1. The 2016 CEA Convention will be held on October 20 and 21, 2016 at the Century Center in South Bend, IN.
2. Our Keynote Speaker on Thursday is Bruce Hekman. Bruce is on the faculty of The VanLunen Center at Calvin College; a Leadership Mentor and Coach; A disciple of Jesus, husband, father, grandfather, teacher and school administrator.
3. Our Capstone Speaker on Friday is Randy Buursma. Randy is the Senior Pastor at First CRC in Grand Rapids, MI and has presented at CEA several times. Welcome back, Randy!
4. The 2016 CEA dues will be $90.00 per person.
5. For the first time, 2016 CEA welcomes Nathan Siebenga, principal at Hamilton District Christian High School, and Justin Cook, the Director of Learning at the Ontario Alliance for Christian Education. Both Nathan and Justin are passionate leaders in Christian education.
a. Nathan Sibenga: Those who know Nathan describe him as ‘Edupreneurial’; as a visionary who executes and delivers. He wears his heart on his sleeve and clearly loves leadership. Nathan desires to see students design, develop and deploy beautiful, purposeful work and loves leading HDCH towards this vision. As a Principal, he is committed to making a difference in his small corner of the world so that the graduates of HDCH can have an enormous impact where ever they land. A number of years ago he married his best friend and together they have fun raising their five kids.
b. Justin Cook: After teaching high school English in British Columbia and Ontario, Justin has joined the Ontario Alliance of Christian Schools as the Director of Learning, where he is excited to partner with schools in a vision of learning for flourishing communities. At home, Justin and his wife Rachel (and their three beautiful children!) love trying to live intentionally in their neighborhood: sharing and restoring a multi-unit house, practicing hospitality, walking to church with their children, feasting with friends.
6. River City Improv is returning to the 2016 CEA Convention! Plan on attending this event for free at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday night, Oct 20 with your staff for some great laughs.
7. The CEA 5K run / walk is returning to the 2016 CEA Convention. We will begin at 7:00 a.m. on Friday morning. Come join us!
8. If you know of a business that would like to rent space in the 2016 CEA Exhibit hall, please contact our exhibit chairman, Jerry Mastenbrook. Jerry’s email is jemastenbrook@kcsa.org
9. We are thankful for so many who volunteer as session chairpersons each year. You provide a welcoming atmosphere that is so greatly appreciated. Many are needed to serve as chairpersons for the 2016 CEA Convention. Please sign up to serve as a 2016 CEA Chairperson. Thank you in advance!
10. In addition to the normal quality sessions that we offer, 2016 CEA will for the first time offer “strands” of sessions. There will be a line up of sessions on the same general topic presented by different speakers. These strands will be noted with a color code on the brochure that you will receive when you arrive in South Bend. There will be a music strand, a problem-based learning strand, a reading/writing workshop strand, and a reformed Christian perspective education strand.
11. We will be welcoming first time attendees to the CEA in a new way. CEA Delegates, we will be depending on you to let us know who is experiencing CEA for the first time.
12. Thank you for the many submissions of artwork for the 2016 CEA banner. We enjoyed looking at them all. The Convention Planning Committee has chosen one entry and would like to announce that Megan Haagsma from South Christian High School is our winner. Please enjoy Megan’s artwork when you arrive in South Bend. Thank you very much to all who submitted their artwork.
13. 2016 CEA Book Club title is announced! Please join us and read Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee.
We look forward to seeing YOU on October 20 and 21 at the Century Center!
Housing Information
This important housing/lodging information is being sent to you in preparation for our fall 2016 CEA Convention which will be held in South Bend, Indiana on October 20 and 21. (More convention information and a request for dues will be sent to you in the fall.) EACH CEA MEMBER WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING HIS/HER OWN HOUSING/LODGING RESERVATIONS.
- You must tell the hotels that you are with CEA to receive these rates.
- Remember to reserve the correct dates. The actual CEA Convention is Thursday and Friday, October 20 and 21, 2016. You will most likely need lodging for Wednesday, October 19 and/or Thursday, October 20.
- You will need a credit card number to make a reservation.
- You will be dealing directly with the hotel/motel for ALL arrangements and will receive a confirmation directly from that hotel/motel.
- Hotel/motel names, rates, etc. are listed below.
South Bend DoubleTree Hotel ➢ 123 North St. Joseph Street, South Bend, IN 46601
(connected to the Century Center with a skywalk)
PH: 574-234-2000
Rooms = $129.00
Waterford Estates Lodge ➢ 52890 IN-933 North, South Bend, IN 46637
(3.5 miles north of the Century Center)
PH: 574-272-5220
Single or Double = $90.00 (complimentary continental breakfast, complimentary wifi)
SpringHill Suites➢ 5225 Edison Lakes Parkway, Mishawaka, IN 46545
(5.2 miles east of the Century Center)
PH: 574-271-0832
Double or King = $89.00 (complimentary hot breakfast buffet)
Comfort Suites ➢ 60971 US 31 South, South Bend. IN 46614
(5 miles south of Century Center)
PH: 574-291-3100
Single or Double=$90.00 (complimentary hot breakfast buffet)