FIEL Planning Session

Website Address:  www.fielfellows.org

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Fellows Present:

kathyb@mail.lemont.k12.il.us            Kathy Brockett

adibenedetto@longhill.org                 Art DiBenedetto

sandy@mail.lemont.k12.il.us              Sandy Doebert

lovela@lodi.k12.wi.us                        Laura Love

tomm@mail.lemont.k12.il.us              Tom Madden

mthurwanger@senecahs.org               Mark Thurwanger

kwetherell@longhill.org                     Karen Wetherell

We began by brainstorming speakers:

• There was a discussion about the inclining numbers of students identified with autism.  Sandy suggested she touch base with Nancy R. to see if she could suggest a good speaker on the topic.  This would be for Wednesday morning.

• Kathy wondered about having Barack (sp?) Obama.  We thought he might be busy… J

• Others included those we checked with below:

              Charles Schwan, (confirmed)                                               -

                        Merv Kitashima – (confirmed)                                             -

              Larry Heagle (Kathy will confirm)                                       Kathy

              Sarah Jerome (Art will contact Sarah for Mon. night)         Art

Theme discussion stayed centered around the LEADER as THINKER.

•  Think-alike Groups

1.      We discussed opening ideas for topics to Fellows (in advance).  This would be a discussion session on specific topics, like:

a.       Legal issues impacting educators (litigation)

b.      Survival skills for today’s administrator (Survival skills for the 21^st Century)

c.       Transition between administrative positions (career planning)

d.      Other…. Ideas from Fellows

e.       Other….Ideas from Fellows

2.      These sessions were scheduled for Monday 2:45 – 3:45PM and for Tuesday 7:45 – 8:30PM

3.      We discussed asking folks in an email, see what we get back, make a list and then send the list back out (if there are too many) to see what the interest level is.  Kathy will send out these emails.  We agreed that the person suggesting the topic would be asked to facilitate the session (if s/he hasn’t been asked to do too many other things).

• Applications of 2006 topics              (1:15 – 2:30PM on Tuesday)

1.      Kathy will send a list of last year’s topics and request 10-minute presentations from Fellows who applied last year’s topics in their districts this past year.

• Website Updating – Descriptions of the above will be in the email or on the website or both

                        - Art and Karen will do their best to have the website updated next week

- Kathy will send an email inviting people to get their stuff in

• Real-life Scenarios               (2:45 – 4:00PM on Tuesday)

- We talked about having 3-4 scenarios if we have EIGHT seminar groups

- The goal of this is to be more proactive in solving future issues by using different frames of thinking

- We would ask for examples of Real-life Scenarios at the first seminar session on Sunday night.  Art suggested that the first-year Fellows choose the scenarios to be discussed

- Is the reporting out (from discussion) important?  OR, should we simply have the district report what happened?  Following the district report of what DID happen, we agreed to have a brief Q&A.

- If all seminar groups were given all three scenarios, this would be allowed 45 minutes, with about 30 minutes left for the three reports + Q&A.

•  Finances/Costs

- Helen moved the money to a Money Market account to improve interest

- We currently have 10 deposits

- Merv K, Schwahn and W. Richardson – are charging $2500 each

- Heagle will cost $800

- Madden refuses to charge the group

- Art stated that we have enough money to have the program sent OUT, rather than having Sandy have her secretary do them

• Madden’s Presentation

- Tom needs everyone to fill out the survey at the beginning of the week and then he will score them.

- We talked about making sure that the seminar leaders let people know that they should not talk during the survey.

- We would ask Fellows to complete this during the seminar session on Monday (after lunch) the last twenty minutes.  The seminar leader would collect these and get them to Tom that afternoon.

•  Social Activities – Mark is chairperson!!

- Afternoon activities should be publicized more – tennis, lifting, running, etc. 

- Thursday night’s dinner is a “GO”

- Kathy will remind people of all that’s included on the website

- Themes for each social night will be included on the website, too.  We will highlight the NON-alcoholic beverages available, too.  These might include Hawaiian (Luau), Fiesta, Decades

•   Certificates

-These need to include the number of hours (30) and the specific dates of the week/year 

•    Evaluation

- Art will ask Larry Mason if his district would run the evaluation this year 

- There will be a separate page made to give anonymous feedback about AM and PM sessions and the overall day

- There will be a final day (written) evaluation with comments about the director, president, social events, Thursday dinner, accommodations and other.