BoardMeetingMinutesApril2006

NCSS Board of Directors

Meeting Minutes, April 22-23, 2006

• Attending: Jeff Passe, Chair; Peggy Altoff; Gayle Thieman; Stephen Armstrong; Dennis Banks; Lynne Boyle-Baise; Bruce Damasio; David Faerber; Jesus Garcia; Steven Goldberg; Syd Golston; Diane Hart; Dorsee Tucker-Johnson; Michael Koren; Ricki Laviano; Denee Mattioli; Sally Jo Michalko; Paul Nagel; Kelly Palmer; Eileen Sheehy; Shelly Singer; Carol Warren; Marsha Yoder; Renay Scott; Michael Yell (guest).
• Staff: Susan Griffin; Michael Simpson; Tim Daly; Cassandra Roberts; Paul Schwobel; Ana Post; Ella McDowell

I. Agenda

The board approved the agenda

II. February Meeting Minutes

The board approved the February meeting minutes, with corrections (add "Education" to Citizenship Workgroup reference in Citizenship Subcommittee report section.)

III. Governance and Administration

A. Financial Statements

• NCSS Director of Finance Paul Schwobel presented financial statements through March 31, 2006. NCSS is currently slightly under budget in revenue, but is much less in expense. Current net income is $290,000, but this will be lower by year end since most NCSS income is recognized in the first six months of they fiscal year.

B. Fiscal Year 2006-2007 Proposed Budget

• Paul Schwobel presented the proposed budget for FY 2006-2007.
• Motion: to approve (Gayle/Sheehy ) Passed

C. Officer Reports

1. President Report
   • Jeff Passe reported on the Standards Ad Hoc Committee which will be chaired by Susan Adler, and will meet in Chicago at the end of April. NCSS staff will be working on developing an "awards manual" to address the issues identified by the Awards Ad Hoc Committee. Jeff described issues related to signing-on to letters in support of legislative initiatives. Because there is a short time to approve these, the executive committee decided that the best way to handle this is to send information to the board via email, and sign if there are no objections or concerns from board members. The board will review this procedure in the fall.
   • Passe asked the board to discuss the issue of declining regional conference attendance. The board noted that:
     • NERC is very successful.
     • travel is more expensive.
     • state standard initiatives make issues more localized and push out the importance of a broader perspective.
     • the regional conferences serve the councils that are weak most as they take the place of weak or small state councils.
     • Great Lakes Regional had little attendance from outside of Michigan. Issue also due to limits on time allowed to attend conferences.
     • The conference committee will discuss regional related issues.
   • Jeff reported that he felt that officer/executive director contact with state councils is important, especially if the NCSS representative can make a speech. Investment in travel could be paid for by just a few new memberships that this may generate. Gayle encouraged board members to represent NCSS at their state conferences.
2. President-Elect Report
   • Peggy Altoff presented a report and distributed some additional information from the Partnership for 21st Century Skills.
3. Vice President
   • Gayle Theiman reported that she and Diane Hart attended the CaCSS? conference and toured the convention center in preparation for the 2007 conference. They also met with local arrangements committee chairs.

C. Staff Reports

• Susan Griffin presented the staff report. Ella reported that the Washington CSS has agreed to host the 2012 conference in Seattle.
  • Motion: To approve Seattle as site of 2012 Annual Conference. Passed
  • The board passed the following resolution by acclamation: Resolved:... the NCSS Board of Directors commends the insight and effectiveness of Al Frascella, whose hard work fostered the current NCSS advocacy initiative, and gave the organization a respected profile in the national press. He did all this "in sickness and in health" and he will be missed.

D. Recruitment of Under-represented Groups

• Jeff introduced the report of the ad hoc committee. Lynne Boyle-Baise reported that the National Association of Multicultural Education has its conference at same time as NCSS and attendance at both is difficult. Carol Warren mentioned that having a roommate match/search for the conference will help those that are reluctant to attend conference alone without a friend or colleague. The executive committee recommended that an implementation committee of the board examine and expedite next steps.

E. Scope and Sequence Ad Hoc Committee Report

• The committee is having difficulty in accomplishing its goal working by email. Jeff Passed suggested that he can make changes to the committee, as some members have not participated. Eileen Sheehy commented that there seemed to be some reluctance about developing a scope and sequence due to the controversy and strong feelings this subject often brings up. Diane Hart suggested starting by bringing together scope and sequences from states and make these available. NCSS could then make the next step as deciding whether NCSS wants to have a recommended scope and sequence. Lynne Boyle-Baise commented that scope and sequence is often a matrix curricular design while our standards are more spiral/circular. A hearing would be important. Steve Goldberg suggested finding models and changing terminology-not really a scope and sequence but standards based curriculum. Mike Koren told the board that he and Eileen Sheehy have worked a report on models and historical overview.

