2011 NCSS Legislative Day--Save the Date

Thursday, December 1, 2011 -- 8:00AM -- **Save the Date!!** Plan on coming early! This year's conference in Washington D.C. provides a unique opportunity to come together in the Nation's capital for a not-to-be-missed opportunity to reach our members of Congress and flex our social studies muscle! In light of pending appropriations legislation and the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), NCSS is focusing its resources on making Thursday, December 1 an all-day Legislative Day event that will include a morning orientation, time to meet with your members of Congress in the late morning and early afternoon and an important debriefing and info dissemination strategies in the afternoon. Please disregard the information that appeared in the Conference Preview regarding the NCSS Leaders Program that would take place on Thursday afternoon. In order to make this an impactful day for social studies, we will be focusing all our energies on legislative visits. More information to come as plans are finalized -- stay tuned! Visit our website to view a tenative schedule of the days activities and sign up!

Affiliate Leaders have the opportunity for a free nights stay Wednesday, November 30, 2011 at the Grand Hyatt Washington. Contact Kristen@ncss.org for details.

First Timer Scholarship Appeal to Councils

Dear NCSS colleagues,

The NCSS annual conference in Washington, DC on December 2-4 promises to be an exciting opportunity for you to explore who, what, and how we teach with thousands of your colleagues. With the theme, Dimensions of Diversity, the conference will highlight the central role of social studies in our schools: preparing our students to make a better world. We hope you are planning to attend.

NCSS will offer First Timer’s conference scholarships and a one year membership to a limited number of qualifying teachers in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. The intent of the scholarship is to support attendance by early career teachers from diverse ethnic groups and/or who teach in high-poverty schools, and who have never attended an NCSS conference. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, 36 teachers from Colorado and nearby states were able to attend last year. We would like to offer 100 scholarships this year.

We are inviting your affiliated council to sponsor a First Timer at the conference. Donations to this fund in any amount will help create invaluable opportunities for social studies educators to attend the conference for the first time. A $275 contribution will generate a full scholarship for attendance at the conference and a one-year regular membership in NCSS. Special thanks to Colorado, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin councils that have already sponsored a scholarship.

You can also designate your sponsorship in honor of someone special. You might wish to honor your council's award winner, president, outstanding volunteer, or even a citizen from your state who is a notable contributor to social studies education. Contributions to the First Timer Scholarship fund can fulfill one of the criteria for qualifying for the Gold and Silver Star Council award.

First Timer Scholarship gifts will be recognized on a Page of Honor in the conference program.
If you want to contribute or would like to learn more about the First Timer’s scholarship, please complete the attached sponsorship form. We are looking forward to hearing from you by October 1.

Sincerely,

Gayle Thieman, Sue Blanchette,Shannon Pugh

Council Resolutions Webinar July 27th 1:00-3:00 PM EDT

Dear NCSS Affiliate Council Leaders:

Please join us for an informative "Resolutions" Webinar July 27th 1:00-3:00PM EDT.

The webinar will cover the following topics:
Define resolutions: What is their purpose?
Questions to consider when writing a resolution;
Resolution Structure, Effectiveness and Clarity;
What role does your group have in NCSS and why is it important to for your group to participate in the resolutions process?
Collaborative Discourse suggestions;
Submission and Review Deadlines;
Timeframe for Implementation of approved resolutions
Please review the NCSS resolution resources provided and come prepared to share and discuss resolutions on Wednesday.

A webinar invite will be generated and sent to you. To join the web meeting open the Webex invitation on Thursday before the meeting is about to start. Then click the link. If required enter your name, email address and meeting password. Click Join. In order to listen to the conversation you must dial-in to the conference call using the number and passcode provided on the invitation.

Please RSVP to kristen@ncss.org no later than 5 PM EDT Tuesday July 26th. We look forward to your attendance!

Sincerely,

Brad Burenheid, Chair Resolutions Committee
Ana Post, Director, External Relations and Council Communications
Kristen Pekarek, Program Assistant, External Relations and Council Communications

First 2011 Council Scholarship Donation

Just wanted to use this opportunity to announce that we recently received our first Council First-Timer Scholarship Donation for the 2011 Conference in Washington D.C. If you or your council would also like to donate please contact our Meetings Department to get more information or visit our website!