Brett
Dickerson called the meeting to order .
Members in attendance – Brenda Chapman, Shirley Nero, Denise Rhodes,
Rita Geiger, Bob Eherle, Patti Harrold, Pam Merrill, Julie Guild, Lyndal
Caddell, Ann Kennedy, R. Eugene Earsom, Richard Killgore, Matt Holtzen, and
Barbara Schindler.
Brenda
Chapman introduced Matt Holtzen who is attending his 2nd board
meeting – the next board meeting he will be a board member. Matt teaches at Enid High School and will be
a great addition to our board.
Brett
gave committees 45 minutes to meet.
Eugene Earsom is the chair of the membership committee, Brett Dickerson
is the chair of the executive committee, and the legislative committee also
met.
Whole
Board reconvened at 11:10 –
Old
business – Conference attendance and expenses.
This
is a preliminary report as it will change as we get more definite expense
information.
There
was no expense on printing programs.
OBA
is a new corporate sponsor as this is what they wanted. They wanted to formalize our relationship
and for them to understand their role.
They paid $225 as an exhibitor, $250 as the lunch sponsor, and $144 for
tickets for their award winners and guests.
We
picked up four new corporate members.
OBA, Rosen Classroom Books, Glencoe/McGraw Hill and Rand McNally.
If
we count direct income from the conference, OCSS is + $387.26. If we don’t count direct income – OCSS is
-$742.
Last
year – the board gave the main speaker, Carol Berkin, a painting as a thank you
for speaking and the painting was $145.
We also paid Turpin/Hargis $700 for speaking at the luncheon.
This
year we gave Honorarium for Michael Bellesilles and the Friday night panel.
Brett
suggested we pay Robert Con Davis an extra $25 for all the work in setting up
the panel on Friday.
Rita
suggested we give Robert Con Davis $25 as in the past we have given honorariums
for speakers who come that are not OCSS members.
Executive
Committee Report – given by Brett Dickerson
The
Executive Committee suggests that we hold one annual 2-day conference, that the
board draft a constitutional amendment to establish a conference committee,
that the board establish a conference budget, and that Ann explore the
possibility of an OCSS credit card. If
we go to a 2 day conference, we should increase the registration price –
possibly $50 for a two day conference.
Other councils – no one charges under $25 for membership and usually
their conference rates are around $40 for a one day conference. The committee also discussed having one day
forums in the place of our fall conference.
We could partner with Kelly Curtright at the State Department and go to
places of the state we don’t usually get to have conferences. For instance, we could go to Guymon or
Broken Bow to attract people who can’t come to Oklahoma City for our big
conference. These one day forums would
be very valuable as it puts us in a position to advocate for the social
studies. We could go with Kelly and
give OCSS publicity and we should hand out actual lesson plans from
teachers. The Committee also talked
about a Speakers Bureau and some lesson plans on OCSS letterhead. If we created a list of OCSS members and
topics they could speak on and made this available to principals and etc, this
would be great publicity for our organization and possibly get us an in with
the administration where they would let OCSS members out of school for
conference.
Discussion
the report – More districts are opting out of the OEA conference. If we had a 2 day conference and we tailored
the Friday to workshops dealing with CRT prep/PASS skills and the Saturday
workshops would be tailored to more like what we do now – we may be able to get
administrators to let the teachers come.
If we try to get into districts by giving fee inservices as the social
studies council, this will build credibility with administrators.
Also
there was discussion that if we raise the dues, we need to show the members
what they are getting for the increase.
We should not just explain that are expenses are going up, we should
show them some new feature that they are getting. If we do get a credit card, it should stay with the treasurer and
there should be specific guidelines in our constitution for the credit card. Ann mentioned that our audit was very thorough
and right to the penny. If we have a
credit card, we need strict guidelines and receipts.
Motion
to eliminate formal fall conference and concentrate on a tow day annual
conference in February – passed.
Motion
to accept the report with the idea that we wait on specifics until after our
retreat – passed.
Membership
Report – given by Eugene Earsom.
We
have four very loyal corporate members, one of these members would have
difficulty if we went to a more than one year corporate membership.
Adoption
year - if you join in that year $1,000
– get 6 years, not to go beyond next adoption cycle. If corporate members are members the year before, we should give
them some kind of break.
Membership
directory – not a way to do a secure members only page on our website with our
current server. In the past, we have
given mailing labels to corporate members with the idea they wouldn’t copy the
labels for a list, they would just use the labels for a mailing. In the past, we have also charged
organizations for a membership roster.
We really need a board policy on giving out a membership roster. The committee also talked about having the
membership run a calendar year or a school year instead of a year from when you
join. No matter when you join on the
school year or calendar year – your membership is in that cycle. There is a problem with memberships being
due in different months and etc. It
would be easier to run with a set date for membership.
Discussion
on report – would like to discuss at retreat running our membership for a
school calendar year. There needs to be
somewhere new members can access members for information and etc. We should have a membership directory that
is printed just for members. We could
do this if membership dues were due at the same time. Problems with publishing phone numbers and etc. on the web. We should discuss these issues at retreat.
Motion
to accept the membership report – passed.
NCSS
leadership conference is every summer and in the past we have sent the
President-elect and the Vice-President so we have some continuity. Dates this year are July 22-24 in
Washington, D.C. Last year – Brett and
Lyndal attended. They learned what was
going on with other councils, training in leadership, and they also had a
chance to lobby. Lyndal and Brett that
the conference was very beneficial. Pam
can not go this year, Lyndal can so we need another person to go with Lyndal. NCSS will allow $300 per person and then
OCSS would pick up the additional expense.
Our retreat was scheduled for July 24 – so we will need to move our
retreat day as Lyndal and the person going to this conference won’t be at the
retreat as well as several other board members. Motion made to send Lyndal and Brenda Chapman to the NCSS
leadership conference and to appropriate up to $700 per person for
expenses. If Brenda can not attend,
Brett Dickerson will attend in her place.
Motion passed.
Motion
to send Robert con Davis $25 for being the moderator at our Friday panel –
massed.
Discussion
on Retreat – We could use the Thunderbird Boat House – cost would be $100 or we
could use Pam’s mom’s clubhouse – no charge.
The clubhouse has extra meeting rooms – 150th and Penn. We can always use the Edmond Administration
Building.
May
22nd is our next meeting and we have people who are gone in June and
July – so May may be our best date for everyone to come.
Motion
to have our retreat May 22, here in OKC, from 9-6 – passed
285
active members – includes students who joined.
8
corporate members and 17 reciprocal memberships –
Treasurers’
report – need to pay OCSS and NCSS memberships for our OCSS Teachers of the Year. Ann and Brett will get together on final
winter conference expenses.
Motion
to accept treasurer’s report – passed.
Something
else to think about for the retreat is a budget for the awards. For all expenses – we could encumber the
money much like a school has to encumber money. I had to leave at this moment in the meeting – if there are any
other notes from this point on – if someone emails them to me – I will attach
them.
Additional
Notes Taken by Pam Merrill:
Pam
Merrill issued to all members the recent report of activity on the OCSS
website, noting that number of visitors per week is steady and growing, even
during spring break. Also, Pam Merrill issued a sample of OCSS stationery
created for member use. Corrections and suggestions were given. This stationery
is available from Pam in digital format and can be altered, if desired.
The
meeting adjourned at approximately 12:50.