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Dear DKG MD Sisters, Ladies, we are half way though the biennium and time is moving quickly. Since seeing you at the conference in May, Sally Nazelrod, Omicron, Gwen Cooley, Delta and I have met with 2026-2028 state presidents for training on zoom. It was a good day and I hope that presidents and all members of your chapters will continue to contact me with your questions. Thank you all for attending. There were 12 of 18 presidents in attendance, but most of those who were absent had been presidents of their chapters one or more times already. The other big event of the summer was attending the DKG International Workshop in Aurora, CO from June 29th – July 4th. I was pleased to have 5 other DKG MD members in attendance; Dr. Terri Showers, Lambda, 1st Vice-President; Jean Marie Hofstetter, Omega, 2nd Vice-President; Sharon Darling, Nu (along with her wonderful husband, Ernie), Parliamentarian; Sally Nazelrod, Omicron, Executive Secretary; and Christy Mullins, Alpha Beta, Finance Chair. It was a great week full of meetings and shared time with friends. Dr. Beverly Hall-Maughan, DKG President, chose her theme: Elevate Potential, Embrace Change and Empower All. At each event during the week, various members gave beautiful inspirations relevant to the theme. Each message was given in her native language and translated onscreen in English. At each meeting, there was a message for all of us to remember: Membership begins with me. We even sang it. The theme was apparent through all aspects of the convention. Dr. Beverly led all meetings with grace and passion. And that was not always an easy job. During 6+ business meetings, most of the time was spent reviewing and voting on the Proposed Bylaws. It was a tedious task. The Constitution and Bylaws were revised into one document so members spent time reviewing each line of the new document, the Proposed Bylaws. There were some amendments to the document but for the most part, the entire set of Proposed Bylaws were approved as is. At the end of the week, DKG had a newly revised set of Bylaws. The Mission Statement and Vision Statement were left unchanged. There were some changes to the Seven Purposes as presented below; The Purposes of DKG are: 1.to unite women educators of the world in genuine fellowship; 2.to honor women who have given or who evidence a potential for distinctive service in any field of education; 3.to advance the professional interest and position of women in education; 4.to initiate, endorse, and support desirable legislation or other suitable endeavors in the interests of education and of women educators; 5.to endow awards to aid members in pursuing professional and person development and to provide grants to non-member educators; 6.to stimulate the professional and personal development of members and to encourage their participation in relevant programs of action: and 7.to inform the members of current economic, social, political, and educational issues so that they may participate effectively to support a sustainable world society. DKG will provide the procedures for fulfilling these purposes in a new document; Guidelines for the Administration of Policies and Procedures (GAPP). Members of the DKG International Executive Board will be able to make amendments to GAPP. Some of the changes include: In addition to Active, Reserve, Collegiate, State, and Honorary Members there are 2 new classifications of members; Global members and Affiliates. Global members are individuals who join DKG International and are not affiliated with any state or local chapter. Global membership is available to those residing in areas where there is no existing state organization or local chapter. Affiliates do not meet membership requirements but are committed to the mission of DKG. The second major change in the Bylaws includes a convention during even years and a State Organization Leadership Training in odd years. There will be no more conferences. The first special event will be the Centennial Celebration in Austin, Texas (July 25 - 28,2029) Start saving your pennies for this special occasion, open to all members. During the week, there were some special honors awarded. Nita Scott, former DKG International Executive Director, was awarded the Achievement Award. The 2026 Educators Book Award was given to Sue Stewart Ade, a 50 year DKG member from Illinois. Her historical fiction book, entitled “Displaced: A Family without a Country” is inspired by the true story of a Lithuanian family who