Association for Career and Technical Education of Arizona

As your incoming President, I would like to thank all of you for your support and dedication to our profession. I hope you took advantage of the numerous professional development opportunities offered during the ACTE Summer Conference.

The condition of both our state and national economy forces us all to feel the pinch. I feel this school year is going to be a challenging one. It is very important that we stand together and support each other. I ask all of you to join me as I "Step Up To The Plate" and get involved with ACTEAZ.

During these times, we truly need your support! Become a member of  your local affiliates and work with them to make your affiliate great.  Encourage your colleagues who may not be state members to join. We need everyone to become a national member so our voices in Washington will become louder and stronger. During this period of educational reform, it is important that we continue to be an active part of the restructuring.

ACTEAZ is moving in the right direction and we need to keep the wind in our sails. We cannot afford to slow down; we are just starting to be recognized as an important part of the whole educational system. It is up to each one of us to actively participate during this reform. You can step up and speak to your legislators, invite your school board, local politicians, local media, and/or community members to visit your programs and showcase what you do.

Let's keep in mind from our summer conference the wisdom of Jan Bray, the Executive Director of ACTE, who reminded us all that we are CTE teachers. We have different areas of expertise, but our discipline is Career and Technical Education. Let us unite as a department in the way that the rest of education does; as an equal part of the educational
process as a whole.

I would like to thank all of you for all of the wonderful things you are doing for students across our state. There are many great things that I know you are all doing. Be proud, be vocal, and most of all, be someone that joins us all in "Stepping Up To The Plate."


Sincerely,


Charles Gallagher
President 2009 - 2010