Rainy River District Best Start Network
Minutes – March 7, 2012
Page 7
REVISED MINUTES
/ Date: / March 7, 2012Time: / 10:00 am
Location: / NWHU-Fort Frances
396 Scott Street
Chair: / Kim Anderson
Recorder / Jennifer Kivimäki
Type of meeting: / Rainy River District Best Start Network Meeting
Participants: / Kim Anderson, Nicole Cheetham, Bill Reynolds, Ann Anderson, Leanne Mineault, Angela Mihichuk, Cheryl Bodnar, Rachel Spuzak, Carolyn Skirten, Leisha Mainville, Shelley Jones, Christa Bruyere
Conference: Kelly Massaro-Joblin
Regrets: / Deb Cousineau , Kim Gardiman, Margie Bettiol, Heather Exley, Tammy Faykes, Anne-Marie Armstrong
Absent: / Lauris Werenko
1) Welcome/Call to Order/Introductions
Kim A. called the meeting to order and welcomed new Network members Shelley Jones, Aboriginal Early Learning Liaison, Christa Bruyere, Aboriginal Health Babies Worker, Leisha Mainville, Manager Four C’s Child Care and Rachel Spuzak, Homelessness Outreach Worker, UNFC.
2) Our Vision: “The Best Start for ALL Children”
Kim read our Vision Statement.
3) Approval of & Additions to the Agenda
Motion : Ann Anderson
Seconded: Nicole Cheetham
“That the Agenda be approved.”
All in Favour: Carried.
4) Approval of Minutes – February 16, 2012
Under Upcoming Events- Remove Ann Anderson for leading presentation.
Also, remove duplicate paragraph re: target audience
Under Coming Together for Kids Update- Remove Miranda as she has been replaced by Angela Mihichuk.
Motion : Leanne Mineault
Seconded: Angela Mihichuk
“That the February 16, 2012 draft minutes be approved based on the above revisions.”
All in Favour: Carried.
5) RAINY RIVER DISTRICT BEST START NETWORK:
a) Innovation Fund
i) Update – www.beststart4kids.ca
· Money to be spent by the end of March
· Merging with rainyriverdistrictbeststart.ca so that everybody can access the service (internet & intranet)
· Members discussed the need for additional aboriginal reps at the Network table
· Best Start Online Service Navigator Launch
ii) Confirm launch date of April 27, 2012
· Confirmed for April 27th, 2012 from 12-1 for lunch
· 1-4 if needed for launch
iii) Confirm location
· Rendezvous is confirmed.
· Maximum of 70 people
· Location can be set up earlier
iv) Create Guest List
· All medical personnel- Invitation to each Doctor, Family Health Care Team
· Resource Teachers, Child Care Centres
· Best Start Hubs
v) Invitations
· Must be mailed by mid-end of March
· Getting printed at Good Impressions
· RSVP by April 13th, 2012
· Have RSVP’s be sent to Deb Cousineau
· Have list of who to invite sent to Angela by March 14th
vi) Survey of Participants
· Ann mentioned the use of Centrio clickers to survey the audience to see what knowledge they have regarding services for children 0 - 6.
· 10 questions maximum, Ann & Bill will compile to develop survey
vii) Guest/Keynote Speaker
· Ann did contact Lynne Livingstone as a keynote speaker, unfortunately she is unable to attend
· Looking for someone to speak on the integration of services child care, health & education, for all services 0-6
· Ann & Kelly will seek other presenters who could speak to integration
· It was also suggested that the background history of the BSN, as well as our current and upcoming projects be addressed to audience members at the launch
· Kim suggested she, and possibly Deb, could complete a presentation and speak on behalf of the Network
· Deb is currently working on a presentation for the Regional Conference and this could also be presented at the launch
· Email will be sent out to all members reminding them to send one question to Ann for the survey as well as a reminder to send a list of who to invite to Angela
vii) Swag for launch
· Make sure the screen beans are not on the Network Logo
· Order 500 Lanyards, Travel Mugs with no handle
o Logo & Website (www.beststart4kids.ca)
o If possible put “Best Start is About Connections.. we are all in this together”
· Kim is going to look into the foldable reusable tote bags as well.
