Let Us Help You Navigate The Challenges

Diana Hadley

Nearly a month separates starting dates for IHSPA member schools, so this is a slightly delayed “welcome back” for some and one of the first messages of the year for others.

The starting date is the difference. The similarities of our schools are more numerous. Despite budget cuts, most journalism programs and teachers have survived the first round. However, larger class sizes, extra teaching assignments and the elimination of stipends and/or other benefits plague many. A priority for this year is to survive additional budget cuts at the same time we expand programs to include current issues and new technology.

I hope IHSPA will be a positive resource as schools navigate the 2010-11 challenges. E-mail correspondence will help determine field trip limitations, specific budget constraints and other issues.

The first dates of the semester to mark are yearbook Harvey submission by September 15 and fall convention Oct. 21-22.

Convention information, membership forms and Harvey materials are available on the IHSPA web site and the IHSPA Facebook page. I hope you will keep me informed of your challenges and successes, so that we can solve problems and celebrate good news as a team.