I hope this message finds you and your family keeping well.
The Covid-19 pandemic has presented many complicated challenges that continue to shape our professional and personal lives. This past year also illuminated troubling circumstances about the racial injustices impacting our communities. Through these disconcerting times, you have remained resolute in your commitment to educating our exceptional community. Your thoughtful and deliberate response during this past year has been incredible. THANK YOU!
I am very grateful to our Florida CEC Board for their dedication and support this past year. They are an amazing group who volunteered their time and efforts in service to our Florida CEC community, especially during this difficult time. A heartfelt appreciation to each of them; I am thankful to serve on this board with you. We engaged in a number of focused activities: we pledged to participate in CEC’s Project 20/20; presented our first webinar on intersectionality; and completed our first book study on Cultural Competence Now. These efforts align not only with Florida CEC’s focus on social justice, equity, and inclusion, as the mission states, but also with CEC’s concerted efforts “to uphold the ideals of diversity, equity, and inclusion.” FCEC also developed a 3-day Florida CEC Special Education Advocacy Legislative Summit. You may view the presentations and recordings online.
A few announcements to share.
Our new President Elect is Dr. Dena Slanda. Thank you to everyone who completed the ballot and voted.
Our new CAN Representative is Dana Thomson. Thank you to Angela Weary-Crooks for your commitment and service this past year.
Our Florida CEC Annual Conference is on October 21-23, 2021. Please review the Call for Proposals and submit. For more information, visit our conference page.
On behalf of Florida CEC, I share much gratitude to Christy Fulater, FCEC Past President, and Bianca Stidham, Communications Chair, who dedicated several years of service on the board. Both have been invaluable to our collective. Information about the new Communications Chair will be provided in a forthcoming newsletter.
As I transition into the board position as Past President, I extend a very warm welcome to Dr. Jaqua Hunte as President of FCEC for 2021-22.
