AEOE Southern Board Meeting, June 5, 2004

AEOE Southern Board Meeting

Starr Ranch

5 June 2004

Meeting Called to order by Helen de la Maza @ 11:25am

In attendance: Helen, Jason, Laura, Debbie, Dave, Michael, Kris

Agenda review

1. Further debrief of statewide conference

Helen spoke w/ some people who had comments about diversity strand

Contacted Sandi about comments, she will use feedback to make improvements
Since AEOE is endorsing outside people who come in & present – we need to be aware of content
Helen will e-mail comments/responses/feedback directly to Sandi

Designating workshops

We need to work on making workshops more professional
We can ask for people’s background & a lesson plan
Helen is more than willing to help read through the plans
Type of workshop is important, too
Comment about NAAEE – they have people give very specific info about what kind of workshop it will be – discussion, lecture, hands-on, etc.
Who is it for – beginning naturalist, classroom teacher,
Now we can be a little more selective – in the past we took anyone just to fill slots, but now we have more interest in presenting

Housing -- on one woman’s eval about housing, she had chosen a “women’s only” – on the reg. form, it just says “male” or “female” – we should specify single sex men’s or women’s or co-ed, & to specify special needs – we should do fewer co-ed, more single sex
People liked Abel Silvas
Saturday night activities

Discussion about a comment to have more diverse music

Be aware that if we extend out to include more people, more diversity, we are going to have some people who do not agree with or understand our mission & values

Some people thought that the Sat. music was too high key – wanted something more low-key for Sat. eve. Activity
Maybe we can look at more diversity among speakers & music, including gender – this year only one woman speaker

2. Newsletter

Jason recommended that deadlines be 2 weeks before the solstices & equinoxes
Deadlines

Fall newsletter out by Sept. 1^st, August 15^th will be deadline for submissions, draft to board by Aug. 25^th
Date of Fall Conference is Oct. 22-24, 2004
Winter newsletter out by Dec. 1^st, Nov. 15^th -- deadline for submissions, draft to board by Nov. 22^nd
Spring newsletter out by Feb. 15^th, deadline for submissions is Feb. 1^st, draft to board by Feb. 8^th
Summer newsletter out by May 15^th, deadline for submissions is May 1^st, draft to board by May 8^th

Helen, Laura, Maggie, & Michael should see newsletter drafts for review
Articles for fall newsletter

Article by Michael about Acorn Naturalists
Change of venue for Spring Conference
Naturalist Knapsack of tricks
Review of children’s books & naturalist books
Meeting a naturalist – interview w/ someone from different programs
Get a classroom teacher to write an article about integrating outdoor ed into classroom
Article about why we choose to use organic shirts
Tamara will write article about consumerism – auctions, etc.
We need to be explicit about choices we make for conferences – meals, etc.
Article about analyzing AEOE’s environmental footprint

3. Activities

Surfing weekend

6 people went but it was very fun
Slept right on the beach, mellow, learned to surf on big surf boards
Laura needs to choose activities that she wants to do

2004/2005 Activities

Jason suggested a weekend of camping/staying at Jason’s & mountain biking along Santa Ana river trail

Helen strongly suggested having people sign liability forms
Could be a hiking-biking weekend, free camping at East Flats
It would be best early in the fall or spring

Northern Conference is Oct. 1^st-3^rd
Southern Conference is Oct. 22^nd-24^th
Sea kayaking trip

Planned by Melissa in Santa Cruz
Would like to do it in between the 2 conferences, possibly Oct. 8-10, or in Sept. or Nov.?

Colorado River Trip

Have had a lot of response to that in the past
President’s day weekend, Feb. 18-21^st
Kris can help plan or plan if Laura cannot

Joshua Tree – look into it
March is available for another activity

4. Set date for fall southern board mtg.

Sunday, Sept. 19^th
At Kris’s house
11am-3pm

5. Budget Stuff

Tabled until later – Zayanne not here

6. Fall conference – “Fostering Beauty, Finding Peace”

Workshop schedule

Same as 2003 fall conference

Friday

5-10pm check-in
8-9pm – astronomy round table (Debbie will lead it), have members bring a write-up of activities & share activities
9-10pm – astronomy with Dean; maybe Jerry Cox could bring a telescope, Kris or Jason could bring scopes
10pm quiet hour, camp fire

