Massachusetts School Library Association
Executive Board meeting
March 20, 2018 4:00 - 6:00
Massachusetts Library System
225 Cedar Hill Street, Suite 229, Marlborough, MA 01752
Virtual (V)
Attending:
Allison Barker, Co-Director Southeast Region
Michael Caligiuri, Co-Director, Central Region
Robin Cicchetti, Advocacy
Ariel Dagan, Representative Vocational Technical Schools
Karen Davidson-Heller, Co-Director Boston Region
Patsy Divver, Co-Director Metrowest Region
Jennifer Dimmick, Secretary
Maria D’Orsi, Co-Director Metrowest Region
Deeth Ellis, Co-Director Boston Region
Barb Fecteau, Co-Director Northeast Region
Sarah Forfa, Co-Director West Region (V)
Wendy Garland, Awards (V)
Alida Hanson, Professional Learning Co-chair
Laura Harrington, Co-Director Northeast Region
Kathy Lowe, Executive Director (V)
Laura Luker, President Elect (V)
Ann Perham, Awards (V)
Greg Pronevitz, MSLA Communications Specialist (V)
Reba Tierney, Co-editor Forum Newsletter
Carrie Tucker, President
Pamela Vallee, Co-Director, Central Region
Jen Varney, Cambridge, Treasurer (V)
Call to order
Reports and minutes of February meeting were approved.
Kathy Lowe updated the conference report numbers. Attendance and exhibitors will surpass last year. The new location might be contributing to this uptick.
Advocacy - Greg Pronevitz and Robin Cicchetti
A 45-minute meeting with DESE Commissioner Riley has been rescheduled for March 21, 2019. Attendees for MSLA will be Robin Cicchetti,James Lonergan, MBLC, and Greg Pronevitz. We shared our priorities with DESE see LINK. Attendees met in advance to plan our agenda and focus on our most important messages which are the need to appoint a school library curriculum specialist at DESE and the need for a complete census/audit of school libraries/staffing/services in public schools. Robin Cicchetti will do a survey findings recap and plug ESSA.
Library Legislative Day:
MSLA/MLA Library Legislative Day was March 5 at the State House. MSLA shared a display table with MLS near the entrance to the Great Hall. Only 12 attendees registered from the school library community. Greg Pronevitz participated in the two legislative briefings and the first-time attendee orientation to share MSLA’s priorities. The packet for the day included a one-pager on MSLA priorities.
MASS Conference (Mass. Association of School Superintendents), July 10:
This year’s theme, Foundation to Transformation-Building on 25 Years of Success, celebrates the successes of public education in Massachusetts over the last 25 years with a vision of transforming public education in the future. MSLA submitted a joint proposal with MassCUE and MASCD (at the invitation by MassCUE) and the proposal was accepted. Here is a LINK to the event.
Branding Advocacy Subcommittee - Robin Cicchetti
Amy Short and Anita Cellucci have been working with branding advocacy subcommittee. They’ve come up with a new design which has been incorporated into the Salem State site, and created a PowerPoint for the advocacy group to clean up and have prepared in time for the conference. There are 50 volunteers for Advocacy for the study and now the group is ready to start using them.
Talbot Middle School, Fall River:
On Friday, March 15 - Robin Cicchetti held a Skype conference with students working on a civics project - advocating for a school library. It was a rewarding and uplifting experience to help them pursue this important civics project.
IMLS Research grant:
Researchers Keith Curry Lance and Debra Kachel have invited state school library associations to partner with them on their research proposal, “The Evolving Role of the School Librarian: How School Decision-Makers are Driving Change” - a country-wide school library impact study. Their proposal for the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Grant is offered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services IMLS. Debbie Froggett from Boston has agreed to be our representative on this initiative.
Upcoming events/presentations:
Professional learning - Laura Luker
Election - Carrie Tucker
In consideration of the good news that no one up for re-election at this time (area directors, treasurer, secretary) nor has anyone has expressed intention of stepping down, the board approved the following slate of members for next year. Thanks go to our nomination committee: Laura Luker, Reba Tierney, Katherine Steiger, Ann Perham, and Anita Cellucci.
