As we start a new academic year, our department looks forward to another banner year. Last year, we made great strides. The Elementary Education Program added a new Conservation emphasis. MSU collaborated with the Missouri Department of Conservation in developing and implementing this emphasis. Dr. Gina Wood is doing an excellent job in coordinating this new initiative. The West Plains Rural Education Center now has a pilot program, the Experimental Elementary Program, which is geared to preparing teachers for the rural area. The TEA Transformative Initiative added student teachers in ECE for the first time last year. Child and Family Development has been working with the West Plains CFD program in providing support for students transitioning into the CFD degree program completion program. Dr. Jim Meyer serves as the West Plains Advisement Coordinator for the degree completion students at WP. Dr. Joan Test implemented the Interdisciplinary Council for Children, Families, and Society, a collaborative initiative including a representative from each college on campus. This council is geared to advocating and supporting the needs of young children and their families in our society. In closing, both of our graduate programs, ELE and ECFD, now have Accelerated Masters Programs.