Business Education conferences

The other day I committed to chairing the planning committee for our provincial Spring Conference for Business Teachers. This is a challenge for me as details aren't really my forte. I will start by trying to build a team of people that can handle the details that always seem to slip by me. So far I have had a few great people volunteer and I am really looking forward to working with them.

There are some challenges that we will face - typical of all conferences - but still challenges to me as this is my first try at something like this.

First - attendance. What can the planning committee do to encourage busy teachers to take a day off school, two days out of their lives to travel to Regina for a conference?

Second - program. What can we offer that will be of interest to these teachers, that will give them usable, pertinent information, that will motivate them and enable them to be better Business Educators?

Third - budget. If we can find good speakers on relevant topics will we be able to afford them? Will we get enough attendance to pay the bills for the conference?

Fourth - entertainment. What can we do to entertain the conference participants and yet not take too much time away from the educatiional part of the conference?

I will be calling our first meeting sometime next week. We will have to deal with all of these.

If any of my readers have any suggestions they would be most appreciated.