Advisory

Committee

Guidelines

Table of Contents

Introduction 3-4

Setting up the Advisory Committee 4-5

Planning and Conducting the First Meeting 5-7

Planning and Conducting Subsequent Meetings 7-9

Utilizing Information Obtained from the Committee 9

Recognizing the Contributions of Committee Members 9

Sample Meeting Announcement 10

Sample Minutes 11-12

Sample Agenda 13

Sample Invitation to Participate 14

Sample Thank You Letter 15


Introduction

An important step in establishing, maintaining, or upgrading an existing CTAE program is the organization of a local Advisory Committee. To maintain Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) programs that meet current occupational needs, CTAE educators rely heavily on advice from business and industry leaders. An Advisory Committee is a group of persons outside the education profession, made up of representative lay-people, recognized and respected in their own fields of work. These representatives advise CTAE educators regarding programs based on the employment needs of the marketplace.

All high school CTAE programs in the Bibb County School System are required to have a minimum of two advisory committee meetings each school year. The first meeting should be held prior to the Thanksgiving break, and a second meeting should be held prior to spring break. Additional meetings may be scheduled as needed.

The Advisory Committees of all CTAE programs within a school usually meet together for the introductory portion of the meeting. Afterwards, instructors form breakout sessions for their program concentrations. (There may be several instructors in a particular program concentration such as Business and Computer Science.) The instructors are required to prepare an agenda for their breakout session. A copy of the agenda and the minutes of the meeting, including the breakout session, must be provided to the CTAE Supervisor within a week after the meeting.

The Advisory Committee members review the Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) program they are serving and advise the CTAE instructors and local administration on improvement of the program. The following information includes six activity areas offering several suggestions for an Advisory Committee’s input, expertise, and action.

Assist with job opportunities:

·  Assist in surveying manpower needs and new and emerging occupations.

·  Advise on the changing nature of the competencies in occupational fields.

·  Assist in placing graduates or program completers.

·  Inform school personnel of opportunities to place students in full- or part-time jobs.

Advise on short- and long-range plans:

·  Review the program’s annual and long-range (4-5 years) education plan.

·  Help school personnel set priorities for CTAE expenditures.

·  Review local needs assessment and recommend actions based upon the findings.

Evaluate facilities and program equipment:

·  Review existing equipment, facilities, and resources.

·  Review lab equipment (computers, printers, etc.) and compare with the current and future technology and industry standards.

·  Review lab (or shop) safety program.

·  Review room (shop, lab) layout, space requirements, work stations, lighting, ventilation, etc., and compare with industry norms.

Analyze the course content:

·  Review and suggest content for courses of study and standards of proficiency in areas which are essential to becoming successfully employed in a career path.

·  Review software packages, textbooks, resources and other supplementary materials.

·  Advise on the extent to which academic skills and work attitudes should be taught.

Assist with instructional and learning experiences:

·  Provide plant tours and field experiences for students and teachers.

·  Identify or suggest resource personnel to enrich the instructional content.

·  Assist in establishing training stations for students to obtain appropriate occupational work experience through Work-Based Learning and Youth Apprenticeship Programs.

·  Assist in locating sample kits of raw materials, finished products, charts, posters, etc. for exhibit and instructional purposes in the classroom, lab, and shop.

·  Assist in obtaining school equipment and supplies on loan, as gifts, or at discounted prices.

·  Support Career & Technical Student Organizations by sponsoring incentives, prizes, and scholarships.

·  Suggest qualified persons for teacher vacancies or as substitutes.

·  Participate as a resource person or guest speaker to enhance the instructional process.

Assist in promoting education:

·  Provide news stories concerning CTAE programs to the local news media.

·  Participate in multi-media programs designed to promote.

·  Testify in support of career and technical education at meetings which may be called by local and state officials, boards, and legislative groups.

·  Encourage other businesses to stimulate development of work experience programs.

·  Build interest and understanding between the school and community organizations.

Setting Up the Advisory Committee

Step One—Selecting the Membership

One of the most critical aspects of implementing a successful Advisory Committee is the careful selection of its membership. The selection of potential members should be a joint effort between the instructor and the CTAE supervisor.

The number of members that should be selected to serve on an Advisory Committee may vary. There is no ideal number that fits all programs. Generally, the number of members for an individual program committee should range from approximately seven to twelve members, with the exact number determined by other factors that affect a diverse and representative group of individuals.

Another factor that affects the selection of potential members for the Advisory Committee is the demographic makeup of the committee. Ideally, the committee should be diverse in areas such as gender, race, economic levels, and age.

Although most members will be from the business community, counselors, a parent representative, a student representative, a post secondary teacher in a corresponding program, and a CTAE teacher from the corresponding feeder middle school program (when applicable) should be included on the committee. When multiple teachers are in the same program area such as Business and Computer Science, all teachers must be involved by planning and attending Advisory Committee meetings. Be sure to include enough business representatives on the committee to comprise the majority of the membership.

When selecting potential members from the business community, several issues should be considered. Large and small businesses should be represented, as should management and labor. Businesses that most closely align with the career focus of the specific CTAE program should be given priority for membership consideration. It is advisable to consider representatives from businesses that are more likely to be able to provide placements for students within the program. However, potential members from outside the placement arena may be considered if they possess specific expertise of value to the committee.

Finally, the individual’s willingness and availability to serve must be considered. Regardless of the potential members’ expertise and knowledge, if they are unable to attend meetings regularly or provide information in a timely manner, very little will be gained by simply having their names on the membership roster. Likewise, if a potential member lacks interest in the program and is not personally willing to participate in the activities of the committee, other potential members should be considered.

