Ramada Inn 1305 Buckley Road
August 20 & 21, 2010 Syracuse, NY
Present
Christine Choi / Tim AhleKathleen DeKalb / Carol Kozin
Joanne Ryan / Susan Siuta
John Greenwalt / Phyllis Mattson
Ida Marra / Billie Downs
Walter Zeznick
Julie Keenan
ABSENT
Stephen Stengel / Donna Shepardson / Joe IlligMarsha Iverson / Marla Berlin / Angelique Clinkscle
Ana Tuzzolino / Kim Lemieux / Marin Grzan
Scott Greene / Mark Albin / Mary Gere-Penna
Tracy Farrell / Tish Ramos
Minutes
The meeting was called to order at 7:19pm by Christine C.
1. Welcome Christine Choi
· Angelique Clinkscale – She is the new Glencoe publishing representative. She was not in attendance.
2. Report of the Secretary Tim Ahle
· Minutes of March 19-20, 2010, Board Meeting
Kathie D. made the motion to accept the March minutes. Sue S. seconded. Motion Carried
· Tim needs to update the motions list. Will have list updated for November meeting
3. Report of the Treasurer Stephen Stengel
· Budget for 2010-11
· Kathie said that during the Alice trainings people asked if they could pay by credit card. The only concern is the set up cost with reg-online as well as the processing cost. We would have to charge more for the summer workshops.
· Kathie was concerned that we have a negative net income.
· Some of the reasons for the net loss were one time expenses like the banners and business honor society supplies.
· Also BTA had to pay for the for the handicap service (sign language) for the Rochester conference.
Walter Z made motion to approve the treasurer’s report. Sue S. seconded. Motion carried.
4. State Education Department Update Jon Greenwalt
Jon gave out his report. Jon said that this was the most difficult year for job cuts that he can remember.
Department of the Year – the number of entries was down.
SED Assessment Changes
· Foreign Languages - proficiency exams at middle school level and French, Spanish and Italian will continue.
· Concern is that many students are going to have a foreign language in the 9th grade.
· Global Studies might go to a one year exam. There is criticism that regent’s exams are too easy.
· Christine asked about possible additional regent’s exams – arts, technology and economics. Art is ready to go. But the exams are going to most likely be voluntary. No work as been done on the technology exam. Senior Deputy Commissioner John King is unsure about the economics assessment and if financial literacy is going to be the regent’s exam. Joanne has said that in her school many of the economics courses have become financial literacy courses.
Financial Literacy
Jon had a phone conversation with Assemblyperson Reilly – Jon met with Reilly and he had to have the legislation people from State Ed sit in on the meeting. Jon told him about the Credit Union alliance, NEFE and CFM but the head of the legislation representative said that all of those topics are currently in the financial literacy curriculum in Economics. Jon said that even though there is a need for a financial literacy bill it is not going to be addressed in the next legislator session because there are more important things going on in Albany. Jon recommended that we should try again in an election year.
RFP – US Department of Ed. is sponsoring a grant for $1.7 million to a state for financial literacy. The commissioner wants NYS Ed to apply. NYS doesn’t have the resources to apply for this grant money. The commissioner then suggested that NYS Dept. of Ed. should put out its own RFP for financial literacy.
This RFP would be funded by Perkins funds. The concern is that this financial literacy will end up as a replacement to the economics curriculum. Christine asked should we still send the letter to the Commissioner. Jon said we should send it to Dr. King the Senior Deputy Commissioner.
Perkins Funding – www.emsc.nysed.gov/cte/ - More districts formed consortiums to get this money. If your district is allocated with less than 15K then you have to form a consortium. You must have two approved CTE programs to obtain these funds. Walt Z. – MOS exams, CAD program, and accounting.
Specialized Course Reminder/Foreign Language Reminder
Business teachers can teach a specialized course in Math for the 3rd unit. Students can take a 5-unit course of study for the advanced regent’s diploma.
