Welcome Message

Welcome Message from the EARCOS Executive Director

Dear ETC Delegates:

Welcome to the EARCOS Teachers’ Conference (ETC) 2018 at the Shangri-La Bangkok. We are delighted to be collaborating with SENIA who are co-hosts. We have been supporters of SENIA since their beginning. What a great conference this will be! Thanks to the ETC Advisory committee and the SENIA board.

This ETC will offer four excellent keynote presenters, Norman Kunc and Emma Van der Klift, Pernille Ripp and Chip Donohue. We have ten pre-conferences including AP and WASC. Our delegates will have 180 workshop sessions to choose from, geared to meet the diverse needs of our teachers. In addition, our job-alike sessions will provide an opportunity for teachers to meet with colleagues working in similar content areas. Of the 180 workshops, your EARCOS colleagues will present over 50 of them. As always, these workshops are practical, topical, and relevant to our work in East Asia. Please support your fellow teachers by attending as many of these as possible.

The EARCOS Teacher Advisory Group led by Chris Bell selected the “Hug Project” as this year’s charity. This group assists children who have been victims of trafficking.

Thanks to all our ETC teacher representatives who have spent many hours assisting their teachers with workshop proposals, registration for the conference, and hotel and transportation arrangements. Without their dedication, it would be impossible to host our conference the way we do. Thanks to our EARCOS staff members who have worked tirelessly to assist with the many details and logistics.

The contributions of Giselle, Elaine and Sirs Ver, Edzel, and Robert have been admirable and their collective attention to the vast array of details of our conference is commendable. Our assistant director Bill Oldread has been invaluable during the planning process.

Finally, it is always my hope that our delegates make new contacts, embrace challenges from our presenters, renew friendships, and enjoy our hospitality. Visit our exhibitors and let them know that we appreciate their sponsorship, which helps us provide the best professional development possible. I’m proud and happy to be the director of this wonderful organization.

Dick Krajczar and the EARCOS Team.

We are honored to have as special guests this year, President Brian K. Partin, of the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and L. Earl Franks, Ed.D., CAE the executive director.

Brian K. Partin Dr. L. Earl Franks, CAE NAESP President NAESP Executive Director