Board Meeting September 15, 2012
Present: Robin Ploof, Laurel Bongiorno, Beth Peloquin, Andrea Racek, Brenda Buzzel, Melissa Schefller, Laura Murphy, Sandra Graves, Theresa Robinson
Theresa: Send vendor info and ideas to Theresa. Lots of space on Saturday.
Laurel: Conference
Saturday, has continued to be lower.
Parking is from the Sheraton, not the Patrick Gym
Keynote Thursday 2013: Luis Hernandez, leadership all day with NE
Friday, Daniel Habib & screening of “Including Samuel” (schedule of the conference may look different that day. A whole inclusive practice track, follow up on where we are in Vermont, show movie twice….
(perhaps charge for viewing for the general public)
2014, Veloura Washington, (children of 2020) Thursday. Friday Janet Gonzalez Mena,(diversity
supporting children & families)
Spring Speaker May 22, 2013 Morning: Olga Jarrett (Recess)
Afternoon (Movie “Play Again”) followed by break out sessions with different people facilitating.
Conference calling: Goal to get more people to participate, but costs money. VAEYC does have an 800 hundred number , but costs .06 a minute per person. The third option is to reimburse members the amount of the call. Perhaps pay for a Skype conference account. Headset and cell phone works well, and often free with minutes available. … Everyone investigate phone bill, if charged, submit for reimbursement.
Andrea: Andrea is a member of the sub-committee for Accessible Playgrounds thru DEC. Outreach that supports families with children with very high needs. Right now the project is accessible playgrounds in Vermont. Presented in Westford and Burlington parks and Rec. Working with B’ton to improve Oakledge Park. Part of the grant writing is submitting what other organizations would support this effort. Can VAEYC write a letter saying a universal playground would be something we support? Laurel will also ask Champlain College.
Laurel makes a motion that Vaeyc supports this project. Melissa S. seconds. Andrea showed photos of components. All in favor.
There has been a revisitation of adding VCCPA in with the quality project along with VB3. Some of the conversation that has happened: they were concerned with leadership and implementation. A oversight committee with members of both Boards. VCCPA would like to move forward by using their mentors as part of the project. We need those mentors, because we do not have mentors for family home providers. There would need to be appropriate experience for mentors, and training. Letterhead: Child Care Quality Improvement Project with both logos. VAEYC would be doing the admin for the first year free. After, there would be an admin fee. We would need to vote on this – this is an exception to what we’ve already decided. Another piece is the membership issue. We do not require people to become members to utilize the accreditation project. They do. We’ve talked about some kind of bundle some kind of membership. Somewhat complicated. Perhaps be in “one clubhouse” and become one organization. Our membership right now is 550. What is needed at this point is for some board members continuing the conversation.
- Asking us to decide that we will look at a joint quality project
- Asking folks to join the conversations with Melissa about merging our organization
Sonja: how would VCCPA interface with what we already have planned for the next year? How will this help with our goal of filling in the gaps that mentors don’t cover?
Proceed with caution. Sonja would like to be part of those conversations and maybe Theresa. Lets think about what we would like Melissa to ask them, what has changed, have they approached other people, what specifically would benefit VAEYC, can we see how mentors would be used. Theresa and Sonja encourage caution.
Robin issued Draft of the Quality Plank – from the policy committee of Voices for Vermont Children and KAP1. Melissa would like feedback. (Laurel, google Teach, from North Carolina to find out about it)
The Pay it Forward Awards: Giving them at the conference, the recipients will then find someone who fits the parameters of that award to issue it to next year. Categories that are inclusive: i.e. VAEYC Visionary, valiant volunteer award, amazing advocate award, Magnificent Mentor award, Quality Champion, VAEYC Spirit award
6 Priorities: 2 done….Pay it Forward, and Laura set up this networking meeting in a different place. Can someone think about a Chittenden county event around our January meeting and something for March? Sandra & Laurel can figure something out around the Head Start meeting in January. March is Montpelier, Laura can do that. 2 – 3…..
Videocasting parts of the conference (Beth offered to do this). We must be mindful of those who are presenting whether they want to be broadcast. This is like a members only kind of archive on the website. NAEYC does this and charges to have access to it. With them it is just audio. Laurel, perhaps 3 people that are really good. Beth and Laurel will look at this. Do we want a video yearbook of the conference, to use for advertising for next year – photos, snippets, music…. Anyone who videos, give Beth these pieces, one minute clips. Place something at registration, or on workshop doors letting them know we are videotaping.
Leadership Summit . Luis Hernandez at the 2013 Conference – Welcome to NE Leadership Day (Thursday). Have Gwen and talk with her. Can we invite someone from New Hampshire to meet with us about leadership collaboration?
Membership: Publicize membership benefits, create an intentional plan around econnections and media… This should have an adhoc group to talk about recommendations. Members are not aware of the advocacy work VAEYC does; Other benefits. Ask Courtney.
Use NAEYC more as a resource and other state affiliates: Melissa coordinate a training as an affiliate via national.
DEC Recommended Practices Institute – Hilton or Marriot, 3 day 2 night conference (spring 2013).
Of the lower priority ideas, go back to email from meeting and review them.