Washington Geographic Alliance
Minutes of Board of Directors Meeting of
January 7, 2008
Call to Order
The regular meeting of the Washington Geographic Alliance (WGA) Board of Directors was called to order at 7:01
p.m. by Tim Schultz in the home of Richard Kennedy and Heidi Morgan, 18825 6th Avenue SW, Normandy Park, Washington.
Roll Call
Present: President Tim Schultz of Green River Community College (GRCC), Treasurer Heidi Morgan of the National
Geographic Society's (NGS) Grosvenor Council, and Secretary Richard Kennedy of the NGS's Grosvenor Council.
Also in attendance was Pat LeRoy, a fifth grade teacher at St. Francis of Assisi School in Seahurst, WA.
Vice-President Meghan Hoyer of St. Philomena School was absent due to personal illness.
Approval of Minutes for November 27, 2007
A motion to approve the draft minutes of the Board of
Directors meeting of November 27, 2007 was made by Tim and seconded by Heidi. The motion passed unanimously.
Action Item Review
Tim's first seven action items (see minutes of November 27, 2007) are still being worked. The dates for the
2008 WGA Summer Institute are on tonight's agenda. The thank you letters to the
shipping companies have been mailed and copies are contained in these minutes.
They appear on a draft of our stationary. The giant playground map stencils are on tonight's agenda.
Heidi display of branded items is on tonight's agenda.
Due to her absence, Meghan's action items were not discussed. In an earlier telephone call she mentioned her
planned presentation entitled "Geography in Action" at a meeting of the Washington
State Council for the Social Studies (WSCSS) at Seattle University on February 2. She also met state Representative
Mark Miloscia (D-30th District) and will send him information on the WGA.
Richard is awaiting receipt of the NGS travel policy. The materials for a small brochure discussing "who" the
WGA is, what our goals are, and why the state legislature should fund it were
sent to Rep. Schual-Berke. Richard has not received any names from Diana
Morelli for possible candidates for the WGA board. To allow editing of our web
site, Tim has ordered three copies of Adobe Contribute. The action items
concerning the Seattle Live! lectures were discussed later in the meeting. The
rules pertaining to the donation of goods and services are still pending.
Pat thought that Meghan had completed listing the web sites that incorporate easy access to teaching materials.
Treasurer's Report
Heidi reported that since opening our checking account we have received three contributions totaling $276.84.
- $100.00 from Richard and Heidi
- $50.00 from Marcy Jones
- $126.84 from Employees Community Fund of Boeing Puget Sound
The Boeing Company Gift Matching Program has rejected our application for corporate matching funds. Richard wrote Anna
Rathmann of NGS for assistance with our application.
Tim mentioned that Stephanie,the new comptroller at Green River Community College, would be mailing Heidi a
list of all WGA expenditures and revenues from July 1, 2007 to date.
Giant Maps (Asia) Thank You Letters
 |
Washington Geographic Alliance
Mail Stop BI
Green River Community College
12401 SE 320th Street
Auburn, WA 98092-3699
(253) 833-9111 x4380 |
Mr. Robert Reis
Elite Logistics Worldwide
6600 NE 78th Ct., Suite A5
Portland, OR 97218
January 2, 2008
Dear Mr. Reis:
It is with sincere appreciation that I write as president of the Washington Geographic Alliance to thank you for your
generous donation of freight services to our organization for shipping the
National Geographic giant map of Asia around the Puget Sound region.
Mr. Reis, thanks to your generous donation, National Geographic's giant map reached classrooms in six schools in
our state. Students and teachers who used the map in a variety of activities
reported great experiences.
For your information, the Washington Geographic Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and it may be possible to take deductions
as authorized by law.
Thanks again for helping the Washington Geographic Alliance increase geographic literacy in our state!
Sincerely,
Tim Schultz President
|
Washington Geographic Alliance
Mail Stop BI
Green River Community College
12401 SE 320th Street
Auburn, WA 98092-3699
(253) 833-9111 x4380 |
Mr. Nate Hoyer
Elite Logistics Worldwide
7038 South 220th Street
Kent, WA 98032
January 2, 2008
Dear Mr. Hoyer:
It is with sincere appreciation that I write as president of the Washington Geographic Alliance to thank you for your
generous donation of freight services to our organization for shipping the
National Geographic giant map of Asia around the Puget Sound region.
