President’s Letter

Dear Colleagues,

As 2021 draws to a close, I would like to highlight some of the marvelous things that happened in our organization over this past year and thank you for all you have done. It has not been an easy year at all, but together we have been able to embrace hope and accomplish so much.

This year began with heightened awareness of matters concerning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Members voted to amend the AATG Constitution to create a permanent DEI committee and to establish a board position focused on DEI. Starting in 2022, our standing DEI committee will be represented by Chiann Tsui, the first elected Equity Officer to the Board of Directors. We also made changes to items like board policies so that members can report bias incidents if they happen at AATG -sponsored events. We are continuing to implement changes to our programs and program application processes so that members can indicate more precisely their preferences and needs. The inclusion of more options means we can include those needs and preferences into our program offerings. These positive changes help to move us towards the goals of fully welcoming and accepting each person who is interested in making the AATG their professional home.

The revitalization of established AATG programs and the creation of new funded program offerings is underway. Our program offerings have been reduced since 2020 due to the pandemic, but the ambitious expansion of our programs in 2022 will bring more opportunities for AATG members. We now have a new Programs Director, Veronika Burney, who is pursuing two chief goals relating to programs. The first objective is the revitalization, which includes things like summer study trips for students. Veronika is doing a splendid job working with our partner organizations and refreshing program options. The second goal is new program offerings with increased options and broader appeal. For example, we are looking closely at programs that cater to post-secondary students, knowing that experiences in-country can be quite beneficial. We are planning to have our programs return in Summer

International Student Guide

2022, so please be sure to read notification emails and peruse our main website to find out what we are offering, both for students at more levels of German language study and for instructors.

During this most unusual year we established a strong financial foundation for our own professional development fund. The AATG Professional Development Fund is dedicated to helping our members champion more professional development opportunities for themselves using AATG organizational support. This fund was brought about primarily through donations from many of our AATG chapters as well as many personal donors. Each donation source understands that having a dedicated professional development fund both enhances our organization and provides more value to our members. Thank you to each chapter and each personal donor for your generosity during this time.

Realizing that much has changed in a relatively short time span, Mike Shaughnessy and I met in late May in Colorado to work on the framework for a long-range

Mike Shaughnessy and I met in late May 2021 to work on the framework of a long-range planning retreat for the Board of Directors.

planning retreat for the Board of Directors. Plans changed, and the entire Board met for a series of synchronous meetings in early November to craft longrange planning ideas and goals. We reflected on past successes and tough spots, discussed at great length our current situation, and used this knowledge to craft goals for the future. I want to thank Mike for his exquisite work on the long-range planning sessions and for his guidance as we worked through things. We will be announcing the goals and implementation steps in the coming days. Please know that each of you is welcome to participate as we work to move our organization forward.

The AATG Board of Directors is made up of excellent people who volunteer their time and energy to help positively move our organization forward. In 2020-2021, I have been greatly honored to have worked with Vice President Priscilla Layne; Treasurers Tony Jannotta (retired) and Blake Peters (current); Presiding Officer of Chapter Presidents Ingrid Zeller; Regional Representatives Tobias Barske, Katrina Bauerlein, Iris Bork-Goldfield (retired), Cynthia Chalupa (also our board secretary), Morgan Koerner, JJ Melgar, Siggi Piwek (retired), and Jennifer Roper; as well as Executive Directors Keith Cothrun (retired) and Mike Shaughnessy (current). I am truly grateful to each of them for their hard work, ideas, discussions, creativity, and dedication to the AATG. Thank you so very, very much.

Our national staff works quietly in the background to keep our organization running smoothly. During the turbulent days of the pandemic, they continued to work from home for everyone in AATG, and I know they did splendid work. I want to thank our Director of Operations, Mercedes Pokorny, for her kindness, thoroughness, and readiness to help always. John Capasso, our Finance Manager, is always thorough in his answers, and he has become proficient in new financial management software during this time, leading to better practices in our financial matters. Marisa Minard, our Director of Member Services, is always patient with all

my questions and requests, and she offers very fine advice when asked. Although I have not been able to meet Veronika Burney in person yet, I know that she is strengthening our programs and broadening our outreach through her work as our Director of Programs. Tara Herron, our Program Assistant, helps to keep everything running well. Finally, it has been a very fine privilege to work with Mike Shaughnessy as we have dreamed, discussed, and planned together, with the goal of ensuring continued growth and stability for our organization.

