President's Message

Greetings Fellow Members and Prospective Members:

As we begin a new year in TBTEA, I want to propose a new challenge to each of you. I ask each of you to work in Building Bridges to the Future. As business and technology educators, we must all come together to protect our curriculum areas and to remain strong in our high schools and colleges. We must grow our membership to make our voice greater in Austin. If you are not a member, please consider joining TBTEA. If you are a member, encourage your colleagues to join. TBTEA offers many benefits which can be reviewed on our website at http://www.tbtea.org.  We MUST bind together to protect our curriculum and those students who so desperately need what we teach.

I see several areas where we as business and technical educators need to work on building bridges:

First, we need to be a member of our professional organization. One of the greatest benefits of membership in TBTEA is having a voice in Austin. Changes will not be made without someone representing us. When our lobbyists are representing thousands, they have much more power than when they are representing hundreds. Make it a priority to get your membership in today. Dues are only $30 and can really make a difference.

Second, we need to contact our legislatures and make them aware of the importance of our area. EVERY person in the world needs the skills we teach. No matter what career a person chooses, they must be technology literate and have some basic business skills. We do not just prepare a student for a career; we prepare him or her for life! We must protect business and technology education by voicing our concerns and needs to our state and national representatives.

Third, we must build a bridge to TEA and the Higher Education Co-Board. If we do not stay vocal with these groups, they will demolish the path we are on. We must work with TEA to get our courses accepted in the 4 by 4 curriculum. Why can’t Accounting be one of the math requirements? Why can’t Business Communication be one of the required English requirements? What other areas can we look at to preserve our field?

Fourth, we must build bridges with the administrators of our districts and colleges. Each of us must market our programs to those who may not be familiar with them.

Fifth, we must build bridges with parents and the community. We can be a strong link to the future and we must let others know that.

Sixth, we must build bridges with students. We are seeing a generation develop with strong educational backgrounds, but poor financial and common sense skills. We must prepare our students not only with business and technical skills, but with soft skills to make them employable.

As business and technical educators, we can construct a stable foundation for our students. We must use all our resources to maintain the stability of our chosen profession. To do this, we must constantly build bridges to the future.

It is an honor and privilege to serve as your President this year. I ask you to join me as I work to build bridges to the future throughout the 2007-08 year.

Your President:
Sherrell Wheeler
PO Box 3153
Borger, TX 79008
806.457.4200 Ext. 754
806.274.7248
swheeler@fpctx.edu