flee their country just before WWII. They fled to protect their children only to find that they may lose them again. New officers were elected during the week and installed at the banquet. Our dear Maryland sister, Sharon Darling, Nu, made a strong showing for Northeast Region Nominating Committee member but we are sorry to say that another was elected to that position. We are all so proud of you, Sharon! Some of the New DKG International Society officers include President Connie Rensink, Texas 1st Vice-President Carol Herzog, Indiana (former 2022-2024 Northeast Regional Director) 2nd Vice-President Teresa Cowan, North Carolina Northeast Regional Director Linda Adcock, Illinois DKG Member at Large (2026-2030) Christina Elisabeth (Beth) Scheiber, Oklahoma Northeast Region Nominating Committee Member R. Margaret Trybus, Illinois DKGIEF Board of Directors Eileen Little, Pennsylvania Rachelle Tome, Maine Emily Kelley, Louisiana Donna Knoell, Kansas US Forum Steering Committee Chair Dr. April Coleman US Forum NE Region Steering Committee Representative Sharon Scheidigger, Ohio At the luncheon, members made donations of more than $2000 to support the Emergency Fund. It is never too early to begin planning for the next convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: July 4 – 8, 2028 (almost in our own backyard). Let’s begin this second year of the biennium with fresh energy from our many newly elected chapter presidents. We welcome each of you to the DKG MD State Executive Board on September 19th. Together, we’ll build DKG MD State leadership that uplifts chapter members and leaders alike. The potential, the passion, and the spark for DKG Maryland chapter leadership continue to be present. Please know my door is always open to chapters and their leaders. Your chapters and DKG MD continue to ROCK! I’m looking forward to visiting all chapters. Contact me for a visit (or a second visit). A special thank you to Xi and Rho members! Your presence at meetings was always appreciated. They offered many gifts to each of us during their time as chapters. I am hoping to see their members transfer to other chapters. My chapter, Alpha, is pleased to accept 3 Xi members. Several XI members have also transferred to Mu and Omicron and several Rho members have transferred to Omega. We are pleased to announce that the Convention Committee (Hostesses are Alpha, Zeta, Mu, and Tau.) will soon be meeting in full force. Members of these chapters should soon be hearing from Jean Marie Hofstetter, Omega, the Convention Chair. The convention will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn at 5015 Campbell Blvd, Baltimore, MD 21236. It is just off I-95 (exit 67) at White Marsh. Room costs will be $119 plus county and state taxes. Save the date: April 16-18, 2027. Another save the date: Society Workshop, Saturday, November 7th at Oak Crest. If you are interested in presenting a workshop, please contact Dr. Terri Showers, Lambda. She will be looking for presenters for both the Society Workshop and the DKG MD State Convention. Let’s stay connected, lift each other up, and keep pushing for the progress our state, our chapters, our members, our profession—and our students—deserve. Many of you will be into the swing of the 2026-2027 school year very soon and I wish you a great year. Thank you for giving your best to Maryland students. Looking forward to seeing many of you at the Executive Board meeting on September 19th. Welcome all, but especially new presidents. Fondly, Your DKG Sister Janey Snyder May 12, 2026
Dear DKG MD sisters, The first year of the biennium is almost over. It is hard to believe that so much time has passed. Just wanted to offer a remind of some upcoming events. Maryland Chapter began a new biennium on July 1, 2026. Training for officers was offered by Sally Nazelrod, Omicron, Gwen Cooley, Delta and me. We offered training to all new chapter presidents on Thursday, June 24th at 10 am on Zoom. All chapter presidents are invited but we hope that new presidents will plan to attend. There will be materials pertinent to your biennium that will be shared with you at that time and will be sent to you by email before that date. Reminders with a Zoom link will also be shared with you by email. We hope you plan to attend. Presidents, mark your calendar now, September 19th is the date for your first executive board meeting. The state officers and committee chairs look forward to meeting our new and returning chapter presidents. Chapter presidents, if you have not submitted Form 110, which