Pub. 3 2013-2014 Issue 2

5 On a recent trip to New York I visited the Statue of Liberty and was reminded of the many free- doms that this beloved historical monument stands for; one of which allows you and I to “fight” for the freedom of choice in education. Thank you for your tireless effort and dedication in making sure that the students in Utah have access to high quality and individualized educational options. I hope you will join us for our 8th annual charter school conference on June 9-10th at the Davis County Convention Center in Layton. There will be sessions for new schools, board members, directors, business manag- ers, and teachers as we celebrate Innovation and Excellence in Utah charter schools. We have a number of great speakers and breakout sessions planned which will inspire, motivate and reenergize you! Our pre-conference work- shop time has been expanded in order to accommodate new charter school leaders and those that want in depth, practical and hands on tools and resources in a variety of critical areas. We recognize that Utah’s teachers are the backbone of the educational system in charter schools. To show our appreciation, we have reduced reg- istration fees for teachers for both the pre-conference and Tuesday’s session. Which means that for under $100 teachers can earn up to 11 continuing education credits! We hope that you will take advantage of this opportu- nity and join us for top-notch professional development. I hope you enjoy our magazine. I am grateful for everyone that has con- tributed to making it a success. The articles come from vendors and school leaders here in our community who are helping build our knowledge base and understanding. I love representing you and look forward to continued interactions. Please let us know how we can better serve you. Chris Bleak, CEO CEO Message Fighting for Freedom of Choice in Education