CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS (CEU’s)
Many thanks to Lander University in Greenwood, SC for being our CEU provider again, this year.
CEUs (Continuing Education Units) are often necessary for teachers/guides to earn each year. Each state has a different set of requirements, so find out what your state requires.For a small extra fee ($22) and some required paperwork (you need to write a narrative of all the workshops you attend and save your registration page from your receipt), you may be able to earn up to 2.5 CEUs for attending the full event. This is an add-on that you can purchase during checkout phase of registration.
10 hours of class time = 1 CEU. If you attend the all day Thurs workshops you can add those hours in as well.
Here’s what you are required to do: Attendees must select the CEU option when they officially register for the conference. The cost is $22 per person regardless of how many days of the conference attended. Attendees will need to make certain that they save a PDF of their confirmed registration (you will get this when you finish registering and paying) and then forward that electronically, along with a 2 question per workshop narrative, to the Department of Teacher Education at Lander University. This form will be sent ONLY to those who pay the fee.
Once reviewed by Lander (usually a 30 day turn around time), an electronic certificate will be sent to each attendee who requested and pre-paid for it. Lander U gives you approx 2.5 weeks post conference to turn in unless otherwise arranged with them. This is not professional development hours.
NEWGATE SCHOOL TOUR
On Thursday morning, take the NewGate School Tour. The two campuses serve as the lab schools for the Montessori Foundation.
The school provides transportation to and from the Hyatt Regency. To sign up you must contact the school directly.
Lauren Speed is your contact and don’t forget to give her your email so she can keep the group up to date with details.
Call Lauren at: 1-941-922-4949
or Email her at: laurenspeed@newgate.edu
OPEN SPACE
What is an Open Space Technology Meeting?
• a simple way to stimulate meaningful working conversations
• a tool that enables self-organizing groups to deal with complex issues
• a process that supports positive transformation of people and organizations, inspires creative solutions, improves
communication, and enhances collaboration.
• a method for helping people to identify critical issues, voice to their passions and concerns, learn from each other, and take
collective responsibility for finding solutions.
The goal of an Open Space Technology meeting is to create time and space for people to engage deeply and creatively around issues of concern to them.
There will be several open space opportunities on Friday and Saturday.
GETTING HERE
Attendees have choices.
1. Sarasota is located on the west coast of Florida (for those not familiar with the geography of Florida it’s the opposite coast from Miami, or the left side of the state). We always recommend flying directly into Sarasota (SRQ airport code). It’s worth the extra money not to have to deal with an hour commute (longer if via shuttle service) from any other airport. Plus, if you come in around 5:00 pm, the wild parakeets are settling into the trees and singing their songs of welcome. It’s a pretty cool thing. The Hyatt no longer has the shuttle but if you have an UBER account it’s only around $15 to get there.
2. Tampa (TPA), Fort Myers (RSW), and St Petersburg/Clearwater (PIE) airports are all other options. We’ve seen some pretty good flights on the St Pete airport for those coming in from the midwest. Tampa and St Pete are approximately 66 miles north and about an hour’s ride if no stops along the way. Ft Myers is approximately 80 miles south and about a 90 minute ride to the hotel.
3. Rent a car or van if coming with a group. Couple your flight with a vehicle rental at the time you make your arrangements and you can often find a good deal if you don’t want to deal with the airport shuttle services.
4. If you have a group, it’s much less expensive to get the shuttle, and more likely they can take you right to the hotel without stopping along the way. Go online and Google “shuttle services” and see which one offers the best rate.
5. Driving from out of the area? I-75 is the main highway. EXIT at the Sarasota exit called Fruitville Road (Exit 210). Take that all the way to the very end going in a westerly direction. You will come to a dead-end at US 41 (Tamiami Trail). Make a right at the light and then a left at the first light (Boulevard of the Arts) and left into the hotel’s parking lot. It’s free if you self park in the back by the marina.