UMSI Meeting: December 6, 2008 10:25 AM: Call to Order Members attending: -Jessica Flaherty: The Montessori School of Westfield, Westfield -Marilyn Horan: Towles, Ft. Wayne -Sandy Strantz, The Montessori School of Westfield, Westfield -Liz Williams; The Montessori Learning Center, Carmel -Whitney Kinkel, The Montessori School of Westfield, Westfield -Robin Fowler; Little Flower Montessori, Zionsville -Cecile Carre; International Montessori School of Indianapolis, Indianapolis -Tara Slagel; The Northside Montessori School, Indianapolis 12/6/2008 Agenda: Revisiting November's agenda: The Spring Conference, UMSI Regional Needs, Logo I. The Spring Conference: A. Change to schedule? -we'd like to have heads of schools to meet in the PM, instead of having more workshops -we'd like people from all three regions get together and discuss needs for each region -set up heads of regions so that we can feed information to the heads and they can distribute -possible to have two different kinds of conferences per year: 1 that is more instructional and 1 that is more collaborative B. Potential Schedule (check previous meeting notes) -AM: Educational needs -PM: Regional needs -8:00-9:30: heads of regions breakfast -8:30-9:30: Check in and meet in greet -9:30-10:30: 1st workshop -10:45-11:45: 2nd workshop -11:45-12:30: lunch -12:30-1:30: keynote -1:45-2:45: regional and heads of school meet -also 1:45-2:45: 3rd workshop for those who aren't interested in regional agenda -3:00-4:30: age appropriate breakout -4:30-5:00: closing -we will still have an idea room: -contact people/teachers in your area to bring in ideas -parent will head this room -a card with all pertinent information needs to be standardized and across the board -pictures of the works -we'll provide the space and the information card -Don't forget to bring an idea for the idea room! (Especially upper elementary ideas) -Don't forget your cameras (we'll have some available to buy if you forget yours) -All age specific ideas in different areas -lounge area for presenters -table for membership information -t-shirts and promotional items C. Committees need to be firmly in place -we need to unify and get the word out -Fall Conference was a great starting point -don't want to make the whole point about conferences, more about community outreach and education -we want to provide support to all the Montessori schools in the state, not just in specific regions (10:55 - 11:00) *breakout convo: We need to meet with the southern schools so we can develop a relationship -we need to make personal phone calls: are you interested? -we need the frame work in place before we call them: Robin, Sandy, Whitney will get together and make up framework before January -Mtng set for January -what do we need from them? -we need to meet before the next meeting -survey to each head of school - need to be contacted personally -we need them to get together before they come to conference D. What do you need from UMSI -labels -schools only? -to everyone who has paid dues? -how do we make sure that administrators pass info on to teachers? -stress that they'll get credit? -Do we need a directory? What should we do about the database? We're going to have to invest. -Susan Sibenburger: in Cincinatti: will help with this. (Robin will contact) -fliers/invitations -names of all members -how did you invite presenters? We need a form to send out: Would you like to come? Which session? -we need a vendor list (if they're presenters, they must say so on their listing) -Towles staff/PTO will help out a lot -Towles will contact all the presenters -just the members will be invited to (you must be a member to present) present. Must be known by committee. Must be qualified -necessary that they provide their outline and they qualifications (Marilyn will put together the presenter form) -Liz will get Marilyn the membership contact info so that Marilyn can send out the presenter form: due by mid-January -UMSI will contact vendors (we'll send out a mailing) -United Art and Education (area specialty): Marilyn will contact regional vendors -put on the form: will you be willing to donate an item or a basket? -use the survey for an entry into the door prizes -about 5 big ones, instead of 20 -possibly do color coding parents versus teachers -silent auction the other items, if possible -about 150 people coming -a lot of people aren't going to be invested in regional UMSI interests -we need a third educational session for those people who aren't interested in being a part of the regional session E. Parent Involvement -how much do we want parents to be involved? -if we're going to be ambassadors for Montessori, we need to do public outreach -we should have one conference geared toward teachers and one toward parents -why don't we do a half day? we'll still get the revenue for UMSI, but won't be responsible for them all day -$50 for non-members; $40 for members; $20 for parent half-day: all fees plus meal fee (about $8) -Will we have parent specific ideas? -Laura Horantz -Parent specific meetings will be noted II. Where we're going A. Gina Lofquist -in such support of our org. that she requested that she be a part of this movement -asks us to be less quiet B. Tao of Montessori -usually "Montessori" is viewed as a noun, not a verb -we want to be viewed as a verb -we want people to view Montessori as an education option C. Community Presentations -more than just a presentation in your text book -we need to correct the perception of the Montessori -get the professors to use Montessori as a research model -Marilyn: we give talks to Early Childhood classes in our community -Cecile: it's difficult because of testing -Sandy/Whitney: Montessorians can rock the tests because they're prepared. -We can teach how to take a test. This is how you prepare for a test. -Tara: Kindergarten testing. We do CAT. -Marilyn: we use Dibels. We do progress monitoring. Assessment for reading. And then we have quantitative data. (University of Oregon) -hooked to something called InClass. State Department of Education is really wanting us to do that. D. Quantitative Data -would legitimize us if there is data available -to parents and to legislature -quant. Data gives you the option of applying for Title money and other grants -State of Indiana will fund kindergarten but not preschool -Will state take portfolios? -No -Difficult to qualify preschool development -One way to do it would be to compare former Montessori student test scores versus public student test scores later in life -We don't say they read earlier, but they do. How can we quantify that? -Minnesota : the IQ scores are average to above average but their test scores are well above 90% -If all of the UMSI schools agree to do the same testing at the same time - then we'd have strong data to back us up -possibly get a grad student to do the correlation -get Gina/Xavier involved -Will provide CEUs from her university for all of us E. Chicago Charter Systems -integrated into their preschool programs III. State Standards A. How do we get on their agenda? -We need to get organized so that we can get on someone's agenda -They're coming up with early childhood standards -Amy ? we need to contact her -part of early childhood state affiliated program and we'd like to see a copy of the prilimary legislature to see how this will impact all our schools B. Whitney do a skeleton grant informational? -how do you decipher this information -Whitney will present: You are entitled to Titlement money! IV. Logo/Website A. Jessica will head logo committee -need jpeg or pdf of chosen logos -due by January 3rd -we like the horizontal UMSI logo with the words: United Montessori Schools of Indiana spelled out underneath the letters. -Change font to look more like proper handwriting -Make sure letters are upper and lower case appropriate -Color choice comes from the color of the state of Indiana on the Montessori map of the US -we also like the block UMSI logo with the children cavorting on top of the block. Possibly will use this as a lapel pin? B. Liz will head website committee -domain name available? V. Adjourn A. Next UMSI planning meeting place: The Northside Montessori, Indianapolis Date: Tuesday, December 16th at 5:00 PM. Everyone bring your own dinner. B. Next UMSI prep meeting place: The Little Flower Montessori, Zionsville Date: Friday, January 2nd at 9:00 AM. -This is a BREAKFAST MEETING. Robin will provide a warm main dish. If everyone could bring something to share, it would be greatly appreciated. Also, if someone could bring coffee, that would be great...I don't have a coffee pot. Thanks! C. Next official UMSI meeting place: Towles in Ft. Wayne Date: Saturday, January 10th, 2009 at 10:00 AM. Details for carpooling will be coming soon.