ACE Board Meeting Minutes

August 31, 2011 ACE Board Meeting
9:00 A. M. @ Billings Hotel and Convention Center

  1. Call to Order, Introductions: Al Sipes called the meeting to order at 9:05 AM. Board Members Present: Al Sipes, Jennifer Hickok, Harold Olson, Lucas Larson, Brent Lipp, Mark Brajcich

    Also in Attendance: Andrea Fischer, Gail Richardson, and Trent Windsor

    Guests Present: Tim Lowe, Patrick Audet, Tobin Novasio, Jerry Scott, Bill Phillips, Jeff Bermes, Gary Scott, Bart Hawkins, Tim Bronk, Kelly Glass, Cathi Rude
  1. Approval of July 27 minutes: Mark Brajcich made the motion, seconded by Andy Begger

Items for Information

  1. ACE Budget/Bill Pay: Andrea will use her P card to pay all ACE expenditures where possible, keeping record of those expenses. She will turn in her records to Roger who will then record the expenses and keep track of those plus other expenditures. Each month before the Board Meeting Roger and Andrea will review the budget for the report to be presented to ACE. The Voucher Detail Listing by Roger will be in the format accompanying this month’s agenda.

    Andrea reviewed the proposed Budget (attached to the 8/31/11 agenda with the Board, noting that at the present rate of expenditures ACE carry-over will be depleted by nearly 50%. She suggested that ACE consider increasing dues by $1000 per school, to be acted on at a much later date. Wanted everyone to be aware of the situation well in advance allowing for lots of time for consideration and contemplation before decisions have to be made. . Discussion followed.

    Judith Gap has dropped from ACE. Andrea’s attempts to contact them have been unsuccessful. She will continue to try. ACE has been contacted by Lockwood Schools, Pine Hills and Colstrip expressing an interest in joining ACE.

    Joliet School District will be sent a formal Thank You from ACE for their years of housing ACE and providing a clerk. Andy Begger made the motion and Harold Olson seconded. The motion carried 6-0

  2. “10 Minute University”: scheduled during the Board Meeting as a sharing time to keep one another up-to-date on current happenings and trends state-wide and nationally as well as in our local schools. Andrea began this morning with sharing info on the Common Core Standards which are expected to be adopted by OPI this September followed by a 6 month waiting period before the adoption becomes official. The two Assessment Consortiums are Park and SBAC. MT is associated with the latter. Distributed was a sample of CBAL (Cognitively Based Assessment of . . .  Learning). Time was taken to take a quick look at the format. Projected initiation of the computerized integrated test is 2015.

  3. Promethean Work Update – Trent Windsor:
    The workshops this summer for teachers and administrators were very well attended and very successful. ACE PIR days will afford additional opportunities for training so that all who are interested can participate.
         Gail Richardson is working on developing flip charts for the CRT Released Items,
         Trent and Andrea as well as several ACE schools are developing the use of Promethean with Backwards by Design.
          Looking to the future for developing Test and Instructional repositories.
          Trent has been working with Wendy and Mark who are developing Promethean curriculum.
          Attached to the Board Agenda was a flyer introducing a partnership between private donations and Promethean for matching funds to get interactive/visual Promethean equipment into the classrooms (allowing up to $3800 per school)

  4. Partnership with Kennedy Center: Andrea encourages ACE to sign off on this partnership. Jennifer Hickok made the motion and Harold Olson seconded. The motion carried 6-0. This partnership gives all ACE schools the opportunity to take advantage of trainers, presenters, experiences and resources through the Kennedy Center, The Kennedy Center is a national organization which uses the Arts, embedded into curriculum, to enhance learning.

  5. School Visitation Update: Visits have been made to Shepherd and Luther. At the Luther meeting, representatives from other districts attended. These visitations give Andrea an opportunity to learn what schools are doing and what they need from ACE. Shepherd is developing a new assessment tool for assessing teachers. Suggestions that came from these meetings have Andrea working with Deani (website manager) on developing a link where schools can note what they are working on in their districts so that others can learn from or assist in the process. Communication between schools needs to be a high priority for ACE. Scheduled September visits include Fromberg, Joliet, and Bridger.

  6. Website Update: Andrea and Deani met to discuss updating the look of our website and to discuss purchasing more space. Both are in the exploratory phase.

  7. ACE Administrator’s Meeting: Ryegate has requested a mentor. If someone is interested contact Andrea.

  8. ACE Workshops:

    MEA Days: ACE alternative site to Missoula is Red Lodge for Thurs and Friday. Differentiated Instruction, Poetry off the Page, Differentiated Tools and Strategies, CSPD – Para educators’ academy, Six Trait Writing, 2 Promethean Trainings, There will be no charge for the trainings, but meals, travel and lodging are on the participant Request was made for other districts that may be holding workshops to contact ACE if others can attend. Andrea will check on whether there will be Domestic Violence training and if the local motels will offer special lodging prices.

    Common Core: Andrea and Jim Staab are working on workshops to give ACE teachers an opportunity to explore CCS. These workshops will be designed to be more than just informative; they will give teachers an opportunity to actually work with the CCS for classroom integration.

    6 Traits – ACE needs trainers geared to grades 3-5. If you know anyone who has the potential/interest, contact Andrea. ACE will be hosting a training that will be a 3-session commitment; Sept. 26, Oct. 10th, and Nov.14th for a total of 18 hours. It will most likely be held in the Laurel Admin bldg – board room. There will be a follow-up for the participants in the spring. The trainers were sent to Oregon for further training and have come back with lots of new things. Still have a voucher for Oregon training for a new trainer.

  9. Sept 12 PIR Day:  Andrea reported:
    Promethean Trainings will be moved to Graff School due to the storm damage to the LHS tech rooms.
    Bus Trng – at the MS, 80 have signed-up
    Volunteers – Several administrators volunteered to assist at the sign-in tables. They are requested to be there by 7:30-7:45 AM.
    General Info – Andrea reported the use of Survey Monkey for participants to sign up for sessions. Many have filled. Those who didn’t register will have to take what is left. 260 out of projected 590 have pre-registered. She will send out a reminder. Hoping there will be the Espresso cart – Tim Bronk will check on it. Promethean will likely throw in a bit of $ to cover AM/PM snacks. Lunch is on their own. There is construction scheduled for the Auditorium. Chances are good we will not be able to use for the General Sessions, but the gym is an alternative; Tim and Andrea will work this out.

  10. ACE Logo: Definitely will change and will put out to the public (students, etc.) our need and see what develops. Lucas Larson’s wife may opt to do one for us.

  11. Open Board Member Position: Those who have expressed an interest in being on the board were asked to introduce themselves to the others and tell a bit about what they felt they could bring to that position. The following candidates spoke: Pat Odett, Bill Phillips, Kelly Glass, and Bart Hawkins. Candidates Don Jamison and Carl Sommers were not present. Board members will vote by email within the next 36 hours.

  12. Other: Al Sipes expressed his pleasure in seeing such a wonderful turn out for the meeting. It is hoped that those present will continue to attend and that others will join them. The meeting will be moved to a larger room if necessary. Andrea will ask for RSVPs when she sends out the emails announcing the

    Board Meeting so if a larger room is necessary, she can make arrangements.

  13. The meeting was closed at 11:15 AM

Andrea will: (Extracted from the above)

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