· Orders are coming from 4imprint.ca
· ACTIONS:
o List of who should be invited to be emailed to Angela no later than March 14, 2012 –
o Questions for the survey emailed to Ann no later than April 1, 2012 –
o Leanne to get a list of all HUBS to send to Angela
o Kim to contact Patti-Jo LeDrew for list of invites for FF Clinic
o Kim to order swags
o Kim to contact Jordan Forbes for update on website development and ensure Jordan’s attendance at launch
o Kim & Deb to work on presentation
o Ann to contact Nancy Novak
o Kelly Massaro-Joblin to get back to Cheryl regarding possible keynote speaker
o Finalize lunch, etc with the Rendezvous, next meeting
b) Early Learning Symposium
· Rainy River Best Start Learning Symposium
i) Confirm Date
· November 9th, 2012
· Dr. Stuart Shanker: 4 hours speaking will be $4000 plus flight accommodation
· Kenora BSN will split the cost of flight as Dr. Shanker will also be speaking in Kenora area
· Dr. Charles Pascal’s fee is $2500 plus flight and accommodation
· Dr. Pascal will also be confirmed to speak for approx ½ hr- 1 hour in length
· Discussion ensued as to whether there should be a registration fee for attending?
ACTIONS:
o Cheryl will look into the 2012 budget for allotment of spending
o Ann to confirm with Dr. S Shanker and Dr. C Pascal
ii) Confirm Location
· Townsend Theater, a request has been submitted and the date is available. There has been no confirmation back as of yet
· Shelley Jones will attempt to contact Ryan
· With no success, Kim A has attempted to contact Ryan Parisien to cater lunch
· If Ryan is unavailable, other catering suggestions were: Todd Moxham, Kathy Cuthbertson
ACTIONS:
o Ann to confirm location & speakers by next meeting date
o Kim to contact Ryan Parisien for catering lunch
iii) Save the date
· Possibly send out save the date flyers in June/July and then again in the fall
ACTION:
o Bring forward to April meeting
iv) Invitation List
ACTION:
o Bring forward to April Meeting, utilize the Website Launch guest list
v) Budget Costs
ACTION:
o Cheryl to finalize 2012 budget and bring forward to April meeting
vi) Media Plan
ACTION:
o Bring forward to April meeting
b) Aboriginal Resource Kits
· Deb has ordered 12 Aboriginal Resource Kits
· 12 sets and 12 books on the 7 grandfather teachings
i) Confirm Distribution Sites
(1) Learn, Laugh, and Play
(2) Country View
(3) Atikokan Rainbow Centre
(4) Fort Frances Day Care
(5) Fort Frances Nursery School
(6) 4 C’s Day Care
(7) Red Gut Bay Day Care
(8) Early Learning Classroom - Robert Moore
(9) Early Learning Classroom - St. Michael’s
(10) Atikokan 2.3.4. Playgroup
(11) Plus 5 Best Start Hubs
ACTION:
o Finalize distribution sites at April meeting
ii) Distribution Plan
· Charity McMahon, Mike Jones and an Elder are possible contacts to train and explain the Kits
· Invite people from the organizations who will receive a kit for presentation and learning seminar
· Participants must be in attendance in order to receive their kits
· Each Early Learning classroom should have their own kits rather than placed in resource library
· Suggested training be held in conjunction with a teacher meeting sometime in May
· Leanne stated Firefly may be able to purchase an additional three kits to cover either the Aboriginal sites or Hubs
· Nicole stated she could possibly purchase two kits for the schools, will check on funding
ACTION:
o Finalize Distribution Plan at April meeting.
d) Aboriginal Strategy Update - Angela
· Approaching an Elder to sit at the Network table.
ACTION:
o Shelley Jones will contact Nancy Jones
e) Block Party- Angela
i) Thursday June 7, 2012 from 3-7 pm
ii) Location
· High School Parking Lot.
· St. Michael’s has also offered use of their facilities
· Meeting today at 2 pm to continue planning
· Angela, Shelley, Lonna Oster, Kim A & Nicole
iii) Overview
· Invites/Forms to go out after March Break to service providers to determine which activities are planned.