Jon will be retiring in the next few weeks. He will be missed. As of right now his position will be eliminated since he is taking the retirement incentive. Eric Suhr will be our new contact at State Ed. He is Jon’s boss. Jon suggested asking Eric to cover the State Update at the conference. Eric would talk about resource center and SED goals. It would be much more global. Christine thinks we should ask Eric to the Conference. Jon agrees.
5. Report of the President Christine Choi
· See Christine’s written report for details.
· AP Accounting Pilot Training Update – took place at Hofstra Univ. on Long Island. She felt the presenters were a little unprepared (photocopying). The curriculum is definitely different than what is currently taught. There are managerial and cost accounting topics in the curriculum.
· NBEA, NYSCEA, and NYSACTE Update
· Christine wants to send a letter to the comparing a business teachers education vs. a social studies education to the Deputy Commissioner.
6. Report of the Conference Director Ida Marra
· Conference Planning 2010 - Tarrytown
o Online Registrations to Date – 10 registered to date - 7 of them are venders. Region directors need to send out emails. Kathie suggested that we send postcards. We are going to send postcards to high school business departments the first week of school.
o Committee Updates
§ Awards – Phyllis Matson
§ Gifts – Kathie Dekalb
§ Meals – menu has been selected and we are using the hotels centerpiece. We decided to have pumpkins with candy on the tables.
§ Publicity – taking pictures for sessions and awards, contacting newspapers and putting the press release for conference registration bags. It was suggested to contact students at local colleges looking for some experience who would volunteer their time. Need to let the conference director know when the board picture will be taken.
§ Properties – projector for each room - 6 projectors – Microphone and podium. Power cords and extension cords. Hotel needs to provide table for each room for laptop and projector.
§ Registration Signs, conference signs
§ Conference Grid – please sign up.
§ Proof of attendance. Labels need to be made up. The label will be given out at the end of session and the conference attendee will attach to the back conference certificate.
§ Remind - Regional Raffle Baskets. BTA will reimburse up to $25. Make sure you label the basket by region. Try to get donations.
§ Thursday night – Ida passed out the Thursday night agenda. Regional survey – Ida will look at her files. Also you need raffle prizes for Thursday night aim for at least 3 raffle prizes.
§ Joanne suggested that we should possibly sit together at the lunch by region
§ Program – it was originally suggested that conference attendee printout the program prior to conference and to have some conference programs available at the conference. After much discussions we are staying with the traditional conference program because of some of the vendors advertise in the program.
§ Conference Tags – Name tags need to be prepared
§ Conference 2011- Albany/Turning Stone/Saratoga Springs – Albany is where the conference will be held.
§ Conference 2012 - Buffalo – Ida and Kathy are visiting on Aug 24th
o Vendor/Exhibits Report Tracy Farrell
§ See Tracy’s report. We have 7 confirmed exhibitors.
o Gifts for Presenters/Attendees Kathie DeKalb
§ Suggested gifts are Calendar $2.88– teachers already get the NYSUT calendars or Lunch totes - $4
§ Conference Assistants – Are getting black portfolios with pad.
§ Since our budget is $10 – we decided to go with Dunkin Donut gift cards for the presenters.
§ Presenters who are members are getting a free membership for next year.
o Awards Phyllis Mattson
§ Phyllis received all the applications. The committee needs to meet.
o Retirees Helpers – registration fees would be waived. The cost of meals would be charged.
· Motion to adjourn the meeting at 10:44pm for the evening.
· Called the meeting to order at 8:10am.
7. Report of the Past President Kathie DeKalb
· Constitution and By-laws changes (do we have any? Perhaps publishing reps?)
o If you have not already updated your exec board directory please do so.
o Kathie will prepare the ballots for the constitution changes. We will vote via “Doddle”
· Terms of Office and Election of Officers – please review
· We still need someone to take the treasurer position. Traditionally it’s a regional director who takes over this position. Tim said he would ask Tara Hyland from Roundout Valley HS.
