2006 FALL NEWSLETTER

We as members of the Christian Educators Association are anxiously looking forward to attending the Michigan
Association of Non-Public Schools (MANS) Partners in Christ Called to Serve Convention to be held October 19 and 20
in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan.

All program details are being taken care of by the MANS office. Check out their website for the program information
including keynote and featured speakers, sectional speakers, and times. All details can be found at http://www.m-a-n-
s.org/events/2006Convention.php. The MANS home page is www.m-a-n-s.org.

Your school’s CEA Delegate and/or your administrator will take care of collecting your CEA dues in the next few weeks
which will also register you as an attendee at the MANS Convention. Your delegate will send me a list of teachers who
will be attending the MANS Convention. Make sure you are included in your school’s list. IF YOU ARE NOT
REGISTERED BEFORE THE MANS CONVENTION, BE PREPARED TO PAY A MUCH HIGHER REGISTRATION FEE
UPON ARRIVAL. MANS WILL CHARGE $115.00 TO REGISTER ON-SITE.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS TO EACH REGISTRANT
• Name badges will be sent to your school shortly before the MANS Convention and after we have received your dues.
THIS NAME BADGE WILL BE YOUR TICKET TO ALL INFORMATION AT THE CONVENTION. Your name badge is
the only receipt of registration payment and must be with you at the registration check-in and convention activities.
There will be a $5 fee to replace a name badge at the convention. DO NOT LOSE IT!!!
• You will need to check in at convention registration to receive the name badge holder, information on any speaker
changes or room changes AND your program booklet. (Just as was done for the 2000 MANS Convention, booklets
will not be mailed out ahead of time this year due to the size of the booklet and cost of mailing. You can check on the
available sectionals and times by going to the MANS website www.m-a-n-s.org.) The MANS registration area will
have a complete list of registrants. CEA will not have a separate registration or headquarters this year. We will
remind you of this once again when we send the name badges to your school.

REGISTRATION HOURS AT THE AMWAY GRAND PLAZA CONCOURSE:
• Wednesday, October 18 3:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
• Thursday, October 19 7:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
• Friday, October 20 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

Spouse registration is $20.00 and may be done at any of the MANS registration areas at the convention.

CEA dues will be $75.00 this year per member and will include your MANS registration fee along with a subscription to the
Christian Educators Journal. Your CEA Delegate will be collecting the dues and they must be sent to the
Corresponding Secretary by September 25.

NEW CEA EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
• We are happy to announce that Brenda Vander Ploeg of Hudsonville, Michigan, has been hired as the new CEA
Executive Secretary. Brenda will be working with Sue Lucas for a time of transition. More details will come out after
the MANS Convention on the change including a new postal mailing address. Brenda writes:
My name is Brenda VanderPloeg and I’m a child of God. I am beginning in the position of Executive Secretary of
the Christian Educators Association. I am looking forward to serving and encouraging all of our dedicated
Christian Educators. It is my privilege to be working with Sue Lucas as she will be training me in this position that
she does so well. I graduated from Calvin College and was an elementary teacher at Zeeland Christian for six
years. Now my husband Doug and I live in Hudsonville with our three sons. I am looking forward to our MANS
convention on October 19 and 20.
Welcome, Brenda!
www.ceateachers.org

Elections for new officers will be held at your school sometime before the convention. Your CEA Delegate will be in
charge of the procedure. The candidates are as follows:

Vice President Elect

Paul Erffmeyer, B.A., Calvin College; M.A., Michigan State University
Paul currently teaches 5th grade at Hudsonville Christian School where he has been for 29 years. He has served in a
variety of roles in his church including elder and deacon.

John Klompmaker, B.A., Calvin College; M.A., Calvin College
John has been teaching at Lansing (IL) Chr. for 15 years and presently teaches 7/8 Bible there. In previous years he
taught at Sheboygan Cty. CHS, Unity Chr. (Fulton) and Prinsburg, MN. He is a former Chair of the CEA Convention
Planning Committee. John is licensed to exhort for Classis Illiana and has been preaching for 18 years. He has served
as President of Citizens for Community Values in Lansing, IL and is a member of Chicagoland Prison Outreach in the
Cook County Jail. He is also a member of the Midwest Carver’s Club.

Ron VanDerPol, B.A., Central Washington University; M.Ed., Dordt College
Ron is an art and Bible instructor at Sheboygan County CHS where he has been for 8 years. He also taught at Hanford
Chr. (CA) for 4 years. He has led several workshops at CEA and local in-services on art and integration of faith into the
curriculum. He is active on the Praise Team at 1st CRC in Oostburg and draws sermon illustrations each week. He is
also a member of the John Michael Kohler Art Center.

