Dear Indiana Educator, 

We invite you to join the Indiana Small and Rural Schools Association for 2009-2010.    Given the climate in which we find ourselves, it is more important than ever to support this organization. The Indiana Small and Rural Schools Association board wants to build on what we have, but we also want to insure, to the greatest degree possible a public school system in our communities that is vibrant and viable into the future. For 2009-2010, the ISRSA Board has recognized that there is much work to do within the organization.  The Board has advertised for and is seeking a part-time Executive Director who will help to carry out the mission and work of the ISRSA to a new level.  The ISRSA fully intends to be an organization that works in concert with other state educationally related organizations, but also believes that it is important to have a representative voice and a “seat at the table” speaking for the small and rural schools in our state.  We hope you will join in and renew your membership for 2009-2010.  We also ask that you encourage other current non-members to join in this effort, as well.

This past legislative session enabled our Association to make ourselves known in the halls of the Indiana General Assembly.  Our sincere thanks to Dr. Robert Dalton for serving as our ISRSA Advocate for the 2009 legislative session.  Dr. Dalton has decided to take a well deserved retirement from his legislative responsibilities with this Association, and we are in debt to him for his service and dedication. 

Among other events for the ISRSA this past year we include:

•      With the help of Dr. Dalton along with our membership who contacted their lawmakers and came to the
        Capitol when called, the ISRSA was recognized by lawmakers and their staffers alike as an up-and-coming
        voice in our state. 
•      We continue to work closely with the NREA as an Affiliate Organization, with Indiana’s own Dr.  
        John  Hill as its Executive Director (Indiana was recognized at last year’s national conference for
        increasing our membership more than any other state).   Indiana also holds two positions on the NREA’s 
        Executive Committee, helping to shape the direction of NREA as well as it’s relationship with its
        member-states.
•       Our 2008 Indiana Rural Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Lois Gray a Science Teacher from New Harmony, IN
        was selected as the National Rural Teacher of the Year and recognized as a national outstanding teacher
          by  both the NREA and John Deere Corporation. 
•       The ISRSA holds membership in the NREAC (National Rural Education Advocacy Coalition) an
        affiliate to AASA (American Association of School Administrators) and a lobbying effort in Washington,
         DC.    The ISRSA recognizes that much of what happens, not only in Indiana, but in our nation’s capital
         affects us.  Our voice in Washington is through the NREAC, which holds regular conference calls and
         two on-site meetings in Washington to meet and work with our state and other state representatives and
         staffers on current issues and how they affect our small and rural schools.

 
Enclosed is a membership information up-date form and an invoice (for those who need one for processing claims).  Our membership fees stay the same for 2009-2010:
         District Membership:     $400
                   This includes your Indiana district membership plus an individual membership for the contact 
                   person from your district in the National Rural Education Association – NREA ($100 value)
         Friends of the Indiana Small and Rural Schools Association:    $35
                   This is a non-educational organization membership in the ISRSA
         NREA District Membership:  Additional $300
                    This gives you a full District Membership in the NREA