Broeker

Service Chair

Tau Chapter Service Project for February

Please bring baby items to support the “little ones” in our

communities. All items will be appreciated—diapers, baby

wipes, and any other supplies that mommies could use.

This long, cold winter has been very difficult for those less

fortunate. Please be generous in support of our children.

Sharon Longan

Recruitment Grant

Chair

Scholarship applications were sent out December 1st to the counseling department of each school that can apply. The deadline for applica-tions to be sent to me is February 1.

A list of all candidates along with their qualifications will be prepared and ready for the group to vote on at the February 12th meeting.

Scholarship Information

Remember that the postmark deadline for International Scholar-ships is February 1, 2011 and the deadline for Delta State and Bradford Scholarships is March 1, 2011.

Any interested member may contact your Tau Chapter Scholar-ship Committee for paperwork and assistance.

Alice Van Landuyt, chair

Dana Burkle

Pat Seifert Alice Van Landuyt,

chair

Dna Burkle

6

Mid-MO Area Council December 4

Osage National Golf Resort

Osage Beach

Elves at work

Finishing touches

7

Welcoming

Mingling

8

President Linda

welcomed all.

Grace

Brunch

State President Sue Groves spoke of a nice

Spokane convention and the revision of the

constitution which was not all that nice:

membership zero years with no limitations

on retirement which is to “our benefit” for

those ladies we said “Why didn’t someone

ask?” She noted that zero years allowed us to

catch some student teachers, but the chapter

is always in charge of whom we invite to

join.

Sue suggested we invite ladies to visit our

meetings. We are no longer quiet! Let people

know about us. Go into schools and leave

not only information but also contact infor-

mation with the name of our chapter.

She reminded us of the Regional in Branson

in 2013 which will take the whole state to

help.

President Sue reminded us that our Presi-

dent Linda will be the keynote speaker at

the State Convention in Jefferson City Sun-

day morning on the weekend of April 17.

9

Recognizing

chapters

Meeting Joan

Marsch with

Tau member Jan

Griffin

Betty Mudd thanked DKG

members for supporting our

service project.

Elves Julie

Martin and

Karen

Blevins

passed out

door prizes.

Gloria Fields introduced School of the Osage’s

Les Chanteurs directed by Amy Yoder.

We posed. (Our Christmas card with names was

in two Lake of the Ozark papers.)

We

closed.

10

Spotlighting Tau!

Ginger Moore

Dear Ladies of TAU Chapter, DKG,

I am writing to thank you for each and every prayer presented to God on my be-half these past weeks. Your talks with God mattered, and I am thankful. Thank you also for cards sent my way which gave me a smile and allow me to hear your voice. On the 15th of November, a cardiac catherization revealed that I had no blocked arteries around my heart. How blessed and excited I was for this reve-lation! No bypass surgery had to occur. Yeah!!!! My aortic value was worn, tired and not functioning well, so it was removed and replaced with an animal value on the 16th of November.

I thank the good Lord for the medical team that took care of me. I thank Him for answering prayers and allowing my heart to be fixed. I have started cardiac rehabilitation at the LRHS in Osage Beach and feel blessed to begin to get my body working again. I will be going for twelve weeks, so by our April Chapter and State Meetings, I will be in going strong once again. Thank you for walking this road with me. I have felt your presence in my life. I love you all.

With much affection,

Debbie Ferguson

Debbie Ferguson

Michele

Bilyeu

California Democrat, December 22, 2010

Choir Director Michele Bilyeu volunteered to host this year’s Tri-

County Conference Choir held on January 8 where all conference

schools attended. California Democrat, January 12, 2011

11

Spotlighting Tau!

Patricia Sue Buchanan was born in Missouri in the Hallsville area,

the daughter of Margaret Mary and John Henry Buchanan. She at-

tended Hallsville public schools and graduated from the University

of Missouri in Columbia.

Teaching at Helias Catholic High School was the first job that Pat took after her college gradua-

tion. She was encouraged to apply for the job y her brother Father John Buchanan, who was a

priest at the Diocese of Jefferson City. Pat remained at Helias as a teacher for more than 40 years

until her death.

When Pat came to Helias in 1957, she chaired the business department until 1999 when she be-

came the technology coordinator for the school. Her love of Helias and for the theater carried over

each year into the community. She pioneered the fine tuned the spring musical play program, ad

and patron sales and ticket drive. She was a dedicated and joyful educator who was loved and

respected by students and faculty, and the many families whose lives she touched.

Pat was a member of St. Joseph Cathedral, the Missouri State Teachers Association. She was a

member of Delta Kappa Gamma Society-Tau Chapter where she served as president from 1998-

2000. She was a member and scholarship chair of the American Association of University Women,

and was treasurer and delegate to the state board of Missouri Right to Life (mid-state region).

As a dedicated Christian, Pat’s greatest devotion was to her faith. Pat died January 3, 2001. Her

spirit, kindness and sincerity remain with those she touched and with Helias, where her service

and contributions are remembered. News Tribune, Sudnay, January 9, 2011

Karen Blevins

12

Tau Tales

Judy Stanford, ed.

552 Eagle Drive

Lake Ozark, MO 65049

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Now is the time to recommend an outstanding educator for Tau Chapter membership. Talk to

her; fill out the form!

Bring baby items for those little ones in need.

Be there to lean more from Jana Siefkas about the Delta State Convention in JCMO on April 15-

17!

To Do List!

10:00 am

United Church of Christ in California

We are planning a brunch, to be served before the meeting.

The price will be a donation of your choice.

DRIVING DIRECTIONS:

From the south: Drive north on Hwy 87; go through the 4-way in California; cross the

railroad tracks. The church will be on the left. (It’s the only church in town with a clock

tower.)

From the east: Take the Business 50 exit to California. Turn right at the 4-way; cross the

railroad tracks. The church will be on the left. (It’s the only church in town with a clock

tower.)

There is parking in the rear with a convenient entrance, as well

as from the street.