Dr. Rod Heflley - Spotlight on Success

I came to Atchison in 1973 with only a year of teaching experience.  I joined the Atchison Teacher Association, KNEA, and NEA.  Back then, these were three separate organizations.  Several of the old veterans talked about the organizations had done.  A veteran teacher explained that in the "old days," every teacher had to go in to negotiate his or her salary at the end of the year with the superintendent.  It was "understood" that men teachers had to receive more money because most of them had families to support.  She said that KNEA and our local affiliate changed all of that by establishing a salary schedule.  I joined.

During my first year, an incident happened that showed me that ANEA and KNEA would always have my back.  I would always be a member.  I have never regretted joining.  I have always urged others to join.  But it was more than simply joining.  I saw that all too often, only a handful of people were doing all of the work and I realized that I should help the organization that I had come to believe in.

After I have been here for several years, I finally volunteered to serve on the negotiations and salary committee.  I went to training sessions by KNEA in Topeka.  I took time to study the issues and become better at negotiating.  I was head negotiator in 1983-84, 1986-87, and 2005-06.  I served on the committee for twelve years.

I also volunteered to serve on our KPAC committee years ago.  Our committee interviewed several candidates for the Kansas Legislature and finally officially endorsed a young man named Jerry Henry.

I continued to serve in leadership roles.  I was told that "everyone" takes a turn being president.  I actually believed that and served as vice-president in 19889-89 and as president in 1999-2000.  During that year, I also served as UniServ Vice-President and went to the NEA Representative Assembly two years.  Being president was a demanding job but also rewarding.  I felt like I directly impacted the careers of two teachers and helped another teacher get insurance benefits from NEA.

I have heard it said that everyone should become part of something bigger than themselves, something that helps others.  I am retiring soon, and when I look back on my whole career, I see that being a member and working for ANEA and KNEA has been a rewarding part of my career.


Dr. Rod Heffley