The CCEA annual State Conference will be held on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday April 28, 29 & 30th in beautiful Los Angeles. This year's conference will focus on improving instruction in continuation schools and meeting the challenges of the new accountability standards. 

"There is a lot of work to be done in continuation schools," says CCEA vice-president Doug Paulson. "There are so many new academic and professional requirements being placed on us that it is easy to lose focus on the individual student. We cannot allow this to happen.  It is vital that we come together to positively deal with these challenges and continue to deliver the best services to our students."

 "This conference is going to be outstanding," says organizer Janet Knoeppel.  "We have top notch presenters and some really exciting topics.  There is no doubt that this is going to rival even last year's Sacramento conference."

 The CCEA conference is the largest meeting of Continuation educators in the world.  Each year almost a thousand continuation school teachers, administrators, and classified employees come together to share ideas, showcase their programs, commiserate about Continuation Education challenges, and have fun. Los Angeles is the venue for this year's conference.  "There is always a ton to do and see in this city.  Los Angeles is just a fun place to be," says co-organizer Jim Caswell.

 On Friday, there will be several special programs.  CCEA will be sponsoring a trip to the Musem of Tolerance/Simon Wiesenthal Center.  Marilyn George will be presenting a program on "WASC for Continuation High Schools."  There will be several other timely and important ½ day sessions by top experts, and are well worth the trip.

Friday also features the traditional opening of the conference. There will be the meeting of the Council of District Representatives, more workshops, and great early networking.  Friday night is the President's Reception, and the first awards dinner for Classified, Administrator and Support Personnel of the Year.  This dinner is followed by nighttime entertainment, including our annual dinner-dance. 

Saturday is a full day of workshops, with excellent presentations by a variety of continuation school educators. At the Saturday Luncheon, we will hear a wonderful speech by keynote speaker Alan Lawrence Sitomer, author, playwright, and high school literature teacher.  Saturday night is dedicated to hospitality suites and sightseeing on you own. 

Sunday morning will include several very special presentations.  The CCEA Teacher of the Year will be named.  This is followed by a Brunch to honor newly selected Model Continuation High Schools and Exemplary Programs.

"We are trying to balance fun with serious work," says CCEA president Dan Plough. "If you look at the incredible demands being put on continuation schools by the State and Federal governments, it is clear that we must work together to improve our schools and programs.  This conference is designed to help us do exactly that."

Full registration for the conference costs $250 for CCEA members ($300 for non-members, another good reason to join now). This includes the dinner/dance on Friday night, lunch on Saturday, and brunch on Sunday.  The room rate at the Sheraton Gateway is $114 per night.  The conference is designed to be funded through any of the staff development mechanisms, including NCLB. "But, even if your District can't come up with the money, this conference is well worth paying for," comments Knoeppel.

You can register for the conference online at www.cceanet.org or by sending in the attached registration form.  Make your room reservations today by calling the Sheraton Gateway Hotel at 1-310-642-1111.  If you need more information or have specific questions, you may contact Janet Knoeppel at janetwk@aol.com.

 Registration: 
The best way to register is online at www.cceanet.org. 
We will always take fax and mail registrations too.  They are also available online.

Hotel:
Sheraton Gateway Hotel
6101 West Century Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90045
1-310-642-1111
Ask for special CCEA rates ($114. per night includes parking)

 Raffle and Door Prizes:
There will be many Raffles and Door Prizes throughout the conference.  Be sure to come and  see what we have to offer.

 Transportation:
Check online for airfare specials.
LA International Airport is 3 minutes away

Student Art Display:
The Student Art Display showcases the excellent art work done by our students.  Entries in all categories are accepted. Presenters should bring materials to display their works. 

 Keynote Speaker:
Inspirational and talented teacher and author Alan Sitomer will be our keynote speaker at the Saturday luncheon.  Alan is the author of such teen favorites as The Hoopster and Hip Hop High School, as well as being a literature teacher at Lynwood High School. 

Museum of Tolerance/Simon Wiesenthal Center
Visit this exceptional museum and learning center which spotlights the problems of intolerance and hate crimes.  This center is a life changing experience for many continuation students in the Southern California area, and is a must see attraction for teachers working with at-risk students.  CCEA will sponsor a field trip to the museum on Friday.  Please notify Janet Knoeppel janetwk@aol.com immediately if you wish to attend.  There is no charge for professional members ($10 for non-members)

President's Reception: 
Join us before Friday night dinner at the president's reception.  Join your friends, old and new for some pre-dinner chit-chat.  Special recognition will be given to professional members.

It is time to renew  membership in CCEA and support your professional organization in our important work on behalf of California's continuation students.  In this age of budget cuts and   extreme challenges, it is critical that we come together to do a better job with less.  The professional membership is of critical importance to you and your organization.  The $50.00 fee is probably the least expensive of any professional organization in existence.  Your dues help support our efforts for you in Sacramento, with the Model Schools Program, in putting on our conference and bringing you the latest and most important ideas that are working in Continuation Education.