December 15, 2010 ACE Board Meeting
9:00 A. M. @ Billings Hotel and Convention Center

Present were ACE board members Al Sipes, Tim Dolphay, Josh Middleton, Andy Begger, Mark Brajcich and Jennifer Hickok.
Guests present were: Harold Olson, Trent Windsor, Cathi Rude, Robin Nansel, Carl Somers, and Tobin Novasio. Gail Richardson and Jerry Scott were also present.

1. Call to order, introductions
   Chairman Al Sipes called the meeting to order at 9:10 A.M. making sure everyone knew one another.

2. Approval of November 17, 2010 minutes
   Josh made the motion to approve the minutes as presented with Jennifer seconding the motion. The motion passed 6 - 0.

3. Financial report
   The board reviewed the financial report. A question came up as to the mileage paid to those who attend the ACE curriculum reviews with the board noting that there were multiple claims from the same town. Gail and Jerry stated that they encourage participants to car pool or use the school vehicles. They added that it has always been a practice to pay for substitute teachers and mileage for those who help with the curriculum reviews. After further discussion Andy made a motion to have the participating schools pay for any mileage for those who help with the curriculum reviews. Payments would be sent to the school for both mileage and substitute teachers. Mark seconded the motion which passed 6 - 0. Jerry said he would notify the schools on the new policy.

4. New member workshop ... held December 8 at Owl Café with 12 attending. Gail and Jerry reviewed the events for the new member workshop. Donna Lea’s is no longer open so the workshop was held at the Owl Café’s back room. Carl Somers said the meeting was very helpful. Josh mentioned that there is a new café and bakery in Laurel with a large meeting room that might be a possible location for future workshops.

5. ACE March 7, 2011 and September 12, 2011 PIR days
   Two contracts from ASCD for a K - 6 presenter and a 7 - 12 presenter for the March 7, 2011 workshop has been received. The format for the day will be for K - 6 and 7 - 12 to meet with the presenters for a review on understanding by design, break for lunch, and then have small groups in grade or subject levels work with facilitators and the two presenters on lessons that incorporate U.D. A contract was also received from Crowne Plaza for rooms and food. Cost for the two presenters will be $2,500 each plus expenses and the cost for the rooms at Crowne Plaza will be $1,750 plus the cost of food, which will run about $30 per person. The board visited about past practices for registration fees. Jennifer moved to charge a registration fee of $30 each for ACE participants and $60 for non-ACE participants. Josh seconded the motion which passed 6 - 0.

6. ACE Director position
   The board met and narrowed the 13 applications down to three persons who they will interview on January 6th at 9:30 in Laurel. Andrea Fischer will be interviewed at 9:30, Paige Fenton Hughes will be interviewed at 10:45 and Jim Staab will be interviewed at 1:00. The meeting will be posted on the ACE web site and via email.
   

7. Curriculum review
   Gail Richardson reported that all curriculum reviews as scheduled are now completed and will on the ACE web site after the first of the year. We are waiting for the state to complete essential learning skills before ACE does its next reviews and alignments. ACE still needs to do social studies after the state completes its reviews. Gail passed out and reviewed the materials she uses for the new member workshops explaining the difference in standards, benchmarks and ELS. She said it was important for staff and administrators to understand the vocabulary and what ACE is doing. Trent asked if ACE was thinking about having a repository for assessments and lesson plans. Al said it was ACE’s position that schools use the curriculum as a model developing it into a useful document with assessment tools for their own staff and students. Al mentioned how important it is for schools to send their staff to the curriculum reviews to not only develop ownership in the documents, but to learn about the curriculum and to obtain networks with other participating schools. Andy said it is amazing how lessons and assessments vary with individual teachers using the same curriculum and ELS.

8. Technology train the trainer
   Al and Trent went over the format for the whiteboard train the trainer workshop to be held in Laurel on January 18 - 21. Eight ACE schools will send someone to the training as well as two non-ACE schools. Al said these trainers would then be available to go to individual schools to work with staff on whiteboard use and lessons. Trent reported that Central’s trainer dropped out so he will find a replacement. He said the group also has a certified installer that can install whiteboards at a very reasonable fee. The advanced whiteboard group will meet in Lockwood on January 10 with everyone welcome to attend. The group will review lessons they have done on the whiteboards. The next meeting of the regional technology consortium will be on January 11th from 1 - 4 PM in the Billings Catholic Schools administrative building. Minutes, agendas and information can be obtained by contacting Trent at trent@gohaddock.com.

9. Other training
   Jerry had bee working with Belfry to set up differentiated instruction training. Belfry will invite others to attend when they have the workshop set up. Shepherd wondered if ACE would set up Level 2 MAPS training through NWEA. Josh mentioned the expensive Northwest’s training is and that it has copyrights on its materials. The board felt it was fine for individual schools to provide training on its own and hopefully invite others to attend. Josh also mentioned at OPI will be having its assessment conference in Billings on January 20 -21. Jerry said he will have Andrea and Linda set up a second half-day training on using MAP testing data sometime in February. The board requested Jerry to find out if any more ACE schools want to join the MAP testing group.

10. National ASCD conference on March 25 - 27, 2011, San Francisco
    There are 11 names that are interested in attending the conference, 7 of those are ACE board members. Josh requested that his name be withdrawn from the list. He said that perhaps ACE should hold back and not send anyone this year until the board decides on the new director and the future of ACE. Andy questioned the validity of sending people to the conference saying that it does help the individual and his or her school, but not ACE as an organization. Josh said the conference does hold an advantage for the director and having the board attend too would help with board/director relationships. Al said that the board did agree to send Jerry as a part of this year's contract. He suggested that the board send Jerry and maybe the new director. Tim moved that ACE send Jerry to the conference paying for all of his expenses and that the rest of the applications be tabled until the January meeting. Jennifer seconded the motion which carried 6 - 0.

11. Billings Catholic Schools
    Jerry reported that he has received the contract and dues payment from Billings Catholic Schools. He will set up a new member training in the near future.

12. Next ACE board meeting was set for January 26,2011at 9:00 A.M. at the Billings Hotel and Convention Center.