Secretary Jennifer Dimmick
Treasurer Jennifer Varney
Area directors
Karen Davidson-Heller, Deeth Ellis: Boston
Michael Caligiuri, Pamela Vallee: Central
Patsy Divver, Maria D’Orsi: Metrowest
Barbara Fecteau, Laura Harrington: Northeast
Allison Barker, Rachel Barrett: Southeast
Lani Blechman, Sarah Forfa, Claudia Palframan: West
MSLA positions for 2019-2020
Job description and the finances for positions of Office Manager/Event Planner and Executive Consultant (working title -- not yet finalized) were approved.
Policy handbook review
Updates to the MSLA policy manual were approved.
Cvent contract - Kathy Lowe
The board approval for 1 year Cvent contract. Cvent is used to manage the entire membership list and payments including dues and conference registration.
Awards - Wendy Garland
We depend on the collective efforts of the board members to get maximum advocacy benefit of awards! Award winners are listed here. Board members were encouraged to sign up to present awards in each school district.
NESLA - Carrie Tucker
Carol Gordon has asked us to share a letter from New England School Library Association with MSLA members. It is here.
Robin Cicchetti motioned to adjourn the meeting at 6:00 PM, Deeth Ellis seconded, all approved.
Upcoming events
Upcoming board meetings
Respectfully submitted,
Jennifer Dimmick
Executive Board meeting
March 20, 2018 4:00 - 6:00
Massachusetts Library System
225 Cedar Hill Street, Suite 229, Marlborough, MA 01752
Virtual (V)
Attending:
Allison Barker, Co-Director Southeast Region
Michael Caligiuri, Co-Director, Central Region
Robin Cicchetti, Advocacy
Ariel Dagan, Representative Vocational Technical Schools
Karen Davidson-Heller, Co-Director Boston Region
Patsy Divver, Co-Director Metrowest Region
Jennifer Dimmick, Secretary
Maria D’Orsi, Co-Director Metrowest Region
Deeth Ellis, Co-Director Boston Region
Barb Fecteau, Co-Director Northeast Region
Sarah Forfa, Co-Director West Region (V)
Wendy Garland, Awards (V)
Alida Hanson, Professional Learning Co-chair
Laura Harrington, Co-Director Northeast Region
Kathy Lowe, Executive Director (V)
Laura Luker, President Elect (V)
Ann Perham, Awards (V)
Greg Pronevitz, MSLA Communications Specialist (V)
Reba Tierney, Co-editor Forum Newsletter
Carrie Tucker, President
Pamela Vallee, Co-Director, Central Region
Jen Varney, Cambridge, Treasurer (V)
Call to order
Reports and minutes of February meeting were approved.
Kathy Lowe updated the conference report numbers. Attendance and exhibitors will surpass last year. The new location might be contributing to this uptick.
Advocacy - Greg Pronevitz and Robin Cicchetti
A 45-minute meeting with DESE Commissioner Riley has been rescheduled for March 21, 2019. Attendees for MSLA will be Robin Cicchetti,James Lonergan, MBLC, and Greg Pronevitz. We shared our priorities with DESE see LINK. Attendees met in advance to plan our agenda and focus on our most important messages which are the need to appoint a school library curriculum specialist at DESE and the need for a complete census/audit of school libraries/staffing/services in public schools. Robin Cicchetti will do a survey findings recap and plug ESSA.
Library Legislative Day:
MSLA/MLA Library Legislative Day was March 5 at the State House. MSLA shared a display table with MLS near the entrance to the Great Hall. Only 12 attendees registered from the school library community. Greg Pronevitz participated in the two legislative briefings and the first-time attendee orientation to share MSLA’s priorities. The packet for the day included a one-pager on MSLA priorities.
MASS Conference (Mass. Association of School Superintendents), July 10:
This year’s theme, Foundation to Transformation-Building on 25 Years of Success, celebrates the successes of public education in Massachusetts over the last 25 years with a vision of transforming public education in the future. MSLA submitted a joint proposal with MassCUE and MASCD (at the invitation by MassCUE) and the proposal was accepted. Here is a LINK to the event.
