September 11, 2002
TO:                  Steering Committee Members
                        Early Success – Right from the Start
 
FROM:             Karen Schneider , Director
   
RE:  Minutes of the September 11, 2002 Steering Committee Meeting
 
Attendance:                 
Karen Schneider , Trish McHugh, Pam Forbes , Betsy Cope , Jennifer Lasala, Sherry Marks, Leona Moreno , Becky Johnson, Mary Margaret “Mike” Winkelmann, Cindy Bay-Barron , Michelle Gabalis, Julie Vanhala, LouAnn Gregory , Diana Bongard , Charlotte Thompson , Dave Borth , Stan DeVoir, Darcy Lokers, Brenda Kailing, Denise Robinson, Linda Myers, Joyce Harmsen, Rebecca Fath, Laurie Kohn , and Elizabeth Kruger.
 
I.          Schneider opened this session with a welcome and asked that each person introduce themselves with their name, agency and title. 
 
In honor of the events of last September 11, a moment of silence took place.
 
With the absence of Chair, Jeanette Fleury , an election of the new Executive Board (Section III) took priority with the following members nominated, approved and voted into office:
            Chair:   Linda Myers
            Parent Representatives:  Michelle Gabalis and Beth Kruger
            Staff Representatives:    Sherry Marks and Andi Wilson (Parent Educator from Big Rapids)
Community Representatives:      Pam Forbes , Denise Robinson, Brenda Kailing, Julie Vanhala  and Becky Johnson
 
II.         Update: Schneider reported:
a.       Enrollment.  Enrollment status to date for Early Success – Right from the Start is 868 families, including 1,186 children.   An E-mail received from Jackie Wood of the Michigan Department of Education offered the following numbers for all State of Michigan PIE programs for the period of October 1, 2001 to June 30, 2002 :
1.                   Total families served is 16,542 (6,255 meet lower income requirement; 10,287 have income over poverty level or had missing income data)
2.                   Total children serves is 25,588 (8,938 meet lower income requirement; 16,650 have income over poverty level or had missing income data)
3.                   The amount of money spent on PIE (match and cash) during this reporting period is $34,022,159.09
4.                   The cost per child is $1,320.61 and the cost per family is $2,056.71
 
b.       Personnel. Parent Educator Bowman resigned her position at Morley/Stanwood and Karen Sims resigned from the Big Rapids District.  Jeremy Smith has transferred from the Reed City District to the Morley/ Stanwood District.
 
c.       Evaluation.  Beth Prince of Michigan State University spent time with the management team getting to know what our program is all about and hearing about program implementation, collaboration, referrals, and other program related information.  MSU will complete its report by mid-September with a report to the MDE in October.  This report will be shared with ASAP-PIE grantees in October (date to be set yet).
   
d.       Upcoming Activities.   Informative materials on the many activities coming up were handed out and reviewed.  Included was a district-wide listing of the family fun nights to be held throughout this school year; the Creative Thinking Partners workshop schedule; the Free Dental Screening schedule; “Sign With your Baby” schedule;  Love & Logic Parenting Classes;  and the “Engagement is Everything” workshop to be held October 9, 2002.  Anyone wishing to receive a copy of any of these materials should call (231) 592-9605.
 
e.       Since We Last Met.
 
1.       Early Success – Right from the Start has received accreditation as part of Family Support America . Visit their web at www.familysupportamerica.org
2.       Schneider presented the computer-based Easy IEP database to the group, taking them step by step through the program.
3.       The consolidation of the Evart and Reed City districts to the “ Osceola County ” District is complete and is working smoothly.
4.       The MDE’s Consultant, Jackie Wood , took part in the Focus Session held for all the Early Success – Right from the Start staff on June 20.  Schneider shared a letter received by Wood in which she commended the staff for which she stated,  “…it was clear that the work they are doing to support families goes beyond the PAT curriculum.  Staff have been very involved in assisting families with connections to community resources in the areas of health, housing, education and employment.  It was evident that many families are in serious need of support services to help them parent in more effective ways. The staff’s work in this area is to be commended.”
 
