Present: Tom Taylor, Brad Richards, David Kaggwa, Rick Schultz, Bonita Harvey, Bill Kuiper, Helen Wyman, Chuck Herring, Kathy Tripp, Karen Kolb.

Committee Reports

Mentor Committee. Comprised of two units - the NZ southern unit and the NZ northern unit. Both units have concepts on mentoring new member. Southern unit met once but has not proceeded with any scheduled activities or plans. The northern unit is doing training and developing materials for new members on union mentoring. They are working on localized manuals for each unit. In 18A a welcome portfolio is being developed for new members.

MABO Summit. Brad Richards reported that the MABO Summit is meeting twice per year. Round table discussions center around issues in bargaining. The next MABO Summit is a dinner meeting scheduled for Tuesday, July 31, 2001 beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Kewadin Casino in Sault Ste. Marie. The agenda this year will focus on new members and the following topics:

1) virtual learning project;

2) new member issues already bargained or that may come up (to be collected by attendees and shared with the group);

3) tracking these issues from each unit in respective regions and again share them with all staff.

Additionally, it is a goal of this summit to encourage greater participation from the membership (as we are staff heavy in activities).

Public Relations - Bonita Harvey reported that the committee met last year at PN/PR. Surveys were done and collected last year. Community outreach projects were done with high profile activities like Cancer Walks and these are ongoing. Billboards and placemats were utilized as well to promote a positive image of public educators and support staff.

PR Committee has not met this year but plan to meet at Future Search.

Future plans include developing television commercials and build a bridge to the community. Will work on the TV spots and would like to distribute to Coordinating Councils to advertise locally.

Brad Richards noted that 13-B's spots were run on cable TV last fall and that the local cable company would develop a commercial for $150.00.

Tom Taylor noted that we should try to establish commercials throughout the zone and give other areas a guideline to develop commercials.

Professional Development/New Member Training. Bill Kuiper reported that the committee met 3 or 4 times. Focus group questionnaires were distributed. The intent of the Focus Group questions is to determine what type of professional development they want, what the union's role should be, and how it should be done. Responses are requested by November 1. Goal is to get a group of approximately 20 to meet in December and develop strategies and plans to pull a professional development/new member training program together. Hoping the Focus Group will address mentor issues.

Need to work cooperatively with HQ. Once Focus Group questionnaires are back, could ask Marilyn to talk to them (Focus Group).

Discussion took place, led by Kathy Tripp, regarding mentoring new members and getting them involved in union activities. May need to take this to the field to get them involved rather than depending on each local association. Mentors are trained through Pathwise - 2 now trained in Alpena.

Bill Kuiper stated that the statewide organization goal is to extend a mentor program through the state. PDHR is dong the mentor program and must involve UD's in the process. Training will be set up district by district. There should be announcements in August that training will be or is available to reach outside their district. (Contact Sally Bousa in Alpena.) It takes about a year to buy in to the process.

Chuck Herring reported on the Alpena Mentoring program. School District is footing the bill for it. It sells itself once it is out there. Pathwise is being used. It does touch on advocacy but there isn't a leadership piece in Pathwise.

It was noted that a good quality program provides a separation between Administration / Mentor / Mentee. A buffer of trust (chain of communication) is established. Further discussion on union mentoring and how it is setup noted the following:

Avoid mentee picking mentor

Train Union mentors

Avoid any administration's inappropriate contact with mentee/mentor

Association determines who the mentors are going to be.

MEA has trained 80+ people who are mentor trainers. May want to take this to MABO and provide them with the information so they can get it out there to the members.

Technology Committee. Chuck Herring reported that the committee has not met for a month or two. Obejctives of the committee were 1) Database established; 2) Website established. Database was not realized due to conflicts with HQ. Concentrated on the website with is up and operating and managed by Jeff Neff our Web Adminsitrator. The committee will meet again in June before Summer Leadership.

Want to concentrate on getting funds for long range planning. $15,000 in the budget for Future Search this year which will zero out. Budget calls for $300/per UD to run the Focus Groups. Could have $1500/2000 for Future Search meeting at Summer Leadership. $15,000 in the budget for the next two years for Future Search. Need to fine tune our meetings to conserve dollars.

Website costs are $2500/year. Whatever IT doesn't pay, we pay from the zone.

$6900/7000 is in the FS fund which includes monies collected from Coordinating Councils. Won't touch this unless we need to.

Paula Gangopadyhay was hired last year as the Director of the Great Lakes Center. The Center is working on expansion and networking. Arizona, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania associations are interested in creating a center like the Great Lakes to answer to the Mackinaw Center and other organization like it.

Senator Riegle and Dr. Mollner are on the Board and Mrs. Dennis Archer and Helen Milliken are being considered.

This has been a four year project that now that schools' are once again in the focus, will be able to greatly contribute through providing information on testing, effects of parents at home, etc. as a means of positive data. The GLC office is located in Okemos.

The first project of the Center is to research the methodology of the Mackinaw Center's research and conclusions.

The Director is also working on separate funding and establishing and independence existence from MEA.

Will meet in conjunction with Summer Leadership on Thursday, August 2 for breakfast from 7:45 - 9:00 a.m. Will need a room set up and flier in the Summer Leadership information packet.

Discussion. Could use FS to showcase and present bargaining concepts, PAC/Kash for Kids, technology, etc, at IPD, PN/PR, etc.

Could train trainers for FS to present to our locals. Would have to be budgeted but costs would be minimal to locals, once trainers are trained. Could hire Armin to do the training. We are the only group, according to Armin, that has continued to move forward with the process.

NEA is still interested in what we are doing ad could possibly get some funding from NEA for a Train the Trainers Project.

Could take this concept to Summer Leadership and let everyone know that it is the next leg of FS - to take the FS process to our locals.

Discussion around what is going on with Future Search throughout the zone -- does it continue to be successful or is it faltering.

Meetings will be scheduled in advance to insure that everyone know the team is meeting, get their reports in and prepare any questions or concerns they might have and bring them to the Design Team.

The next Design Team meeting will be held at the end of Summer Leadership at 11:45 p.m. Box lunches will be provided.

An ESP member and ESP Board Member are needed on the Design Team. Tom will ask ESP Board members to select someone and contact ESP Members for a volunteer to serve on the team.

Discussed FS in 2002. Will have the focus of the breakfast meeting on August 2, 2001 be our plan to meet in 2002 - 1 day update or 3 day conference?

Adjourned.

K.A. Kolb

c: FS Design Team Meeting Notes 6-2-01