January Message from DISES President, Dr. Rebekka Jez
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New Year, New Opportunities! Hello DISES Community, Happy New Year! As I step into the new role as president of the Division for International Special Education and Services (DISES), I want to thank Dr. Nicole DeClouette (now past president), Dr. Clara Hauth (stepping down from past president), and Alice Farling (Executive Director) for their incredible service and mentorship over the last few years. I am truly blessed with a circle of colleagues who uplight and inspire! We would love to see you at our upcoming DISES events:
As we move into 2024, I thought I would lay out some of my goals for this year. Goal One: Highlight culturally responsive and sustaining inclusive practices across the globe. As an organization, DISES aims to “promote knowledge exchange, collaboration, human rights, and advocacy” across the globe. We do this through our flagship journal, Journal of International Special Needs Education (JISNE) (special thanks to our Editor, Morgan Chitiyo, and our Managing Editor, Andrew Scheef), our virtual events and information briefs (beautifully organized by Tanya Pinkerton and her team-join us on 1/20/24!), member spotlights (thank you Mary Kealy), and a shout out to Dr. Michele Moohr and Dr. Karen Dace and our DISES awards committee. We are currently accepting nominations for awards (deadline January 31). If you would like to nominate someone, please email your nomination info@dises-cec.org by January 31, 2024 (only complete nomination packets will be reviewed by the Awards Committee). Goal Two: Increase cross-divisional engagement. DISES, Division of Career Development and Transition (DCDT), Division of Early Childhood (DEC), and Division of Visual and Performing Arts Education (DARTS) are excited to announce we were awarded a CEC Interdivisional Grant. Over the next year we will be creating an innovative cross division video podcast series to foster critical global conversations that support youth, families, and educators in culturally responsive and sustaining practices during and beyond the Birth-to-20 experience. The collaborative series will not only acknowledge the great work being done across CEC divisions, but will amplify the gifts and practices of learners, families, and educators at the local, national, and global level. Keep an eye out for more information! If you have ideas for more cross-division engagement, please share using the “Get Involved in DISES” form. Goal Three: Increase membership engagement across the globe. As we begin this new year, we want to build our global community. One way DISES can facilitate this initiative is by creating space for us to connect and share about the assets, practices, and challenges within our own communities with each other. There are many opportunities to connect with DISES members that already exist and many more innovative ways to build relationships across the globe. Here are some opportunities you can do today:
From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you for being a part of the DISES community. I look forward to hearing ideas on how I can be of service to this global family!
Rebekka J. Jez, EdD DISES President Assistant Professor, University of San Diego
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