President's Message Archive
DISES President's Message - April 2021
Dear Colleagues,
Happy Spring! I hope you are enjoying the changes spring brings with longer days, warmer weather for most and the rebirth of lovely trees and flowers to brighten our days and spirits!
With these seasonal changes, I’d like to share some of the activities DISES is looking ahead to as we spring forward in this season of renewal:
DISES at CEC- A Huge Success!
DISES was an active participant in CEC L.I.V.E- March10-13, and enjoyed hosting a variety of exciting activities to engage members, increase our presence in the global community and offer opportunities for virtual networking and information-sharing with colleagues. The virtual environment afforded us some creative ways to engage attendees in some unique experiences such as the virtual booth with its colorful map and photo displays of past international events around the world, and the giveaway contest for visiting the booth. There was also lots of excitement at the fun scavenger hunt during our Social, and among the Showcase panel of DISES experts as they inspired others by sharing their global contributions.
We were also very pleased to present two Special Awards for their significant contributions during the Pandemic to Drs. Mansur Choudry and Margarita Perez Canadas. You can view details on our website @ dises-cec.org.
June Virtual Event Preview- Join Us!
You are invited to join us for our next virtual event: Culturally Sustaining Partnerships With Families Around the World, Saturday, June 26, 1:00-2:30 pm, ET for a great exchange with our global panelists and an opportunity to learn from them and interact with colleagues in a collegial environment.
Our first virtual event on February 27, 2021, Global Educators Supporting All Learners Through Crisis: Innovations, Challenges & Changes in Schools, proved to be very successful! Our outstanding DISES members/panelists offered tremendous insights from their experiences working in Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Dubai and South Africa and practical solutions in response to the challenges of the pandemic. You can learn more by viewing the recorded session by visiting our You Tube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU7Aa1x7geUXuZh7gvaA1bQ
We are so pleased with all the new colleagues we met during our DISES events this year and look forward to strengthening those relationship and expanding our global network with your participation in future events. We hope you will mark your calendars for the upcoming events and join our DISES community for some exciting sessions as collaborative partners.
All my best,
Mary
Mary V. Kealy, EdD
President, Division of International Special Education and Services
DISES President's Message - January 2021
Dear Colleagues,
Happy New Year! DISES wishes you very happy, healthy, safe and prosperous times in 2021! As we look forward to the new year and the promises it holds, we are grateful for our friends and colleagues and the common bonds we share in our quest for high quality educational services for individuals with disabilities and their families throughout the world.
We would like to highlight some of the exciting projects and events as we begin the New Year!
Membership Campaign
If you are not yet a member of CEC and DISES then this one is for you! We are offering our colleagues an opportunity to join both CEC and DISES with a 50% reduction on the cost of a CEC membership, January 1-31, 2021. As you know, both CEC and DISES offer a wealth of resources, professional learning opportunities and other professional benefits to enhance your work and deepen your commitment to serving individuals with disabilities. Please click here to learn more.
Virtual Event - February 27, 2021, 1:00-2:30 pm, ET
As a DISES member you will have free access to our virtual events series open to all with reduced costs to all others. We are committed to keeping our members and colleagues engaged in the DISES mission and international focus on inclusive education while continuing to meet the challenges of the global pandemic. We invite you to join us for the first session in the series: Global Educators Supporting ALL Learners Through Innovations, Challenges and Changes in Schools and share in the conversation among panel members and colleagues for an exciting exchange of ideas and experiences! More information about the event and registration coming soon.
DISES Events at CEC L.I.V.E
We are also preparing for the first virtual annual CEC L.I.V.E convention, March 10-13, and the DISES activities sponsored events during the convention. Join us for our DISES Showcase, Global Engagement and Impact: Supporting ALL Learners in an Inclusive Society on March 12, featuring a panel of DISES experts sharing highlights of their impressive international work.
DISES Special Award
We also invite you to attend our annual business/membership meeting followed by our virtual reception where we will present a special award to a colleague who has made a significant contribution during the pandemic. Click here for details about the award and nominate a colleague for the DISES 2021 Special Award.
Click here for the entire schedule of events. We'll look forward to seeing you there!
Bylaws Ratified - December 21, 2020
The DISES Bylaws were ratified by the membership on December 21, 2020! While many of the revisions were minor, the most significant change is the extension of the term of the current Board of Directors (BOD) to align with the CEC calendar, January - June. Therefore all current BOD members will serve in their positions until December 31, 2021. Please click here to review the DISES 2020 Bylaws.
