Dear Character Education Colleagues,
With five weeks now as the new President of CEP, I must say that I am truly energized by the amazing passion that every stakeholder seems to have for our important mission. From staff, to our Board of Directors, Education Advisory Council, national membership, international educators, and beyond, their excitement is as contagious as it is inspiring. This is clearly CEP’s greatest strength. To continue the SWOT analysis of our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, CEP’s greatest challenge is just as clear. The lack of a sustainable financial model is easily our biggest weakness. But I am confident that it can be fixed.
As it is, CEP depends on private and foundation funding to survive and thrive. However, in recent years, the nation’s prolonged economic recession has caused a steady decline in our annual revenues. I see huge opportunity to increase our membership nationally, and even globally. So, in the weeks and months ahead, look for some exciting changes here at CEP that will enhance your membership experience, both in “cost” and “value”, and help us to achieve a “breakthrough” year in 2012 as an even more visible advocate for character education in schools, families, government and beyond.
On that note, as I survey the big picture, I see a landscape of outstanding character education organizations across the U.S., many competing against each other for the same donor dollars and state or federal grants. So far, though, I have detected little evidence of collaboration or coordination among these like-minded groups. This dilutes resources and ultimately threatens our shared goal: helping students learn to become just and compassionate citizens. With that in mind, I am hopeful that CEP will soon play a greater role in bringing these character groups together to present a persuasive and powerful unified voice in our nation’s capital.
That is our road map for 2012 and beyond. So, you should expect big things from CEP in the months ahead. At our next Board meeting in March, we will consider many new and exciting ideas and I invite you to take the two question survey below to help us shape the future of CEP. So, stay tuned. I promise to keep you posted as our bright future here unfolds. Please check our Blog regularly and we always welcome your inputs and suggestions. Finally, I look forward to partnering with each and every one of you as together we strive to brighten the futures and strengthen the character of the next “greatest generation”.
Sincerely—Mark
What should CEP’s three top priorities be as we consider our future? Please take our 5-minute survey.
