Dear NEALS member,
First and foremost: Please take fifteen minutes to complete our 2012 membership survey, so that we will have substantial and accurate information to share. Here is the link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2012NEALSsurvey (There are 30 – 41 thoughtful questions, on the 6th page, you answer those you wish to.)
Conference Recap: Your Board was delighted to welcome nearly 100 members to the 2012 conference and to honor all the founding members of NEALS, including Kara Ashley, Vaunie Graulty, Joanne Hayhurst, Barbara Kenefick, Karen May, Marcia Rummuni, Matt Treat, and Laura Vantine. To commemorate his service as a founding member, his presidency from 2008 - 2011, and his continued service as conference chair, the membership gave Matt a platter designed and crafted by artist Woody Hughes, Lee's husband. The rest of our board, easy to find in their teal and black NEALS scarves, were also warmly appreciated for their tireless efforts on behalf of the membership this year: Vice Presidents: Vaunie Graulty and Kathy Richards; our communications team: Holly McGlennon Treat (facebook) and Kim Ross (website); our membership team: Melissa Rubin (directory) and Lee Hughes and our special projects chair: Kara Ashley (survey). Please contact any of us if you would like to join in our efforts on behalf of learning specialists in independent schools.
Our Thanks: Helen Waldron and Rebecca Plona of Forman School delivered a joyful and informative conference, made even better by delicious food, at their beautiful school in Litchfield, CT. Their guest and keynote speaker, Dr. George McCloskey presented a dynamic, intelligent, and engaging talk on Executive Functioning (EF) which included practical teaching recommendations based on brain science as it relates to EF. He was gracious enough to invite us to post his PowerPoint on our website at www.nealsonline.org . The afternoon session on the use of IPads in school provided members with good information on incorporating the IPad and many relevant apps into their work with students. Please add your favorites to our Google Groups discussion online.
Moving Forward: Thank you for completing the survey, above. Changes with the NEALS membership correlate well with changes in the field for all learning specialists, so please contact me directly if you would be interested in helping to write up our survey results to share with the membership and, if you share our ambitions, for national publication. The vast information provided will certainly warrant the attention if every member completes the survey as the majority did in 2007. The board meets in early August, please contact me with your agenda items. We look forward to seeing you at the regional meetings in the fall!
Thank you for your continued devotion to learning specialists in independent schools.
Yours,
Susan
Susan Cole Ross, M.A., C.E.T., M.A.
President, Northeast Association of Learning Specialists
Learning Specialist, Chase Collegiate School
sross@chasemail.org
203-236-9525