lists all 2026-2028 chapter officers, please do so as soon as possible. Now that you have a little more free time, our state committees are always looking for additional members. Please consider joining this team during the second year of the biennium. I am hoping that some of you will still plan to attend the International Convention in Aurora, CO, June 30- July 4, 2026. For more information, login to your DKG account at www.dkg.org and click on the event tab. You will find registration information as well as hotel information. As of today, in addition to me, we have 5 members planning to attend: Dr. Terri Showers, Jean Marie Hofstetter, Sally Nazelrod, Sharon Darling and Christy Mullins. Please let me know if you plan to attend. I am looking forward to a great week, and we all know "the more the merrier," so consider planning to attend. Thank you for a great first year of the biennium and looking forward to an even better 2026-2027. Regards, Janey Snyder, Alpha DKG MD State President 2025-2027  Dear DKG Maryland Sisters, The State Conference is over, but I hope many of you found it as enjoyable as I did. The morning began with a great marketplace, not big but full of a variety of items. It included DKG note cards, photo magnets, pre-orders for DKG pin ribbons, books, jewelry, craft items and red roses, to name a few. I hope it was a successful day for the vendors. Congratulations to 6 DKG Maryland sisters who have completed requirements for a doctoral degree and 6 DKG Maryland sisters who have earned National Board Certification over the past 6 years. These ladies were recognized at the luncheon. Our music committee offered beautiful music for the day. Their song, "I Made it Through the Rain" by Barry Manilow, was beautiful. I know it moved some of us to tears. Look for articles in the newsletter about the messages from our speakers and workshop leaders. Members were updated on the DKG International bylaw/standing rule changes by Northeast Regional Director, Eileen Little. Our morning speaker, Angela Crenshaw, Director of the Maryland Park Service, mesmerized everyone as she spoke of the soon-to-be 96 state parks in Maryland. She spent time working at the Harriet Tubman Museum, and so she shared stories of Harriet Tubman. It was very obvious that she truly loved her job, as her enthusiasm spread through the room Norina Bentzel explained how she published her book through Amazon, and in the afternoon, told of her experiences in a school attack during February 2001 and her recovery from that attack. Her experiences were detailed in her book: Glorious Sadness: Faith, Love, Hope Trumps School Attack. Sarah Keller, Zeta, and Erin Myers, Pi, presented a workshop titled Special Education- Who, What, and How to Survive. They shared their experiences in the special education classroom. I hope your day was worthwhile. Please enjoy the pictures from the days. Warm Regards, Janey Snyder DKG MD State President, 2025-2027                                                              
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Have you ever wondered what influenced the World Fellowship recipients to pursue a certain degree, what they are currently doing, and what they hope to do once they have earned their degrees? Now you can see and hear from several of the World Fellowship recipients. Just watch this YouTube video.
These young women are very appreciative of the opportunities they have to get the needed education to pursue their dreams. They are doing great things. Being so far from home, it is comforting to receive some kind of written correspondence. Some of the chapters have sent birthday cards, postcards of places in Maryland, “thinking of you” notes, email messages and gift cards. Even if we do not receive a written response, we at least know we are helping these young women feel welcome and supported while studying away from their homes. Maryland chapters have given a total of $1,412.00 in contributions from July 1, 2025 to January 28, 2026. Please submit contributions by July 1st to count towards the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Thank you for continuing to be supportive of this fund that helps make these young women’s dreams a reality. - Laura McClelland, Omicron, World Fellowship Committee Chair DKG Maryland State Conference in Bowie, MD Here’s a sneak peek at two of our featured speakers for the state conference. More details will be shared in the spring newsletter. Conference registration will open following the March Executive Board meeting. 
