August 2011
Dear SPaN
Members and Fellow Advocates,
I would like to express my appreciation for your vote of confidence in electing
me President of SPAN for a second term. I am honored to be entrusted with this position of responsibility.
In
June, SPaN held our annual election for the Board of Directors. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the following
outgoing Board Members for their service to SPaN over the past years: Shelly Green, Marilyn Weber and Lynn
Kreutz.
Each of these members played a substantial role in SPaN's success, and we look forward to their continuing membership
and support in the coming years. I would also like to welcome Beth Tremblay-Hall to the Board of Directors, and thank
her for her willingness to share her time and expertise. We are honored to have her.
This past year was
a wonderful success for SPaN on a number of levels thanks to the hard work and dedication of our Board of Directors, members,
and others who are invested in the growth and success of SPaN. Highlights of our achievements include:
- SPaN's
first Massachusetts Special Education School Fair of State Certified and Collaborative Programs. This was a well attended
event and provided a enormous amount of exposure for our organization and members.
- Outstanding programming schedule
with exceptional presenters
- A significant increase in both membership and program attendance
- Creation of a
Facebook page
- Conducted an audit of our Professional Listing which verified that our listing includes members invested
in continuing their professional growth and development
- Opportunities to work in collaboration with a number of other
organizations
Even with the significant growth and achievement we have experienced over the past few years, the
Board of Directors continues to approach each new year with a renewed sense of energy and purpose. There are a number
of new initiatives that our Committees will be working on this year, and we encourage all members to get involved.
An exciting new event this year is our 2-day Case Study Intensive workshop. This is a must attend event if you
are interested in moving your advocacy skills to the next level. You must be a SPaN member to register, so I encourage
you to join today. Continue to check our web site regularly for programming details and updates.
SPaN is
a non-profit organization run by a group of advocates who volunteer our time to carry out the mission of SPaN.
We ask that you consider actively participating in one of several volunteer opportunities. For more information
on how you can contribute time, expertise and/or donations please do not hesitate to contact us. We value your
support.
One of the primary ways to provide support is through your membership and attendance at our professional development
programs. Please remember to renew your membership for the 2011-2012 year. Membership benefits include:
reduced programming fees, networking opportunities, access to Members Only section of the website, Professional Directory
listings (for an additional fee) and access to the Case Study Intensive workshop.
Again, I thank you all for your vote
of confidence. I am looking forward to seeing you all this year and working with you to further advance the profession
of special education advocates.
With Warm Regards,
Renee Williams
President, SPaN
