RIEEA Board Meeting

June 14, 2016

Board Members Present: Molly Allard, Jim Murphy, Elisabeth Bux, Sam Polon, Kelly Shea, Gail Allard, Andrea Stein, Nicole Souza, Rachel Holbert, Paul Dolan, April Alix, Denise Poyer

Other Participants:Jeanine Silversmith, Jessica Kenyon, Kara Goodwin, Kassi Archambault

Location:Coggeshall Farm, Bristol, RI

Coffee and Conversation:NEEEA Relationship

Approval of Meeting Minutes: Unanimously approved.

Treasurer’s Report: Table to next meeting.

Membership Update (Jeanine): No new members in May.

New Member Introduction:

Marketing and Communication Committee(April Alix)

  • Fundraising
  • Big push for Flatbread event on July 5
  • New RIEEA banner will be put up at Flatbread a week before event and stay up for a month
  • Will have an info table to be staffed by board members
  • Newsletter is always put on social media
  • Another way to get the word out is on-line calendars
  • Kassi will email list around to board
  • Please send your organizations’ events to April to be promoted by RIEEA

Professional Development Committee(Andrea Stein)

  • Project Learning Tree
  • Jeanine attended conference in Utah which was very well run. Great sharing of ideas for PLT and EE. Jeanine made many connections.
  • National PLT staff will be coming Aug 10 to 12 to conduct trainings at the boat house in Roger Williams Park
  • Aug 10Facilitator training
  • Aug 11 Teaching training for K to 8 teachers
  • Aug 12 Teacher training for early childhood
  • National staff will be conducting all the training with assistance from the new facilitators
  • All trainings are free including free guides
  • Anyone attending training can apply for a free field trip to a tree farm
  • Tree farm association has funding to rent port a johns for classes
  • Jeanine will be creating ads to advertise trainings
  • PD credit will be available based on district needs
  • Goal is 25 teachers in each training
  • Please give Andrea ideas or feedback regarding coffee and conversations.
  • Jeanine talked with Rupert and other Land Trusts about doing more environmental education on their properties. The feeling is that most land trusts are not ready to do educational events but could use the resources in RIEEA.
  • Possibility of having RIEEA have a presence at the Newport Kite Festival
  • Kassi offered to share information about RIEEA with the RI Rivers Council

ELP Committee(Jeanine Silversmith)

  • ELP Summit on July 14 &15.
  • Briefingmaterial is being sent to participants
  • Having a problem getting anyone from RIDE to commit. Let Jeanine know if you have any connections to RIDE.
  • Wed evening before is a reception – working on getting someone from RIDE to speak there.
  • Shareen is reaching out to Reed’s office.
  • Worked out deal with Hotel Providence to provide rooms for half price
  • Chesapeake Bay Foundation has created an ELP model and works with local districts to help them tailor to an ELP to their needs.
  • Lauren, Shareen, and Jeanine are on an ELP panel and will be giving feedback on this model.
  • Thoughts are that RI could adapt this model – we could start by working with a few districts to create a model for other RI districts.
  • Possibility that the Pisces Foundation may support these projects up to $10,000.

Organizational Committee (Elisabeth Bux)

  • Secretary of State filing needs to be done.

Insurance Policies

  • Now that we are a 501(c)3 organization we need to consider having insurance coverage for board members and events.
  • Send Elisabeth names of insurance companies used by organizations.

NEEEA Updates (Sam Polon & Rachel Holbert)

  • Conference is open for registration – reasonable package
  • Small paid position opening up to do regional reporting for NEEEA

Flower Show Committee –

  • The Flower Show is up for sale.
  • Still have not received on our last payment.
  • No update on what the new format will be.
  • We will discuss dropping the storage unit and selling the pieces used for previous flower shows.

GEMS-Net Teacher Summer Institute

  • To be held June 29and30
  • First morning will be an un-conference conversation about how to integrate field trips with curriculum
  • The afternoon will be Adult Ed where teachers can engage a scientist to learn about things they are interested in beyond their classrooms.
  • Looking for an EE educator to lead a hike in north woods
  • Second day will be about physical science.

High Performance School Summit (Jim Murphy)

  • Replaces the Aperion Institute Sustainable Schools Summit
  • Put on by RIC, RIDE,NE Energy Efficiency Projectand several other partners.
  • One day summit on Oct. 21 at RIC
  • Focuses will be on energy efficiency, facility and operations, building a healthy school.
  • Target market is school administrators and school committees.
  • Want a RIEEA presence – suggested we use the same workshop that will be presented at the NEEEA conference the following week.

Announcements

  • Thanks to Nicole Souza who is leaving to become a teacher at a charter school in Providence.
  • Bowling for Rhinos fundraiser to be held on July 16 – registration on the Zoo website.
  • RI Families in Nature is getting a best of RI award
  • Red Shed Bike Camp won best program for Olney Award and Grow Smart RI

Next meeting: September 13, 2016 at RI Resource Recovery