Final State Conference Information for Advisors

Apr 16, 2008

While a day later than expected, please find the remainder of the information necessary for your Chapter to participate in the 2008 State Leadership and Skills Conference :

1. The official update memo with lots of very important information about the conference. Please read carefully!!
2. Contest locations (telling you where every contest is to be located)
3. Hotel Assignments and Registration Appointment Times
4. Rules of Courtesy Signoff
5. Supervision Schedule
6. EcoPhone Flier

Additionally, we are recommending that you check our news page daily over the next two weeks for additional information and updates.

Finally, please remember all changes to your conference attendance must be complete no later than Friday, April 18^th, 2008. That is this Friday and only two days away. After that date we will only take DROPS. No substitutions will be allowed after Friday and we will NOT allow substitutions on site. SkillsUSA Massachusetts is implementing this new procedure due to safety concerns and the limitations of our insurance binders.

We are looking forward to a GREAT conference. Enjoy your school vacation week. Once you return to school SkillsUSA staff will already be on site at the conference. So we look forward to your arrival on Thursday, May 1, 2008.

Registration Closed for State Conference

Apr 15, 2008

As of noon today, the SkillsUSA office will cease to accept any additional changes to your State Conference registration.

Skill contest competitors not attending at this point will be considered drops and you will be responsible for payment. Any replacements can only be made in leadership, demonstration skill events, general events and delegates and must fit into your existing room block (including gender for room assignments)

The totals owed as of today at noon are final, and you are responsible for your totals as presented. All final changes of any kind must be made no later than Friday, April 18^th at 3:00 p.m. After that no changes of any kind will be made (this is a different procedure than in previous years) We will not make changes on site in any contest or delegates—only drops—and you will be responsible for payment for drops in leadership, demonstration skill events, general events and delegates after Friday.

Additionally, changes will not be allowed to room assignments. The students must remain in the rooms assigned due to security reasons, as they must be able to be located in the rooms you have assigned them to in your submitted room lists.

Later today, hotel assignments, registration appointments times and other conference information will be sent. Please be on the look out for it to finalize your arrival and information home to parents.

3 weeks to go

Apr 09, 2008

Today marks the 3 week countdown to states. In 21 days students will be packing into the trade center at the Best Western in Marlborough for the opening session of the 34th Annual State Leadership and States Conference. Our staff is busy getting everything ready for the conference, and members of the SkillsUSA management team are putting the finishing touches on their contests.

We saw the proofs for the State Conference Program from the great people at Saltus Press, who are donating their printing services to us again this year. The state program looks awesome and we hope you’ll like it too!

Our webmaster is currently working on the State Conference section of the website with information from the program so you can have an advanced glimpse of the conference schedules and contest locations. Those should be up next week, he said, after he’s done with his exams at school this week.

The Technical Standard for the contests were uploaded 2 weeks ago – if you or your student is competing at the Massachusetts SkillsUSA Championships, the standards is required reading for success.

3 weeks to go!

2008 State Technical Standards Available

Mar 20, 2008

There may be many differing opinions on what the secret formula to success at the SkillsUSA Championships, but one thing is clear: it all involve one important ingredient: the State Technical Standards. The 2008 edition is now available for download

Welcome to SkillsUSA Massachusetts, Nanci

Feb 07, 2008

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Nanci J. Johnson to the position of Program Development Specialist.

Nanci comes to SkillsUSA Massachusetts having most recently co-owned and operated her own specialty women’s clothing store—Life Styles, Inc. She has an extensive retailing background encompassing all of the day-to-day business operations, team member hiring/training, marketing, buying and sales.

Nanci earned a B.S. in Medical Psychology from Bridgewater State College in 1990. After completing her medical practicum at a head injury center, Nanci went on to work in non-profit organizations with MR/MH adults in a residential setting and later with DSS/DYS involved teens.

As an active member of her community, Nanci has been both a school volunteer and OM/DI coach. She has captained her team in the Avon 2 day walk for breast cancer for 3 years. Her team has proudly raised over 50k for the Avon Foundation over those three years.

Because of their strong commitment to community service and philanthropy, Nanci and her business partner included it in both their business plan and corporate mission statement. Nanci and her partner raised money for the Avon Foundation through the sale of breast cancer awareness items at their store by donating 100% of the profits. They have also participated in many charity fashion shows and raised money for Autism Speaks through the sale of 100% donation pins made by a local mother of two autistic boys.

The position of Program Development Specialist encompasses the development of specific elements for each of SkillsUSA’s programs, travel among secondary schools, colleges, and businesses in support of the programs and assistance to administrators, teachers, students, parents and the business community in understanding and implementing SkillsUSA programs and activities.

Pardon the dust ...

Jan 23, 2008

There are still some kinks we’re working to resolve on the new website, so please pardon the dust and the occasional 404 page.