Vice Secretary Elect

Karen DeYoung, B.A., Calvin College, M.A., Michigan State University
Karen teaches middle school language arts and art at Moline Christian where she has been for 16 years. Previous
teaching years were spent at Jenison Chr. and Lamont Chr. She has been a member of CEA since 1965 and is also a
member of the National Middle School Assoc. She has been a GEMS counselor, presents children’s messages, is
involved with the ministry for a refugee family, and serves on the board for the MOSES organization – a non-
denominational organization which works to provide mission trips for young people.

Mary Persenaire, B.A., Hope College; M.A., University of Illinois at Chicago
Mary has taught at various Christian schools in California, Missouri, and Alaska and currently teaches 3rd grade at Lansing
(IL) Christian where she has been for 11 years. She has served on the Christian Educators Journal board for 3 years.
Mary is currently a member of her church’s Worship Committee and is also involved in choir as well as serving as a helper
for Trail Blazers.

Betsy Retsema, B.A., Calvin College
Betsy teaches 2nd grade at SW Chicago Christian where she has been for 20 years. She is very involved in worship
planning and enjoys children’s music and presenting Christmas pageants. She is a member of her church choir and also
a summer Librarian for the Sandy Pines Chapel in Michigan.

Vice Treasurer

Duane Baker, B.A., Calvin College; M.B.A., Grand Valley State University
Duane has taught social studies at Holland CHS for 11 years. He is a past presenter at CEA Conventions and is a
member of the Michigan Council of Teachers of Social Studies. A past deacon at 14th Street CRC in Holland, he is a City
of Holland Teen Court Board Member and a volunteer pilot with Wings of Mercy.

Cindy Leistra, B.A., Calvin College; M.A.T., Purdue University
Cindy teaches 9-12 Algebra, Precalculus and A.P. Calculus at Illiana CHS. She previously taught at Redlands Christian
(CA) for 2 years. A member of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Cindy attends 1st Christian Reformed
Church in Lansing, Illinois.

Ivan Van Duyn, B.A., Dordt College; M.A., University of Wisconsin - Whitewater
Ivan has been at Kalamazoo CHS for 14 years and currently teaches Business Education and Computer Education. He
also taught at Sheboygan Cty. CHS for 14 years. He is a member of the National Business Education Assoc., Michigan
Assoc. for Computer Users in Learning, Michigan HS Soccer Coaches Assoc. and also serves as his church Education
Director.

www.ceateachers.org

Hotel information was sent out last spring and you hopefully have your reservations by now if needed. The MANS office
has made arrangements with the various sites. If you do not have hotel reservations and are still in need of a room, see
the information below. Most downtown hotels are already full but there are more hotels on Alpine Avenue which have
been secured and shuttle service will be available to the convention site from the Alpine Avenue hotels.

LODGING FOR MANS 2006 CONVENTION

DOWNTOWN HOTELS

Amway Grand Plaza (Phone: 800.253.3590) $120 single/double $135 triple $150 quad

Marriott (Phone: 616.242.6000) Sorry - special discounted rate rooms are sold out

Days Inn (Phone: 616.235.7611) $95 single/double $95 triple $95 quad

ALPINE AVENUE HOTELS (Shuttle service will be available)

Radisson Hotel Grand Rapids North - 616.363.9001
www.radisson.com/grandrapidsmi_north
270 Ann St NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504
$ 99 Standard King + tax
$109 Sleep #King + tax
$109 All Doubles + tax

Hampton Inn - 800.426.7866
500 Center Dr, Grand Rapids, MI 49544
$ 94 Single + tax
$ 99 Double + tax
AARP 10% Discount

SpringHill Suites by Marriott Grand Rapids North - 616.785.1600
450 Center Drive, Grand Rapids, MI 49544
$119 King Suites + tax
$119 Double Suites + tax
(can sleep 6)

Holiday Inn Express - Grand Rapids North - Walker - 616.647.4100
www.hiexpress.com
358 River Ridge Drive NW, Walker, MI 49544
$104 + tax
AAA Discount $94 + tax
AARP Discount $89 + tax

FUTURE CEA CONVENTION DATES

2007 – October 18 & 19 – South Bend
2008 – October 23 & 24 – South Bend
2009 – October 22 & 23 – South Bend

www.ceateachers.org