A Message from our President
Greetings TTAO Members:
There is no better time than the present. Standing in the “here and now” allows us to look back, appraise our past, and make informed, empowered decisions about our future. As we set our sights on 2024 - 2025, we are committed to being far better than we were yesterday, reassuring our membership of our optimistic outlook and unwavering commitment to improvement.
Congratulations to the Texas Theatre Adjudicators and Officials Board of Directors, Standards and Practices Committee, Core Values Committee, and the membership on a year of significant accomplishments during last year’s UIL OAP theatre season. Our organization experienced substantial growth, a testament to our shared commitment and dedication. We introduced a new Adjudicators’ oath and pledge, the Continuing Education Committee played a pivotal role in creating a new professional development model, and the Core Values Committee developed critical initiatives to promote our core values. For example, at the beginning of each TTAO meeting, we complete a ten-minute Core Values Connection session. Additionally, we established a service project entitled. SIOS Service Is Our Signature. In our inaugural year, sixty-three adjudicators participated in our service project.
The plans for the 2024 - 2025 season amplify our commitment to achievement. In addition to our SIOS initiative, we are thrilled to introduce a new service initiative, PWP, Partnering with Purpose. This initiative, designed for Educational Service Centers and districts to partner with the TTAO Membership, promises to provide Professional Development Workshops for theatre educators. Service centers and Title One directors may request services through a database, opening up new opportunities for collaboration and learning collective efforts.
Furthermore, to increase accessibility and transparency, the TTAO Board of Directors will hold its winter board meeting at the Texas Thespians Educators’ Conference, where we will present workshops and celebrate the accomplishments of our TTAO members. Adjudicator and Contest Manager Training and Adjudicator Enhancement Training are set to begin in November. Lastly, we recently updated the Manuel of Operations and the Training Prezi.
Our great organization is now ten years old. The Black and White Cheers to Ten Years Gala held at the TxETA Convention was a resounding success. I extend my heartfelt thanks to the steering committee and all who attended.
Our future feels brighter than ever, and it is because of each of you. Thank you for all that you do for TTAO. And now, let’s roll up our sleeves and return to work. Our students need us.
Sincerely,
Yvonne J. Phillips-Dupree
TTAO President
“We don’t know where we’ll end up, but making moments matter - taking a step back to see something from a different vantage point and inventing in our core values - can lead to a world of surprises.”
Nina Tassler
