PV STEMNET MEETING

SEPTEMBER 25, 2007

9:15 – 11:00 AM

302 KITTREDGE BUILDING

HOLYOKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

 

 

Mort Sternheim called the PV STEMNET meeting to order on September 25, 2007, at 9:15 AM, in room 302, Kittredge Building, at Holyoke Community College.

 

Present were Mort Sternheim, Pat Miller, Cecilia Buckley, Jack Barocas, Ann McKenzie, Janice Doppler, Walter Breau, Karl Martinin, Ron St.Armand, Helen Gibson, Zvi Rozen, Robert Dickerman, Sylvia Cuomo, Terri Howard, Jeff Hayden, and Kathleen Baker.

 

Mort welcomed the group, and the meeting began with powerpoint presentations of summer program updates presented by –

 

-            Mort Sternheim                                StemRays project

-            Janice Doppler                                   Bio Tech Summer Camps

-            Pat Miller                                                   Mentoring in the STEM fields

-            Helen Gibson                                        Engineering for Middle School teachers

 

The Evaluation Report was given by Sylvia Cuomo who highlighted the following:

 

1.         In the future we need to focus more on teacher and student recruitment and set specific goals.

2.         We need to have more knowledge of students' and teachers' abilities relative to recruitment and we need to discuss their program goals with them.

3.         We also need to look at students who choose not to participate.

4.         Does it make sense to look at demographics and the geographic locations of participants?

5.         Why are teachers coming to these programs?  Is it for certification, graduate credits or PDPs.

 

Mort discussed the recent BHE RFP for Teacher Quality and talked about needing a coherent way to respond to these new RFPs and to incorporate these ideas into our Strategic Plan.  It was decided that those interested in pursuing this funding opportunity would communicate through Mort.

 

It was decided that the Executive Committee would meet 4 times per year, and the Advisory Board (membership to be determined) would meet 2 times per year.  The date of November 15th was agreed upon for the next Executive Committee and Advisory Board meetings when Allan Feldman would be present. 

 

Executive Committee members were asked for suggested names of people who could be members of the Advisory Board.  It was also decided that a notice would be sent to all members regarding membership on this board.  The purpose would be for information sharing, gaining knowledge of program initiatives in the area through participation of a larger group, participation in future grant programs, and an exchange of information.  There could be as many as 50 people on this Advisory Board.  It was also decided to make this an open invitation to business people who might be willing to participate.

 

We need to develop a Strategic Plan that defines how the Network operates now and will operate in the future.  We need to analyze our situation, begin developing a Long Range Plan as to where we will be in 10 years, develop a Mission Statement, and include in this plan a coherent way to respond to these new RFPs that have very little turn around time.

 

The following people volunteered to work on the Strategic Plan – Mort Sternheim, Janice Doppler, Ann McKenzie, and Helen Gibson.

 

The meeting adjourned at 11:00 AM.

 

                                                                                                                                                Respectfully submitted,

 

 

                                                                                                                                                Kathleen Baker