Great Start Collaborative Minutes

May 26, 2009

Attendees

Jill Haan-Char-Em ISD, Carol Stephan- 4C Char-Em, Nicole Lindwall- WRC, John Norton- Parent, Carolyn Bellnap- Early On Coordinator, Audrey Shapiro- Charlevoix Public Library, Judy Wojck- NMH Hospital, Joanna Kolodziej- NCMC ECE Program, Deinsie Aungst- MSU Extension, David Jones- PHACF, Bill Lovett- Charlevoix Kiwanis, Elanie Roach- Child Abuse Council, Shirley Gillespie- DHS, Kathy Kundrant- NMCAA Head Start, Sommer Poquette- Great Start Parent Coordinator, John Knowles- Great Start Director

Scribe

Sommer Poquette

Agenda

• Sommer Poquette/Great Start Parent Coalition
  • The Great Start Parent Coalition added a few new members recently published a newsletter with some great photos that were posted online via a link for those that missed it in their inbox or for further reference. See Link Here for further details: http://community.icontact.com/p/sommer/newsletters/greatstart/posts/happy-mothers-day-from-the-great-start-parent-coalition

A letter was sent to Jason Allen along with hundreds of stars made by children and a big green board signed by parents and community members to support 0-5 funding. His response was posted at our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=52111610145 Sommer will be attending his office hours please email greatstartforkids@gmail.com if you would like attend these hours with Sommer, she is working on bringing three tools that we would like to provide him for advocacy besides funding requests.

Recently Sommer created a survey to help create a plan/vision for the coalition long term. It was suggested that the coalition do something like a March of Dimes walk or some other volunteer activity to further brand and involve the coalition. Sommer is working on putting something together and if you have suggestions please email her.

• • Ideas for education program or speaker this summer or early fall:

When John first began as the director of the Great Start Collaborative we spoke of having each collaborative meeting surrounding special speakers or guests to inform and educate our collaborative. Sommer loved this idea but also loved the idea of engaging the collaborative and parent coalition members, bringing in a speaker or two that adds to all the collaborative partners and members but also invites others to join our cause and support early childhood programs and services in our counties. The speakers range in cost but are mentioned as a spring board for further brainstorming and discussion on what the collaborative would like to do in the future.

1. Donna Beagle.

Donna M. Beegle provides inspirational, motivational, informative speeches customized for your Organization. This is Donna’s 18th year of providing Keynote presentations. Donna weaves personal experiences with research to provide insights for communicating and working more effectively across race, poverty, gender, and generational barriers.

http://www.combarriers.com/about

2. Dr. Adolph Brown III

He was recommended to Jim Rummer of the Char-Em ISD by the Wexford ISD as an amazing motivational speaker who tells it like it is, is real, easy to listen to and relates well to everyone. He has been described as hilarious. Dr. Adolph Brown, AKA Doc overcame an upbringing of extreme poverty, violence, welfare, fatherlessness, and a single-mother household. He uses his experience as a tenured educator, administrator, business owner and psychotherapist, trainer and speaker to present to us on a variety of topics.

One LOCAL KEYNOTE per month will be offered to the non-profit of our choice, or to certain marketing opportunities at a reduced fee. His fees begin at $7,500 but they are NOT in stone.

http://www.docspeaks.com/aboutdoc/default.html

3. Sabrina Jackson: She was a speaker at a conference Sommer attended in Traverse City and she really enjoyed her. She was informative, genuine, and inspirational and I learned about “true colors” and working with people who are all shades. She has many different topics she’s well versed on but she recently did a two day grant writing workshop and does this for local communities.

http://www.sabrinajackson.com/services.htm

• John Knowles/GSC Director
  • Star Power Report: 1400 attended, 10 from Charlevoix, Emmet, N.Antrim Counties, met with Gary McDowell, Jason Allen and Kevin Elsenheimer. See http://www.ecic4kids.org/ for more information on the Star Power Rally or see the video from our day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybjBefQ9RWc
  • Communication Plan: Moves forward with a radio advertisement next month. Two ads were made one with a female voice and one with a male voice. The collaborative liked the idea of using both voices so gender is not an issue, adding a website, repeating the phone number and making sure the number is listed.
  • ECIC Technical Training June 16 & 17: The conference is at Boyne Mountain Resort and 5 members of the collaborative may attend. The tentative agenda can be seen here: http://www.ecic4kids.org/events/June09TA_Agenda_TENTATIVE.pdf If you’re interested please email greatstartforkids@gmail.com

Presenters and Special Guests

• David Jones/ Petoskey Harbor Community Foundation and Great Start Collaborative Member:

David presented on some upcoming changes with the Community Foundation. Marie Nicholson will be retiring and David Jones will become the new director. The PHSCP began in 1992 and it is a dynamic resource for local dollars that serves local needs, not just education. The community foundation would like to offer more of a capacity building for non-profits and is currently working on land use; entrepreneurship; fostering economic development; youth substance abuse prevention.

The community foundation has a unique group of decision makers called the Youth Advisory Committee that is made of local teens who see all grant applications that have to do with education. The committee meets Fall through Spring and in makes decisions for roughly $50,000 worth of grants yearly.

Advice to the collaborative for effective grant writing includes telling your story well on paper, avoiding jargon and doing your homework to not waste time. David suggests the college for grant writing courses or the Library for finding grants. The Petoskey Public Library is a foundation center that can help agencies and individuals find grants.

• Carolyn Belknap/ Early On and Great Start Collaborative Member:

Carolyn spoke on the importance of Early On and it being a federal law (IDEA) that 0-3 with developmental delays receives free and appropriate in home early intervention. Her call to action for the group is to care, be open to help and educate yourself and offer public support and input when it is needed. Early On was proposed to do some restructuring where many large counties would receive more money and rural areas would significantly be cut. This did not pass and they are now forming a “imaginary committee” to create a new vision and redesign for Early On.

Currently Carolyn receives $90,000 but to effectively do what she has to do $140,000 is what she needs. Historically the formula for Early On funding was to receive $50,000 for each ISD and then the remaining funding coming from a count of who is served. The $50,000 provides the administrative costs (data collection, admin. work, measurement, grant writing and training).

Vote: Feet Transportation Initiative

• FEET stands for Friends Enhancing Emmet Transit. The plan calls for an expansion of public transportation through a dial-a-ride limited fixed routes; secure funding through state and federal resources; fold the Friendship Center bus system into the new system and coordinate with the Charlevoix Transit and Straits Regional Ride. The proposed operation will run M-F for 12 hours and some weekend hours. The cost with will be affordable between $2-$3 and a .25 mill millage request on the 2010 ballet – costing a home owner the cost of one take out pizza a year. For more information see http://www.char-em-hscb.org/special-projects/tranportation.htmlor email Lorraine Manary at info@char-em-hscb.org
• The Great Start Collaborative motioned to support this initiative, Kathy Kundrant second the motioned and all was in favor unanimously. The GSC supports the FEET Transportation Initiative.

Next Meeting

TBD: The collaborative must have three more meeting before Oct. 1, 2009

Adjournment

Closing Comments: Kathy Kundrant announced that the stimulus money will add Head Start funds and in the next few weeks she will be reaching out to members of the collaborative for letters of support.

John Knowles says good-bye as the GSC director. He has accepted a position in Naples, Florida and thanks the collaborative members for their warm welcoming, support and understanding.