General Business Meeting of MASS-CUE
Foxboro Conference
10-24-87
Meeting called to order by president, Alan November, at 2:57 P.M.
30 members present.
1) Moved that the Massachusetts Computer Using Educators By-Laws
be changed so that the official name of the organization is
"Massachusetts Computer Using Educators, Inc."
This change of the By-Laws is required so that
we may be recognized by both the state and federal government as a
non-profit organization.
Charlie Schiller noted that the word "Association" was also dropped from our name some time ago.
Motion passed unanimously.
2) Moved that Article 12, section a of the MASS-CUE by-laws be
amended in accordance with action taken at the July 10, 1987 Governing
Board meeting. Non-profit status, under federal tax regulations
requires that no individual should profit from the dissolution of a
non-profit group. The current section reads: In the event of
dissolution, all assets are to be distributed to members, but not to
exceed dues payment; any balance will be donated to a non-profit
organization selected by a majority of the Governing Board. The
amendment proposes that the section now read: In the event of
dissolution, all assets will be donated to a non-profit organization
selected by the majority of the Governing Board.
Motion passed unanimously.
GENERAL DISCUSSION
1) Alan described several possible upcoming MASS-CUE events.
A) Trip to England - an opportunity to see
computer education English style. Optional "conference" to
present our views to our English hosts. $1600.00 including
all expenses is the goal. There is possible college credit from
Lesley College and also from a state college. Call Alan to give
him feedback. Will it be tax deductible? Cost of
college credit may offset benefits of any tax deduction.
B) December 3rd there will be an event involving an
International Telecommunications SIG. Contact Alan for more
information.
C) Summer Leadership Training for Computer Educators
will be a five day leadership skills conference with emphasis on
writing skills, long range planning, dealing with others,
"influencing". Training will be by people from outside of
education to provide business background for the skills of educators.
Dick Silverman mentioned that the Association for Training and
Development (ASTD), an industry association may be a source of help.
Charlie Schiller pointed out that some University of Massachusetts
professors are working on what industry skills are applicable to
education. The conference will be 80% Massachusetts with national
advertising to fill the remaining 20%. The event will probably be
partially subsidized by industry. Suggested locations were U.Mass
Center, Factory Mutual Insurance Co. Training Center, AT+T, New England
Center (New
Hampshire). There should be between 12 and 20 attendees. Again, college
credit should be available. Charlie Schiller asked that there be no
"top down" management skills taught. A list was circulated to form a
committee to organize the leadership training proposal.
D) "Retreat" in the spring. Usually 50 or so
people attend. One theme is designed to help focus the retreat so
that some serious progress occurs for the organization. There is
typically some industry sponsorship. Martin Huntley pointed out that 40
is a good size on the basis that "small is better". Time of year?
Money from schools must be budgeted early so announce immediately. Len
Huber noted that the retreat attracts the highly committed members of
MASS-CUE. This is a highly involving
experience. April (after tax time) was recommended for this year's
conference. Think about the possibility of another time for next
year's retreat. A retreat planning committee interest sheet was passed
around.
E) The Governing Board announced the creation of two
new temporary Governing Board positions to last until the next election
of a Governing Board: Publications Director and Events Director.
Alan indicated that these positions will only be filled if qualified
candidates can be found and that the board will be considering the
positions in the very near future. Contact him if you have questions or
an interest in a position.
F) Statehouse Day - last time there was very short
notice. This year there is more lead time. Martin Huntley
is coordinating the effort. The number of teams from different
schools depends on the space we get at the statehouse. Invitation from
schools who have representatives on the Ways and Means and Education
committees is always a prime objective as it was the first time, but
the selection process will be different this year. We expect to
have a fair, predefined selection procedure. Fill out a form.
“Improving Schools with Technology” is the working theme of the
day. We need to show the link between the money spent for
technology and the improvement it creates. It is very important
to NOT indicate that this is a direct request for money or that this is
in any way a lobbying effort. Someone suggested a student made "book"
be given to the legislators who attend.
G) There is a packet designed by Apple for Computer
Coordinators. A sheet went around the group to indicate an
:interest in getting a copy. Alan was involved in writing the
packet and he thinks he can arrange copies for anyone who was present
at the business meeting who was interested.
