Committee-District Liaison – Topics for sharing

Renaissance - call for submissions:
Winter 2015 - Creative minds
According to Albert Einstein, “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but
imagination.” How are you inspired by your imagination or creativity? Do you
spend your days thinking about the next poem or novel that you are going to
write or are you busy working on another masterpiece on your canvas? Maybe
your creative juices are stimulated by music, theatre, sculptures or drawing. We
want to hear about how your creative mind works and see what you have
created.
Perspectives to consider: How does your creativity effect your life? Why is using
your imagination and being creative important to you?
Deadline: August 17, 2015
Spring 2016 - Sporty living
Are you a serious athlete or do you participate in sports just for the fun of it? Are
you a sports fanatic, who enjoys the camaraderie of playing sports such as pickle
ball, baseball and golf or are you more interested in running, cycling, swimming,
curling or skiing? Have you taken up a new sport in retirement? Perhaps you are
longtime coach who loves the thrill of competition and challenging yourself as
well as others. We want to know how participating in sports impacts you
mentally and physically. Tell us about the social connections you’ve made
through your sporty passion(s) and how you are sharing it with your friends and
family.
Perspectives to consider: Why is being involved in sports important to you?
What inspires you participate in sports activities? What has being involved with
sports taught you about yourself?
Deadline: October 26, 2015.
8, 2015.deadline: May 8, 2015.
 2016 Pocket Planner. The 2016 Pocket Planner will be included in the summer
Renaissance envelope package in late June/early July. Districts are encouraged to
remind members of its inclusion to prevent throwing it out by accident. If
members do not receive their copy, they should contact the Provincial Office.
Additional Pocket Planners are available for $3, including shipping, through
Souvenir Canada. They are NOT available from the Provincial Office. To purchase:
contact Lisa Kendall, Souvenir Canada, scanada@on.aibn.com , 1-800-259-9641.

Wi-Fi security issues and related resources. To help RTO/ERO members protect
themselves and their computers while using unsecure Wi-Fi networks, such as
those found in hotels and restaurants, Charles Tabone, IT Manager, created a
short Wi-Fi document on how to manage what information their computers
share on Wi-Fi networks that was distributed at Spring Senate. Additionally, he
wrote a Wi-Fi ConnectED article for summer Renaissance. We encourage Districts
to promote these resources in their newsletters and on District websites.
New! e-Welcome Kit for new members. The Communications and Membership
Departments are pleased to announce the development of a new e-Welcome Kit
for new members who prefer e-communications, which will begin rolling out in
late June/early July. It will contain electronic versions of print materials, custom
District-specific information, and enhanced interactive features like website links
to RTO/ERO partner sites. Member-specific materials, such as membership
cards, will continue to be sent by mail. We encourage Districts to promote this
information on their websites and in their newsletters.

District webmaster succession planning. Districts that are struggling to recruit
members for webmaster positions are encouraged to contact the
Communications Committee and/or Provincial Office for assistance. To help
Districts with webmaster succession training, the RTO/ERO Guide for District
Webmasters is also being reviewed for updates. Feedback can be sent to
District’s Communications Committee liaisons or Committee Chair, Laurie
Fountain, laurfoun@gmail.com.

Excel training – workshops and videos. The Communications Committee is
exploring Excel training opportunities including workshops and videos to assist
Districts interpret and use the membership lists and reports they receive from
the Provincial Office. Training will be coordinated by the Communications
Committee and Charles Tabone, IT Manager, in the next few months. Questions?
Contact Charles Tabone, ctabone@rto-ero.org.

2015 RTO/ERO membership survey. To improve and enhance member services,
the Provincial Office will be conducting a membership survey through an
external, third party, using a random sampling of members. To reflect RTO/ERO’s
demographic diversity, variables like gender, age, location, and language will be
accounted for to ensure that responses are representational of RTO/ERO’s
membership. Questions? Contact Simon Leibovitz, sleibovitz@rto-ero.org.