2/24/2026 Ladies, I am sure that you are as excited as I am for the beginning of spring. What a winter for Baltimore County! As I write this, the Eastern Shore sisters are trying to get out of feet (not inches) of snow. We fared well this time in Baltimore County, with only several inches and no ice! Continue to stay warm and safe. The Executive Board Meeting on March 7th will be held at Oak Crest, but this time, in the Garden Room. It is near the main entrance (behind the chapel). I know you will appreciate the beauty of the room and the outside view. The room again contains all the technology we need, and it adds much to the meeting. The Leadership Development Committee has begun planning the May 2nd DKG Maryland Conference. There will be something for everyone. The theme is “Women Who Inspire Us, Women Who Excite Us, and Women Who Ignite Us into Action”. This newsletter contains all the details of the upcoming May 2nd DKG Maryland State Conference in Bowie. There is a copy of the registration form in this newsletter, and an additional email with the registration form will follow soon after the Executive Board Meeting. Please continue to send me pictures of your chapter events, and you may see them on the screen at the next meeting. There will be some holiday pictures on display. Please continue to forward to me at [email protected]. I enjoyed holiday chapter events on December 6h in Annapolis and in the Garden Room at Oak Crest. Rho hosted Epsilon, Alpha Beta, and Omega for a holiday brunch, and the Baltimore County chapters had a holiday luncheon scheduled for Alpha, Mu, and Xi. It was a lovely day of fellowship with many sisters and lots of food. It was a delightful day and a great way to kick off the holiday season. Thank you, especially to Pat Piluk and the members of Rho Chapter, for brunch in Annapolis. Then I immediately headed back home for lunch with my local chapters. Thank you to the members of the Coordinating Council for planning a lovely day. The Coordinating Council includes the Presidents of Alpha (Kathy Bateman), Mu (Allison Gradwell and Kathy Corley Murray), and Xi (JoAnn Velten), as well as one or two additional members from each chapter. I am looking forward to visiting Zeta and Omicron in March and Tau in April. Please, I am open to visiting all chapters. Just give me a call, 410-746-1751 Remember to save the dates, June 30th – July 4th, 2026, for the DKG Society International Convention in Aurora, Colorado, at the Gaylord Rockies. Registration is open now online at www.dkg.org. Sign in, go to the Events tab, then scroll down to International Convention. Soon you will be getting a copy of the proposed bylaw changes in the international newsletter, DKG NEWS. By attending the convention, you will have the opportunity to vote on the revisions. The January/February issue of DKG NEWS contained the bios of the nominees for international officers, 2026-2028. In May at the DKG MD State Conference, Eileen Little, Northeast Regional Director, will be sharing a bit about these bylaw revisions. Quoting from the International website: “Attendees will have the opportunity to engage in meaningful presentations, inspiring speakers, and vital discussions on the future of our society.” Thank you to Sally Nazelrod, Xi, and JoAnn Velten, Xi, who plan to attend the National Legislative Seminar beginning March 8th. I am sure they will have a great time, and we will expect a report for the next newsletter. I wish to remind you to send notes, email messages, or cards to the World Fellowship recipient(s) assigned to your chapter. They are far from home, so I know these are meaningful to them. Again, stay safe and warm. See you on May 2nd. Happy Spring! 11/2/2025 Dear DKG Maryland Sisters, I guess that fall is officially here. I hope you are enjoying the fall weather with warm days and cool nights. It is that time of year that our lives become very busy planning for the holidays and enjoying those special times with family and friends. Have a wonderful holiday season, enjoying Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hannukah, Christmas and New Years Day. Also, remember a kind word and a little grace go in a long way during this season, as there are still many who are suffering. I have enjoyed chapter visits to Alpha Alpha and Eta and have several more scheduled. Please remember to invite me to your chapter. I am looking forward to seeing every chapter. On November 1st, I attended the Society Workshop, full of outstanding workshops planned by the EEC Committee. It was a great day for all in attendance. SAVE THE DATE: May 2, 2026DKG Maryland State Conference Comfort Inn and Conference Center Bowie, MD Just a hint about 2 of the speakers at the conference and more details will be available in the winter newsletter. Registration available by March Executive Board meeting. TODAY's 2025 Maryland Woman of the Year, Angela Crenshaw, will speak at the Conference during the morning. This recognition honors her leadership, which includes being the first Black woman to lead the Maryland State Park service, Maryland Department of Natural Resources. She is recognized for her leadership and service, particularly championing Maryland's parks and history. She will include information on Harriet Tubman, as she has spent much time working at this park on the Eastern Shore. KEY NOTE SPEAKER for the conference, Norina Bentzel, M.Ed. is an adjunct professor at York College of Pennsylvania and a motivational speaker. Formally, she was a teacher and principal in the Red Lion Area School District including the North Hopewell-Winterstown Elementary School where a mass machete attack occurred. She is a York County native and a 1981 graduate of the Pennsylvania State University. Norina has a Bachelor of Science Degree with a major in Elementary Education and a minor in science. She received her master’s degree in Education in 1998 and directly thereafter, in 1999, earned her Administrative Certification. Norina retired from public education in June 2017. Norina brings important insight and observations about leadership, resiliency, and ongoing support in times of crisis to her audiences. Be sure to save the date and join us in Bowie for the DKG MD State Conference at 8:00 am on May 2nd.