H) The March conference will be
coordinated by John Marion and Richard Silverman. There was
discussion about the timing of the sessions. Presenters should
provide a document describing their presentation so that people can
judge the content to see if it is suitable to their needs, or to use as
a reference for the presentations a conference participant could not
visit. This information would be required enough in advance so it
could be included in MASS-CUE Reports given to conference attendees at
the
conference. There was the suggestion that more built-in time for
vendors be available such as between lunch and keynote, etc It was
pointed out that we have gone from 15 to 25 to 40 tables in just three
conferences. The afternoon session should not be delayed to prevent
people from leaving after lunch. The main purpose of the conference is
to attend the presentations. “Strand” concept is good. It might
also be a good idea to have levels, pitched to novices, intermediate
users, and advanced users. If vendors are making the
presentation, that should be clearly stated in the packet by the
description of the presentation. Should we consider a two-day
conference? What about the issue of a school day? Need a college site
for a school day conference such as during a college vacation (March).
Workshops on skill development could be the topic of Friday and then
regular conference on Saturday. Consider running very powerful
workshops late to keep attendance high. What about running some
workshops twice? Keep the
business meeting at 4:00 after the workshops. As an answer to the
conflict of two workshops that interest you, bring a team from your
school that will cover the workshops you cannot visit. Require takeaway
materials of each presenter (copies??) Place the excess of copies
in a central location for people to pick up in case they cannot get to
the presentation. Put a description of each presentation in the
registration confirmation packet that should be mailed out to each
conference pre-registrant In addition to the formal
presentations, schedule a 1 hour slot for later discussion in a central
location, a sort of question and answer session. Consider discounted
attendance for second and third attendees from same school. Advance
publication of conference presentations. Full year advance conference
planning with host of next conference on the committee of the current
conference.
MASS-CUE should do
(1) more Public Relations to promote itself.
(2) It should target ALL TEACHERS not just the computer literate.
(3) Need to show what we can do to help every teacher use computers.
(4) Co-sponsor events with other groups.
(5) Create a group of people who would visit and help organize school use of computers.
(6) Redefine, reaffirm MASS-CUE goals.
(7) Novice help - create a "how to get around the roadblocks" conference and workbook.
(8) MASS-CUE could broker teams to go out to help
schools. We could pay for the subs of the team that is to go.
(9) Talk to other organizations to offer workshops, etc. for their conferences.
(10) Create a bigger mailing list.
(11) Pay some MASS-CUE members to attend other conferences as representatives.
(12) Inform superintendents, go to their conference and man a booth.
(13) Ditto Mass. Assn. of School Committees conference.
(14) Note that we got 80 new members from this conference.
(15) Improve conference as we have done; continue to
improve the class of the event. Get so good that everyone will
want to come.
(16) We want to fundamentally improve the
quality of education in the state of Massachusetts and serve as a
national model. We need a management plan to be based on that
goal.
(17) We need to accept the challenge of living at
the edge of our competence as Doris Ray, Keynote speaker, told us.
(18) Make MASS-CUE known to local resource people as
we are contacts for them to schools. We need to show we are not
on a narrow road of technological education. Rather we should
ensure that we deal with broad educational issues in our
statements.
(19) Consider Basic, Middle, and Advanced strands
with 1 keynote speaker and special inspiring speaker for each level.
(20) Information table was a good idea.
We should also provide a resource booth with subject area people who
would answer specific questions related to computer use in that
subject. Have materials germane to a subject area in the booth.
Have question and answer sessions at booth.
(21) Provide a block of time for SIG and subject area conversations.
(22) Prepare a grassroots "how to get started" booklet.
(23) Have a booth where Chapter 188 materials are actually available.
(24) Get a team together to "man" the booth, one session per person.
(25) Massachusetts Association of Secondary School
Administrators have representatives on various other educational
boards. Consider such a move for MASS-CUE representatives.
Ask members of other organizations to sit on an advisory board for
MASS-CUE.
The business meeting adjourned at 5:04 P.M.
Minutes submitted by Algot Runeman, secretary