G-CASE

Georgia Council of Administrators of Special Education

General Business Meeting: March 7, 2023

Minutes

(Dr. Cassandra Holifield, G-CASE President, Presiding)

Following the announcement of the newly-elected G-CASE officers (Dr. MaryKay Berry as Vice-President, Todd Williford as Secretary, and Dr. Ashly Hunter as CEC Representative) and recognition of Amy Wadley, Special Education Director for the Barrow County Schools as the “2023 Outstanding New Special Education Administrator,” President Dr. Cassandra Holifield called the meeting to order.

President Holifield announced that the Minutes from the November 17, 2022, General Business Meeting had been approved by the Executive Board and were posted on the G-CASE website.  In addition, she presented the latest received (December 2022) financial report, showing a checking balance of $545,199.60, with $56,727.55 in CDs, giving us an unreconciled total Checking/Savings of $601, 927.15.  Dr. Holifield asked the members to note that this balance does not consider all of our Fall Conference expenses (which include keynote speakers, food/drink, Hyatt rooms, printed materials, etc.). 

Chair Holifield told the group about the recent trip to the CEC Convention and Expo in Salt Lake City.   G-CASE was represented by Dr. Zabrina Cannady, Dr. Tris Gilland, Dr. MaryKay Berry, Sarah Burbach, and two Tony Molinoaro Scholarship winners, Kirsti-Lee Arrington and Kanisha Tripp.  Other G-CASE members, representing their own systems or CEC units, also attended. 

President Holifield reported that G-CASE membership is at 728, and CASE/CEC has 268 members.  G-CASE  received a Certificate of Recognition for 9% membership growth last year in CEC/CASE at the national CASE Board of Directors meeting.   She explained that most of this growth came from our ADA participants, who joined as part of their ADA tuition.

It was shared that Sean Cooper, G-CASE Legislative Co-Chair, President Emeritus Dr. Zabrina Cannady, Immediate Past-President Tris Gilland, and Executive Director Sarah Burbach attended the PAGE Day on Capitol Hill along with a few other G-CASE members.   

Dr. Holifield ended her report by lifting up the strong pipeline in effect for special education leaders through professional learning for master teachers (Special Education Administrator Development Academy/ADA), coordinators, specialists, and program managers (Coordinator Skills Institute/CSI), and first and second-year directors (as partners with the GaDOE for the Special Education Education Leadership Academy/SELDA).  She announced that this day was “Special Education Administrator Development Academy Day” and that ADA participants would showcase their culminating projects during the conference.

President Holifield ended the Business Meeting by sharing that G-CASE continues to be viable and effective in meeting the three Strategic Goals to serve our members:  To impact legislation and policy, to promote engaged membership, and to provide performance-based professional learning.  She thanked the members for continuing to support their professional association!

A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Greg McElwee, seconded by Dr. Brad Bowling.

The meeting was adjourned.