Branding Advocacy Subcommittee - Robin Cicchetti
Amy Short and Anita Cellucci have been working with branding advocacy subcommittee. They’ve come up with a new design which has been incorporated into the Salem State site, and created a PowerPoint for the advocacy group to clean up and have prepared in time for the conference. There are 50 volunteers for Advocacy for the study and now the group is ready to start using them.
Talbot Middle School, Fall River:
On Friday, March 15 - Robin Cicchetti held a Skype conference with students working on a civics project - advocating for a school library. It was a rewarding and uplifting experience to help them pursue this important civics project.
IMLS Research grant:
Researchers Keith Curry Lance and Debra Kachel have invited state school library associations to partner with them on their research proposal, “The Evolving Role of the School Librarian: How School Decision-Makers are Driving Change” - a country-wide school library impact study. Their proposal for the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Grant is offered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services IMLS. Debbie Froggett from Boston has agreed to be our representative on this initiative.
Upcoming events/presentations:
- DESE and Commissioner Riley - New date March 21, 2019
- MSLA Conference - March 31 - April 1, 2019
- MLA Conference - May 20 - 22, 2019
- Pending MASS Conference - July 9-11, 2019 via Breakout.edu with MassCUE
- Pending AASL conference - Nov. 14 - 16 (waiting to hear if the proposal is accepted)
Professional learning - Laura Luker
- Annual conference update - see above
- Better Together, MSLA/MassCUE, will be coming in the fall 2019, held at TEC Walpole, possibly on 9/24 or 25, a school night. Focus is Media Literacy. WGBH is planning to partner again. Maybe Frontline. Smaller event (120 maximum). MassCUE is asking for suggested presenters.
Election - Carrie Tucker
In consideration of the good news that no one up for re-election at this time (area directors, treasurer, secretary) nor has anyone has expressed intention of stepping down, the board approved the following slate of members for next year. Thanks go to our nomination committee: Laura Luker, Reba Tierney, Katherine Steiger, Ann Perham, and Anita Cellucci.
Secretary Jennifer Dimmick
Treasurer Jennifer Varney
Area directors
Karen Davidson-Heller, Deeth Ellis: Boston
Michael Caligiuri, Pamela Vallee: Central
Patsy Divver, Maria D’Orsi: Metrowest
Barbara Fecteau, Laura Harrington: Northeast
Allison Barker, Rachel Barrett: Southeast
Lani Blechman, Sarah Forfa, Claudia Palframan: West
MSLA positions for 2019-2020
Job description and the finances for positions of Office Manager/Event Planner and Executive Consultant (working title -- not yet finalized) were approved.
Policy handbook review
Updates to the MSLA policy manual were approved.
Cvent contract - Kathy Lowe
The board approval for 1 year Cvent contract. Cvent is used to manage the entire membership list and payments including dues and conference registration.
Awards - Wendy Garland
We depend on the collective efforts of the board members to get maximum advocacy benefit of awards! Award winners are listed here. Board members were encouraged to sign up to present awards in each school district.
NESLA - Carrie Tucker
Carol Gordon has asked us to share a letter from New England School Library Association with MSLA members. It is here.
Robin Cicchetti motioned to adjourn the meeting at 6:00 PM, Deeth Ellis seconded, all approved.
Upcoming events
- MSLA conference, “School libraries are for everyone,” March 31-- April 1, 2019, Sheraton Framingham Hotel & Conference Center
- MLA Annual Conference, May 20-22, 2019 at Sheraton Framingham
- MSLA Sorting Day, Saturday, April 6, 10 AM at 99 Fairview Rd. Lunenburg
- Better Together, MSLA/MassCUE, Fall 2019, TEC Walpole
Upcoming board meetings
- Wednesday, April 10, 2019 4:00--6:00 Virtual
- Wednesday, May 15, 2019 4:00 MLS, 225 Cedar Hill Street, Suite 229, Marlborough
- Wednesday, June 12, 2019 4:00--6:00 location tbd
Respectfully submitted,
Jennifer Dimmick
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