BALTIMORE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD
BUILDING LINKAGES TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS TASKFORCE MEETING
Monday, February 7, 2005
10:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Hyatt Regency
300 Light Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
MEETING MINUTES
Present: Alice Cole, Lynne Gilli, Joyce Jennings, Deborah Knight-Kerr, Toni Letzsch, Joanne Nathans, Tara Potter (Rep. for Susan Butta), Melanie Styles, Jane Sundius, Victor Valentine, Jo-Ann Williams
The meeting commenced at 10:10 a.m. Alice welcomed everyone and did an overview of the meeting agenda. Alice shared that Karen would not be able to attend because she was out of town this week. She also told the committee that Robert Steele would be stepping down as chair. Mr. Steele has been assigned as the General Manager for the Hyatt Regency in Tampa, Florida. Alice said that she would move them through the agenda and that she had received an email from Joyce Jennings stating that she had an 8:00 a.m. meeting with Frank DeStephano and would come as soon as it was finished. The December 6th minutes were approved.
TEACHER EXTERNSHIPS
Alice recapped that last time there were seven recommendations for schools that they could work with. She listed 426, ACE, Academy, 420, Dunbar, Digital and Edmondson West Side. Alice said that these recommendations had been given to Joyce to share with Frank DeStephano and she had not received their recommendation. Alice asked Deborah and Jo-Ann W. to take the lead in choosing how many schools to work with. Deborah recommended that they work with as many schools as they could because it would have a greater impact. Jo-Ann W. believed that they were working with schools that had a healthcare focus. Lynne thought that the schools with a healthcare focus would have more meaningful internships because of the school to work experience that would be provided. Joanne N. mentioned that even schools without a healthcare focus could benefit from the program because there are all different kinds of careers available in a medical system. Alice noted that there could be a full integration of learning, with the occupational, math, science and social studies teachers working together. Deborah said that one of main issues in schools, was that so many high-school students were graduating without basic skills and they would really benefit from the teachers cross-referencing the subject matter and stressing the important skills that are required on the job.
The committee also discussed the lower number of males that went into healthcare careers and how they could market/recruit those careers to attract them to the industry. They discussed that schools are sticking to a strict curriculum and that they could extend the curriculum to fit this agenda. They also talked about careers that would attract males and extending Pharmacy, Business Service/Hospitality, Surgical Tech. and EMT programs within the schools. Lynne said that she would talk to Marquita and get her to help them by instructing teachers how to extend their existing curriculum to include career development/specific skills. Alice asked Tara if Verizon would be interested in hosting a teacher for an externship. Tara said that it was a possibility and that she would check into the company’s past history of educational partnerships and that maybe the area of public affairs would be an option. Alice told Tara that the teacher externship information was in her packet and that she could take it back to her company so that they could make a decision. Deborah asked Alice if she could send her an email regarding Hopkins’s continued participation in the externships.
Joyce arrived at the meeting and Alice told her that they had talked about targeting Dunbar, Patterson and Edmondson West Side for the teacher externships. Joyce stated that Dr. DeStephano had picked Digital and Edmondson because those were the schools they did not already have major partnerships and he wanted to share the resources with them. Lynne noted that Digital’s program focus was on information technology. Alice stated that they would then need to contact Businesses in the information technology realm.
The committee decided to use Digital, Edmondson West Side and Patterson High Schools for the teacher externships. Jo-Ann W. and Deborah suggested doing interviews with the teachers before they began the externships to make the experience more meaningful. They thought it would be a good idea to find out what they hope to gain from the experience and give them a better understanding of what the process would be like. Jane suggested that they have an awards ceremony to make it more competitive and prestigious, which would entice teachers to participate. She said that they could have a luncheon, invite the press and present a “big check.” Lynne said that it would be a good idea to do something like that when you had people competing for a limited amount of slots. The committee noted that they wanted teachers who would be really committed to the experience and are not just there because of the money or because the principals had asked them to do it. Lynne will check with Marquita about the professional development credits.
