May 17, 2006 ACE Board Meeting
9:00 A. M. @ Billings Hotel and Convention Center

Present were Ace board members Mark Brajcich, Tim Dolphay, Al Sipes, and Les Cabot.  Guests present were: Fritzie Walker, Gary Scott, Josh Middleton, Doug Woods, and Martha Young.  Gail Richardson and Jerry Scott were also present for the meeting.

1. Jerry called the meeting to order at 9:10 A.M. and had everyone introduce themselves.


2. Al Sipes moved to approve the April 26, 2006 minutes as presented. Tim Dolphay seconded the motion which passed 4 – 0.


3. Tim Dolphay moved to approve the finance report as presented. Al Sipes seconded the motion which passed 4 – 0.


4. Correspondence: Jerry read a thank you card from Dani Wheeler. Dani thanked the ACE board for helping make it possible for her to attend the ASCD conference in Chicago. She said it was an amazing experience and she learned so much. She stated that it was a pleasure to meet everyone and that it was a fun group. Her final statement was: “Holy Cow! It was a fantastic conference.”


5. Doug Woods filled the group in on the situation at Lodge Grass stating that they might want to join ACE in the up coming year. They have 40 teachers on staff. He said it was very difficult for them to be active in their Prairie View consortium because of the distance to Terry and other meeting sites. Jerry said he would be glad to visit the school and talk to the staff and school board if Doug wanted him to.


6. Jerry said he would mail his contract to Bob Barnes for his signature. A copy of the contract was given to all present.


7. Gail and Jerry reported on the May 10 steering committee meeting. 113 elementary teachers, 51 middle school teachers, 88 high school teachers and 17 administrators for a total of 269 people responded to the PIR day survey on line. The group felt that was around 50% of the ACE members. Although not very many schools were represented, Josh, Fritzie, Gail, and Jerry all felt it was a good meeting whose purpose was to review the survey and finalize direction for the ACE 06 – 07 and the 07 – 08 professional development days. Jerry will start to contact presenters and hoped he could be able to finalize the September 11, 2006 workshop before schools start in August. Staff members will then be able to make workshop selections during their first PIR day at their schools. A copy of the survey results was provided. Bus driver training will be held that same day at Shepherd under the direction of Dave Piel. Jerry will also contact Lanny Stene to set up paraprofessional training.


8. Jerry stated that, with board approval, he has set a goal to have an ACE web site set up before the start of the 06 – 07 school year. Gail suggested ACE subscribe to survey monkey at a cost of around $200 per year. Josh and Fritzie visited about the ease of using the site as well as the information they gather for Laurel by doing on line surveys. The site might also be able to be used for registration and evaluations of the PIR days. Al Sipes moved to subscribe to survey monkey. Tim Dolphay seconded the motion, which passed 4-0.


9. Jerry went over the agenda for the OPI assessment workshop held in Helena on May 1 & 2, a copy of which was provided. He felt that this might become an annual event. There was some discussion on the MSEC and the data bank that OPI is thinking about purchasing. Jerry said he asked Al McMilin to come to the August 16 administrator’s workshop and the September 11 PIR day to present on the MSEC (Montana Surveys of Enacted Curriculum) to the group.


10. Gail presented the proposed 2006 – 2007 ACE curriculum review calendar that the board approved to adopt. The annual ACE administrator’s workshop will be held at DJ’s in Laurel on August 16.


11. Jerry said he would like to have technology training in August for Gail along with the rest of the TEST grant group. He felt she might be able to attend in place of some schools that choose not to go. If not, there would be some expense. Les Cabot moved to have Gail attend with ACE covering expenses if there were any. Al Sipes seconded the motion which carried 4 – 0.


12. Jerry passed out a printed report on the A –Z … Montana ASCD meeting he attended in Missoula on May 12th.


13. Gail went over the Indian Education for All grant that she is attempting to write for ACE. There was quite a bit of discussion on this topic with a wide range of opinions and suggestions. All present felt it was good that Gail was trying to get the grant for ACE.


14. The next meeting was set for August 30 at 9:00 AM in the Billings Hotel and Convention Center.


15. The meeting was adjourned at 10:35 A.M.