NNER Executive Board Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, July 16, 2008 (12:00-5:30 PM)
Silver Cloud Hotel (Seattle, Washington)

Present: Greg Bernhardt, Jean, Eagle Dennis Potthoff, Deb Shanley, Nick Michelli, Ann Foster, Carol Wilson
Guests: Tom Bellamy, Marisa Bier, Gene Edgar, Jan Kvamme, Mona Bailey,

• Planning for the 2009 Conference is underway.
• Members of the local planning group will meet with the executive board (See attached document); The Location/Host is the University of Washington/Seattle
• A full planning committee has been convened and is ready to work
  • We discussed strategies for facilitating members of the Executive Board remaining connected to the Planning Committee
    • Jean, Greg, and Nick agreed to serve as a liaison team from the NNER Executive board.
    • Different technologies will be explored; Google group, conference phone calls, paired partnering of NNER EB members with members of the NNER Conference Planning committee
• The 2009 Conference will be “different;” still hosted by a local setting but is to also celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the In Praise of Education event which also happened in Seattle
  • In Praise was framed as a CELEBRATION; we want this 2009 conference to also be celebratory. A possible title/theme for the conference will include the terms “reflection and renewal” and also maybe a third “R” word (responsibility?, response?, what other possibilities)?
  • We might try to find/review artifacts from the 1999 Conference ; we might review themes / presentations, etc. from the conference -- then and now
  • The geographic focus for the conference will likely be in the Bellevue area; this area is significantly less expensive
  • The dates are a THURSDAY-FRIDAY-SATURDAY with pre-sessions on Wednesday. The current projected dates are Thursday-Saturday, October 15-17, 2009.
  • There is a desire to attach an INTERNATIONAL(INET) SYMPOSIUM with the folks from England onto the NNER conference; likely the two days prior to the beginning of the NNER Conference; a projected audience of 50 participants)
  • A suggestion was to frame the conference around the four moral dimensions
  • We discussed possible ways to rally / increase conference attendance
  • Reconnect with those who attend the 1999 In Praise Conference
  • Work with Executive Directors of the Local Settings to promote increased attendance from the local settings.
  • Reconnect with individuals who are participated in one of the Seattle-based Leadership Associates Programs -- the cohorts
  • More aggressively recruit participants from the Seattle area including P-12 schools
  • More aggressively open up and publicize the openness of the conference to individuals and groups outside the NNER
  • Have the information regarding the conference available at the 2008 NNER conference
    • Move up the date for proposal submission and proposal notification
    • Present a hard hitting video preview that features the appeal of the Seattle area and especially includes local venues that reflect (progress) on the work of the NNER Agenda
• We discussed and dreamed brainstorming possible “key events” at the Conference that might draw individuals to the conference:
  • Carl Glickman and the five key educational leaders/voices of the 20th century that are featured in his next book
  • National political figures in the area of policy-makers
  • Edward Kennedy was a possible keynote speaker

Sequence #2: IEI Transition (Tom Bellamy and Gene Edgar)

• The charter for the Goodlad Institute has been signed and approved. Regents approval is pending but considered only a formality.
• The Goodlad Institute structure and shape continues to evolve as Director Bellamy gains more feedback from critical friends.
  • Tom shared a current draft with us that slightly reframes the vision to focus more squarely on the concepts of rigorous, balanced, and equitable student learning--particularly the types of student learning that are the type upon which our democratic society depends.
• The IEI is poised to announce/make available a challenge grant of up to $500,000 to the Goodlad Institute; the Goodlad Institute is required to raise $1,000,000 in grants or donations to receive the $500,000. The Goodlad Institute will receive $100,000 up front to provide operating funding
  • Bellamy will go to work mobilizing grant writing teams to get this process started
  • Bellamy will also be using the mission/vision statement of the Goodlad Institute to raise private donations from foundations, etc.
• Bellamy is set to distribute/present, at the 2008 NNER Annual Conference, a “New Initiative Dialog” that announces four open discussions that are seeking participation (see handout); a team of session/discussion leaders, who will participate in a session at the 2008 NNER Conference, for each of the following four proposed initiatives has been identified:
  • Civic Leadership for Education’s Democratic Missions
  • Preparing Teacher Educators with Hybrid Competencies
  • Principal Preparation and Support
  • Teacher Leadership for Curriculum Renewal
• Bellamy presented a “prospectus for local LTPS Continuation Projects
• The vision seeks to create local setting - based Leadership Associates Training Programs for principals of Partner Schools
  • The vision is for 10 local administrators (principals, assistant principals, teacher leaders, district supervisors, university liaison)
  • The projected budget would require $39,000 in local funding; there are negotiable lines within the budget
  • The proposed budget does include some payment to the NNER for program evaluation.

