{"id":709,"date":"2026-08-06T01:29:27","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T05:29:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seoea.ohea.us\/?p=709"},"modified":"2026-08-05T21:49:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T01:49:12","slug":"august-2026-presidents-message","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seoea.ohea.us\/?p=709","title":{"rendered":"August 2026 President’s Message"},"content":{"rendered":"
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It always amazes me how quickly summer seems to disappear.  Just a few short weeks ago, many of us were looking forward to some well-deserved time to rest, recharge, and spend time with family and friends.  Now, classrooms are being prepared, school buses will soon be rolling, and educators across Southeastern Ohio are once again answering the calling that brought us into this profession in the first place.<\/p>\n

The start of a new school year is one of my favorite times of the year.  There is something special about new beginnings. The excitement of meeting a new group of students, the anticipation of seeing what they will accomplish, and the opportunity each of us has to make a lasting impact on their lives.  Whether this is your first year in education or your thirtieth, that opportunity never gets old.<\/p>\n

As we begin another school year, I encourage each of us to recommit ourselves to the values that define our profession.  We are advocates.  We are mentors.  We are problem-solvers.  We are the people who show up every day because we believe every child deserves the opportunity to succeed.<\/p>\n

At the same time, let us recommit ourselves to one another.  The strength of Southeastern Ohio Education Association has never been found in a building or an office.  It has always been found in our members. When educators stand together, support one another, and speak with one voice, there is nothing we cannot accomplish.  Being union strong is about far more than negotiating contracts.  It is about protecting our profession, ensuring our voices are heard, and standing together whenever our members or our students need us most.<\/p>\n

This school year also brings one of the most important responsibilities we have as educators and union members: participating in our democracy.  The decisions made in Columbus affect every classroom in Ohio.  They determine how our schools are funded, how educators are respected, and what opportunities are available for the students we serve.<\/p>\n

That is why I encourage every SEOEA members to become actively involved in this election season.  Volunteer for candidates who support public education.  Have conversations with your friends, neighbors, and coworkers.  Make sure you are registered to vote, and encourage others to do the same.<\/p>\n

Personally, I believe the future of Ohio’s public school will be best served by electing Dr. Amy Acton as our next Governor and returning Senator Sherrod Brown to the United State Senate.  Both have demonstrated a commitment to strengthening public education, supporting working families, and ensuring that every child, regardless of their ZIP code, has access to the high-quality education they deserve.<\/p>\n

As educators, we know that the future isn’t something that simply happens.  It is something we help create every single day in our classrooms.  The same is true for our union and our state.  The future of public education depends on educators who are willing to speak up, get involved, and stand together. <\/p>\n

As we welcome another school year, thank you for everything you do for your students, your colleagues, your local associations, and your communities.  I am honored to serve as your President, and I look forward to working alongside each of you as we continue fighting for the schools our students deserve and the respect our educators have earned.<\/p>\n

Have a wonderful start to the school year.  Stay safe, stay engaged, and as always…<\/p>\n

Stay Union Strong!<\/strong><\/p>\n

In Solidarity,<\/p>\n

William Van Pelt<\/p>\n

President<\/p>\n

Southeastern Ohio Education Association<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It always amazes me how quickly summer seems to disappear.  Just a few short weeks ago, many of us were looking forward to some well-deserved time to rest, recharge, and spend time with family and friends.  Now, classrooms are being prepared, school buses will soon be rolling, and educators across Southeastern Ohio are once again …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":902,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-709","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-uncategorized","anons"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/seoea.ohea.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/709","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/seoea.ohea.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/seoea.ohea.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seoea.ohea.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/902"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seoea.ohea.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=709"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/seoea.ohea.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/709\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/seoea.ohea.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=709"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seoea.ohea.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=709"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seoea.ohea.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=709"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}