Saturday

7am – bird watching, yoga
9am – welcome & intro

Sandy DeSimone will do a Starr Ranch intro

9:30-10:45am – Workshop Session 1
11:00am-12:15pm – Workshop Session 2
12:15-2pm – lunch
2-3:30pm – Workshop Session 3
3:30-5pm – free time
5:15pm – dinner
7:00pm – entertainment & campfire

Open mic entertainment – Rhymin’ Reason could be the M.C.’s – songs, stories, skits, improv, etc.
Have a sign-up list at registration, sell it at dinner

10pm quiet hour

Sunday

7am – bird watching & yoga
8am – breakfast board meeting
9:15-10:45am – Workshop Session 4
11:00am – closing

Environmental Educator award presented
Raffle prizes for turning in eval’s
Other…

Entertainment

Mill Creek Expedition

Can they play during registration on Friday? – Jason will ask Craig

Invite Scott to present a workshop?

Starr Ranch staff-led workshops

Sandy is willing to do a Starr Ranch Intro & a restoration workshop
Someone may do an owl walk or mountain lion tracking walk
Gail will do something if she’s still around
Sandy will let Helen know what else they will be able to do

Other workshop ideas

Stream monitoring workshop
Various volunteer projects – teach us how, then let us try for a while
Frank Padilla – magic workshop
Mark Friedman – represented Earth Expedition – was very interested in coming
Diann may want to do a gourd workshop
Kris would like to teach people how to do seed-beadwork
Geology by Jason
A Magic Spot – Maggie
Jammin’ Journals – one of the OSS staff (Sandor?)
Thou Art in Nature – Isby? Kris?
Brief update on legislation & budget issues – Helen could do that

Dates

Registration postmark deadline (only one deadline) = Oct. Wed. Oct. 13^th

Food is the biggest issue with registration

Walk-in rate after the deadline

Rates

$20 early registration
$30 walk-in rate
$10 for kids ages 6-12, $20 for kids over 12

Dinner

Jason will look into having an Indian restaurant cater it for $3-$5/person for 125 people – we can buy stuff for salad & make dessert. Alcohol is allowed

Jobs

Dinner – Jason is looking into having it catered; Helen will follow up after Jason makes initial contact.
Green conference coordinator -- on site

Hopefully we can add to their compost (cannot - we must take out)
They have recycling on site

Pre-conference registration – Jason (Helen will help him get set up to do it)
On-site registration – Helen, Kris
Presenter coordinator – Laura
Parking – signs will be fine (registration people can help)

Encourage carpooling – raffle? Laura will get stuff from Acorn Naturalists to give as raffle prizes

Helen will look into getting Odwalla juice donated
Signs – Kris will make signs, Laura & Jason will help

Parking + arrows (6)
Please Park Close Together (6)
Registration (1)
Camping (2)
Arrows (10)
AEOE + arrows (to post throughout the neighborhood) (6)
Conference Room (1)
Lab (1)
Quiet Hours: 10pm-6:30am (3 signs)
Private Residence, Do Not Disturb (3 sigs)
Restrooms (2)
Showers (2)

Directions & what to bring – in the Fall 2000 newsletter, on the AEOE website

Things to bring

Plate, cup, silverware

Closing Ceremony – Debbie

Ask Patsy Babcock to do the sage/smoke blessing – pk_studios@lycos.com

Run elections – Helen (she will check which positions are appointed, which are elected, & how serious we need to be about doing this)
Environmental Educator of the Year Award – Laura will ask George about it, George may be in charge of this

Meeting adjourned at 2:00pm

For publication on the Web

Important dates:

August 15^th will be deadline for submissions for Fall newsletter
Nov. 15^th will be deadline for submissions for Winter newsletter
Feb. 1^st will be deadline for submissions is Feb. 1^stfor Spring newsletter
May 1^st will be deadline for submissions for Summer newsletter
Date of Northern Fall Conference is Oct. 1-3
Date of Southern Fall Conference is Oct. 22-24, 2004

Upcoming events

Sea kayaking
Colorado River Trip
Mountain Biking/hiking on Santa Ana River Trail

Board Decisions