Wishing you all a wonderful year of Bright Beginnings in 2021!
Mary V. Kealy, EdD
President, Division of International Special Education and Services
DISES President's Message - November 2020
Dear DISES Colleagues,
I hope you are staying healthy and safe but also finding time to lift your spirits with creative ways to spend your time and find enjoyment in new projects and new ways to connect with family and friends.
During this lovely fall holiday season, I would like to share some interesting information and updates:
Dubai 2021 Conference Update
After considering the health, safety and travel issues, exploring alternatives, and consulting with our partner, Sunshine Learning Difficulties Center, in Dubai, we carefully considered all the information and decided to postpone the conference until June 2022 in the best interests of our members and other registrants. We hope those who planned to attend will consider this new date and others will also include this date in future conference/travel plans. Please note that if you had a presentation accepted for Dubai 2021, your presentation is automatically on the accepted list for Dubai 2022.
More information will follow regarding registration refunds, call for additional proposals, etc.
DISES Virtual Learning Series
Although we are disappointed about the 2020 conference, we are very excited to announce that, in an effort to keep our members engaged and provide a services during the coming year, DISES will be offering a series of virtual learning and information- sharing opportunities during the winter, spring and fall 2021 seasons. We look forward to expanding our knowledge and sharing ideas with colleagues on several topics of interest to our global community of practice.
More information about the details of these learning opportunities will follow so please stay tuned and check our website and social media postings.
International Events-November & December 2020: Engaged. Resilient. Global International Education Week, celebrated November 16-20, 2020, is a worldwide opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange. Schools, colleges and universities, embassies, international organizations, businesses, associations, community organizations, and more will be organizing events for their communities.
This joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education is part of our efforts to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences. Visit iew.state.gov for more information and resources.
We also celebrate the International Day for Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) on December 3, 2020. The IDPD is annually observed to promote the full and equal participation of persons with disabilities and to advocate for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all aspects of society and development. This year, the IDPD will be commemorated throughout the week of November 30 - December 4 in conjunction with the 13th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The theme this year is “Building Back Better: Toward a Disability Inclusive, Accessible and Sustainable Post COVID-19 World”. The forthcoming DISES Information Brief will provide you with more information and details related to this internationally observed week.
Website Resources
We invite you to access current resources and information on the DISES website (dises-cec.org) related to COVID-19. We hope this information will be helpful in your work efforts. Please feel free to share with colleagues. Additionally, please visit our Member Spotlight, meet our student member, and learn about her pathway into the world of international special education.
DISES Bylaws Revisions
You recently received a copy of the draft revisions of the DISES Bylaws 2020 for review and comment. The changes reflect actual current practice and align with our mission and goals for moving us forward next year. Please send any comments by Dec. 3 to info@dises-cec.org . We hope to have the revised bylaws ratified by the end of December 2020. We appreciate your participation in the process.
As we approach the season of gratitude, I would like to extend my grateful appreciation for your commitment to inclusive education in a global society so ALL individuals may benefit from high quality educational opportunities focused on their special needs. Your part in making this a reality is the spirit of DISES and the bright spot that shines the light on the work we do together.
With Gratitude in the spirit of Thanksgiving,
Mary V. Kealy, EdD
President, DISES
DISES President's Message - July 2020
Dear DISES Members and Guests:
It is my pleasure to begin my term as President of the Division of International Special Education and Services (DISES) for 2020-2021. I am very excited to welcome our newly elected Board of Directors (BOD) and look forward to a great year ahead. I am also incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to work with such a talented group of professionals who bring rich contributions to our work.
DISES is about collaboration, contributions, and community engagement through cultural and educational experiences. I invite you to become involved with our global community through participating in some meaningful way this year. Some suggested opportunities:
Our BOD is very involved in membership engagement and we invite you to join any one of our committees to get more involved in DISES. We currently have openings on our Membership and Communications committees. If interested, please let me know and I will connect you with the committee chairs to learn more about these opportunities.
Have you visited our website lately? Please do and view our Member Spotlight to learn more about the global community we represent and the interesting projects and contributions of some of our members. We also invite you to share your unique experiences and contributions to international special education so we can spotlight your work in a future article. Please contact me if interested and I will be happy to make the connection for you.