· Response to be submitted by April 20th, 2012.
· Will be similar to the play date - parent driven
· More information will be available after the meeting today, will update at April Meeting.
iv) Door Prizes
· Best Start Network will provide door prizes
· Some ideas are Family Baskets (indoor/outdoor prizes)
· Walmart/Canadian Tire cards can be purchased now
v) Food
· Best Start Network to assist with food
· Barbeque- hamburgers, hotdogs, etc.
ACTIONS:
o Cheryl to view 2012 Budget to provide dollar amount for food and door prizes
o Bring update forward to April meeting.
f) Best Start Regional Leadership Meeting- March 28, 29 2012
i) Registration Update
· Everyone needs to register on their own.
· Cheryl has booked hotel rooms for everyone attending
· Confirmation of hotel rooms handed out
· Cheryl will send out expense forms for mileage and cost of meals
· Kim Anderson, Ann Anderson, Angela Mihichuk, Bill Reynolds, Nicole Cheetham, Cheryl Bodnar
· Christa Bruyere is able to attend but Network is allotted four spaces
· Cheryl will contact Margie to ascertain if we can bring an additional Network member
ii) Network Presentation
· Kim/Deb are working on a presentation and will send out copy to members
g) Best Start Network Swag
· Looking into folding tote bag for Block Party.
· Purchase and have available for Block Party on June 7th and for Learning Symposium on November 9th, 2012.
ACTIONS:
o Kim to determine with Deb on remaining swag
o Kim will have quote for tote bags for next meeting
h) April 20th, 2012- Jim Grieve, ADM - Cheryl
· Meeting in Fort Frances on April 20th at 9 am with DSSAB Child Care Manager and CAO as well as personnel from the Boards of Education, Kelly Massaro-Joblin, Heather Exley and Co-Chairs, Deb & Kim
· Purpose of meeting is to meet with Jim to inform him of our successes and struggles within our District in regard to the ELP
· Jim will also be touring 4 C’s Children’s Complex and Red Gut Day Care
6) MEDU Update- Kelly
· Ministry of Education is hosting a Gathering for First Nation partners and transfer payment agencies that have child care contracts with the Ontario government.
· Thursday, March 22, 2012
This session will focus on operational matters of contract management, along with reporting, training, and licensing. There will be child care people represented from the Kenora/Rainy River area on a networking panel.
· Friday, March 23rd, 2012
The focus of Day 2 is child care modernization.
· Play to Learn, Learn to Play Conference
This event is put on by Early Learning and Child Care Connection
In Kenora on April 17th and 18th
It will feature keynote speakers - Susan Stacey from Nova Scotia, author of Emergent Curriculum in Early Childhood Settings and Unscripted: Emergent Curriculum.
Will present on Unscripted: Creative Thinking in the Early Childhood Classroom
· Jim, Grieve our ADM for the Early Learning Division will also be presenting on – A Toy Story: transforming early education through Play-based Learning
· Leadership and Partnership Meeting in Thunder Bay
March 28th and March 29th
· some of the highlights will be keynote speakers such as Dr Rawana who is well known in the Thunder Bay Region and he will be speaking on a Strength based approach working with families and children
· Kelly Brownbill will be speaking on Traditional Wisdom in our Families
· Dr Jean Clinton will be speaking on day two on the The Frist “r” relationships: How Love Builds the Brains
· Teleconference with DSSAB on February 8th, Re: 2012 Budget & 2011 Recording Process.
· Meeting face to face possibly on May 10th, 2012.
· Upcoming Leadership and Partnership Meeting – March 28th & 29th in Thunder Bay – (information sent out to Best Start Chairs, EY Leads for school boards & DSSAB’s)
7) Next Meeting Date: Wednesday, April 11, 2012 @ 10:00 a.m.
Upcoming Meeting Date: Thursday, May 17, 2012 @ 10:00 a.m.
8) Adjournment: Kim adjourned the meeting @ 12:50 p.m.
Best Start is about children…helping them be the best they can be.