DKG Maryland offers a big thank you to Dr. Terri Showers, Lambda,1st Vice-President, and members of the Education Excellence Committee (EEC) for an enjoyable day filled with new information and lots of fun. EEC planned a special day for members. There was an Informative legislative update from Kathy Bateman, Alpha and an excellent update on the U.S. Forum from JoAnn Velten, Xi. She reminded everyone of the upcoming Legislative Forum in the spring of 2026. Information can be found on the website for the US Forum: www.dkgusforum.org/events-1. This is an informative time to learn about Congress and to visit with your Maryland Congress members. Other workshops included:
This breakout session offered a passport to the various ways you can explore pathways of the opportunities offered by DKG International. 2. From Paychecks to Purpose: Christina Snyder, CFP®, ChFC®, 4 Essentials for Retirement Security RICP®, CISP™, AEP®, Partner and Wealth Advisor, Jacob William Advisory The workshop had information offered information a. Why Retirement Planning Matters b. Unique Challenges Retirees Face c. The 4 Essentials for Retirement Security 3. ‘Tis the Season for YOU…DKG Sister! LaTanya Eggleton, Rho Certified Coach LaTanya offered an engaging co-active coaching workshop designed to support your specific desires/needs right now. 4. Silent Health Crisis: Coping with Isolation and Loneliness Dr. Janet Moya Cornick, Lambda The presenter will shared tips to help one cope with isolation and loneliness. 5. Jewelry Shadow Boxes Wendy Happel, Mu Do you have jewelry that you no longer use, but you still want to keep? Well, Wendy Happel will showed you a way to use these items to create a beautiful work of art. She explained how she decides what she is going to create, what materials she needs, and how she goes about making jewelry shadow boxes. As a special treat, Wendy had a drawing for one of her shadow boxes, won by Kathy Corley Murray, Mu. o ABOUT THE DKG CENTENNIAL
On the DKG International Website to look for Centennial information: www.dkg.org 🡪 login to your account 🡪 Events Tab 🡪Centennial celebration Centennial Information
DKG has a new partnership with Collette Tours. If you are interested in an upcoming tour to England, Scotland and Wales. Early reduced prices have ended but the tour is still available. The site contains other tour information as well. On the website to look for Collette Tours information: www.dkg.org 🡪 login to your account 🡪 Events Tab 🡪Collette Tours VIRTUAL EVENTS On the website to look for Virtual Events www.dkg.org 🡪 login to your account 🡪 Events Tab 🡪Virtual Events around DKG
3. Inside International the first Tuesday of every month INITIATIVES DKG Initiatives and Special programs-Check the About Tab – much information here www.dkg.org 🡪 login to your account 🡪 About Tab 🡪Girls UNICEF Program www.dkg.org 🡪 login to your account 🡪 About Tab 🡪Supporting Early Career Educators www.dkg.org 🡪 login to your account 🡪 About Tab 🡪DKG/UN www.dkg.org 🡪 login to your account 🡪 About Tab 🡪World Fellowship Recipients www.dkg.org 🡪 login to your account 🡪 About Tab 🡪Impact Project Spotlight www.dkg.org 🡪 login to your account 🡪 About Tab 🡪Member Spotlight www.dkg.org 🡪 login to your account 🡪 About Tab 🡪Founders www.dkg.org 🡪 login to your account 🡪 Publications/Documents🡪Art Gallery www.dkgusforum.org 🡪 U. S. Forum website www.dkg.org 🡪 login to your account 🡪 MYDKG Tab🡪officer information & forms, various submissions, etc. |
The President's BlogJaney Snyder 
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