This March 16-18, Senior Associate Brian Lettinga joined over 400 educators and administrators at the 2023 Central and Eastern European Schools (CEESA) Conference. Held at The Radisson Blu Hotel Lietuva, in the heart of Lithuania’s capital, the event drew participants from around the central European region. This was the first in-person, regional conference since 2019, though CEESA offered a virtual event as well.
One of the themes of the conference was the importance of collaboration and teamwork in achieving our educational goals. Another was living your mission and staying true to your values as an educator. Speakers encouraged participants to stay focused on their goals and work tirelessly to achieve them, while also staying open to new ideas and opportunities. Presenters and attendees alike emphasized the value of working together, sharing ideas, and building strong relationships within and between schools while bringing their school mission to life. Brian adds,
Participants were fully engaged with the events and workshops, which often had standing-room-only presentations! Ewan Mcintosh’s keynote address on ‘Promise’ to our schools and children was a great reminder of the stewardship we bring to schools each day of the year.
During a robust pre-conference program for educators, topics ranged from PLC Frameworks to accreditation workshops. Athletic directors from the region also met to engage in discussion panels and various coaches' trainings. And for those interested in building on their literacy coaching skills, Monica Medina and Shannon Hobbs-Beckley offered the ever-so-popular and engaging Literacy Cohort, the 5th with CEESA!
The friendly CEESA staff played a critical role throughout the conference, ensuring that everything ran smoothly. Executive Director Kathy Stetson, Business Manager and Conference Coordinator Rozalija Alexander, Executive Assistant Helena Kereta, IT specialist Neven Soric, and Program Manager Iva Vego were all on hand to help with any issues that arose and to provide support to attendees and presenters alike. As always, the event was a hit for all those participating!
Over the course of the conference, attendees had the opportunity to participate in 77 presentations and workshops, led by 75 presenters, including 12 invited speakers. In addition to Ewan McIntosh, keynote speakers this year included Eric Dozier, Fran Prolman, and Tomas Raskevicius. These experts shared their insights on a range of topics, from innovative approaches to education to effective and impactful ways to live your school mission.
The conference also featured an exhibition area with 30 exhibitors, including nine VIP sponsors where educators and administrators could explore the latest educational products and services, network with fellow educators, and learn about new initiatives in the field. Of course, they got to catch up with Search Associates by chatting with Brian as he helmed the table! Here in our photos, you can see some Search candidates reconnecting with us and our friends from across the CEESA region checking in and sharing stories with one another.
Overall, the 2023 CEESA conference was a powerful reminder of the importance of collaboration, school ingenuity, and staying true to your mission as an educator. With its focus on learning, sharing, and growth, it provided attendees with valuable insights and inspiration to carry back to their own schools and communities.