I believe each of the items I have highlighted in this column reflect very well the concept of hope, the concept that I have held close in my thoughts and dreams for our organization during the time that I have been president. We have been through some extraordinarily tough times since January 2020, and I know it has not been easy. Personally, I have chosen to hang on to hope, and that has helped me to make it to this point in time. I believe that hope has also helped our AATG, showing us that we members can accomplish so much when we work together, recognize and value the differences among us, and never lose sight of the core of our mission statement: to prepare people who will impact the world. Let’s continue to work earnestly together to promote all the facets of the peoples, cultures, and connections that have German as a key focus point. I am grateful to you for your support during my presidency, for bringing people and issues to my attention, and for trusting me to lead. Thank you very much.

All the very best,

Doug

Cheyenne Mountain High School Colorado Springs, Colorado runhiketeach@yahoo.com

T h a n k y o u f o r y o u r s u p p o r t !

Dear AATG Members,

The AATG Fundraising Committee would like to thank everyone who made AATG Week of Giving an enormous success. With the support of members and friends of AATG, we achieved our goal of unlocking $10,000 in matching funds and raising a total of more than $20,000 throughout the week for German. The week has shown the strong community of supporters behind German language education in the US, and we are proud to say these funds will support you and your programs.

The Committee would also like to extend a herzliches Dankeschön to everybody who donated to AATG in 2021, including those who have donated for the first time this year. AATG could not fulfill its mission without your generosity.

A special thank you goes to all AATG chapters that supported the establishment of the AATG Professional Development Endowed Fund. This much needed fund will support professional development for German educators.

In addition, there are many AATG members who have donated on a regular basis and who continue to do so even in retirement. Please reach out to Michael Shaughnessy (mike@aatg.org) if you would like to consider AATG in your will. Thank you for your continued support for the next generation of students and educators of German!

We wish you all the best during this holiday season and a happy and successful 2022!

Sincerely,

AATG is in the middle of its Centennial Campaign, so please consider giving $1,926 during the 10-year period of the campaign to join the group of 1926 donors. We seek to raise $1,926,000 by 2026, celebrating the past and planning for the future. Achieving this ambitious goal will ensure the longevity of AATG and its programs for students, educators, and the community.

Susanne Rinner

Chair, AATG Fundraising Committee

AATG: Supporting Teachers and Students since 1926

WHO WE ARE

The American Association of Teachers of German supports the teaching of the German language and German-speaking cultures in elementary, secondary and post-secondary education in the United States. The AATG promotes the study of the German-speaking world in all its linguistic, cultural and ethnic diversity, and endeavors to prepare students as transnational, transcultural learners and active, multilingual participants in a globalized world.

The AATG Endowed Scholarship Fund was established in 1997 to support study abroad in German-speaking countries. This fund has been used to support fully funded scholarships for high school students taking part in AATG summer programs.

The Friends of AATG Endowment was founded to support the association and ensure the continuation of AATG’s programs and services to German teachers in the US.

WHAT WE OFFER

1

2

3

4 Student Scholarships (Summer exchange programs in Germany for high school students)

Teacher Scholarships (Professional development programs in the US, Germany, and Austria)

Direct support for schools (Program supplies, funding for projects, and stipends for teachers)

Annual initiatives (Support for partners like the German Embassy and Educational Foundations)

HOW DOES AATG FUND ITS WORK?

20% 30% 15% 35%

Membership Grants

GIVING OPPORTUNITIES

The AATG Professional Development Fund supports German teachers in professional development at all levels of instruction (K-16). Donations Program Revenue

Contributing the to the AATG General Fund helps support the day-to-day operation of the organization. A donation to this fund goes to where the funds are needed most at any given time.

Custom Giving: Interested in funding a new endowment, a bequest, or a specific cause? Reach out to our Executive Director to start a conversation: mike@aatg.org The AATG is a 501(c) (3) non-profit public charity. All gifts and donations are 100% tax deductible.

856-795-5553 | info@aatg.org | www.aatg.org 112 Haddontowne Court #104, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034