Welcome to the Manitoba Council for Exceptional Children Website!

The Manitoba Council for Exceptional Children (MCEC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of effective practice in educating students with exceptional needs in Manitoba. MCEC is affiliated with the international branch of the Council for Exceptional Children and the national organization, the Canadian Council for Exceptional Children. MCEC is also a Special Area Group affiliated with the Manitoba Teachers' Society.

MCEC's Mission

• to advance effective practices in providing services to children and youth with exceptional needs.
• to support persons working to achieve those practices.

MCEC's Purpose

• to advance effective educational practices for children and youth (ages 0-21) with exceptional needs through advocacy, support and professional development for educators and families.
• to celebrate the achievements of children and youth with exceptional needs and the people who support them.

A courtesy resolution was read at the 2008 CEC Conference Representative Assembly in Boston, Massechussets

Whereas the Manitoba Council for Exceptional Children's mission is to advance effective practices in providing services to children and youth with exceptional needs and to support persons working to achieve those practices
Whereas the purpose of the Manitoba Council for Exceptional Children is to advance effective educational practices for children and youth (ages 0-21) with exceptional needs through advocacy, support, and professional development for educators and families and to celebrate the achievements of children and youth with exceptional needs and the people who support them
Whereas the Manitoba Council for Exceptional Children is celebrating it's 50th anniversary as an organization in Manitoba supporting children and youth with exceptional needs and those who work with them
Therefore, be it resolved that the Council for Exceptional Children recognizes the work that the Manitoba Council for Exceptional Children has done for the students, parents and educational professionals over the past 50 years and congratulates MCEC on reaching this milestone.

Message from the President

Celebration and Renewal

This has been a theme in the last handful of months . We think naturally of the mid-winter holiday season, getting in touch with tradition as well as preparing for the year to come. 2010 has been unique in that our country hosted the Winter Olympic Games, celebrating athletic excellence and reigniting our national pride.

Closer to home, the annual MCEC Conference in February provided Manitoba educators with an opportunity to celebrate. On Thursday, the 20th Annual YES I CAN! Awards ceremony brought learners, advocates, partners and educators together to recognize exceptional achievement. The following afternoon, we also honored the work of many long-serving MCEC Executive members at our Annual General Meeting. Much networking and good old fashion fellowship occurred over coffee, by the pool, in the halls and meeting rooms throughout this successful conference.

With celebration comes the opportunity for renewal. Hearing our varied keynote speakers articulate new advances in exceptional education, seeing conference delegates debate points, share stories and seek out new books and materials, the sense of renewal was palpable. At the AGM, a new MCEC Executive was elected. I was pleased to accept the nomination for President. It was with real pride that I scanned the names and faces of the dedicated volunteers who will serve in the year to come.

From April 20 to the 24, MCEC was a part of the CEC 2010 Convention and Expo held in Nashville, Tennessee. The Executive was well-represented by Teresa Yestrau and Elaine Lochhead on the Representative Assembly, George Corbett and Tammy Mitchell attending Council for Children with Behavior Disorders (CCBD) functions and Candace Borger working on the Canada-US Joint Committee and the Canadian Coffee Party. I attended a number of sessions including the State and Provincial Presidents' Brunch.

The Convention, held in the grand Gaylord Opryland Convention facility, featured hundreds of professional development sessions in over 27 subject areas including Early Childhood, Learning Disabilities, Assessment, Research, Gifted & Talented, Cultural/Linguistic Diversity, Public Policy and Teacher Education. Again, Manitoba was well-represented. Our Past President Ken Reimer spoke on "Fighting About Behaviour" to a packed hall. Member at Large Tammy Mitchell outlined an innovative inclusion model for students with emotional & behavioural challenges.

Besides connecting with the Representative Assembly, CCBD, the Canadian Caucus and YES I CAN!, valuable links were made with Alberta CEC and Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Ctr. We are hopeful that these new partnerships will make MCEC even stronger in the coming years.

However, it wasn't all work. Besides the feel-good celebration of the international YES I CAN! ceremony, social highlights included the President's Reception and the revitalized Canadian Coffee Party. These were great opportunities to meet and mingle with CEC members from all over the world. For example, Coffee Party attendees were thrilled by an impromptu three-song set by the Mexican Student Chapter! Other social activities included a trip to the legendary Grand Ol' Opry and a riverboat trip down the Cumberland River featuring a tribute to Country Music and an exciting view of the Nashville skyline at night. And no visit to the country music capital would be complete without a tour of Broadway for a taste of BBQ and an earful of twang!

Back in Manitoba, our newly minted Executive participated in an annual retreat held this year in Gimli. The goal was renewal: reviewing MCEC's Mission and Purpose, mentoring new Executive members with the knowledge they need to serve while trying to harness their energy and ideas to inspire our experienced Executive members. The budget and direction for the coming year were also discussed.

Few can accurately predict what the coming year will bring. I'll hazard a safe guess and say that it will be very busy. To meet each challenge and ride the tide of change, I would recommend considering this theme: take the time to find renewal of purpose and direction but don't forget to also celebrate the achievements of those around you, as well as yourself.

On behalf of the Manitoba Council for Exceptional Children, I thank you for your support. Do not hesitate to contact me at deanpj06@mts.net.

Dean Jonasson

President, Manitoba Council for Exceptional Children