Members present: Stacy Hicks; Tammy Stephens; Tom Stewart; Stephanie Martin; Kim Taylor (Janes) ;  Karen Scott; Cheryl Gilstrap; Denise Hines; Jason Dodson; Beverly Heady; David Lenoir; John Hagaman; Chris Carter.
 
The September 2002 minutes were not available but a change in the minutes was noted:
Two workshops rather than one were held in the summer.  David Lenoir explained that one included some work on the web site.

Old Business
“Portraits of the WKU Writing Project” was to include a biography of the teacher and student, a brief description of the work, the student sample and a student response reflecting what was learned, and a piece from the teacher explaining how and what was taught.  These portraits were to be published on the WP web site.  The deadline will be the end of January, 2003.

Publication of teacher research:  Stacy Hicks volunteered to head the committee to read the pieces to decide which will be published.   Some discussion about the method to publish these online included help from the Region 2 office.

Other:   Summer Workshop PD will be offered in the summer that will show teachers how to set up field trips involving extensive stays.  Tips on how to organize the trip, advertise with power points and lessons for the classroom

Summaries of past workshops
Literacy Circles with Kelli Long was received very well.
Donna Vincent offered a “Basics” type PD which about 50 attended.
Saturday with Charles Whitaker was very successful as well.  The session involved Developing Units of Study.
 

Purposed workshop with Julie Whitaker with help from Tammy Stephens that would involve 20 teachers for 1 week in the summer before June 30th with follow-up included.  The proposal is waiting to be approved.  Three directors, high, middle and elementary will be needed.

All schools that applied received the mini grants.  The schools that applied were all elementary schools.  This led to some discussion to consider what to offer in the next mini grants that might attract middle and high school teachers.

Tammy Stephens, Core Curriculum Consultant for Region 2 and Advisory Board member, reported that KDE has identified a school for “Partnership of Kentucky Schools”.  One identifier for a partnership school was inconsistency in raising scores Partnership schools will get extensive help from KDE. At this time we know that L.C. Curry has been identified as one of the schools.

New Business

We now have a session scheduled for April 26, 2003 with Carl Anderson.  The cost of the session will be $35 without the book but including lunch.  However, the books will be available for sale.  The committee discussed and decided to ask Mr. Anderson to emphasize the skill of conferencing with students.  We determine to offer to project fellows until March 26, 2003.  After that the session will be open to all others.  Online registration will be made available. All committee members were encouraged to advertise this session to their project fellows by February 1st.

Outreach
Electronic Exchange will be given by the “Bread Loaf” teachers,  on February 15, 2003 in Hart County.  This program involves communicating to people in other states as well as electronic portfolios.

At this point that is all that has been scheduled at this time due to the experience of winter sessions not having enough response or needing to be canceled due to weather.

Suggestions for future session included:
Analyzing student work
ESL strategies
Beginning teacher help

It was discussed that we would consider reducing costs to Teacher Consultants.  It was decided that reduced rate would be offered to the first (Number to be determined later) people that sign up.

Conversations at Barnes and Noble haven’t gone over well.  Discussions about other satellites to choose such as Elizabethtown.  Also, it was mention this might be an activity that could be done in the winter months because it would be easy to cancel due to inclement weather.

Donna Vincent wants to offer a writing project summer retreat at her home again.  It was discussed to offer it to the Purchase Area Project.  Also to advertise it to be a very casual week and bring friends that would be interested in writing and reading.  Possibly bring in someone to talk for a short time but leave the remainder for casual time which would probably evolve into networking.

The teacher-research workshop for Teacher Consultants could be done again since the money is available.  Defining and refining the writing workshop and analyzing student work.  Or possibly use the money in the form of mini grants.  Also redefine the Advanced Writing Project to be more focused.

Tammy Stephens reminded us the different focus/job assignment that KDE has given the Region Service Centers.  All schools are calling for assistance in writing.

The NWP Annual Report states that writing projects should collect data to show the benefits of the Writing Project.  Therefore a proposal for an evaluation study was discussed.  It was mentioned that some data and school demographics can be obtained online.  Tammy suggested a visual data base.  Data should include those involved who have been involved/attended the Writing Project vs. the writing scores in the school.  Also declare their position, i.e. principal, resource or classroom teacher.

Also, look into the possibility that a graduate student or doctoral student that might need such a project to meet a requirement.

Applications are now being taken for Project 18.

Celebration of Western Kentucky through Poetry can be offered again due to the available monies.  Students would read, Lost River Band, artifacts on display, food in the afternoon.  In the morning some activities for teachers would be available.  The event could be recorded and published on CDs.

David Lenoir asked how the web site might become more useful.  Possibilities would be to share the information in newsletters.

The next meeting will be held September 13, 2003.

Respectfully Submitted,
Joy Lynn Cox Buckingham, Recorder