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| Executive Board |
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President
Mindy Whalen
Mindy.Whalen@wesdschools.org | This is my 18th year teaching in the Washington Elementary School District. I have taught 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 8th grades. I currently teach 8th grade Reading at Palo Verde Middle School. I received my Bachelor and Master’s degrees in Elementary Education at Northern Arizona University. I have completed my course work for my English As A Second Language Endorsement at Arizona State University and last year I completed my Reading Endorsement through the district.
This year, I returned as the President of the WDEA. I served as your president several years ago and have decided to return to the position. I sit on the Washington Education Foundation Board, as well as a member of the Palo Verde Site Council. This year I will be a member of the IBN Team as I have been for many years in the past.
I have been involved in many leadership positions in my career. In the past I have served as WDEA Treasurer, Building Rep, the PTSA President and Secretary. I have served as the BOOST Coordinator, SSIT representative, Student Council Advisor, Yearbook Coordinator, Professional Development Committee, and sat on the Social Studies revision team.
I became involved in the WDEA because I believe employees should have a voice in the educational system they are a part of. I believe the way to make a positive impact is to become involved in that process! | 
Vice President
Nina LaPine
602.504.6560 (2207)
Nina.LaPine@wesdschools.org | My name is Nina LaPine and this is my 18th year working in the Washington Elementary school district. My career has been dedicated to serving students with emotional and behaviorally difficulties. I have been a self-contained teacher as well as an counselor and intervention specialist. Currently, I am the CCB Intervention Specialist at Manzanita working with five self-contained classroom with students in preschool through sixth grade.
I have been a member of the association since the “Crisis in 1994.” It was during this period that I realized the importance of both a unified voice and unified action. I decided to stop complaining about the working conditions and morale in the district and to put my energy into making things better. Over the years I have served the WDEA, its members as well as all employees and the district as a whole. I have done this in a variety of leadership positions ranging from Building Representative to Vice President and from Membership Chair to Negotiations Chair. Currently, I serve as Building Rep at Manzanita and Area Delegate to the Executive Board. I also am the author of Solving Employee Concerns or the SEC.
During my years serving in various association roles, I have observed first hand how WDEA makes a difference in employees’ lives. Sometimes we prevent problems from ever happening. Sometimes we solve problems that already exist. Sometimes we are not able to fix things, but I know we are able to make them better than they would have been without our advocacy and involvement. I have also become more convinced than ever that by learning to work together even better that we can make things even better for ourselves, for our district and for our students. Please join us in this work. If you are not a member, become one. If you are a member, become involved. If you are involved, encourage others to work along with you!
P.S. By the way … I'm married to Elvis a.k.a. Mike Scantlin!
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Treasurer
Joslyn Brown
Joslyn.Brown@wesdschools.org | Hi, my name is Joslyn Brown and I’ve been teaching for 17 years in the WESD. 2nd grade at Lookout Mountain for 11years and before that at Sweetwater for 7 years. I have been a member for WDEA for most of those years. The WDEA has had my back. 11years ago my principal called me at home in the middle of the summer and in one minute let me know that I, as well as several other colleagues, was let go without reason or explanation. The community was very upset and it was stressful looking for a new job in the middle of the summer. Fortunately, I found a new home at Lookout Mountain and have enjoyed every work day since then. My incident began work by the WDEA to improve the process for accessing and letting employees go. No longer can a principal just call you up in the summer and relieve you of your position.
I have attended many AEA conventions in Mesa and was able to go to the NEA National Convention in Washington D.C. I am currently the Treasurer of WDEA and PAC and on the IBN team. I have participated in many elections and political rallies such as, March4schools this past spring. I don’t always agree with everything the NEA, AEA, or WDEA does, however not being part of them would be disastrous. I know that there is a team behind the scenes fighting for quality public educations. Without WDEA we might not have 30 min. lunches, 301 monies, school board members that we can partner with and list goes on… My motto is Together Everyone Achieves More and that’s what the WDEA does. Outside of WDEA I am a member of Christ Church of the Valley, enjoy hiking and outdoor sports, have a husband of 27 years, a 25 year old son and a 22 year old daughter, plus two dogs; Buddy and Harley known as my hiking pals. | 
Social Secretatry
Darrin Squire
Darrin.Squire@wesdschool.org | I have been teaching choral and general music at Cholla M.S. for 11 years now and I love it. I am a product of this district; I attended Mountain View Elementary K-6 and Royal Palm Junior High for 7-8. Now I continue to be a product of this district but from another perspective.
I have been a member of the WDEA since I began working in this district and I believe this organization has a duty and a calling to be the voice of the people who do not feel that they have a voice in the district. This is why I have become heavily involved in numerous committees at the district level and within the organization of the WDEA. I currently serve as your Social Secretary and Past President. As a father of 4 and husband who is the sole “bread winner” for the family I focus my time and energy on issues which will help motivate, enrich, adequately compensate and reward hard working education professionals.
I am proud to be a member of the WDEA and to work together to improve our community and change lives.
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Secretary
Kyla Kushner
602.822.6029 (2137)
Kyla.Kushner@wesdschools.org | Hello! My name is Kyla Kushner and I currently teach at Cactus Wren doing self contained 5th grade. This is my third year in the district, but my 7th year teaching. I have been involved with the local, state, and national association ever since I began my teaching career, and in the last two years, I have become more involved. I really enjoy having the opportunity to be a voice for the employees of the Washington District. I have attended two AEA Delegate Assemblies and have attended leadership training throughout the past two summers to more effectively carry out the vision and mission of our organization. I am proud to be a member of WDEA and working together to make a difference in the lives of not only the students of our district, but the employees as well. |
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