Mr. Reis, thanks to your generous donation, National Geographic's giant map reached classrooms in six schools in
our state. Students and teachers who used the map in a variety of activities
reported great experiences.
For your information, the Washington Geographic Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and it may be possible to take deductions
as authorized by law.
Thanks again for helping the Washington Geographic Alliance increase geographic literacy in our state!
Sincerely,
Tim Schultz President
Proposed Bylaws Revision
The following bylaws revisions
were made in writing and distributed to all members of the Board of Directors
not less than seven days before this meeting. Adoption of the amendments
requires the vote of three-fifths majority of the Board of Directors.
A motion to approve the following bylaws revisions was made
by Tim and seconded by Heidi. The motion passed unanimously.
Article III. Section 2. Number,
Qualifications and Term of Directors. ((Except for the initial Board of
Directors, t))The number of Directors
shall be not less than three (3) nor more than
twelve (12)(( nine (9)). Membership on the Board of Directors shall
be based on dedication to the purposes stated in the Alliance's Articles of
Incorporation and on the professional, administrative, executive or technical
skills that such person can and will contribute to the furtherance of the
purposes of the Washington Geographic Alliance. Except as otherwise provided by
these bylaws, the Directors shall be elected for a three (3) year term and
shall hold office until his or her successor shall have been elected and shall
qualify or until his or her death, or until he or she shall no longer be
qualified as a Director as herein provided, or he or she shall resign or be
removed from office in the manner herein provided.
Article III. Section 3. Election
of Directors. The initial Board of Directors of the Alliance shall be the
Board of Directors at the time of the adoption of these bylaws and shall serve
until the first annual meeting of members or until their successors are duly
elected and shall qualify. ((At the first annual meeting, the members shall
elect or re-elect ((three (3) Directors for a one-year term, three (3)
Directors for a two-year term and three (3) Directors for a three-year term. ))At
each annual meeting thereafter, the members shall elect or re-elect Directors
for a three (3) year term to fill the offices vacated by Directors whose term
of office has expired. The Directors elected shall be those persons receiving
the greatest number of votes cast. Directors shall assume office upon
completion of such election.
Web Site Redesign
Due to the Christmas and New Year's Day holidays, no one was able to give Richard a list of web sites they
thought had easy navigation to teaching materials.
Tim mentioned that he has placed an order for three copies of Adobe Contribute Creative Suite 3 software
to allow editing of the web site by persons other than Richard.
Richard located the software package Flashform that allows the creation of interactive lessons and quizzes.
An online demonstration is available from . CDs containing a trial version
of the software and its user guide were distributed. Another product, Adobe
Connect, is described at http://www.adobe.com/products/connect/solutions/rapid_training/.
National Geographic Live! Seattle
The WGA sponsored reception will be held the evening of Monday, May 12. The program that night will be by
Annie Griffiths Belt – "A Camera, Two Kids, & a Camel". Fifty tickets to
the lecture will be ordered by Tim at $15 each for a total of $750. We will
also be renting the Founder's Room Benaroya Hall for the reception. The cost is
$400 and Tim will complete the application and have the payment sent.
A slide to be displayed at the lecture series was created and sent to NGS. We may also have a table in the
lobby to distribute our literature.
Branded Items
Heidi showed a number of pens, pencils, globes, paperweights, rugs, etc. that can be branded with our name and
logo. It was decided that 5,000 low-cost pencils or pens should be ordered for
distribution at the Seattle Live! lecture series and at the Puyallup Fair. The
approximate cost will be $650. Heidi will send the order details to Tim for
transmission to GRCC for payment.
Heidi also located giant world map stencils for use in school playgrounds at http://www.worldmapsonline.com/map-stencils.htm and http://www.ursamajorstencils.com/cgi-bin/ursamajorstencils/usmap.html
2008 WGA Summer Institute
The tentative dates for the Summer Institute are from the evening of July 13 (Sunday) through the afternoon
of July 19 (Saturday). Classes will be held at the Kent Campus of GRCC at 417
Ramsay Way, Suite 112, Kent, WA 98032-4502. Tim wants 45 clock hours of instruction. Flyers and other
publicity materials need to be created. [Editor's Note: The following was received on
January 8 from Anne Pollard of NGS — "so far the tentative dates discussed [for
the 2008 Summer Training] have been the week after the 4th of July (same as
last year -- would be July 6-12), and you might keep the week after that on
hold as well (July 13-19)."]