F. Governance Transition Team Recommendations

• Steve Goldberg, who is also a member of the GTT presented the report. The board discussed the merits of changing committees. The board expressed concerns with how this would be presented to the current committees. It should be presented in a positive way. The board also had concerns about the implementation timeline, and details of the transition. It suggested testing the communities plan without doing away with the committee initially.
• Motion: ...refer to the governance transition team to write a constitutional amendment, impact statement and timeline that incorporates these three recommendations, to be submitted to the board before June 2006. (Scott/Hart) Passed

G. Endorsement and Special Projects

1. Cultural Studios-The Gilded Age.
   • This group wished to partner with NCSS to develop website about the "American Gilded Age." The committee recommended approval. The board discussed concerns with the proposal.
     • Motion: ... to approve NCSS participation as a fiscal agent; that the president forward the names of at least three members as potential formal advisors; that at least one classroom teacher is included on the panel of experts; that curriculum materials must include NCSS curriculum standards; that if the grant is funded, NCSS would publicize an appeal to members for curriculum developers; that NCSS receive a minimum of 10% indirect cost fee, and; that a half-time assistant be funded by the grant. Passed
2. MyWonderfulWorld.org
   • Gayle Thieman reported that the committee recommends approval as presented. Request NCSS to sign on to this campaign (5-year effort to promote geographic education.) NCSS would be identified as a member of the coalition, use NCSS logo and link to NCSS website.
     • Motion: to approve. Passed
3. Pen or Pencil
   • Gayle Thieman reported that the committee needed board advice regarding this project. The have asked that NCSS approve the curriculum. It is not clear who uses these materials, and for how long. The committee will bring this back to the board in November. The committee had questions regarding the details of this program. The facilitators guide is not a curriculum, so can not endorse it as curriculum but could be endorsed as facilitator's guide. This speaks to the needs of urban youth, which is an area that NCSS has a lack of programs.
     • Motion: ... to endorse (Banks/ Boyle-Baise) Passed

H. Assessment Committee Position Statement on NCLB.

• Motion: ... to accept as position statement (Altoff/Banks) Passed
  • • references that are cited should be included when published/posted.

IV. Continuing Business

A. Academic Freedom and Social Justice Committee

• Passe explained that the committee asked to become two separate committees.
  • Motion: ...to create separate committees (Goldberg/Banks) Passed

B. Policy Manual Changes

Peggy Altoff explained the changes. The board voted on the changes as a block, excepting those noted which will be handled one-by-one. Section 5 of the manual regarding the House of Delegates will be referred to Steering Committee.

• Motion: ...to approve revisions as presented, excepting section 5. ( Thieman/Goldberg) Passed

Actions on individual sections:

6.444	Motion: Send a form to the associated group with a deadline listed for appointing members to committees. If not appointed by deadline, appointment of associated group member will made by president. (Gayle/Hart) Passed
6.4.8	Motion: change presidentelect to president ("the president assigns a board of directors liaison appointed for three year terms with annual review by the president." Passed
Archives Committee7.2.3.6	Motion: remove affiliate councils from list of materials that should be in archives. Passed
Publications Committee7.11.1.2	Motion: Remove vicepresident from committee membership (there is already a board liaison.) Passed
7.5.3.1Program Planning Committee	Motion: accept as recommended; eliminate CASE and Technology Committee. Include "representative for technology support." (Denee/Goldberg)
8.1.3 Communications	Motion: change to post copy of minutes and any relevant documents on website (Altoff/Yoder) Passed
8.5.7	Motion: change November meeting to winter meeting (a report from FASSE will be presented to the board at the board's winter meeting.)(Banks/Yoder) *Passed
9.1.1.2	Motion: change to prorated basis (members will receive prorated refunds when cancelling membership). (Banks/Koren) *Passed
9.1.3	Motion: delete (regarding Washington, DC as official headquarters for NCSS) (Banks/Koren) *Passed
9.3.3	Motion: add information on funds to host state councils (JohnsonTucker?)/Michalko) Passed
9.3.2.2.1	Motion: change to director of meetings; add 9.3.2.2.2 "Regional conference planners should contact NCSS Director of Meetings for guidance in negotiations for hotel/conference facilities." (Altoff/Banks) *Passed
9.3.3.4.1	Motion: delete onefourth ("The strategic plan priorities for the year which are determined by the board of directors shall be addressed through annual conference program.") (altoff/Golston) *Passed
9.3.3.8	Motion: add "except where prohibited by local law". (JohnsonTucker?/Yoder) Passed
9.3.3.5.3.2	Motion: Change executive director to executive committee (regarding final selection of Spirit of America Speaker)(Banks/Laviano) *passed)
9.3.3.6.4 (regarding precollege students registering for conference)	Motion: Delete (Banks/Laviano) *Passed
9.3.3.7 (indicate that presenters pay for audio/visual costs)	Motion: accept change. (Dorsee/Michalko) *Passed
9.5	Motion: delete (NCSS study tours)(Banks/Yoder) *Passed
9.6.2/9.6.3	Motion: delete (Public Issues Program and Foreign Travel Study Excursion) (Banks/Yoder) *Passed
9.7.3.1 HOD resolutions listed in policy manual.	Motion: delete (Damasio/Michalko) Passed
9.7.5.1	Motion: delete (Scott/Laviano) Passed
9.7.6.4	Motion: add information from current defense fund application. *Passed
10.2.2.1	Motion: change to "vice chair selected by subcommittee consensus" (Woodson book committe). (Sally/Kelly) Passed
10.2.2.4	Motion: include timeline approved at February meeting. (Woodson book committe).(Altoff/Scott) Passed

C. Election of Executive Committee

• Diane Hart and Steve Goldberg selected for executive committee.

D. Technology Support

• Tim presented information. Jeff presented proposal from Adam Friedman to provide "webmaster" service to affiliate councils. Council could contract directly with Adam for upkeep of their websites. This could work in conjunction with the plan to host council websites at NCSS.
  • Motion: to accept proposal (Lynne/Diane) Passed

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Entered by: -- TimDaly - 22 Apr 2006