Minutes+for+Meeting+04-18-11

//(Minutes for sixth meeting) //
 * Conference Planning Committee **

__This meeting __: Monday, April 18, 2011, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., Woodward Building, Room 101, with lunch provided through American Grinders. 17 Attended: Charise, Charlie, Cody, Dale, Edy, Jane, Jeanette, Kathy, Kris, Lynn, Michelle, Ramona, Randy, Robert, Summer, Tammie, Tony R.

__Next meeting __: Monday, May 16, 2011, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., Woodward Building, Room 101, with lunch provided possibly through Cedar City’s The Pastry Pub, 86 West Center Street, 435-867-1400, []. (We should have at least one meeting in June or July; we will schedule that next month.)

__Lunch __: Our preview sample from American Grinders costs $9.00 each and included three types of sub sandwichs, potato salad, chips, and a cookie. Again you will get a survey through email from Tammy for your opinion about Friday’s box lunch at the conference. (American Grinders was 20 minutes late for 20 sandwiches, so how would they do providing for 500 people?)

__SUECON Website __ - http://www.suecon.org

__Express Bill Pay __ is the payment method we will use through UCET this year, but it is not set up for us yet. If we do our own next year, it is about $700 to set up, there is a monthly fee plus 25 cents per transaction and a credit card fee (about 2.5%).

__Budget __: Edy is working with Brent Bills and starting the account out with technology funds to be replaced by incoming money. Charlie needs to talk to Brent about whether it should be a “school district” bank account or something like a 503. Charlie thinks that in the end the conference will pay for itself.

__Keynote Speakers __: <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">1. Jaime Casap, Google Education Evangelist, has confirmed. <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">2. Kathy is in contact with Milton Chen, co-author of //Education Nation: Six Leading Edges of Innovation in our Schools//. He is on tour promoting the book and his usual fee is $6000-$8000, a midrange amount, but he may be willing to take less since he would like to take his wife to Zion National Park. So he has been offered $3000 plus expenses, plus a private trip to Zion’s. He used to help produce television shows, //Sesame Street// and //3////-2-1 Contact//.

__<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Call for Presenters Webpage __<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">: http://www.suecon.org/index.php/presenters <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">(Note that if UCET thinks an application for presenting looks substandard, yet their topic is acceptable, they might go to the applicant and ask for better wording or explanation in their request to present.)
 * <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">We are refining the page and our committee members may start sending out the call to their network.
 * <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Possible changes to the form that has been posted (leaving out the ones that were taken care of right after the meeting):
 * <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Did we give them a choice to do UCET, UELMA, or both?
 * <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Under “Audience” can we divide Elementary, instead Elementary K-2, and Elementary 3-5 (or Elementary 3-6, whichever is more customary these days).
 * <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spelling: PRESENTATON TITLE * should be PRESENTAT <span style="color: red; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">IO <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">N
 * <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spelling: PRESENTATON DESCRIPTION * should also be PRESENTAT <span style="color: red; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">IO <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">N

__<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spreading the Call for Presenters __<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">: We are looking for over 100 presenters. Cody will put together a nice email with graphics for us to use. (Note that this was the first year that UCET did not have to go looking for more. They cut off their call almost 3 months before the conference to give time to notify everyone to solidify their calendars.)
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Charlie will send out “call for presenters” announcement through district email ALL list. He had very good response from teachers throughout the district last week to the email announcement for his summer technology program.
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Summer will spread it through the UELMA network.
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It may have already gone out to state and regional trainers. That means we have a lot of technology classes available.
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Any committee member may spread the word. At this point we can see that we will need more exposure for gathering curriculum-based sessions.

__<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Presenters’ Content __<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">: <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Many conferences no longer print handouts. They post content online and people can print their own beforehand and bring it with them. Or they can access and save digitally what they want after the conference is over. We will put a place for this on the SUECON website. Sched.org allows for attachments of this type.

__<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Program booklets __<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">will print up from the online program used to schedule it and will not be done until August. Note that participants want to know if the class they are going to is going to be a sales pitch. Many don’t mind attending if they know what they are getting into before they go. So find a positive way to flag the sessions that are presented by vendors.

