TED Leadership Message, August 20, 2024
August, 20 2024
I know you just heard from me, but there is a lot going on right now! I want to keep you informed!
I want to get a couple of dates down on your calendar - SEPT 15 is the last day to register for EARLY BIRD discounts. That is less than a month away! Take a look at the savings
So please go register NOW
Pittsburgh, PA. Nov 5-8th. Omni William Penn Hotel
Registration is open!
Speaking of the conference, I have heard from members that there are some concerns related to the 2024 TED Conference. I wanted to take a moment to let you know that the Presidential Line and the Board are listening and trying to address these concerns as best we can.
First, I wanted to give some history for context. The TED conference has traditionally taken place during the second week of November (or the first full week). It has fallen over election cycles for decades. This has always been in our minds and considerations. The membership was asked, and answered that knowing this recurring November timeframe was preferred.
Since these conversations took place, we acknowledge that membership has changed and climates have been transformed. It may be time to revisit. However, we negotiate contracts two to three years out, so moving a conference is extremely costly and has only been done once for the pandemic. (Which is the only reason the conference fell over Halloween last year).
The conference advisory committee (CAC) does an amazing job trying to accommodate all of our members’ needs. A rigorous selection process was instituted based on many factors, two of which are cost to our members and climate/setting of the host city based on ratings from several civil rights organizations. You can take a look at the rubric for that process here. If you are interested in being a member of the CAC, please contact Brannan Meyers (TED@exceptionalchildren.org) for more information.
With that in mind, please note we are very excited about the 2024 Pittsburgh Conference and hope you will come ready to engage with colleagues and discuss the hope and future we want for our field. We will have open rooms for use by participants, have scheduled keynotes and business meetings with flexibility in mind, and discussed safety precautions with the hotel. We want everyone to be able to take advantage of the community and safety we value at the TED conference!
Given the dates for the conference this year, please take the opportunity to engage in your right to vote through your state’s early voting system. There are only two states without the option for early voting - Sorry AL and NH. You can find out more about your state through the US Vote Foundation website: https://www.usvotefoundation.org/early-voting-dates
If you have specific concerns and want to reach out, please contact me directly. See you in November!
August 2.0 Members on the Move
TED members had some very impressive “moves” this summer. I am so excited to share more of their great work!
Dr. Wendy Murawski, former TED President, spent two months in Europe connecting with other co-teaching researchers from Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Greece, Germany, and Ireland. She then spent another week in the Czech Republic presenting at the International Association for Special Education with Swiss and Danish colleagues (see picture). Wendy is currently working on a comparative analysis of co-teaching internationally. I know you will agree with me when I can, we can't wait to see it! Thank you WENDY!
I don’t know about you, but I’m jealous of these members! Wendy was not alone in the Czech Republic!
Dr. Iris Drower was also part of the International Travelers from TED! Every two years professionals from around the world come together to promote collaboration, research, exchange of information and advocacy to those who provide support and services for individuals with disabilities. This year Iris had the opportunity to present and visit one of ten sites/NGOs at the 18th Biennial IASE (International Association of Special Education) conference in Pilsen, Czech Republic. We had 34 countries represented from around the world and our focus was ' Supporting Inclusion of Disabilities Across the Lifespan.'
I don’t know about you, but I am so proud of these TED members! They work tirelessly here in the US and still find the time and energy to collaborate with colleagues around the globe to improve inclusive practices for students with disabilities and their families!
We love to highlight our members! Please share what you are doing. TED Members on the Move
TED is Your Professional Organization
I say this every Leadership Message - but I really do want to hear from you! I had the opportunity to sit in on a recent meeting of one of our SIGs/Caucuses, and I am so hopeful for our organization’s future when I get to engage with all of you! So please invite me to a meeting if you like. But even if you aren’t speaking on behalf of a group, you just have something to share, then please tell us what is on your mind!
We really do want to know more about you and what you are looking for in your professional network. Please fill out this form IDEAS for TED_Virtual Suggestion Box
It can be anonymous. However, if you would like to engage in dialogue with me or another board member, please share your name and contact information. I look forward to hearing from you and sharing your ideas with the board.
Until Next Time,
Have a great start to the new semester!
Kyena