CEC Convention Recap

Author: Dr. Marla J. Lohmann, CEC-FBSO Caucus Chair

Thank you to everyone who attended the CEC-FBSO caucus meeting or stopped by the booth at the CEC Convention last month. It was really great to meet so many of you. I am so excited for the enthusiasm that many of you have for integrating faith and our careers and I loved hearing your stories regarding how your faith impacts what you do every day! It was inspiring! I am really excited to serve as the Chair for the CEC-FBSO caucus this upcoming year and am looking forward to hearing all of your ideas.

And, I am thrilled to be publishing our first monthly newsletter. Based on our meeting at CEC, the plan is that these newsletters will include articles on evidence-based practices, personal stories about integrating faith and career, and resources for faith-based special educators. I would love for each of you to consider contributing articles for the newsletter. As a recap from the CEC Convention, here are our goals and dreams for the future:

1. Attendees felt that it is not important that their school is faith-based, but that they as individuals are guided by faith in their career choices and their daily lives.
2. Attendees would like FBSO to be a way to connect with other SPED professionals who are guided by faith.
3. Attendees would love FBSO to be a resource for some evidence-based practices, particularly the research being done by other caucus members.
4. Attendees would like to work together to create a list of good resources about faith-based education.
5. University faculty would like to work together to do research regarding faith-based SPED.
6. Attendees would like the caucus meeting next year to be about a 15-minute meeting and then spend the rest of the time on mini-presentations from members on their research.
7. Attendees would like a monthly email newsletter that can also be posted on the CEC-FBSO blog.
8. Attendees would like to see faith-based sessions at CEC.
9. Some attendees would like to help at the booth in the CEC Convention exhibit hall next year. One attendee asked if we could have a “prayer request” jar at the table. Attendees feel like becoming a more visible caucus will help growth. They feel that this can be accomplished through many of the items on this list.
10. Attendees feel like becoming a more visible caucus will help growth. They feel that this can be accomplished through many of the items on this list.