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Regional
Info
 From
the President
The NJOMA
Board would like to welcome you all to the new NJOMA web site.
The NJOMA Board has provided this site for you so that you
will be better informed of what is happening with JOM both
nationally and within our eight regional areas.
The NJOMA
had an unforgettable conference this past October in Florida
among the Miccosukee and Seminole tribes of Florida. It was
definitely a once in a life time experience that will be hard
to top.
At the
Florida Conference, the response from the membership was to
continue the fight for JOM issues with the two main concerns
bring; the student count and the national allocation. The
national JOM funding allocation has been our top priority
and as you know we took one step forward and two steps back.
We have been working closely with Congressman Renzi from Arizona
regarding the national JOM appropriation. With Congressman
Renzi assistance, the NJOMA was able to raise the national
JOM appropriation but with across the board budget cuts implemented
by President Bush, the JOM funding once again suffered a national
cut.
This has
not stopped the NJOMA Board from working on the FY 05 national
budget nor on the FY 06 appropriation. The fight for an increase
in the JOM appropriations must stay constant with information
provided to Congress almost on a daily bases.
During
the past few months and NJOMA Board has been extremely busy
getting the work done. Some of the highlights are:
- Held
monthly Board meeting via conference calls
- Sponsored
two NJOMA Forums at NIEA in Greensboro
- Met
with NIEA Board President, Cindy LaMarr and Board member
David Sing regarding a
partnership between NIEA and NJOMA.
- NJOMA
developing the NJOMA.com Website
- Working
with Congressman Renzi regarding the JOM issues
- Preparing
for the 2005 NJOMA Conference
- Sponsored
a NJOMA Forum at the Oklahoma JOM Statewide Conference
- Preparing
for the official NJOMA Hill visits
- Conducted
a letter and e-mail campaign to Congress on the FY 05 and
06 budgets
- Preparing
for the 2nd Annual JOM Parent Committee Pre-Conference Training
Seminar
The NJOMA
Board is looking forward to the 2005 NJOMA Conference and
is preparing an exciting and informative Conference. Your
Regional representatives and At-Large members are working
diligently within their local areas and on the national level.
This is an exhilarating time with energy focused on the national
budget. The NJOMA Board has made a commitment to keep on the
pressure on within Congress and to keep the voice on the NJOMA
membership heard.
We look
forward to seeing you at the 2005 Conference and we are proud
to have provided you with this Web site to keep you informed.
Sincerely,
Virginia Thomas
President of JO'M
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