Pat mentioned that she has access a Global Positioning System (GPS) instructor. She is going to investigate
the availability of this instructor for our Summer Institute. Pat is interested
in presenting a "Geography in Literature" class at the Summer Institute. Pat will also investigate:
- College level credit for our Summer Institute from Seattle University
- How a Webcam was used to connect a teacher located in Costa Rica to students the local area
- If St. Francis School would like to have a giant world map painted on their campus
Roundtable
Richard mentioned that John Francis of NGS might be able to locate NGS grantees in the local area that
might want to speak at our Summer Institute.
Heidi said that teachers who have traveled with Lindblad Expeditions would also be an interesting speaker
for our Summer Institute.
Time recommended that we examine the World Wide Panorama
web site. The World Wide Panorama began in March 2004 and is a panoramic photographic
album for the world. Photography takes place on the solstices (longest and
shortest days of the year) and equinoxes (day and night of equal length).
Integration with Google Earth is available.
Next Meeting
The next meeting regular meeting of the WGA Board of Directors will be held on Monday, February 11, 2008 at 6:00
p.m. in the home of Richard Kennedy and Heidi Morgan, 18825 6th Avenue SW, Normandy Park, Washington.
Action Items
Tim
- Will request that Teacher Coordinators contact Rep. Jay Inslee (WA-1st) and Senator
Patty Murray requesting that they become a cosponsor for H.R. 1228 / S. 727 (Teaching
Geography is Fundamental Act).
- Will distribute the list of schools offering Advanced Placement in Geography to board members.
- Will develop an Assessment of Geographic Knowledge for 5th, 8th, and 12th grade students.
- Will email Rep. Schual-Berke details about his work on the Office of the
Superintendent of Public Instruction's Geography Grade Level Expectations
committee and how the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) tests handle geography.
- Will have Green River Community College send Heidi a list of all WGA income and expenditures
from July 1, 2007 to date.
- Will send all lesson plans created at our Summer Institute to Meghan so she may put
them in a common format.
- Will complete a draft of the Boeing grant application to have a second giant map
created.
- Will send materials to Meghan for her use at her WSCSS presentation.
- Will order the 50 tickets for the Seattle Live! lecture and have GRCC pay for them
out of our grant money.
- Will reserve the Founder's Room at Benaroya Hall and have GRCC pay for it out of our grant money.
- Will transmit Heidi's order for branded items to GRCC.
- Will evaluate the Flashform and Adobe Connect software.
Heidi
- Will create and send an order for branded items to Tim.
- Will contact Lindblad Expeditions about local teachers who have traveled with them
- Will obtain a catering price list for the WGA reception at the Seattle Live! lecture.
Meghan
- Will contact/follow-up with Sen. Patty Murray (WA) about becoming a cosponsor for H.R. 1228 / S. 727 (Teaching
Geography is Fundamental Act).
- Will put Summer Institute lesson plans into a common format after receiving them from Tim.
- Will contact Newspapers in Education about the possibility of doing an insert similar to the
one recently distributed by the Oregon Geographic Alliance.
- Will email Richard a list of web sites that incorporate easy access to teaching materials.
- Will evaluate the Flashform and Adobe Connect software.
Richard
- After receiving the NGS travel policy, will propose revisions to
the Travel and Expense Policy further defining reasonable expenses and incorporating
relevant portions of the GSA payment schedule and the GRCC travel policy.
- Will follow up with Rep. Schual-Berke on state funding for the WGA endowment.
- Will follow up with Diana Morelli about possible candidates for the WGA board.
- Will locate rules pertaining to the donation of good and services.
- Will contact John Francis at NGS for a list of NGS grantees in the local area.
- Will complete and send to the state the "Application to Register as a Charitable Organization" form.
- Will confirm that Andrew Pudvah received the WGA slide for use at the Seattle Live! lecture series.
- Will examine the Bylaws to determine how new directors may be added to the board.
Pat
- Will email Richard a list of web sites that incorporate easy access to teaching materials.
- Will evaluate the Flashform and Adobe Connect software.
Respectfully submitted,
/ss/ Richard T. Kennedy
Richard T. Kennedy
Secretary
Approved February 25, 2008
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