October 28, 2009 ACE Board Meeting
9:00 A. M. @ Billings Hotel and Convention Center

Present were ACE board members Al Sipes, Josh Middleton, Brenda Koch, Andy Begger, Mark Brajcich and Tim Dolphay along with Gail Richardson and Jerry Scott.  There were no guests present.

1. Chairman Al Sipes called to order at 9:15 A.M. Correspondence: A letter from Aubrey Miller, Hillcrest Elementary School principal in Harlowton, thanking ACE for bringing Dr. Harry Wong for the fall PIR day.

2. Mark Brajcich moved and Josh Middleton seconded the approval of the September 30, 2009 minutes. The motion carried 6 – 0.

3. The financial report from July 1 to the present was reviewed.

4. Membership / dues: Both the superintendent and the clerk from Shepherd indicated that they will be sending their 2009 – 2010 dues within the next month. Al Sipes suggested that from now on ACE dues notices include a signature line for both the superintendent and the school board chair as well as a statement spelling out the time line for notification of dropping out of ACE. The board felt this was a good idea.

5. Gail Richardson reported that the Science Curriculum Review was excellent. The essential learning expectations from OPI were incorporated into the ACE curriculum format. She asked the board if she should link the ELE in science so members would be able to know what parts of chemistry, earth science and biology need to be covered by the end of 10th grade. The board felt this was a good idea since the CRT is given at that time and schools do not offer classes that cover all of those areas by the end of the 10th grade. A discussion followed as to what grade various sciences are offered by schools. The suggestion that OPI test at the end of the 11th grade instead of the 10th grade was brought up again although that seems to be an area that Judy Snow of OPI does not want to go. Gail said she would work on a list of the things students should know in various science areas by the end of 10th grade. Gail reported that she continues to have difficulty getting members to respond to her requests to review and comment revisions.
   
   Gail said that because OPI has now finished the Library/Media curriculum and ELE’s ACE should review that area this year and do workplace competency at another date. The board agreed and instructed Gail to go forward with this plan.
   
   Andy Begger reported that some of his teachers indicated that at the MEA conference OPI indicated that they would be coming up with some sort of a new plan at the first of the year. No one present seemed to know what this plan was about, but would not be surprised if this was true.
   
   Gail said she has received calls from both teachers and parents asking about standards based report cards, what curriculum certain schools are using, and other questions that are specific to districts. She suggested that the board look at organizing a meeting for superintendents so they could share information and ideas in order to see what districts are doing.

6. Jerry proposed that he set up a November 10 afternoon meeting with ACE principals in order to network, share, discuss needs ACE could help with, and (as requested by a member) discuss school emergency policies. The board approved the meeting with ACE providing lunch. Jerry will send out notices via e-mail and letters requesting RSVP’s.

7. Jerry also proposed that ACE set up a December 8 Gifted and Talented meeting in order to network, discuss what districts are doing and any needs that ACE might be able to help with. The board said to hold off on such a meeting because no one really has any direction at the present time for gifted and talented programs.
   
   The board did approve ACE setting up a December 10 Dibbles training.

8. A handout sent by Ryan Winter on a computer program called LinkIt Express was reviewed. The group felt that schools were already using programs that do the same things as proposed by LinkIt Express. The board also felt that although the program is now being offered free, there would no doubt be a charge in the future.

9. There has not been a meeting of the SMART board for the past three months. Jerry said he called chairman Marsha Sampson to see what is going on. Marsha said that SMART will be receiving a technology grant and will soon advertize for a tech person through MSU-Billings.
   
   The PRISM cohorts met in August and will meet again on November 6 – 7. Some of the schools present have staff working with PRISM. There will be a planning team meeting December 17 and the board approved Jerry attending if he felt it would benefit ACE.

10. There continues to be training opportunities listed on the mtace.org web site. Those listed lately are:
       Mandt Training by special education coop
       6 + 1 training
       How to interpret and use MAP testing data … to be held in Ryegate
         on November 2nd.
    
    Lodge Grass still has not done its introduction to MAP testing. The board felt that Lodge Grass needs to set up and pay for its own training.

11. The ASCD annual conference will be held in San Antonio on March 6–8, 2010.
    Application forms can be found on the ACE web site at mtace.org. Jerry said the applications are due to him on December 18th. He will remind member schools that ACE will pay 50% of the registration, travel and room for up to 10 members to attend. Gail thanked the board for allowing her to attend the conference and said she gains a tremendous amount of information at them. She mentioned that everyone attending the conference gets paid their normal salary and would like the board to consider paying her as well. Gail has never billed ACE for her hours in the past. The board instructed Jerry to put that item on the agenda for the November meeting so they can take action.

12. March 1, 2010 ACE PIR Day
    Dr. Melissa Genaux said she will come and present on “Creating Effective and Defensible Programs for Kids on the Autism Spectrum: Practical Strategies for Rural Districts.” There are other groups that will help sponsor Dr. Genaux so the cost to ACE will be $1,000 or less. Jerry was not sure who will be responsible for setting up this sectional. The board instructed Jerry to work with Lanny Stene in order to set up the details.
    
    As far as the assessment portion of the PIR day, the Stiggins group said they do not do that type of workshop at other locations.
    
    Stephanie Smith from Answers Plus is a NWEA MAP trainer and is willing to present at a fee of $800 per day.
    
    Dr. Tracey Kinney said she could present on “Delivering the Data Promise – Using High Stakes Test Data to Truly Improve Learning.” Tracey use to work in Montana and now is in Douglas, Wyoming. Jerry has worked with her before on the Montana ASCD board.
    
    Dr. Jim Staab was also suggested as a presenter.
    
    Edith Gummer from Northwest Labs said she could give an overview of the recommendations from the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance guide on Using Student Achievement Data to Support Instructional Decision Making. Edith would cost $4,000 plus expenses. The board decided this was too much money and not to have Edith Gummer come.
    
    Patrick Dugan of Northwest Assessment has been contacted to see if they would come and do a sectional on MAP Testing.
    
    The board felt that all of the presentations should be given at the same location. The Billings Hotel and Convention Center is now reserved for the March 1st PIR day. The board suggested that Dr. Tracey Kinney and Dr. Genaux do morning presentations for the whole group. Their presentations would be followed by lunch and then several sectionals for attendees to choose from. Further information will be presented at the next board meeting.


13. A summary from the bus driver’s workshop on September 14 was passed out and will be posted on the ACE web site.


14. The board gave Jerry permission to review, update, and dispose of out dated editions from the ACE library.


15. Next ACE board meeting was set for November 18th at 9:00 A.M. in the Billings Hotel and Convention Center.