Present

JoAnn Faust, Crystal Cabinet Works, Vicky Wills, Crystal Cabinet Works, Terry Dalbey, Mora/Cambridge WorkForce Center, Dick Young, Oak Land Vocational, Sharon Prahl, Team Industries, Inc., Nick Waldoch, Braham Public Schools, John Norris, Atscott Mfg., Connie Hockert, East Central Energy, Jason Spaeth, Pine Technical College, Ginger Glenn, Glenn Metalcraft and Ray Hoheisel, Executive Director, ECMWF Partnership.

Call to Order

Chair John N. called the meeting to order at 7:05 a.m.

Minutes

Minutes of the March 5, 2002 Executive Committee meeting were approved upon motion by Ginger G., seconded by Dick Y. Motion carried.

Financial Report

A financial report through April 2002 was distributed. Executive Director Ray H. reported a balance of $60,120.15. Interest earned and a Supplementary School-To-Work payment were the receipts. Expenditure was for envelopes and letterhead from Scotsman/County News.

School-To-Work funds for Year V including Year IV carry-over were reported as $125,532.28 with expenditures of $53,311.63 and a balance of $72,220.65. Upon motion by Ginger G., seconded by Nick W. the report was accepted and filed. Motion carried.

School-To-Work

Year VI School-To-Work (Extension Grant) implementation grants were presented to the board. A brief description and budget amount for each request follows.

• Cambridge-Isanti for teachers and career advisor to incorporate local activities in one learning standard for each grade level in the social studies curriculum with a budget of $8,900.00.
• East Central for Career Center materials and activities to assist students in career planning and exploration with a budget of $3,796.80.
• Isle to develop and implement its annual Career Awareness Fair with a budget of
• $3,000.00.
• Pine City for a Business/Education Expo and purchase and training for staff, students and parents on use of ECOS by Embark Corporation with a budget of $6,480.00.
• Pine Technical College for a one-day Women in Technology conference for sixth grade students to promote non-traditional career choices in science, mathematics and technology with a budget of $2,500.00.
• Princeton for Career Advisors to receive professional development and business visits
• to maintain community ties for students with a budget of $7,000.00.
• Braham for curriculum writing, software and field trips for technical classes with a budget of $3,445.00.
• Mora for teacher visits to businesses, curriculum writing time and software and curriculum materials to integrate in newly developed classes with a budget of $5,200.00.

Moved by Terry D., seconded by Nick W. to approve implementation grant requests as presented. Motion carried.

Ray H. presented information on the status of remaining Year V and carry-over funds from the School-To-Work grant. Board members discussed redistributing the funds in order to meet grant deadlines. It was suggested that funds be allocated according to criteria submitted in approved plans to those districts that are active players that submit requests. Specific suggestions and examples to fund, related to purchasing career center materials, software and curriculum materials for career and technical education classes, applied textbooks and other related activities with a direct link to previously approved grants submitted to the state. Moved by Ginger G., seconded by Sharon P. to make grants to active players from an approved menu of activities with a suggested amount for each district. Motion carried.

Meeting Schedule

A meeting schedule listing Executive Committee and Partnership meetings through 2002 was presented and discussed. Nick W. moved, seconded by JoAnn F. to adopt the meeting calendar. Motion carried.

Career and Technical Education Advocacy

Board members discussed plans to follow-up on April Partnership meeting that began the process of gathering information regarding the status of career and technical education in the region. The goal is to develop a plan to advocate for career and technical education opportunities for K-12 students. It was agreed to work on developing an information packet to be used in future presentations and work sessions. A large portion of the May Partnership meeting will be used to develop the information packet.

It was recommended that the informational packets be used in future meetings/work sessions with area school boards and subsequently legislators and legislative candidates. The meetings/work sessions, especially with school board members, should have businesses present their needs with regard to skills needed by workers, local employment opportunities, need for verifying skills via credentials and the perceived status of career and technical education opportunities for students in area schools.

The May Partnership meeting will be devoted to developing the information packets and a format for the meeting/work sessions. It was suggested that business partners present industry and business needs and the composition or make-up of the workforce to school board members.

Princeton Cooperative Training

Ginger G. gave a quick update on recent developments following the first session. She was complimented for her leadership on this project and was asked to present information at the Partnership meeting.

Employer Conference

Evaluation sheets were distributed and members informally evaluated the conference. Ray H. told of the CIF committee meeting discussion regarding the conference and the ideas for next year if it continues. Further discussion will take place at the Partnership meeting.

Executive Director Duties and Payment for Services

Ray H. gave a brief review of expected activity in the next month. Upon motion by Ginger G., seconded by Nick W. the board-approved payment for eight days for director services in March and April 2002. Motion carried.

Partnership Meeting and Adjournment

Agenda items for May and June will include Employer Conference Follow-up, School-To-Work, Career and Technical Education Advocacy Planning, Cooperative Training Project in Princeton, K-12 and Technical College Proposal at Oak Land. Adjournment at 8:55 a.m.

Minutes by Ray H.