MassCUE
MASSACHUSETTS COMPUTER USING EDUCATORS, INC
PO BOX  82-188, WELLESLEY, MA  02181
MINUTES OF THE GOVERNING BOARD MEETING, January 30, 1988

Board members present: Alan November, Lucille Harper, James Modena, Algot Runeman, Len Huber, Gail Ross-McBride, Martin Huntley, Earle Hancock

Meeting called to order 10:23 AM

News from Alan:  Leadership symposium taking shape, Tues-Friday one week in August :Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) K-12 Public Education Assistance Department wants to help MassCUE.”The Future with Technology” - Christa McAuliff teacher (Hooray, Alan) Harris Sussman (formerly Hal Lenke) of DEC and two of his colleagues will come to the March conference. Thinking about setting up a K-12 education center in Framingham (DEC?). IBM's Ann King of the New England Ed. office will give us $1000 to be receipted for individual items on which it is spent.  Bill IBM after retreat with names of those who attend. :Len wants board to recognize the impact on our outlook of  accepting IBM money. We have been an Apple biased group because of our own board use of Apple equipment.  Board feels that we give IBM exposure at conferences and that any idea we give them is value received for the money.

Activity level of MassCUE:
    1) Quality of ed in Massachusetts is prime concern (Alan)
    2) MassCUE is only future thinking group in Mass. (Alan)
    3) We are agents for change (Earle)
    4) We as a board must seed idea generation at the member level (Martin)
    5) Focus is too small (Alan)
    6) Build our dream projects and then go out and get funding and support to make them happen (Len)
    7) Dreaming people sought for the effort
    8) Alan apologizes for being critical!   Must symbolize vision of education.
    9) Len had coordinator SIG first!
    10) Risks are part of moving ahead
    11) Team of 3 goes to a school with MassCUE as broker.  We select 3 qualified members who will be paid for their services by way of our paying the members' schools for the substitute coverage.
    12) Need to attract new teachers to MassCUE.
    13) Need to Build technical skills in current teachers.
    14) Need to impact on the methods of current teachers.
    15) Analyze who, what, when, and how to teach in the modern age.
    16) Need to encourage teachers to work with industry.
    17) Need to be aware of and work with the politics of local school systems.
    18) Technology invigorates a school atmosphere and the teachers
    19) Superintendents and school committees need model districts to look at when they explore new ideas.
    20) Get Department of Ed support for our plans, but don't give them the control of our projects.
    21) Need to develop a group of Ideal but Practical projects.

Len moved that MassCUE arrange and seek appropriate support for a planning retreat for the purpose of identifying and initiating pilot projects to invigorate the use of technology in Education in Massachusetts. Lucille seconds.
Approved 8/0

Potential projects:
    Consulting teacher teams.
    Leadership symposium
    Internship with industry for teachers
    Mentor/teacher relationships
    Administrative support
    Annual think tank
    Bookkeeper
    Accountant
    Need daily help: Lelia and bookkeeper Need connections with accountants (CPA), design experts, printers, etc.

Martin Moved that MassCUE hire the services of a bookkeeper in addition to secretarial help, paid on an hourly basis and that we allocate an amount of $10,000 for contract labor which includes both the bookkeeper and the secretarial services. Earle seconded. (note that Lelia Richardson is currently the secretarial help)
Approved 8/0

Martin moved that MassCUE actively seek two components of professional service - accounting (for a review engagement) and an image/design (newsletter, fliers, calendar,etc) services. Lucille seconded
Approved 8/0

Earle requested and got feedback on the layout and arrangement of the membership handbook pages which list the membership.

Jim moved that all print and other references to our activities refrain from mentioning "lobbying" among our actions. Lobbying is illegal for our tax exempt status so keep lobbying references out of print.  Get definitive statement. Never lobby for a specific candidate.
Approved 8/0

Jim requests that all mailings go to board members so that board is kept abreast of all member activities.

Jim moved that all mailings done to groups of MassCUE members also be sent to all board members.
Approved 8/0

Jim reported that we are awaiting word on our most recent submissions concerning tax exempt status.  Sent a 5 year
budget plan

Gail asked for help in the form of volunteers for manning the table, etc. at a MassCUE Applefest. Booth on May 20,21,22. Need committee to man and design the booth contents and presentations. There will be discount tickets to mail out to all our members.  Passes for the workers.

Martin gave brief SIG report mentioning the formation (informal to this point because of no application for recognition from the MassCUE board) of new SIGs:
    Elementary-Anne Kenyon, Special Needs-Madalaine Pugliese
    South Central-Chuck Drayton
    Administration-Ned McGrath (Arlington)

Martin gave brief update about Statehouse day: Available dates April 12 or May 3. Board preferred May 3.  Wants to plan organizational meeting Feb 16. Northwest Mass. schools may be underrepresented because of geographic distances. Picking schools not done yet.

[Break at 1:04 PM for lunch - Gail left]

Reconvened at 1:59 PM.

Earle reported that we have a MassCUE ad in the MTA Today magazine and wanted feedback about its content and layout.

Lucille moved that all meetings which involve board members be confirmed by phone, not merely letter to avoid confusion which might arise as it did around the bylaw ratification meeting on Jan. 20.[motion includes the intent to send a letter to all of the membership to apologize about the rush to hold the meeting with a follow up explanation of its timing hopefully with a positive report about the IRS determination]
Approved 6/0 (1 abstention)

Len noted that mailings need greater lead time, three weeks lead time for printing. Len asked for information about the status of John Lebaron's old job.  Alan reported that he had only seen one advertisement in the Boston Globe and knew of no other ads elsewhere.  The posting of the position was being handled by a candidate for the position. Len asked about the status of mailings to inform our members about the status of current legislation which impacts on technology in education, noting that the new 188 funds are back at the $500,000 level, down from the $600,000 level reached last year.

Alan gave a conference update:

Alan moved to pay retreat fee of board members.Approved 6/0 (1 abstention)

Jim gave a brief financial report including the current balance of $5500 in the bank.

Board Meeting dates
    Friday   March 24 at 4:00 Haverhill, preconference mtg.
    Friday   May 13 at 1:00 Rockport at the retreat
    Saturday June 18 at Len's house(?) 10:30 AM
    Hold Wed-Sat July 20-23 for board meeting
    MassCUE Leadership Aug 23-26 (board mtg???)

Adjournment 3:25 PM

Next meeting agenda Earle requests clarification on what gets printed where in MassCUE publications.