NNER Governing Council Annual Meeting
Thursday, October 20, 2011 (1:00-4:00 PM)

Attending:
Jennifer Robinson, Sam  Hausfather, Jim Tomlin, Nick Michelli, Bruce Field, Rene Middleton, Marijke Kehrhahn , Greg Bernhardt, Dave Barker, Charlotte Harris, Donna Cooner, Dan Lowry, Vi Florez, Dennis Potthoff, Barbara Mallory, Nancy Dane, Marcy Keifer Kennedy, Jean Eagle, Deb Shanley, Ann Foster, Leslie Wilson
Guests: Tom Bellamy, Victor Nolet, Mary Ellen Finch, Nadine Ball, Audrey Kleinsasser,

Sequence #1:  Welcome by Chair Shanley and Introductions by Attendees

Sequence #2:  Welcome to a New Setting – Ohio UniversityPartnership

• Introduction of Ohio University, the newest NNER setting by Ann Foster. OU Dean Rene Middleton and Partnership Director Marcy  Keifer Kennedy provided an overview of the setting and its work. This included information on their partner school program, demographics, and student profiles.  They provided an example of data from a school that supports the NNER’s interest in expanding our data collection on aspects of the work.

Sequence #3:  Budget Update – Ann Foster

• The NNER’s 2011 budget was reviewed and expenditures to date are aligned with the approved amounts and categories for expenditures.
• Executive Director Foster reviewed the organization’s finances including reserves and CD accounts.
• Audit; The board reviewed the letter from Richards and Richards, P.C. dated August 1, 2011. The report indicated that there were no financial irregularities or concerns that needed to be addressed. The board expressed appreciation for the audit and reinforced its committed to ensuring that we are financially accountable.

Sequence #4:  NNER Transition – Renewal Planning Overview and Input—December 2011

• The goal for the upcoming renewal conversation is to create an opportunity for visioning/projecting/dreaming/ and setting specific plans in place the next 5-10 years for the NNER
• One obvious issue is the impending, within the next year, retirement of NNER Executive Director Foster.
• A group of 12 participants will be assembled from the list of individuals that have applied to participate; they will be selected from nominations throughout the NNER to include diverse roles:
• First goal is to spread participation across as many settings as possible; no setting will be represented by more than one individual
• Another goal is to balance the value of new voices with seasoned experienced voices who have a long commitment to the Network
• Current Executive Board Members Jean Eagle (Miami, Ohio), Deb  Shanley (Brooklyn College), and Dennis Potthoff (Nebraska Network) will participate as a part of the 12
• The renewal conversation will be facilitated by Gene Edgar (University of Washington) in Seattle so that founders including John Goodlad can be called upon for their perspectives.
• The Executive Board encourages creativity/imagination with along-view approach grounded in the NNER’s roots and mission.
• The possibility of alternative structures, etc. is acknowledged.
• It was noted that the  “location/home base” for the NNER is now more flexible given the independent status of the NNER.

 

Sequence #5:  Motion for Founding Chair Emeritus position – Deb Shanley

• The motion was to  honor  and involve the work and contributions of “founding chair of the NNER” an ex officio member of the executive board. It is also a goal to protect and preserve the history of the institution as we move into new eras for the work.
• Motion by Shanley, seconded by Wilson to approve Nick Michelli as a “founding chair emeritus” of the NNER  and will be included in executive board  meetings and functions as his schedule allows.
• Motion passed unanimously.

Sequence #6:  2012 NNER Journal Transition (Deb Shanley, Barbara Mallory)

• Journal  editorship will be the shared responsibility of City College of New York, Winthrop University, and University Texas  El Paso)
•  Thanks were extended  to John Skilling for making this needed initiative a reality. The transition from Miami will be made in 2012; the journal will be housed in Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center. The journal will be administered by CUNY, Winthrop, and UTEP for three years with the institutions rotating the leadership role.  Deb Shanley outlined the future process which included the possibility of themed issues as well as more general editions. Manuscripts will be sent to Deb Shanley.  The editorial board from the three institutions is being identified.  Manuscripts will be due in winter as a possibility (January). 
• The governing council will send John Skillings a letter of appreciation and dedicate the first new edition to John and other founders.

Sequence #7:  Summary of Tripartite Council Meeting and Recommendations for NNER follow-up.

• Review/Identification of Emergent Themes from the October 20 AM Tripartite Council Meeting/Conversation(s). Key themes included the following:

• The role and value of data in telling the NNER story
• What evidence can the NNER provide to document its accomplishments?
• What are the most powerful evidences of our successes as a Network?
• What concrete examples/stories can we share/showcase?
• The mission of the NNER –updating and renewing this is critical
• The potential value of a tool kit to help communicate the NNER story/mission
• The potential use of technology as a tool for improving communication processes
• Exploring the potential for influencing policy issues
• The potential for regional structures/communication
• Should the four part mission of the NNER be made to be more concrete (less philosophical) by including examples.

• Discussion of how to use these themes in future NNER conversations followed:
• One suggestion was to share these themes with the NNER Renewal Task Force (December 2011) NNER Renewal Conversation
• Another suggestion was for the Executive Board to discuss/plan strategies for facilitating future consideration of the recommendations.

Sequence #8:  Goodlad Institute Update

• Dr. Bellamy, Goodlad Institute Director, announced that the  $1 million dollars in grants required  to receive  matching funds h from the IEI has been  raised.  Dr. Bellamy provided an overview of the broad goals for the Institute and a brief summary of progress to date. Dr. Bellamy discussed/encouraged the potential for cross-setting collaborations within the NNER 

• Areas of work outlined include: to provide professional development for educators, enhance the quality and preparation of new teachers, school renewal and engaging the public, university hybrid educator development, innovations in preparation of school leaders

• Grants in process Tacoma and Montclair State University special education teacher STEM content development.

