LEA News

2011 LEA Award Cycle

Nominate a worthy educator for the 2011 LEA awards. (The link will be available from the home page August 1.)

Convocation Updates

Keep tabs on Convocation. Here are selected March through May press releases. Check for regular updates as they occur. Convocation registration begins in August 2010.

Lutheran Special Education Ministries will play a special role at the Convocation next March. They will have a Developmental Disabilities Awareness Lab in the exhibit hall, where you can experience what it is like to learn differently.

A preview of sectional titles is now available. Sectionals are listed by strand. The list is tentative. Additions and cancellations are expected. This list may help you with Title 1 applications or to support your attendance to your governing board, congregation, or other potential funders. Read LEAnews for updates. The Convocation registration book will contain finalized information. You can expect to see it early in August.

The working (tentative and partial) Convocation schedule may be viewed in the left margin on the Convocation page. Please note that though the schedule is tentative, opening registration (8:00 a.m. March 24), first sectional (12:30 p.m. March 24), and Convocation closing (11:45 a.m. March 26) are reliable. The official schedule will be available no later than August.

Convocation transportation alert

Air fares into Cincinnati tend to be wildly erratic, often on the negative side. It is advisable to monitor fares now to get some ideas about reasonable fares. Sites such as Kayak or your favorite airline’s web site can facilitate this process. Cincinnati is served by Delta, American, United, Continental, and US Airways. For a significant cost savings, you could fly on Southwest to Columbus, Ohio, and rent a car with a group to drive to Cincy.

If you can be flexible about your arrival and departure times, round-trip train tickets on Amtrak can be very reasonable. If you live in a city served by Megabus, you may find very affordable transportation to Cincinnati.

Convocation attractions

Aside from the LEA Convocation (March 24-26, 2011), Cincinnati has many interesting attractions. Among the standouts are The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and the Contemporary Arts Center.

Salt Recipe

Gene Edward Veith writes, “When Christians are better educated than non-Christians, Christians will become the major culture shapers.” See if you agree after reading “Salt Recipe” from Transforming Teachers.

Lutheran Education Journal (LEJ) news

The final paper issue of Lutheran Education was mailed to LEA members in spring. All future issues will be electronically produced and accessed. The first issue under new production was scheduled for release in May. LEA members are invited to get the LEJ bonus for Volume 143, No. 2 right now: Questions for reflection or discussion are designed to give you a hint of content and a series of questions to discuss among staff or to reflect upon privately. Take a look.

Need a speaker for your conference?

Check out LEA’s Speaker Service Catalog of 30 possibilities, including Beginning Teacher Workshops.

You better believe it!

No, not a threat, but encouragement. If you teach in a Lutheran school or serve in other agencies, you have a ministry. Having a ministry does not mean you teach religion all day. If you have trouble with the concept, check out the following:

The old (and I do mean old) The Educator as Minister, a still-worthwhile LEA Monograph from 1979.
Or try the 1993 LEA Monograph, “Lutheran Schools: Ministering to Families Today and Tomorrow.”
Want something newer—and quite excellent? Read A Teacher of the Church edited by Russ Moulds from Concordia University Nebraska.