MNCEC 2012 Conference Planning Committee Report
By Steve Street, Chair,
2012 Conference Planning Committee
The MN CEC Board met for their first meeting of the year on Saturday, September 17, 2011 in the cities. One of the primary agenda items for discussion and decision was the 2012 MN CEC Spring Conference.
The 2012 Conference Planning Committee met to discuss the probability of offering the annual MN CEC 2012 conference. As previously noted, financing a conference this year could be a financial challenge. Multiple items were discussed and considered in order to determine the viability of having a conference in 2012. The committee discussed the results of the board’s conference survey that was made available to the membership this past summer. The survey results provided some excellent ideas about conference format changes like a one day event on a Saturday to be held at a time other than the traditional spring conference in the past. The majority of the survey respondents wanted to see the conference take place in the Twin Cities area.
A different starting point for planning a conference was to determine the conference theme and content with MN CEC membership input. Meeting the membership’s professional development needs is a key intention of the committee’s next conference. It was further discussed that statewide entities like MASE could also provide the conference committee with important conference ideas from the special education administration perspective. Other state education organizations input will also be collected.
Identifying and inviting Minnesota educators to be the keynote speaker is another idea the committee will be using. Input ideas like this from the membership will further guide MN CEC conference planning. There is an updated Facebook page for MN CEC. The MN CEC membership can provide conference content ideas and identify Minnesota educators with excellent knowledge and skills to be presenters and keynote speakers. Showcasing statewide talent by creating opportunities for educators throughout makes good sense to us!
The conference planning committee presented a summary of these ideas to the MN CEC Board for their consideration. The Board voted NOT to have a 2012 MN CEC Conference. The Board directed the Conference Planning committee to conduct a 2013 Conference needs assessment survey with the MN CEC membership as well as statewide organizations. The survey will provide all members of the MN CEC organization to identify the conference theme and content for 2013. By using the 2012 timeframe to plan for these conference format changes based on membership input, we believe the resulting 2013 conference will meet specific membership needs.
The MN CEC Board continues to be seriously interested in providing resources/services to the membership that will enhance your professional growth. In doing so, the Board requests the membership’s deep involvement in constructing a conference that will make a difference in the education of Minnesota’s children and youth with exceptional learning needs. We look forward to your ideas, inputs, and support for the work we are doing on your behalf as well as your students.