HomeSAV Links PublicationsMembershipAward

Summer 2004 Volume 11, Issue 2

Official Newsletter of the Illinois Subdivision of the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children.

DEC International Conference Coming to Illinois

by Elizabeth Delaney Purvis

Save the Date!

December 5 - 8, 2004, DEC will kick off its international conference of early childhood education here in Illinois! The conference will be held at the Chicago Sheraton Hotel and Towers in downtown Chicago. At this conference, parents, teachers, and researchers from around the world come together to discuss educational practices and policy that effect young children and their families. The theme for this years conference is Lessons learned: Weaving our future from threads of the past. Presenters have been asked to use their knowledge of child development, theories of learning, and disability to help conference participants to know what lies ahead for the early childhood community. Some topics to be discussed are: effective methods of instruction for young children, advocacy, and supporting families as their children make transitions. Members of the Illinois State Board of Education will be on hand to discuss early childhood here in the great state of Illinois!

If you are interested in volunteering for this event (which will save you 50% on your registration fee), please contact the DEC President Elect, Jeffri Brookfield, at jeffrib@uic.edu

Return to top

Webliography

EI Provider Connections
http://www.wiu.edu/ProviderConnections

Illinois Network of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (INCCRRA)
http://www.ilchildcare.org

Illinois Head Start Association (IHSA)
http://ilheadstart.org

Illinois Early Learning Project
http://illinoisearlylearning.org

Return to top

2005 Sharing A Vision Conference Plans Underway

by Amy Santos

Elmhurst, IL. The planning committee for the 2005 Sharing A Vision (SAV) conference met on June 24 at Elmhurst College to begin preparations for the 9 th Biennial SAV conference. The conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency Oak Brook on October 19 - 21, 2005.

The 9th SAV conference promises to be yet another exciting conference for the state’s early childhood providers, faculty, and family members. The 2005 conference theme is “Working Together for All Children.” The conference will feature inspiring keynote speakers and various sessions that explore new ground in early childhood. As in previous conferences, the SAV 2005 will include exhibitors, table talks, children’s art gallery, special drawings, and fun-filled social events.

The planning committee consists mainly of volunteers. Each one represents different early childhood groups including direct service providers, higher education faculty, administrators, technical assistance providers, family members, and many others. Madelyn James of StarNet Region V and Amy Santos of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign will serve as the 2005 conference co-chairs.

SAV is sponsored by various state groups and organizations including the Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois Division of Human Services, Illinois Division of Children and Family Services, Community Child Care Connection, Americorp, StarNet, Project Choice and many others. This unique collaborative effort makes SAV one of the largest and premiere statewide early childhood conferences. Illinois DEC serves as the coordinating organization of SAV.

This is just the second time that this conference will take place in Oak Brook. The very first SAV conference was held in Oak Brook in 1991. Other SAV conferences have been held in Chicago, Arlington Heights, Peoria, and Springfield. The SAV Conference will return to the Crowne Plaza in Springfield in 2007 for its 10 th year celebration.

For more information about SAV, visit its Web site at http://sharingavision.org or contact Susan Ferry, SAV Conference Planner by telephone (217/824-4776) or by email (sharingavision@aol.com).

Return to top

Upcoming Events

Return to top

CAN Update

by Debbie Bruns

As of July 6, 2004, the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is stalled in Congress. To date, House bill H.R. 1350 passed the full House in Spring 2003 and the Senate has made some progress in their version of the bill. Representative and Senators are in the process of resolving differences.

The House-Senate Conference process results in a conference agreement that must be passed by the full House and the full Senate and signed into law by the President.  Many still predict that, due to significant differences between the House and Senate bills, the IDEA conference process will not be completed before the 108th Congress adjourns this fall.  All bills under consideration by the Congress expire at the end of the 108th Congress, requiring the IDEA process to begin again in January 2005 when the new 109th Congress convenes.

If you are interested in receiving email alerts related to IDEA and other bills and funding affecting early childhood special education, send your name and email address to dabruns@siu.edu to be added to the IL DEC CAN list.

Thanks are extended to Sarah Hadden, DEC Governmental Relations Committee, and Sharon Walsh, DEC Governmental Relations Consultant, for the news updates.

Return to top

President's Message

by Beth Delaney Purvis

It has been my pleasure and honor to serve IDEC as President during the last 12 months. It was a year of changes for me, both professionally and personally. I think we can say the same for the State of Illinois!

During the past year, IDEC continued to be a leader in many local, state, and national early childhood related activities. The Sharing A Vision conference in Springfield was a colossal success! The DEC governance board will be represented by three members of IDEC: Lynette Chandler, Amy Santos, & Tweety Yates! The national DEC conference will be hosted in our own great state! We are fortunate to have a constituency who are dedicated to the best interest of children and families.

As I step down as President of IDEC, I encourage IDEC members remain committed to meeting the needs of young children and families in Illinois and around the world. Please consider joining the IDEC Executive Board as one way towards success for all children!  

You may contact Beth Delaney Purvis at:

Beth Delaney Purvis
Executive Director
Chicago Charter School Foundation
228 S. Wabash, Suite 600
Chicago, IL 60604
P: 312.455.7890
F: 312.455.7891
bpurvis@ccsfonline.org

Return to top

DEC Conference

20th Annual DEC
International Conference
on Young Children with Special Needs and Their Families

“Lessons Learned: Weaving Our
Future from the Threads of the Past”

December 5-8, 2004
Chicago , IL

Visit the DEC website for updates:
http://www.dec-sped.org

Return to top

IDEC's SAV Conference

The 9th Illinois
Statewide Collaborative
Early Childhood Conference

October 19-21, 2005
Oak Brook , IL

For more information visit:
http://sharingavision.org/