· We have a list of positions that need to be filled as well.
· Kim would like to split the webmaster job with someone else since the job has grown over the years as per Joanne Ryan. Between the two people hopefully one of them will be able to attend the meetings.
· We need to look at the vacant position to see if we still need them.
· The question is how can we get more people involved? Julie said we should tap into the Department of the Year winners and invite them to the preconference meeting.
· Phyllis will continue on as region 6 director until the conference. She will help look for her replacement.
· Tim thinks we need to be open to having some of the positions split between two people.
· Jon suggested that we look at the 2020 list.
· Walter said he would be interested in the treasurers position and Sue would be the back-up and assist as needed
· Christine asked all the board members to reach out and try to fill these positions.
8. Report of the President-Elect Joanne Ryan
· Regional notebooks were updated and the email was sent.
· Continued concerns about the overlap between Business Ed. financial literacy and Economics financial literacy.
· Billie suggested that we should contact all the superintendants across the state to stress the importance of financial literacy.
· Joanne is concerned that everyone is taking over our jobs. Librarians teaching computers and social studies teachers finance.
· Summer workshop ideas
· Biz Share – After trying to institute Biz Share in her region they decided that it should be based on topics and not a course. This will be worked on during the working session.
9. Reports of the Special Directors and Chairs
· Director of Educational Policies Vacant
o Regents Statewide Technology Learning Plan – Regional directors should have people aware of the Regents Statewide Learning plan for the conference.
o College and Career Readiness Group – Regional directors should keep them abreast of what’s going on in this group.
· Director of Legislation Walter Zeznick
o Correspondence with Legislators – Walter has prepared a list of the assembly and state senators as well as federal congressmen and senators. This is on his school computer.
o February 28th is legislative day in Albany for CTE.
o He is receiving the regulations on the latest stimulus money from Washington from NYSUT
· Director of Membership Scott Greene
o Has membership packets been sent out? Christine will follow up.
o The high school membership number was wrong. Please change it to 109 so the numbers match.
o Regional Directors- Please remind members that when they renew membership they need to renew their membership for the BTA website.
o Jon – why do you think we only have 500 members when we have 1800 Business teachers in NYS?
§ One teacher joins from a school and shares with colleagues.
§ Not previously emphasized in college program.
o Membership director approves access to BTANYS web site
· Director of Public Relations Vacant
o Anyone interested in assuming the PR role for disbursing the conference information? This will be taken care of by a local publicity chair for the conference. They will send a press release to the local newspapers and cable television stations before the conference. Kathie said it should go state wide.
o Department of the Years should have a press release. We will continue to put the press releases in the conference registration bags.
· Communications (Web Site) Director Kim Lemieux
o No report submitted. Christine has been assisting Kim.
· Communications (Newsletter) Director Vacant
o Christine will address during new businesses.
· Curriculum Planning Director Vacant
o Should we be working as a group at a designated board meeting to take care of this position?
o Christine’s thinking is that we should be working on creative ideas and projects not the curriculum courses. How can we make the existing courses better?
o We should develop a resource list or guide.
· Collegiate Business & Marketing Teacher Education Director Marsha Iverson
o No Formal Report - She is working with Hosftra to trim down the number of courses required in their teacher preparation program.
o They will meet on the Thursday before the conference.
· Historian Donna Shepardson
o Need to work on this job description.
o Need to set up a table for conference.
10. Reports of Regional Directors
· Region 1 Ana Tuzzolino/Mark Albin
No Report submitted
· Region 2 Vacant
· Region 3 Marin Grzan
o No report submitted
· Region 4 Tracy Farrell
o BTA needs to be announced at local meetings.
o Region 5 East Vacant
· Region 5 West Carol Kozin
o Examine the district boarders. Carol sends out info to both regions. Possible meeting with region 5 next summer.