DISES President’s Letter – September 2024

Hello DISES Community!

One of my favorite parts of my “job” is working with the brilliant, loving, and dedicated people in my circle. I think coming from a family with eight children, the idea of collaboration came naturally to me. Being a member of DISES has connected me with so many people who not only impress, humble, and inspire me on a regular basis. Every event, committee, speakers, and discussions I have had connected to DISES reminds me how honored I am to serve with, and for, each of you. I truly believe being a part of the DISES community is one of the best perks of membership!

Would you like to get involved? Here are some ways to do that:

DISES Conference in KENYA 2025! Here is the link to the DISES in Kenya Call for Proposals (due Oct. 15, 2024). We encourage you to apply to share your knowledge, expertise, and skills with our global community. Want to be a part of the conference planning committee? Reach out and I will get you connected with a subcommittee. rjez@sandiego.edu 

Professional Learning Gallery: We are building out our professional learning gallery, if you would like to get involved in this project by sharing resources or collaborating on developing a module please contact the module lead to join in on the fun. Module list:

• Inclusion 101- Jennifer L. Ward jlward@svsu.edu
• Family Engagement - Nicci Dowd ndowd@marymount.edu
• Transition into Adulthood- Joana Idakwo-Agha jidakwo@googlemail.com
• Academic Inclusive Practices - Rebekka Jez rjez@sandiego.edu
• Social-Emotional and Behavioral Inclusive Practices- Kathyanne Sheffield kathyannesheffield@gmail.com
• Collaboration- Keitha Osborne keitha.osborne@themico.edu.jm or Rebekka Jez rjez@sandiego.edu
• Leadership- Joanne Lane  jlane1111@aol.com
• Accessibility & Assistive Technology - Rebekka Jez rjez@sandiego.edu

Virtual Event: On Sept. 21st Saurym Quezada (chair of the Student Engagement Committee) moderated a discussion with Dr. Maureen Short and Tessa Nelson-Neigum at our DISES Virtual Research Showcase. Be on the lookout for the Information Brief about the event coming soon. 

Membership: We are working on building our global community and membership is an important part of this endeavor. Here are a few perks of being a member 

• DISES Country Lead: Are you working in a country outside of the US and want to get your colleagues, friends, and community members involved in DISES? Our membership team has a new opportunity for you- become a DISES country lead! Stay tuned for more information. 
• Sip and Chat: What a powerful group of people--I want to thank Dr. Kathyanne Sheffield and the Sip & Chat planning team for putting on such a wonderful event! Check out the list of promising practices the attendees put together: Sip & Chat August 2024 Summary. The next is our October 12 Sip & Chat (flyer). 

Student Engagement Committee:  Saurym Quezada is working on building out a DISES mentorship program for DISES members who are students/new professionals being matched with DISES veterans. Here is a link to the DISES Mentorship Survey we use to match mentees with mentors- please complete by September 25, 2025 so that you can make the most of the opportunity. 

Request for Proposals (RFP) for DISES Conference 2026: due Oct. 16, 2024, please email info@dises-cec.org with your proposal! To support your development of the proposal we have the call with frequently asked questions and proposal requirements and a sample letter of support from in-country partners.

Member Spotlight: Read all about the amazing work our DISES member, Dr. Teri Rouse, is doing in the Member Spotlight. And if you are looking for a book to read by a cozy fire this fall, you can learn more about that as well. 

CEC Engagement

PD Fall Fair: Join DISES at the CEC Fall PD Fair! On Oct. 24, we’ll be presenting three live, 1-hour sessions. You can register for our session and others to earn up to 5 CEUs. For more information, visit the CEC PD Fair website. Use code 10PDFair to receive 10% off your  registration. If you want to register more than one person, reach out to ceconlinelearning@exceptionalchildren.org for group discount codes! Orrrrrr, CEC wants to help us share the value of being a member by allowing me to invite three colleagues or friends to attend CEC’s Fall Virtual PD Fair on October 24. The first six people who email me will receive 50% off the registration! If you want to get 50% off registration, email me at rjez@sandiego.edu by October 1st.