III.         Election of New Executive Board:  completed earlier.
 
IV.    Committee Sign Up:  (If you have not yet signed up for a committee and wish to do so, please advise Karen Schneider at kschneider@moisd.org.)
 
a.       Quality Preschool/Daycare:  Charlotte Thompson , Shannon Lindquist , Joyce Harmsen, Theresa Myrick, Julie Vanhala, LouAnn Gregory and Kathleen Blankenship
 b.       Home Visiting: Pam Forbes , Trish McHugh, Laurie Kohn , Darcy Lokers and Linda Myers
 c.       Evaluation:  Liza Ing, Karen Schneider
 d.       Advertising/Project Promotion:  Betsy Cope
 e.       Resource and Referral:  Sherry Marks, Mike Winkelmann, Cindy Bay-Barron , Becky Fath and Cindy Maans
 f.        Curriculum Committee:  Leona Moreno , Liza Ing
 g.       Advocacy:  Sherry Marks, Brenda Kailing and Joyce Harmsen
 
IV.              District Reports:
 
a.       Reed City :  Consolidation of the Evart and Reed City offices is working well with the staff from Evart working out of both the Evart and Big Rapids offices.  Gregory and her assistant have split their work hours between the two offices.  “Apples” is the theme of the first family fun night, September 16, 2002 . Playgroups have been scheduled and the first young parents group will met at Genesis in Evart, September 10.
 
b.       Big Rapids: Site has moved into their new office at the Early Childhood Development Center .  Family fun nights and playgroups have been scheduled. The first family fun night was held on the 10th.  Bongard stated that “Music and Movement” was lots of fun for all those attending. Two young parents groups are under way with one meeting at the MOISD Alternative Education and the other at New Directions.  Ferris State University will bet the site for “Kids Day America”, where finger printing, vision screenings, scoliosis testing and other activities take place.  The Big Rapids site is conducting hearing and vision testing by appointment.  The group is also involved with the Stepping Stone’s Fiesta and the upcoming Car Seat Clinic.
 
c.       Morley/Stanwood: The first family fun night, “End of Summer”, will be a picnic held at the Buffalo Park in Stanwood on Thursday the 12th.  A Young Parents group is in the works and information will be forthcoming when details are finalized.  Jeremy Smith has transferred to the Morley/Stanwood district from Reed City .  Moreno gave a PowerPoint presentation to the Morley/Stanwood School Board in August, demonstrating the many activities offered to parents of young children by Early Success – Right from the Start.
 
d.   Marks, too, offered a PowerPoint presentation to the Chippewa Hills Board.  She informed them that 46 enrollees of our program are now entered in either kindergarten, Head Start or PPI.  The program is still growing in the Chippewa Hills district with referrals coming in often.  More parent educators are required to meet the need of the district.  Hearing and vision screenings are completed by appointment.  The district has over 75 attending family fun nights and three playgroups (Barryton, Remus, and Weidman) are held twice a month.  The site is currently working with Nurse Robin to establish a Young Parents group.
 
 Other Issues:  
 
a.       The 21st Century Community Learning Grant (Before and After School Money). Borth led discussion in the importance of programs for children before and after school hours. He then made the following motion:  “That the Early Success-Right from the Start Steering Committee commit to active participation and support of the Mecosta County HSCB request for the collaborative provision of before and after school programs by the Morley/Stanwood, Big Rapids, and Chippewa Hills school districts served by the ASAP-PIE project.  In addition, that the ASAP-PIE Early Success District Coordinator from each district will be assigned as an active participant in the planning and evaluation of each district project; and that the Steering Committee authorize ASAP-PIE Project Director, Karen Schneider to write a letter expressing our commitment to active participation and collaboration which will describe both our in-kind and active support for the project in each district.  The motion was seconded, and passed, unanimously.
b.       It has become evident that physicians in the Big Rapids area have become more aware of Early Success – Right from the Start and have become advocates of the program.
c.       Fath informed the group that Children and Adults with ADHD (CHADD) will meet on Monday, September 16 at the United Church .  Michael Moran will speak on “Diagnosis and Evaluation” of ADHD.  She added that CHADD does have a lending library and an out-reach program for parents.
VII.      Adjournment:  This meeting was adjourned at 10:00 a.m.
 
The next Executive Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 3, 2002 at the Early Success - Right from the Start office (North end of the Alternative Education Building of the MOISD), starting promptly at 8:30 a.m.
 
The next Steering Committee meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 11, 2002 at the Miller Wing, starting promptly at 8:30 a.m.
 
Original signed by Karen Schneider
 
Distribution:  All Committee Meeting Members