Board Call MINUTES
Thursday Nov. 21st 7:00-8:00 PM
Call-in: 1-877-216-1555
Passcode: 746079
Attendance: Sonja Raymond, Andrea Racek, Melissa Riegel-Garrett, Beth Peloquin, Jack Russell, Hope Campbell, Brenda Buzzell, Andrea Stambrook, Sharon Adams
7:00-7:10 Conference summary, details in Jan. Melissa
Beth felt the conference ran a smoothly as it had in the past. That people were happy with choices and what they were learning.
Brenda thought there was a lot of people stopping and visiting with each other, reconnecting.
Jack felt it was positive.
Melissa thinks we are looking at $25,000 profit from conference. Still settling bills with UVM. Details were sent as a document. Some POs from school systems still outstanding.
Need to discuss if we should use UVM again at the next meeting, Melissa is recommending we do and will bring a proposal to the January meeting that includes pricing out the on-site registration person. In addition, in January we need to review the overall conference (not just the UVM work) and what to improve.
7:10-7:40 Initiatives Melissa
TEACH, Quality Project, Shared Services
TEACH was awarded to us. Right away we need to start fundraising. Start up stuff needs to happen now. Melissa asked if we could make adjustments to our budget from Henderson Fund (grant that BBF got to assist in the start-up of the TEACH program). Henderson has no further funds to give to TEACH, which we were hoping for ($250,000/yr). Could the $4000 (start up grant from Henderson) go to Melissa to start fundraising (was earmarked for grant writer)? Need to fundraise $60,000 short term to try and start in January semester. We can start in Jan. by tapping people already enrolled in a degree program.
“Race to the Top” results due Dec 20th, so we need to wait to see if we get the $1.5 million over 4 years that is our part of that.
Melissa is also focusing on building an Advisory Board, which is a stipulation of the grant. Needs to be 7-12 people—see list of professional roles/perspectives that was sent with agenda.
Beth: How can we, the Board, help with this?
Melissa: Talk to people and send them to Melissa. There are some rules as it is a licensed project.
This is an initial 3-year license and we will need to complete the competency tool (attached as separate document).
Andrea S: Are there dates related to competencies and benchmarks?
Melissa: Yes, end of the three years.
Advisory board needs a facilitator if anyone on the board would like to take this on.
Melissa needs to get paid for her time put into TEACH now, can we take that out of the $4000 now to compensate her? It is earmarked for a grant write, so we don’t want to take that money if we need to hire a grant writer in the event VT is not awarded Race to the Top funding.
Beth: Should I make a motion?
Brenda: How we will be with paying, can we afford?
Melissa: Yes, the money is from Henderson. We have $15,000 for start up. Can Melissa use some of the $4000 we outlined for a grant writer?
Andrea R: Are we breaking the grant guidelines by using this money to pay Melissa?
Melissa: No, Henderson said we can tweak it a bit to cover this start up fundraising by submitting a letter of request to Eddie Gale.
Beth: Beth make a motion “We allocate no less than $2000 and no more than $4000 from the fund development line item in the TEACH start up fund to give Melissa 4 hours a week to dedicate to TEACH because she IS our grant writer”
Sharon: Second.
Andrea: open to discussion (no further discussion)
All in Favor: Yeah
Those Opposed: none
Abstained: none
Motioned passed
Quality Project, need to get moving and out there. We have money to work in classrooms and it needs to happen. Making another request of Henderson Foundation for 2015 and Eddie Gale (Henderson program officer) advised to keep money request the same, do not ask for more. We will do the May 1st application, but the money comes in, in August. Will bill the awarded CDD grant to come in in June and July to cover cash flow for summer months.
We have a 10-hour position to hire. Melissa is working with Jack and Sonja to see if we should hire someone. Should it be combined with the TEACH position so it would be full time? This might be hard as TEACH expands, then the Quality project would not have someone dedicated to that piece.
Andrea S: What is the initiative that we need to spend funds on?
Melissa: Our mentoring project, working with program directors (stars, accreditation, DPDs) added classroom based with ECRS.
Andrea S: What would the program do? Is it free money for programs that need it?
Melissa: Not money, just a mentor. Money funds mentors, which VAEYC employs.
Shared Services: The “Road show” is traveling around the state. Check it out and see how the web portal is fitting in. Aiming for a web portal launch date at 2014 fall conference. Working with Barbara Postman form VB3 to attain the $75,000 for that from out-of-state funders. Please participate in at least one of the Road Show presentations so you understand the project. (see Flyer included with agenda email)
Sonja: I have been to 2 of these sessions, absolutely essential to understand what it is. Where are these taking place? Seems like it’s at BBF stuff where providers don’t attend.
Melissa: I have asked to present elsewhere and am pointing people to webinars. Not quite reaching everyone.
Sonja: Webinars are scheduled in December and Jan. How are we advertising?
Melissa: Went out electronically, and in person.
Sonja: Useful to be on the monthly RD calls as those are the direct connection to providers.
Melissa: Good idea, will send it out to RDs.
Sharon: What about doing a presentation to VT Head Start?
Melissa: Will be on the VEAYC dime not VB3 dime, prefer we direct them to their BBF Councils and/or a webinar.
Brenda: comments to reinforce the RD calls
7:40-7:50 Spring Speaker Andrea R.
Ooey-gooey lady Lisa Murphy will not present. Andrea is proposing we skip spring speaker this year and throw our support to the DEC Institute that is coming to Burlington in May 1 and 2. This Institute is bringing national speakers on best practice and would be a positivie way to unite the two professional groups. Beth Peloquin is on the DEC planning committee at a local level.
Brenda: DEC might be able to make a lower rates for VAEYC members.
Beth: National office will charge $300 for non-member, could be $250 for VAEYC member. National sets the prices.
Agreed to skip the Spring Speaker and we will discuss details of our support for DEC conference in January.
7:50-7:55 Laura Murphy last meeting, thank you
Thank you to Laura for serving on the Board.
7:55-8:00 extras
January meeting on the 8th at 6:00-8:30 in Burlington.
Should we do a meet and greet? Beth will work with Sandra to organize a meet and greet for Jan. 4:00-5:30pm
March 12th (not the 19th as previously thought) will be the date for the March meeting in person, right after Early Childhood Day at the Legislature in Montpelier. 2:00ish-3:30 Meet and greet, 3:30-5:30 board meeting.
Teresa’s niece passed away and left a family with 2 young children. Will be taking donations form Board members to add to the college scholarship fund in Theresa’s honor. Will be from Theresa’s “friends on the VAEYC board”. Include some books? Send $10 dollars to Sharon by Dec 1st and she will send donation and books to the family. 1335 Quimby Mountain Road
Sharon, VT 05065.
Please read through Alliance email that was forwarded to the Board. VAEYC will have to pay to be a member. There are several Alliance committees, and VAEYC will need a representative on each one. Melissa can be on steering/governance committee.
Jan. Agenda:
Alliance committees
Fall Conference Report: Eval results, financial. UVM conf services decision
Details on how VEAYC can partner with DEC institute
To Dos: Sharon: Send email with your address and the titles of books you found. Make checks out to Sharon and she will send cashiers check to the scholarship fund. Beth: Find a place for meet and greet.