We also invite you to join us in Dubai for our Annual International Conference, June 21-23, 2021. We are excited about this event that promises to be an outstanding professional learning experience with presenters from several countries offering their perspective on inclusive education and other relevant topics. Most of all, the conference venue, program and collegial environment offer a great opportunity for international networking and collaboration with a wonderful group of professionals. It is an event not to be missed!
I look forward to hearing from you, connecting you to DISES leadership, and providing you with more information to engage you in these or any other opportunities you may be interested in this year.
All my best,
Mary V. Kealy, EdD
President, DISES
marykealy07@gmail.com
DISES President's Message - May 2020
Dear DISES Members and Friends:
It has been a privilege to serve as the President of DISES for the past year. As my term draws to an end in June, I want to thank each one of you for your support and my awesome colleagues on the DISES Board of Directors. I also want to highlight a few DISES achievements from the past year as well as welcome the new DISES board.
Selected accomplishments:
● DISES website was redone and the social media presence was increased to add Twitter, Instagram and the closed Facebook page only for members.
● Can you believe it? DISES completed 30 years.
● International Conference Dubai 2020 was postponed to next year due to Covid-19 which is unfortunate. However, we are pleased to announce that we have finalized the new dates in collaboration with our partners. So, please mark your calendars for the new dates - June 21-23, 2021! We look forward to seeing you there.
● DISES put out two surveys to help support DISES members and others. We are inviting you to help us and each other by completing one or both of the two surveys below by June 7th.
- The first survey, Graduate Student Research International Survey" is intended for instructors in colleges and universities supervising graduate student research. Please complete this survey and/or share with someone who can complete the survey.
- The second survey, Virtual Implementation of Services for Students with Disabilities in This Time of Covid Restrictions" is primarily intended for but not limited to those working with students with disabilities. Please feel free to share the survey with others.
New DISES Board of Directors (July 2020 - June 2021)
President - Dr. Mary Kealy
Past President - Dr. Jugnu Agrawal
Vice President - Dr. Clara Hauth
President-Elect - Dr. Nicole DeClouette
Treasurer - Dr. Ritu Chopra
Secretary - Elizabeth Colquitt, Ed.S.
Membership Officer - Dr.Jim Chapple
Communication Officer - Dr. Emily Collins
Member at large - Dr. Rebekka Jez
Member at Large - Dr. Robai Werunga
Member-at-Large (International Outreach) - Dr. Deborah Tamakloe
Member-at-Large - (Event Support) Mark Francis Ed.S.
Student Representative - Sacha Cartagena
Executive Director - Dr. Alice Farling
We would love to hear from you so please reach out to us via Email or Social media!
Best,
Dr. Jugnu Agrawal
President, DISES
HELPFUL RESOURCES
• Google and YouTube have launched new resource pages to help teachers and families continue to educate students while they're home from school due to the novel coronavirus. Click here for more info.
• Check out the lesson plans and activities for in home activities for parents by grade level at Discovery Education. Click here for more info.
• Indiana Department of Education Resources has a collection of several resources for teachers and parents to support different content areas including social-emotional learning. Click here for more info.
• UNESCO provides a list of educational applications and platforms to help parents, teachers, schools and school systems facilitate student learning and provide social caring and interaction during periods of school closure. Most of the solutions are free and several support multiple languages. Click here for more info.
President's Message - March 2020
Dear DISES Members and Guests,
It has been a rough last couple of weeks with the new normal which has become our reality. It is in times like these that we rely on friends and family. I wanted to reach out to you to stay connected and also share some resources. Please feel free to reach out to me or any of us at DISES.
Best,
Dr. Jugnu Agrawal
President, DISES
FREE CEC Membership
CEC has made an incredibly generous decision to open up CEC membership to those who may not be members, in case there are resources that CEC has that could be helpful. Please share this information with supervising faculty, cooperating teachers, students, teachers, and others. This is a sincere offer from CEC to help share the brain power at CEC during this unprecedented time.
CEC is opening its doors to the special education community in need of resources. Nonmembers of CEC can receive a free basic membership from now through May 31st by using the promotional code "CECED60". This will give you access to all of CEC's journal articles, member discounts on events, and access to CEC's online membership community where you can ask questions and receive support from special educators, administrators and support personnel. Join now!
Early bird registration is now open for the DISES 2020 Dubai conference. You can register using the link here.
HELPFUL RESOURCES
• Google and YouTube have launched new resource pages to help teachers and families continue to educate students while they're home from school due to the novel coronavirus. Click here for more info.