Step Two--Recruiting the Potential Members

After the list of potential members has been formulated and approved by the CTAE Supervisor, the instructor should send written letters to the potential members asking them to serve on the committee. A sample letter of request may be found on page 14 of this manual. The letter should clearly explain the functions of the committee, the terms of service and the proposed meeting plans. A procedure should be in place for the members to indicate agreement to serve or to decline the invitation to serve. This can be done on the letter of request or through the use of an enclosed agreement form. A self-addressed, stamped envelope should be included for the convenience of the recipient. Other options are to personally contact potential members with visits, phone calls, or by e-mail. After all of the potential members have responded to the request, the membership list should be formulated and shared with those individuals who accepted the invitation for membership. Copies of the membership list should also be kept on file by the instructor and the CTAE supervisor.

Planning and Conducting the First Meeting

Planning the Meeting

After the list of committee members has been confirmed and completed, plans should be made for the initial meeting of the advisory committee. In order to increase the likelihood of a successful and effective meeting, the following steps should be followed when planning the meeting:

  1. Set the date and time. The instructor should schedule the first meeting far enough in advance so that members can make arrangements to attend. In planning meeting times, the instructor must arrange the most convenient time for the majority of committee members. In most cases, business representatives prefer meetings scheduled to begin around 3:30. They can usually leave work early to participate, and this allows them to end their work day at the school.
  2. Develop the agenda.
  3. Coordinate the meeting place. The instructor should make arrangements for the meeting room. This involves ensuring that seating is comfortable and that heating or air conditioning will be provided. In selecting meeting sites, it is advantageous to consider using the CTAE classroom/lab for at least a portion of the meeting so committee members can further develop an understanding of the program activities as well as assess the site and equipment.
  4. Plan refreshments.
  5. Create nametags.
  6. Delegate duties.
  7. Contact school site and district representatives including the CTAE Supervisor, Principal, and CTAE Director.
  8. At least three weeks prior to the meeting, send committee members the following:
  9. Notice of the first meeting—include RSVP
  10. Agenda
  11. Directions, maps, and instructions for parking
  12. Contact committee members one week in advance regarding the date, time, and location of the meeting. This serves as a welcome and a reminder. This correspondence may be handled by e-mail.
  13. Prepare handouts.

Conducting the Meeting

When the actual day of the first meeting arrives, the instructor should ensure that the meeting room is set up, all equipment is functioning, and supplies are available. Since the committee has not yet met to elect its leadership from within the committee, the instructor should assume the leadership until the committee elects a chair. The following is a list of suggestions for conducting the first meeting:

·  Begin and end the meeting on time. This shows respect to busy committee members.

·  Make introductions.

·  Ask a school-level administrator to welcome the committee.

·  Describe the purpose and role of the committee.

·  Invite members to freely express their opinions and to participate fully in the activities of the committee.

·  Review the current CTAE program, courses offered, and possible directions for the future.

·  Record recommendations and actions suggested by the committee.

·  Follow the agenda.

·  Develop a program of work. This program of work includes goals and objectives for the committee, priorities, projects, and other activities of the committee.

·  Be sensitive to suggestions made by committee members.

·  Summarize recommendations and actions.

·  Elect a chairperson. A vice chairperson may also be elected. An instructor should serve as the secretary.

·  Invite the members to stay in touch with fellow committee members and school personnel between meetings.

·  End the meeting on a positive note.

·  Set next meeting date.

Planning and Conducting Subsequent Meetings

The instructor and the chairperson work together to schedule meetings conducted during the academic year. In scheduling meetings, remember that Advisory Committee members donate their time and effort to the school, so the number of meetings and duties should be carefully and reasonably established. Remember, to meet Georgia Department of Education requirements, Advisory Committees must meet at least twice a year. Sometimes, more meetings are necessary. In addition, interaction among members can take place through telephone calls, e-mails, letters or newsletters, personal visits, and subcommittee meetings.

The chairperson, in cooperation with the instructor, identifies committee functions and prepares the agenda for all meetings. The agenda should generally include the following:

·  Call to order.

·  Record attendance.

·  Review minutes from the previous meeting.

·  Introduce guests.

·  Return to old business from previous meetings

·  Introduce new business established as an agenda item.

·  Discuss other items.

·  Very brief CTSO presentations are appropriate for one meeting per year.

·  Solicit input from members.

·  Plan future activities of the committee.

·  Review possible roles for committee members.

·  Make announcements that are of importance to committee members.

·  Announce date, time, and place of the next meeting.

·  Adjourn the meeting.

Conducting the Meetings

The instructor, chairperson, and members all have roles in ensuring that committee meetings run smoothly. The success of each meeting largely depends on the enthusiasm and preparation of each committee officer/member.

Instructors: At each meeting, the instructor should provide committee members with additional information regarding CTAE courses taught at the school. The instructor’s responsibilities related to the meeting include:

·  Provide clerical support and e-mail and telephone access for committee members.

·  Send thank you notes or letters within a few days of the meeting.

·  Send the minutes to the members in a timely manner. These may be sent electronically.

·  Obtain further information as requested.

·  Investigate the feasibility of implementing recommendations.

·  Send memos to members regarding information obtained.

·  Keep administrators informed.

Chairperson: While it is the role of the chairperson to preside, this person must keep in mind that the role involves creating a climate that promotes the sharing of ideas from all committee members and ensures that no one, including the chairperson, dominates the procedures.

The chairperson may appoint subcommittees to address particular topics. When a subcommittee is appointed, it may be composed of committee members or other selected individuals who have expertise in the particular topic being addressed. At the conclusion of the meeting, the chairperson does the following:

·  Delegates responsibilities for follow-up action on items discussed.

·  Decides who will follow through on planned or suggested activities, procedures for this follow-up, and the time frame in which the action will be taken.