October 2016
Dear MRMTA Members,
Letter from the President October 2016
We are a month into a new year of teaching, 2 weeks post AGM, and I’ve now presided over my first meeting with our executive last Monday. Thanks team for the ease of transition! Our first workshop is coming up in 7 days, and I’m thinking through what it means at this time to be president of the MRMTA for 2016-2018.
I’m a music teacher who cares about this organization, and caring is the standpoint from which I plan to carry out this task; caring and hard work, in the tradition of those that went before me! As Communications Coordinator (until someone is found) and Member at large in the past, the MRMTA has been something I would think about a few times a week. However, now as president, I feel like I have a new family member and think about all of you and the MRMTA on a daily basis! I will be leading the MRMTA as we prepare for the hosting of our national convention in 2019 and hand it over to all of you to take responsibility for getting involved in at least 1 workshop or event in whatever way you can this year. Let’s keep growing this community and show the rest of Canada what a strong music teaching foundation we have here in Manitoba.
We are going to be 100 years old in 2019! That’s amazing. Let’s respect the founders of this organization by staying strong and getting more connected over the next 2 years so we can put on a great party in 2019.
*ps-(you knew this was coming!) Please think hard about being part of the planning for the CFMTA Convention in July 2019. The executive will keep regular programs running, but we are in dire need of someone to take ownership in planning the convention. We have some key people ready to do treasury, registration and the some other jobs, but need a strong leader! Please anticipate a phone call from me over the next few weeks, and put some thought into what you want from, and how you want to participate in, your MRMTA.
I do have one confession…… I haven’t put my picture or information up on the website! Have you? I promise to do that this week. Let me know when you’ve updated your profile. Many teachers have done a beautiful job with this. If you need help in this area, we hope to have a gathering to help teachers upload and update their information at some point this year.
Happy teaching! And keep thinking about those upcoming events (Canada Music Week, scholarship deadline, workshops) as you plan for your students. I’ve attached the yearly calendar if you want to take a quick look.
Leanne Hiebert
President, MRMTA