SC minutes 9/16/2020

EEAC Steering Committee Regular Monthly Meeting  
September 16, 2020
Wed 5:30 pm – 7 pm
ZOOM Conference

Participants: 

Fran Agnone
Isa Del Bello
River DiLeo
E. Shig Matsukawa
Mary Most
Ray Pultinas
Bonnie Ralston
Robert Wallace
Mike Zamm
Christina Tobisch (NYSOEA)

Committee Reports and Updates

1. Approved previous meeting minutes – 

Mike suggested edits and deletions of previous months notes to eliminate the phrase, “bird by bird” in my notes under section g. TEEP – (I’m uncertain how to change PDF document – will take suggestions during meeting for modifying files.)    

2. Strategic Planning Committee –
   1. Meeting monthly, opposite wednesdays from steering committee meetings
   2. Working on months 1-6 priorities, starting with redefining roles/responsibilities of Steering Committee members: 2020EEAC_SCrolesAndResponsibilitiesDraft.pdf

Bonnie reported that Strategic Planning committee has finished their work and that has resulted in the one-page descriptions of each committee including some short term goals.  There are many added roles, especially for Secretary role as now including oversight of Communications Committee.

Document has now been circulated among Steering Committee members by email and River asked that members approve the descriptions with a yay or nay and descriptions have been approved.  Next step is committee recruitment, getting the right people into positions where they can be most effective.  

Invites to the Annual EEAC Meeting will be an opportunity to engage organization membership.

Follow up will now be done by subcommittees as the role of manager will be reduced.  

3. Nominating Committee
   1. Nominating committee working on a formalized calendar and procedures for the nominating process

River and Robert will be resending form for nominations to entire list serve.  Now there will be a call for nominations as well as call to join a committee.  The Nominating Committee meanwhile were planning to meet to discuss strategies for who else might be invited to apply or nominate.

4. Program Committee
   1. Climate Change Conference – results from emailing climate change conference volunteers?

Feedback on Hosting Virtual Conference from original volunteer group- some folks are interested in cancelling, some are interested in pursuing a virtual program or conference.

• BENEFITS
  • gets EEAC’s name out there
  • can focus solely on Climate themed education and EEAC can define the audience
  • could be simple virtual event with one line of programming at one time
  • good indoor activity to participate in during the winter
• CONSIDERATIONS
  • do we have the technology savvy to host and organize
  • will we all be “virtually” insane at that point : )
  • could we get it certified and offer CTLE credits for teachers
  • We could also think about a different format for EEAC – does it have to be a conference if we’re going virtual? Could it be a series of workshops on different dates, which could be a lot easier to manage on the technical side?
• Feedback from meeting- Spread out and do some smaller trainings/events
  • Lots of virtual burnout, a few 45 minutes sessions is more manageable
  • More frequent, smaller, and shorter presentations
  • Have a session focused on virtual/remote climate workshops
  • Series of 3- one per month, another idea could be K-5, 6-8, and 9-12
  • Speaker + Activity + Break outs

2. Virtual program ideas: 
   1. Zoom/Virtual learning idea sharing/collaboration (light lift)
   2. How to Use Your Outdoor Space – for classroom teachers (heavier lift)

Sarah is presently on leave. 

There are options available should EEAC wish to host a workshop at NYSOEA Conference in November.   

The NYSOEA virtual panel held on 9/26 and spearheaded by Equity, Access and Inclusion Committee might serve as a template for EEAC Climate Change Conference.  Members might also want to be part of this conversation.  Suggestion that Panel and Conference should also be on our website.  

5. Communications
   1. Newsletter
      1. Newsletter Deadlines: February 3, May 4, September 7
      2. Content Needed
   2. Website
      1. Clearinghouse update
      2. Document storage
   3. Steering Committee group email list (if any issues, so far)

Newsletter is “mostly put together” with only minor edits needed before ready.  

NYS Environmental Educators COVID Relief Fund is still going.  Discussion about the incentives needed to reconnect with the project.  

Syllabi Bank with 6 courses (3 professors and 2 colleges) is presently available on the webpage.  It is hopeful that others are on the way.  TEEP workshop reports now featured on EEAC website home page.  

Shig gave insight into adopting WordPress, creating fields and sample entries for Clearinghouse.  

Discussion of how to represent Strategic Planning work and Adaptive Plan on the website and the ongoing work of reducing places where our archives are filed.  

Discussion in regard to eventual (better?) name of clearinghouse:  suggestions were “Library,” “Living Library,” “Sources.”

Suggestion made to update mission statement on website.  

6. EEAC and NYSOEA Partnership

7. TEEP
   1. TEEP Updates
      Possible new framework for TEEP, Environmental Education Projects Forum (EEPF):
      EEAC_EEPF-EnvironmentalEducationProjectsForum2020.pdf

2. Grant for Curriculum Resource Development 
   1. Clearinghouse next steps: https://eeac-nyc.org/about/steeringcommittee/meetings/handoutsRefs/BuildingaClearingHouseforProfessionalDevelopmentWorkPlan202008.pdf
      
3. Membership and Finance
   1. MM – current stats (no change from Aug report)
      30 LIfetime, 23 Individual Members, 2 Student, 55 Indiv thru 16 Org
      (vs 2019 = 30 Lifetime, 42 Indiv, 12 Student, 79 Indiv thru 29 Org)
          Note: we keep “expired” members on the roster for a year or two 
   2. Eventbrite Membership Drive has been updated; website updated to show this new link (thank you to Shig!) 
   3. Google Group lists: will check back & forth against Membership spreadsheet to make sure all EEAC members are on Google Group, and that we invite all subscribers to join EEAC. 

Additional notes on membership:   Even if someone has not paid their member fees, they remain on membership list for a couple of years.  An onerous process to change but suggestions made to adopt member management platforms to make it easier than it is now.   

Respectfully Submitted
Raymond Pultinas
EEAC Secretary