__<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Advertising __<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">: <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">14x17” posters have been made by Dale in the media center. They can be dropped at SEDC by Charise and delivered to principals at their meeting.

__<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Signage __<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">: Cody has also ordered <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">large 4x14 <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">foot banners to use at the venue. Do we also want to borrow some UCET signs?

__<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Tech Helps: __ <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The wifi at the school will be open to everyone without any passwords required.

__<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Facilities __<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">:
 * <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Head custodian Alan said he has mats there for the auxilliary gym. If we need more, DHMS next door has some.
 * <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Charlie will check on supply of six foot tables. We need at least 32 for the vendor area, besides registration tables, etc.
 * <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Lightspeed is donating a sound system, so the techs are working with Lynn for the best place in the school to install it. It is totally wireless and may cover 1600 square feet.
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Entrance doors to vendor area: perhaps one interior door and one exterior door, both on the WEST side of the gym.
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Charlie showed a layout for the auxilliary gym dividing into 32 booths, but it would probably be very easy to get more vendors, so he will redesign with 8x10’ booths and see what it looks like. We could also put some out in the foyer of that building, especially if they are sponsors.
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Charlie will check on rental of skirts and possibly table coverings here in town, or a company in Las Vegas would be closer than SLC. We will not use side curtains because of the added expense. We provide one table and one chair; vendors can bring more if they desire. (Kris said for math conferences, vendors often bring their own skirts.) Plastic covers over tables can help with wear and tear on the district’s tables.

__<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Vendors __<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">:
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">$100 a day, but no longer asking them to bring their own tables; we will provide. (Note that this is half what UCET charges but double what UELMA charges, but the exposure will also be greater than usual for UELMA.)
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Were benefits listed on the vendors application page?
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">They can make two presentations for their table price, but if went into the next tier and had a room, they could make as many presentations as desired from that room. (Smart is one of those vendors who might like to have their own room.)
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Vendors are asking what they can sponsor, so he would ask if any want to sponsor lunch for $5000 or breakfast for $2500.
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Vendors are being invited to come, but with their commitments it is first-come, first-served. The layout of the gym will be posted online for them to choose their table location.
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Kathy mentioned RFPs now being met through vendors going directly to the districts instead of through the state, so some of those vendors might want to be asked to sponsor. They have a lot of money to gain by stimulating interest in their products.

__<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Volunteers: __
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jeanette Merrifield is coordinating this. In order to know how many we need Wednesday night, we need to know how many people will be attending and decide what other tasks need to be done besides collating packets for attendees.
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">There should be at least 20 elementary lab aides (possibly 24) interested in working for extra pay on Thursday and Friday. Since they are being paid, they will be available all day and not attend classes other than where they might be hosting.
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Lab aides will not be available Wednesday night to assemble packets, so do we want a service group for that project? It could be done on tables in the auxilliary gym.
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It is suggested that there be a 15-minute orientation meeting on Thursday morning where they are given a name tag or vest, a clipboard with a map, program, written instructions on what to do and who to contact if problems, hand radios if necessary, and a chance to meet the tech guys and be able to identify faces of their floor managers. Hosts need to be sure the equipment is working before the class starts.
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Perhaps one host for every room being used that hour, and some stationed in the hallways.
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Service groups at DHHS could be in charge of trash and recycling.
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Registration booth needs to be manned all day long, but with extra personnel in the mornings. Although most registrations will be taken care of early and online, there will be some that signup onsite, and there will be laptops or iPads there for them to use for running their credit cards through Express Bill Pay.

__<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Master of Ceremonies __<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">: <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Charlie would like to invite administrators to take over this on both days, perhaps a different one each day.

__<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Tours __<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">: <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Michelle has lined up tours for families. One to Zion National Park and the other for houses of the Rich and Famous. Proceeds from house visits will be donated to charity. Springdale’s Cafe Oscars will be used for the meal. If they get at least 25 people, a bus can be used to transport; if not, the plan is uncertain.

__<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Committees __<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">: If we divide into committees at the next meeting, Robert suggested it could be in three sections:
 * __<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Screening applications from presenters __<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">: (It had been decided that this committee would start with at least these four people - Robert, Teria, Kris, and Randy.)
 * __<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Screening applications from vendors __
 * __<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Logistics __