Association Representatives & Building Leaders

Monthly Update

January

• 2025 Legislative Roster
• UEA 2025 Legislative Activities
• UEA 2025 Legislative Priorities
• UEA Leader General Election Information - Printable Flyer
• UEA Leader General Election Poster - Printable Poster (11x17)
• UEA Leader Candidate Flyers - Printable Flyers
• NEA Member Benefits - Printable Flyer

Click the links below to discover more. 

Member Discounts Home     

UEA Member Benefits     NEA Member Benefits     Access Development 

How to be a Successful AR

Be the first person to welcome new employees to your school.

• This includes new teachers, P.E. teachers, reading specialists, speech therapists, psychologists, social workers, custodians, lunch ladies, etc.
• Establish relationships with everyone
• Also, remember to recruit all employees (specialists, social workers, etc.) in your building that are shared with another school.

When conversing with a prospective member:

• Ask open-ended questions and have them do most of the talking. Show that you are interested in them and are a good listener.
• Ask for any concerns or questions they might have.
• Be persistent but not forceful (don’t have people avoiding you).

Celebrate new members:

• Turn in their applications quickly and supply them with a welcome bag (GEA puts together a fantastic bag of info and goodies). Go over vital information to enable them to take advantage of membership benefits immediately.
• Email all the staff to celebrate new members.
• Celebrate them at a faculty meeting.
• Put their names on the Association Bulletin Board.

Make sure you keep your members informed.

• Always provide the latest information, whether it is hard copy, email, or important electronic. Always include a positive, personal message about our associations when forwarding an email or electronic info.
• Forward to the whole school so the nonmembers are continually reminded of everything the NEA, UEA, and your local are doing on their behalf.
• Keep the Association Bulletin Board up-to-date, and encourage everyone to go over it regularly.
• Encourage members to participate in association activities.

Your administrator is NOT your adversary.

• Work collaboratively with them to be more productive. It ensures a positive working environment.
• When solving a problem or issue, take the high road and let them shine.
  • Many administrators have fragile egos.
  • Diplomatically take the credit due to you (never leave yourself out).

General Ideas

• Be positive
  • Don’t sugar-coat essential issues, but make an effort to present them in positive ways.
    • ARs work collaboratively with administrators.
    • Local associations work collaboratively with the districts.
    • UEA works collaboratively with the Legislature.
  • Don’t argue because 99.9% of the time, people have bought into a simple fix for a very complex problem or issue.
    • Validate the concern and explain the complexity of the issue.
    • If you don’t know all the details, admit it. Study the issue and revisit it when you are more prepared.
    • Never try to BS the person!
  • Emphasize Association accomplishments, not always what we are fighting against.
  • Moderately frame political issues. Don’t appear to be a fanatic on the opposite end of the political spectrum.
  • Don’t attack the Republican Party or its officeholders. Remember, Utah is a red state, and even some moderates in our state find it offensive.
    • Use facts, not put-downs.
  • If you say you will get information or do something, follow up promptly.
• Be proactive
  • Stay informed about the atmosphere of the school, your administrator, and grade-level teams.
    • Important – Recognize the difference between legitimate concerns and gossip. Never get caught up in any gossip!
    • Search out and listen to all sides of a story before judging, even if it comes from a trusted colleague.
• Be the person everyone goes to (even nonmembers) to get advice.
  • Be professional and keep everything confidential.
    • This is more important than “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas”.
    • Use your directors, president, and other board members for help and advice.
      • Get the consent of, and explain the advantages to, the people involved in the issue or problem before you contact other people for advice
  • When a nonmember (you should know who your members are) comes to you with a problem, give general, limited advice as a courtesy, but never get personally or the association involved.
    • Tactfully explain the benefits of membership and that joining after a problem arises won’t get them the help they need.
• If your administrator asks you to do a favor, always try to say “yes.” It’s even better to say “yes” before explaining the favor.
  • Building a solid relationship with your administrator(s) is as important as building a solid relationship with your colleagues.

Last but not least:

• Develop your individual style. The more comfortable you are, the more successful you’ll be.

Excellent Advice from Beverly Johnson, NEA

• Instill a palpable sense that employees and clients are cared for and nurtured. Acknowledge hard work and personal excellence, allowing employees to feel valued and valuable. Contributions are noticed regularly and rewarded in concrete ways.
• Allow personal freedom of expression. Employees feel free to bring something personal and meaningful that reflects human diversity and being an individual.
• Encourage innovation so you’re not always relying on old answers/solutions to new problems.
• Maintain a reliable feeling of support for employees and management/administration. People know they are not alone, and the strength and assets of the organization/association support them. There is a feeling of trust and commitment.
• Maintain a place of positive energy, enthusiasm for work being done, and the pleasure of interacting/collaborating with colleagues.
• Encourage the empowerment of individuals, teams, and everyone in the workplace.
• Quickly resolve conflicts and neutralize anxieties by creating and sustaining an atmosphere of stability, openness, transparency, and reassurance for everyone. It is peaceful but engaging, dynamic but not frantic or imbalanced in every way.

If you are no longer the AR/ABL at your school, please contact your local Association to ensure your record is updated.

How to Hold a 10 Minute Meeting

Before your meeting, post minutes from the previous meeting on your bulletin board or electronic equivalent. 

2 minutes: 

• Briefly overview major topics covered at the most recent AR/ABL meeting. 
• Remind the members of your school to read the minutes you have posted to help them stay informed. 

4 minutes:

• To ensure our members' ideas and suggestions are heard and valued, discuss a current issue relevant to your local/school. 
• Guide the discussion to come to a consensus. 

3 minutes: 

• Review a current issue close to the hearts of the members of your school. 
• Ensure the current issue is relevant to your local/school. 

1 minute: 

• Encourage positivity by letting the members of your school know about a recent association's success and thank them for their support. 

Time's up!

• Make sure the members of your school know your availability if they should have any questions or concerns they would like to discuss further. 
• Thank them for attending your 10-minute meeting. Their time is valuable and appreciated. 

AR/ABL of the Year Award

Nominations for the 2024 UEA AR/ABL of the Year are now OPEN.

Do you know an AR/ABL who tirelessly informs, organizes, and advocates for their peers and the teaching profession? Nominate them for the Annual UEA AR/ABL of the Year Award.

Find out more