Submitted by Barbara Collins, Big Bend Community College

My brain is certainly on overload and some of you might be feeling the same way. I thought I would take a short break and share my recent thoughts. The national elections are now over, social distancing continues, and many of our colleagues still work from remote locations. My calendar is full of meetings and trainings via Zoom and other platforms. As I add new projects to my responsibilities, I must also learn to use the tools needed to complete some of these projects. Just since December, I have added SLACK, MS Teams, Google Drive, and we launched our new BBCC website. Of course, there is usually need for yet another password. Just recently, I had some security issues with my personal computer that required a reinstall of the anti-virus and several updates. When this happens, I usually change all my personal passwords too.

Change forces us to learn and the result is being head smart. I remember years ago a senior member of the community once said that our brain is like a computer, and when we store too much in it, we need to purge the files, and get rid of the junk. I share this story because it reminded me to rethink about my own personal wellness and being heart smart. As I find the time, I am constantly purging files and go stir crazy listening to my own voice. Sitting at a computer for an 8-hour day at home does not feel the same as when I was physically in my working environment with all the tools and files I needed and engaging in conversation with my colleagues.

I shared last year that February is National Heart Month so here are some things I recently added to my regular routine.

1. I have put two daily reminders in my calendar for a 7-minute workout. This might seem like something small, but it forces me to get out of my chair, minimize my desktop, log in to my personal computer and focus on health wellness. When the weather gets better, I will use the full 15 minutes to get outside and walk around the block. Not only does this help clear my head, it is also a great warm-up.
2. Outside of the work environment, I adopted a family in November who feel very isolated during this pandemic time. Each month I find specific items and deliver a theme basket that will bring them joy. I also send notes of encouragement to others via US mail, there is just something special about getting a letter from in the mail knowing someone cares.
3. I find my voice getting weaker as we continue to work in isolation. I love to read or listen to music for enjoyment. I have made a monthly commitment to search out fact based news and publications that will challenge me in the area of learning. When no one is around, I find myself reading or singing aloud. Not only does this help exercise the vocal cords, it will spark conversations when we can gather as a community again.

Perhaps you have something to share, too! Email communicationcoordinator@sttacc.net to submit a blog post!

Olympic College held their 2020 All-College Awards Ceremony in December.  The Classified Staff Development Committee would like to thank all OC’s Classified staff for their continued commitment to excellence and service. Congratulations to the following staff for their awards!

Bremer Trust Exceptional Classified Staff Award – Jennifer Mislan-Ibarra 

The award is given to a classified staff member who puts in extra effort, demonstrates strong leadership and interpersonal skills, is committed to student success or college service, is committed to diversity, holds high professional standards, is dedicated and is respected by the OC community. 

Jennie Mae Moyer Classified Award – Jessica Gonzalez Nissen 

The award is given to a classified staff member who demonstrates a commitment to student success or college service, diversity and high standards. Recipients are respected by the college community, innovative and dedicated, and demonstrate strong interpersonal skills and leadership. 

The Staff Training for Technical and Community Colleges Board (STTACC) is looking for a new President-Elect. This position will join our state-wide board in February 2021, and will take over as STTACC President starting October 1^st. The commitment for this position includes: 

• Approximately 2 hours per month for meetings 
• Approximately 2-4 hours per month to serve as President (may increase or decrease depending on needs)

STTACC is dedicated to delivering a great conference each summer with training opportunities for classified staff from all technical and community colleges in Washington state. The 2020-2021 conference is expected to be virtual. Please consider joining our team!

A job description can be found here:  STTACC-Handbook.pdf

The application can be found here:  Apply to the Board – STTACC

Please note: we will be taking applications until our priority deadline of January 29, 2021. Applicants will be contacted in February with an update.