NCHE Director of Conferences and Events, Elizabeth Badziong, who has directed the NCHE National Conference, in addition to overseeing numerous events and programs for the past two and a half years, has accepted a position at the Western Reserve Historical Society. Elizabeth has done a tremendous job as NCHE's Director of Conferences and has created a phenomenal program for the 2008 conference in Louisville. We wish her the best in her new role at the historical society.

The deadline for nominations for the 2008 Paul Gagnon Prize is November 1, 2007. 2007 award winner, Phil Nicolosi, of West Morris Central H.S. (NJ) will be a General Session speaker at the NCHE 2008 National Conference in Louisville, KY, and will present the Award to the 2008 recipient. In 2008, the Gagnon Award will be presented to an Individual or Group Exhibiting Exceptional History Teaching and/or Significant Accomplishment in the Promotion and Protection of K-12 History Education.

Click on Paul Gagnon Prize for application and prize information.

Welcome Betty Franks. NCHE has hired former Trustee Betty B. Franks to serve as Director of Professional Development. Dr. Franks has been involved in the creation and implementation of NCHE professional development programs since the council began in 1990. She will coordinate professional staff and our partner school districts and direct NCHE's Teaching American History Grant Projects, the Mellon Foundation Colloquium programs in honor of David McCullough, and our colloquia for The History Channel. Betty's email is betty@nche.net

NCHE Administrative Director, Danice Rolleri Toyias, who has supervised day-to-day operation at the Council since Elaine Reed retired, has decided to go back to the front lines of history education. She will be returning to the Bozeman (MT) Public Schools as a classroom teacher. She remarked, " I treasure the people I have worked with in our NCHE programs, and I am very proud of the great things we have accomplished together. But, for personal and professional reasons, I need to return to my Montana roots...and I am so looking forward to working with students every day in the classroom where I will be able to practice many of the ideas we have been recommending to teachers in our NCHE colloquia."

From History Matters, September 2007