Alice will hold all information until Marquita ok’s everything and then will email the applications and teacher externship information to Joyce. Joyce will relay all information to Frank and ensure his involvement and support. Joyce will flash all information to the principals so that it would come from Frank’s office. Alice said that Jo-Ann and Deborah should do the interviews by the middle of March because spring break was March 25th-April 1st and school lets out on June 23rd. Alice will check on the testing schedule and noted that the businesses can make their selection by the end of March. Jo-Ann W. stated that once they selected the teachers, they should let them work out the externship scheduling with the business partners. Alice, Catherine, Deborah and Jo-Ann W. will present the externship information at the next Principal’s Meeting. The committee discussed that the principals would do the initial recommendations and the teacher’s placements would be based on their interest and what their school’s focus was. Alice will set up a smaller meeting of committee members to set the criteria for the teacher selections.
HIGH-SCHOOL REFORM
Joyce passed around brochures about the Baltimore City High Schools’ without entrance criteria, school choice initiative. The brochures listed the high schools’ program focus and noted that students could choose where they wanted to attend based on their interest. Joyce stated that the city public school system’s curriculum was becoming more demanding and was mandating college prep in every school. She mentioned the Renaissance Academy and that it was pending board approval and the new Coppin Academy High School still needed a principal. She also passed around a 2005-2006 BCPSS High School Planning Booklet for everyone to review.
BWIB RECOMMENDATIONS
Business Partnerships: Alice said that Deborah and Jo-Ann W. were confident about Hopkins, Tara would find out about Verizon, Jane Brown was supposed to find out about the Deutsch Foundation, Neil from Sinai had participated last year and they should check with Robert and the new GM about the Hyatt’s involvement. Alice stated that she would include all of this information in the email and that Vic had an upcoming BWIB meeting on March 11, 2005. Alice stated that she would ask Robert as his parting assignment, to send out letters to the businesses under his signature. Joanne stated that in terms of getting BWIB members, she thought that they should approach them individually in addition to sending them letters. The committee reviewed that last year each company had financially supported one teacher, but hosted every teacher in rotation for the externship training. Robert did not want all of the financial responsibility to fall on one company.
Jane noted that when they solicit the businesses participation, they should tell them that there are curriculums already available for them to use with the teachers. Jo-Ann W. noted that the teachers should be learning about all of the careers in a business. Joanne N. asked if the businesses received any support in the process. Alice said they would be providing as much support as they could. Deborah said she shares all of the initial externship model information with them in the beginning. Lynne will assign Marquita to assist Alice in developing a notebook for the employers. The teachers will also do a presentation about their experience after they finish the externship. Alice noted the importance of the committee’s participation in marketing the externships to the businesses.
Alice asked Joyce if Frank had any extra money if they had a shortfall in the stipends and would include the request in the email to Joyce. Joanne N. stated that they should get the BWIB to help support with the money and suggested using a fiscal agent. Alice asked Joanne N. if her company could assist. Joanne N. said that they could waive their administration fee to be the fiscal agent. Alice stated that they should share labor market information with the schools, based on their focus. Joyce said that they should wait and let the schools get more prepared in setting up their programming and staffing. Lynne stated that Gail and Trudy had already shared industry cluster information with the schools, regarding high-end economic development in the future workforce. Joyce said that they should make sure they share that information with all of the principals, guidance counselors and office staff. Lynne said that it would be good to forward now before the teachers revert back to “what they know.” Jane stated that ABELL had commissioned a study on information systems technology and Melanie said that she would look into it. Lynne said that Bush had announced that there would be cuts in vocational funding.
Action Items:
ü Tara will check on Verizon hosting a teacher for an externship
ü Lynne will talk to Marquita about professional development credits, instructing the teachers to extend their curriculum and helping Alice to develop a handbook for the employers
ü Joyce will share all necessary information with Frank DeStephano and flash the teacher externship info. to the principals
ü Alice will:
a. Set up a smaller committee meeting to discuss the teacher selections for the externships
b. Email Deborah about Hopkins’s involvement with the teacher externships
c. Check on the school testing schedules
d. Email Joyce with the externship information, update on the business partnerships and money to Frank
e. Help develop a handbook for the employers
ü Deborah, Catherine, Jo-Ann and Alice will present the teacher externship information at the next principal’s meeting
The meeting adjourned at 11:32 a.m.