Sequence #3: NNER budget Conversation

• The NNER is in the process of converting the budget to a payroll software program that will make the budget eventually more transparent for review by NNER Executive Board members
• Projected cost for accounting services were underestimated; we have already spent the entire $2,400 that was budgeted. It appears we will spend $5,000.
• The plan for converting some portion of NNER savings to CDs has not yet happened; the current rate for business savings is better than the rates for relatively short term CDs.
• We will review FDC rates for total insurance
• A Budget update is attached

Sequence #4: 2008 Conference Update

• 90+ proposals were received; they are working to make sure most/all proposals are accepted.
• Tripartite Council Meeting Discussion
  • This meeting will be scheduled for Thursday night (6-8 PM) and Friday morning (8:30-11:30
• Template for Annual Reports from Settings
  • Five “writing prompts” to choose from:
    • Research relating to the AED
    • Influencing Policy
    • Collaborating with Like-minded Organizations
    • Equity
    • Engaging the Community in the work of the Agenda
  • The report template stipulates addressing the aforementioned themes:
    • Required: Write on Equity
    • Required: Write on One that is the Greatest Success over the past year(s) related to one of the goals listed above
    • Required: Write on One that is the Greatest Challenge over the past year(s) related to one of the goals listed above
  • The report template will stipulate that including a statement of emerging goals and also responding to “what network support” is needed from the NNER.

Sequence #5: On-Line Journal Approval

• A proposal for an online NNER Journal was reviewed; the origin for the proposal was a seven member ad-hoc committee
• The Executive Board identified several editing suggestions:
  • Historical Perspective section: recommend sentence two end at the (AED)
  • Journal Purposes: Revise initial sentence stem to be broader--articles “such as the following
  • Journal Purposes: Revise first bullet by inserting “social and political” democracy
  • Format of the Journal: Ask the planning committee to reconsider printing/providing hard copies of the journal to annual conference attendees
  • Editorial Board: Revise the process of selecting the 6-8 editorial board members by placing power/responsibility of the board members selection in the hands of the tripartite council.
• The Executive Board (with request that the recommended editorial comments be considered) approved, with great enthusiasm, presentation of the proposal to the Governing Council at the 2008 NNER Annual Conference.

Sequence #6: BLOG for the NNER

• Question: Should the NNER create a BLOG?
  • The tripartite co-chairs might consider including a discussion of this question, or a broader question regarding the innovative use of technology by the NNER, at the 2008 Tripartite Governing Council
  • The executive director will explore blogging options and other technology uses to expand the NNER voice

Sequence #7: NNER Housing

• The offer for rent-free space provided by the UW is coming closer to fruition; for up to six years the NNER would only pay for operating expenses (phones, copying, etc.)
  • One remaining variable is a contingency on receiving renewal funding of an ongoing NSF grant currently operating at the UW
  • There might be some meeting room space available as a part of this
  • One thought is to allow the NNER Executive Director to make this decision; we need office space somewhere.

Sequence #8: New Members

• Executive Direction Ann Foster stressed the need for addressing new membership
• A list of possible new members was generated. Inquiring institutions include Washington State, Portland State, Fairmont State
• Foster proposed the imminent need for a visioning conversation that includes new member recruitment but also includes personnel issues, etc. One scenario is to plan a VISIONING conversation at the December 2008 meeting of the NNER Executive Board.

Upcoming Dates for Executive Board Meetings

• September 21 (1:00-) at NNER Conference in Arlington, Texas
• December 11-12-13-14, 2008 in Denver, Colorado (TBC)
  • December 11 and December 14 are travel days
• February 5-6-7, 2009 at AACTE Meeting in Chicago
  

NNER Conference 2009 Preliminary Planning Conversation with the NNER Executive Board (Addendum to Sequence #1)

• The “In Praise” theme used a decade ago will be retained but added to in ways that address looking forward and also celebrating initiatives highlighted in 1999 that are successful (I.E. In Praise of Education: Reflection and Renewal).
• Suggestion that the NNER four-part mission might guide the strands (three Rs reflection, renewal, responsibility) response
• Jan Kvamme-Conference Dates under consideration Oct. 15-17, 2009—Bellevue location most likely due to cost of downtown Seattle venues
  • Jan will work with Ann on the contracts and commitments to hotels
  • Numbers will depend on economy—track travel trends
  • Timeline with as much advance time as possible (proposals out and returned by June 1)
  • A goal is to have the conference announcement ready for dissemination at the 2008 conference--including the call for proposal
• Committee would like to create a buddy system for Executive board members who want to serve on the committee—liaison committee, Google group (Ann will set up) 2009 conference planning
  • Gene Edgar-Greg Bernhardt
  • Wanda Brown-Jean Eagle
  • Tom Bellamy-Nick Michelli
  • Focus on setting renewal since the 1999 session; where settings are on this journey
  • Find the files from the original session
  • A Leadership Associates’ reunion was suggested
  • Policy renewal and reflection i.e. George Miller, Patty Murray—afternoon-evening as an example for a key policy leader (Kennedy or Mike Rose as examples)
  • Panel with Carl Glickman (John, Deb Meier, James Comer, Hank Levin, Ted Sizer via technology if possible)
  • Gene-look at local conflicts
• Local members: Gene Edgar, Marisa Bier, Wanda Brown, Tony Smith, Jan Kvamme, Mona Bailey, Tom Bellamy will be liaison from the institute, Ann Foster will be NNER liaison
• Suggestions for local incentives; scholarships (funded by local foundations) for teachers, students, clock hours,
• Use the mural from the IEI as the graphic
• Fund Raising
  • Connect with Pat on local options
  • Gear up, each of us locally emphasize this unique opportunity
• Nick reminded us that we are looking at an international policy symposium to run adjacent Tuesday-Thursday for 50 people and will confirm as soon as possible

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