The 2019 Challenge & Change Conference is now over. Our own Tianay de Andrade provided the welcome to the traditional territory of the Squamish, Musqueam, and Tsleil-Waututh, Victoria Maxwell got us energized with her presentation, and Dr. Gordon Neufeld provided yet another wonderful and thought-provoking keynote. The nametags with session choices on the back were a hit (and saved the Conference Coordinator a ton of work), as were the gift certificates we handed out. We had some issues with our first ever attempt to evaluate sessions electronically (thanks to those of you who persevered!), but that, too, is the way of the future, and will return next year. The Saturday morning after, the Executive was hard at work planning 2020, which will be our 33rd conference. We hope to see you there!
The BCAEA engages in a number of activities for its members, including holding a conference in Vancouver every February, publishing a newsletter twice a year, maintaining a provincial alternate programs directory, and providing a list serve. We also provide $16,000 annually in awards for eligible students and grants for eligible teachers.
Well, the 2019 conference is over and what a great conference it was! 433 of you registered, and from all reports, a good time was had by all. The lineup for 2020 is firming up nicely.
The Association provides grants and awards to member teachers and awards and bursaries to member-sponsored students totalling $16,000. Just one of the perks of membership!
Attend our annual conference and automatically get a one year association membership. If you didn’t attend the conference, you can still pay the fee and join the PSA.
The Association publishes the conference brochure each fall, and a newsletter in the fall and spring. Members choose to receive these communications electronically or mailed as a paper copy.
At the AGM each year elections are held to fill positions on the Executive. President and Vice President are normally elected in odd years, and Treasurer, Secretary, and Newsletter Editor are elected in even year, all for two year terms. This year we held elections for President, Vice President and Treasurer. The Treasurer position is for one year to get it back in sync with the usual rotation.
At Saturdays’s post-conference Executive Meeting, DJ Pauls was appointed Conference Coordinator, Karen Gadowsky was appointed Speaker Coordinator, Christine Thygesen was appointed Registrar, and Mike Shaw was appointed Publications Manager. All appointed positions are for a term of one year.
Both elected positions and appointed positions take effect on July 1 each year.
Mike Shaw teaches at the Westside Learning Centre, a satellite of Central Programs in Kelowna.
Tianay de Andrade teaches in Mission, and most recently was the BCAEA Treasurer.
James Martyn is a teacher at Fraserview Learning Centre. He lives in Abbotsford.