• School design to operationalize John Goodlad’s ideas on schooling in a democracy is being studied—having the capacity to implement a school for the public purpose of schooling as its mission.

• The group was encouraged to log on to Goodladschool.blogspot.com which has examples from John’s writings to stimulate conversation on practical application of his theoretical work.

• Other work at the Institute:
•  Principal preparation focus to rebalance the in school practice and university course work is another initiative.  LTPS was cited as an example of effective processes .This model may be useable for new proposals and the participants may serve as mentors. The suggestion was raised that we need to include models that work for rural school which LTPS also included.

• Most  grant work is done within individual settings, what we are good at across settings is our mission and values-driven focus that includes strategies to support local innovation and people trying  new and innovative strategies. We haven’t focused on scaling up those innovations to the extent we could. Values and practical application need to be balanced. The NNER can draw on one another’s expertise and be consciously connecting the NNER settings’ work.
•  Feedback was asked for to address the necessary tension between working at local settings and collaboration. Dr. Bellamy suggested that we develop a cluster of practices that make a difference-we can collect evidence on these, develop a working team to collect data. The conversation will continue throughout the conference.

Sequence #9:  Summary of 2011 Summer Symposium – NNER Executive Board Members

• High points for the 2011 Summer Symposium  included:
• 25 participants
• Feedback provided by the participants was very positive

• Announced plans for a 2012 Summer Symposium
• Need 20+ participants to make it go
• Date is TBD – Late July is the target date; Ann Foster will send out application materials after January. The executive board will determine the date after the governing council meeting.

Sequence #10:  2011 Conference Information (Marijke Kehrhahn)

• Reminder – Four Student Groups will be presenting over the course of the conference – They remind us of the ultimate purpose for our work—why we do what we do!
• Reminder – Hartford Principal’s Panel is scheduled for late afternoon on Friday (4:30 PM) in a town hall format.
• Reminder – A limited number of LCD projectors are available for checkout
• Reminder – School visits Friday, October 20 to  Buckeley  HS and Capital Prep School—
• Rides available to Buckley
• Capital Prep is across the street from the hotel

Sequence #11:  2012 Conference Update (Audrey Kleinsasser, Donna Cooner, Dennis Potthoff)

• Save the Date Cards are in Conference Packets—the conference will be held , Oct. 18-20, 2012 .It will be held at the Brown Palace Hotel an ideal setting in Denver, Colorado.
• Website is up and running for the 2012 Conference
• The website will be integral to the promotion, scheduling, and delivery of the Conference—find it and use it!
• Special Invitation to the Governing Board Members to attend the 2012 Conference
• The group will hold a Planning Session on Saturday Morning, October 22 (10:00-10:45).

Sequence #12:  Education for Sustainable Development -- NNER-International Teacher Education for Sustainability, Possible Connections, follow-up (Victor Nolet)

The conversation was introduced  by Ann Foster as an example of an opportunity for the NNER  to pursue collaboration with a like-minded organization(s) in authentic and meaningful ways.
Victor Nolet  outlined the following considerations: what does it mean to be human in the 21st century? How are we responsible in a planet with all that is going on and on a planet in which we are totally interconnected. How can the NNER connect with this work, who in the NNER wants to connect? Settings, groups within settings, individuals?  Can we put together a small working group to move this forward within the NNER? Can the NNER make this work more explicit? Part of the work of stewardship is sustainable development-a healthy planet and all that is implied in that.  How we work with our teacher preparation students? No child left inside, what does it mean to prepare students who have come up in this world to think of the world differently? The network structure is a complex adaptive system,  how we think is the basis of change,  social justice---who are we in the frame of the world and our responsibilities in that frame.
Overview of possible connections / shared initiatives:

• Presentation of possible specific strategies
• Curriculum units
• How do we free teachers/schools up to “do field trips” – insure outdoor experiences for every student as a part of the their K-12 experience
• “Outside activities” for students/citizens
• Community Gardens
• Environmental Literacy Issues
• Exploration of our place in the larger and more diverse world
• Like-mindedness of approaches – the NNER’s tripartite approach/network structure is powerful in a world of ill-defined problems – a strong potential for collaboration

Sequence #13:  NCTQ Response

• This agenda item was tabled.
• The opportunity for a NCTQ conversation later in the conference will be explored.

Sequence #14:  AACTE Meetings—Ann Foster

• Governing Council Meeting TBC – Scheduled for February 16, 2012 (1:00-4:00 PM)

 Sequence #15: Annual Report Process –Ann Foster

• Template has been disseminated
• Due date for Annual Reports – January 2, 2012

Sequence #16:  New Business--Governing Council Chair Election (2 year term—no term limitations)

• Nominations and Vote – Deb Shanley nominated and unanimously re-elected to a 2nd term
• Exploration of Current policies for Governing Council Chair—Two Issues were raised:
• Currently, there is no limit to the number of two year terms that can be served? Should there be?
• Currently, there is no geographic restriction; any chair could come from any setting.
• Request:  These two current policy issues should be revisited:
• The NNER Executive Board will consider placing this on the agenda for a future NNER Governing Council – or do an electronic vote OR this issue will be given to the NNER Renewal Committee for consideration.

Meeting Adjourned 4:00 p.m.