TAHOE TRUCKEE EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION FOUNDATION
BOARD MEETING
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Present: Kelli Twomey, Ken Cutler, Emily Farrell, Donna Morgan, Terri Viehmann,
Sidney Scott, Lianne Nall, Cindy Flores, Martha Krieg, Karen Cole, Ann Holmes
Delforge, Bill Hudson, Gretchen Sproehnle, Hale Carr, Lisa McPherson, Joy Doyle
Excused: Michelle Larson, Kat Rohlf, Nancy Gisko
Also in attendance: Laura Brown, Executive Director and Krissy Commendatore
President, Gretchen Sproehnle called the meeting to order at 12:07 p.m.
President Update - Gretchen Sproehnle
Thank you for attending April Board Retreat - Strategic Planning meeting - know it's a lot to get
us all together for 4+ hours - great info - Board structure: Decided at retreat that we would take
this topic to Exec level. We are meeting on 5/31 (changed to 6/2) to discuss; will bring a
recommendation back to board for vote at June Meeting. We did make a move toward being
more efficient by having each committee chair submit reports, which you all got via email, the
idea being that we read thru these ahead of time. We printed out committee reports today but in
future will save paper and ask that you review from your computers.
Fellows/Star Announcements – Due to changes to the school year, five fewer days in teacher
contracts. The back to school convocation event has been eliminated and this is where we have
traditionally announced the Fellow/Star recipients. Looking to do our Fellows/Star presentation
during one of the first minimum days at beginning of school year. Has been well received by
admin. More details to come.
River Ranch asked us to participate again in a Dining out night - we didn't have much interest last
fall so not inclined to do again.
However, just this week we were approached to see if we had interest in doing a joint dinner with
AFTS at Lake Mary Lodge. We like this idea - good to do together with another group - more
interest/energy - Friday Aug. 26 - we are checking to see if date is flexible (maybe a Thursday
night or another night in September)?
Laura's Review - coming up - if you have specific feedback - or any ideas - contact me
No Steve today - but we do have Krissy/Grant Report - also Slate of nominees - voting today
Approve April Minutes
Motion to approve the April board minutes: Ann Holmes Delforge, second Lianne Nall,
motion approved. Kelli abstained.
EXEC UPDATE: Laura –
Not too late to sign up or get friends to sign up for Friends of Education!
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage sponsored the Rec event again this year at $4000 – please thank
Ron Farrell or Leisa Peterson if you see them!
GRANT REPORT: Krissy Soundfield Amplification
spearheaded the effort along with Corinne Harvey - TTUSD dir. Sp. Ed
Grant Report – Soundfield Amplification – Krissy Commendatore
-----------------------------------------------New Member and Officer Slate – Bill Hudson
Barb Wilkinson, Home Tour
Kevin Mitchell, Skiing for Schools
Emily Salmon, Donner Trail Site Liaison
Alison Elder, co-chair of Dining for Schools will also assist with Home Tour
Lil Schaller, Vice President
Ann Holmes Delforge, President
Motion to approve slate of nominations: Joy made motion, Donna seconds. Board
approved the motion, unanimous.
New board members will be invited to June meeting, no meeting in July. August super
busy. June/July new board training.
Allocations Discussion – Ann Delforge
Presentation from Allocations Subcommittee regarding 2011/12 funding
Grant Task Force (see handout)
Not included in handout, want to have online grant applications – shooting for an August
1st implementation. Q: online and offline accepted? Yes, first year. Use of home
computers, iPads, etc. Trying to make the system friendly for sharing. Exploring a note
field. Need to explore categorization of grants on website as well as add Fellows and
Stars nominations online. Two cycles to teachers; second layer to the fall cycle. Q: why
not mid-year cycle? Now consumables are allowed in Fall cycle. Promote annual plan
before the end of the school year and early in the school year so teachers can plan. Q:
weighting of requests that come from PLCs versus individual grants. A: Plan to add a
question to the application. Q: Definition of “innovation” A: task force is looking for how
we describe to teachers what we are looking for in the Innovation cycle. Site Liaison
training will be conducted; FAQs developed/distributed when we rollout the program.
Fear of applying for Innovation Grant. Encourage PLC involvement by suggesting
brainstorming. Ask top grant requestors how they would define innovation. It was
suggested that we keep definition loose to keep ideas innovative – too many constraints is
not a good idea. Any other ideas are welcome. It was suggested that we develop criteria
and how grants are ranked distributed to teachers and used by committee while reviewing
grants into the future. Ann cautioned the board on that; we need to hold the right to
decline a request at our discretion. Development of criteria for evaluating teacher training
grants. Innovation Grants could use Big Bang funds. Subcommittee is going to iron out
final proposal at the June meeting. Concern about not enough time before school ends. It
was suggested that we roll out overview of the program prior to this school year end and
instruct to visit the website mid August for more details.
Ann suggested next year’s fall cycle that will allow for consumables not to exceed
$500, a teacher training cycle in the fall – admin to submit, and innovation cycle
mid-January.
Office Staffing discussion – Kelli (reference handout)
Kelli reviewed why this is an agenda item. Executive Director is currently at 24-28 hours
per week. Laura would like to be working 20 hours per week. Q: Is the workload cyclical
or peak seasonally? A: Laura feels there is a void year around. Q: what level of support is
needed – admin versus job-sharing situation? Reference Staffing Proposal. Concern was
raised for job share position being equal to Executive Director. The consensus was that
one person should hold the ultimate accountability. It was suggested that support staff
hours should be increased and hourly rate increased to maximum $20/hr from the
proposal to make ED and support staff closer in pay/hours/responsibility. It would be an
easier change to pursue the middle level proposal. The consensus was to pursue the
middle proposal, draft a job description, look into realistic hours and pay rate. Take all
this into consideration for Laura’s review. Development of procedure manual will
address concern for succession plan.
Committee Reports (refer to written reports submitted with meeting agenda)
Golfing For Schools – Doug
A little behind so far on sales . . . spread the word within your circles.
Home Tour - Hale
Martis Camp, July 23
Fellows Michelle
Nominations due May 5
Working on the video for the recognition event
Finance Committee - Bob McClintock/Bill Austin
Next meeting, 7/21 at 1:45pm
Recognition Event - Emily/Hale
Thursday, Sept 22
The meeting was adjourned at 1:50 p.m.
Next Meetings/Events:
Executive Committee – June 2 (revised date), Ex in Ed Office, noon
Fellows Selection Meeting – June 6, Ex in Ed, noon
June Board Meeting – June 14, TCPUD