Citizenship Education Task Force

Steering Committee       

Date:

August 8, 2006

Meeting location:

Room 501 Cross Building, Augusta

Notes compiled by:

Dara McIntire

Chair(s):

Angela Faherty, Jim Carignan

Facilitator(s):

Kathy Hunt, Dara McIntire

Members present:

Deb Bicknell, Jim Carignan, Ian Engdahl, Angela Faherty, Charlie Hartman, Liz McCabe Park, Fran Rudoff (via phone), Kerry Salvo

 

Agenda Item(s):

Major Points of Discussion:

 

1. Welcome to new members

·        Angela Faherty, Deputy Commissioner of Education & Task Force Co-Chair

·        Ian Engdahl, LYAC member and Winthrop High School Senior

·       Deb Bicknell, Trainer & Project Coordinator for MYAN

 

2. Conferences

·        ASCD Conference (9/28): conference call with John Brandt & Carl Glickman has been rescheduled for Thursday August 17 at 9am. Call in # is 581-4133.

·        MYAN Conference (Nov.31-Dec.1): The Task Force would like to sponsor LYAC at the MYAN conference (both as participants and workshop presenters) for $1,000.

·        4th Congressional Conference on Civic Education (Nov.17-20): Pam Anderson has expressed interest in being a part of the Maine delegation. Maine is allotted up to 5 people, including Angela Faherty.

 

3. Ongoing Initiatives

·        LYAC Forums (update from Brenna Byrne): host schools are confirmed, but dates /times are still uncertain; Brenna & Phil have been drafting policy issue briefs; Phil will be scheduling a meeting among LYAC members, sponsors, and other stakeholders to finalize details.

·        Readiness Campaign: the campaign will launch in the fall of 2006; a best practices report is still being drafted; Fran has contacted Kay Rand to set up an informal meeting regarding the linkages between CETF’s mission and that of the Readiness Campaign.

·        Civic Learning & District Reform (9/25-26): Shelley Berman, Hudson, MA Superintendent of Schools, is confirmed for the 2-day retreat; location will be Sebasco Estates in Phippsburg; a subcommittee of Steering Committee members will meet to flesh out the agenda on 8/16 at 1:30pm in Rm. 541in Cross Bldg.

·        National Corporation Site Visit (8/16):  From 2-4 p.m. in Rm. 500 there will be a reception/open dialogue with the representative from the Corporation for National and Community Service to talk about service-learning in Maine.  All with links to service learning are welcome to attend! 

 

4. Civic Index for Maine

The group reviewed a presentation consisting of state & national resources on civic indicators, standards, and performance measures. The consensus was that the development of a civic index and its assimilation into a current, annual / regular database is critical to its institutionalization. Options to consider:

·        MDF’s Annual Measures of Growth—expanding the “civic assets” indicator which is currently affordable housing;

·        MEPRI—some sort of partnership with the Maine Education Policy Research Institute;

·        MCSPC—the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center could be responsible for publishing a Maine civic index  annually or biennially

·        DOE Service-Learning Grants—this year a survey of all Maine schools will be conducted to determine the presence of service-learning projects; this survey could be expanded to assess the status of civic learning and engagement more broadly.

·        Readiness Campaign—we need to include a set of indicators on civic engagement in the measurement tools to be used by the Readiness Campaign

 

5. Civic Learning & Engagement Brochure

A draft brochure was presented for review & input. Initially the piece was created as way to present the work of the Task Force via a KIDS exhibit at the fall MSMA conference. The brochure raises other issues including:

·        Name & logo change

·        Reformulation of membership (from 50 to 20?)

·        Strategies for strengthening youth voice

·        How to establish voice (w/ legislature), credibility (among public), and access (to policymaking processes and venues)

·        Relationship with MDOE

 

Next Steps:

Task 1

Reschedule SC meetings dates

To be carried out by

Dara McIntire

Task 2

Flesh out a draft civic index

To be carried out by

Kathy Hunt

Task 3

Finalize content for brochure & find youth designer

To be carried out by

Kathy Hunt & Dara McIntire w/ ongoing input from Steering Cmte.

 

Next Meeting Date/Time:

September 12, 2006 / 9am-12pm * to be rescheduled

Location:

Room 501, Cross Building, Augusta

Items for Next Meeting Agenda:

·        District Reform

·        Civic Index

·        Brochure

·        LYAC Forums

·        Maine Delegation for 4th Congressional Conference