• Check out the lesson plans and activities for in home activities for parents by grade level at Discovery Education. Click here for more info.
• Indiana Department of Education Resources has a collection of several resources for teachers and parents to support different content areas including social-emotional learning. Click here for more info.
• UNESCO provides a list of educational applications and platforms to help parents, teachers, schools and school systems facilitate student learning and provide social caring and interaction during periods of school closure. Most of the solutions are free and several support multiple languages. Click here for more info.
President's Message - January 2020
Dear guests and DISES members,
Happy New Year! Hope all had a wonderful break with family and friends! I wanted to share a few highlights and updates from DISES. I am excited to introduce DISES Board members: Dr. James Chapple, Membership Officer and Ms. Linda Balon-Smith, Member-at-Large.
Early bird registration is now open for the DISES 2020 Dubai conference. You can register using the link here.
Check out the information on Sally Loughborough and Dr. Kevin Miller in the Member Spotlight section.
Can you believe that DISES has been around for 30 years! Please come by the DISES table at the Expo at CEC convention in Portland and join us for the reception. There are many other exciting DISES events and presentations as well. Check out the listing below:
Best,
Dr. Jugnu Agrawal
President, DISES
President's Message - October 2019
Dear DISES members and guests:
I wanted to share a few highlights and updates from DISES. We have been around for 30 years promoting knowledge, exchange, collaboration, human rights and advocacy to those who provide services for individuals with disabilities. Can you believe it? Please join us at the CEC convention in Portland for the celebration. Below is a picture from our 20th year celebration in Nashville!
Please join us for the DISES 2020 conference in Dubai. If you haven't submitted your proposal or need more time, don't sweat :) ! The deadline has been extended until Nov 15th. Please go to our website to submit your proposal. Dubai offers so much to do with family and friends. Please use the following links to discover different things to do in Dubai. My personal favorite is the desert tour.
Check out the following links to plan your trip:
● https://www.visitdubai.com/en
● https://www.bigbustours.com/en/dubai/dubai-bus-tours/
● https://desertsafariphx.com/evening-desert-safari/
We are excited to announce we are expanding our presence on social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (click on the links below to connect immediately).
Stay up to date by:
● Answering our call for proposals for the DISES Conference in Dubai 2020
● Submitting to our Journal of International Special Needs Education
● Learning about who is in our organization through our Member's Spotlight
● Joining our Closed DISES Facebook Group and networking with like-minded educators across the globe, sharing resources, highlighting and problem solving barriers, and discussing individual institutional challenges and successes
● Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
Check out the information on Dr. LaSonya Moore in the New Member Spotlight section and DISES Distinguished International Leadership Award recipient Dr. Michelle Meredith on the Awards page.
DISES Leadership sent a letter to CEC Executive Board and CEC Interim Director outlining concerns over the latest developments in CEC especially the abrupt dismissal of long-time CEC Policy expert Dr. Deborah Ziegler. You can request a copy of this letter by emailing us at info@dises-cec.org.
I would like to thank DISES Board for their hard work and support.
Best,
Dr. Jugnu Agrawal
President, DISES
President's Message - August 2019
Dear DISES members and guests:
I am honored to have been afforded the privilege of serving as the President of DISES for July 2019 to June 2020 term. I wanted to take the opportunity to welcome you, provide a few updates on CEC-DISES and introduce you to the DISES board.
● Jamaica conference: We had a very successful conference in Jamaica. We had about 200 participants and over 10 countries represented. DISES helped advocate for special education funding and resources in the region.
● State of the Profession Study
● Member Spotlight
● DISES Conference 2020 - Dubai - Please be on a look out for more details
● DISES Board:
○ Dr. Alice Farling - Executive Director
○ Mr. Mark Francis - Past President
○ Dr. Mary Kealy - Vice President
○ Dr. Clara Hauth - President Elect
○ Dr. Ritu Chopra - Treasurer
○ Dr. Nicole Dicloutte - Secretary
○ Dr. Lauren Katzman - Membership Chair
○ Dr. Emily Collins - Communication Officer
○ Dr. Hannah Ehrli - Member at large
○ Dr. Rebekka Jez - Member at large
○ Dr. James Chapple - Member at large
○ Dr. Robai Werunga - Member at large
○ Elizabeth Colquitt - Student member
We want to hear from you so please reach out to us via email or social media!
Best,
Dr. Jugnu Agrawal