A Letter From Our President

Dr. Rieck
A Letter From Our President, Dr. William Rieck

At the Executive Committee meeting on February 24th someone asked the question: "What is the purpose of our newsletter"? Well, I have paraphrased that a little and decided to let you know what the purpose of Louisiana CEC is, at least from my perspective. Keep in mind this is my personal view.

Our most important purpose is to provide low-cost, high-quality educational opportunities for teachers, students of education, parents, supervisors, and administrators. We do this through Super Conference. Each year we invest from $30,000 to $40,000 to provide a very worthwhile two-day conference with scores of issues-oriented sessions at very reasonable cost. Registration at the national is $327 for members in advance. Our advanced registration for the full two-day conference was $40 for members, and we even provide a continental breakfast! To be honest, the economics of life will force us to increase registration next year. We bring outstanding speakers from within and outside the state. I honestly believe there is no other conference in Louisiana or nationally that provides this level of value.

In addition to the conference, which in 2008 will be on January 29-30 at the Cajundome Conference Center in Lafayette, we provide teachers with the opportunity to get up to $500 for worthwhile classroom projects as well as providing $1,000 scholarships to worthwhile students.

Finally we provide cash awards to students with special learning needs through the "yes I can" program who have made significant accomplishments, paraprofessionals who are nominated by teachers for an award, and teachers who are nominated.

Membership in the international CEC automatically makes you a member of the LACEC at no additional cost. We are allowed to make an assessment that CEC collects, but unlike many states, we do not have dues. CEC provides lobbying and educational services as well as quality journals; LACEC provides quality conferences at low cost and funds for worthwhile teacher projects, student scholarships and awards. Not a bad combination. Or, as the songstress Carley Simon sings: "Nobody does it better."

William A. Rieck, Ed.D.
President