Western Mass Homeschoolers

Open House

Thursday, April 10, 2008

AGENDA

• Current Leadership Jobs – Help Wanted
• Return to a Monthly Meeting Format
• New Homeschooler Liaison List
• Field Trip Calendar
• New Homeschoolers Info
• WMH Website a little to private
• WMH Bi-Annual Used Book Sale & Your chance to HELP WMH.

Meeting Notes:

The results of the questionnaire were revealed and discussed.  As each item was reviewed, brief discussion was held to formulate ways to improve upon current ways of completing the tasks, if necessary.  An obvious need for others to get involved was discussed. 

Volunteerism is necessary for WMH to continue.  The following areas were noted as areas where assistance is needed.

1.  JOBS OF THE LEADERSHP TEAM….at present

Bookkeeper

• Pick up mail at PO Box
• Deposit checks
• Update database payments
• Write checks to pay bills (mostly building use & reimbursement)
• Track income & expenses on paper ledger or “Quickens”
• Prepare simple financial report monthly
• Balance Checkbook

Information Coordinator (database maintenance)

• Maintain/Update Member contact information
• Update addresses & email addresses
• Update email program with these changes
• Acknowledge new subscriptions with email and password

Infor@wmhomeschoolers Correspondent

• Reply to inquires made to “Info@”.  Ex:  Looking for items, questions from new homeschoolers, what is the password, did you receive my subscription, etc.
• Much of this job would be forwarding on these inquires to the appropriate person.

Facility Coordinator

• Contact person for the Orchard Covenant Church.(OCC)
• Set and confirm our meeting schedule with OCC

News and Notes Coordinator

• Work as a team with the News and Notes Editor
• Glean all incoming emails for items to include in weekly N&N.
• Copy and Paste items into one of three weekly emails:

• News and Events for This Week
• For Sale and Looking For
• Future News and Events

• Send N&N to Editor on Monday for distribution on Tuesday

News and Notes Editor

• Edit News and Notes 1 X week (typos, obvious, grammar, discernment, format)
• Send out News and Notes on Tuesdays

Maintain Website

• Updating News and Events as needed
• Updating Calendar as needed
• Get more info in place: links, pictures, resources

Grant writer/Fundraiser

• Write yearly HSLDA grant for WMH

Librarian

• Oversees the Lending Library
• Maintains the inventory
• Available during  Snack and Yaks

2.  Return to Monthly Meeting format

The assessment further revealed the greater wants of the group to return to a monthly meeting format.  While all agreed the website, News and Notes, and Mingles were serving all of us, the need for the monthly meetings was stated as a defined need for fellowship and connections.  To return to a monthly meeting format required additional help.  Committee groups were suggested as a possible solution to the responsibility of coordinating a monthly meeting.  If WMH members were to commit to one task during the year, it would help spread the burden of work necessary to maintain our group’s needs.  

Here is the proposed Meeting Schedule for 08-09

August:             New Homeschoolers Workshop & Book Sale/Snack and Yak

September:    Monthly meeting #1

October:         Monthly Meeting #2

November:     Monthly Meeting #3

December:       No Meeting (Holiday)

January:            History Fair

February:       Monthly Meeting #4

March:             Monthly Meeting #5

April:                   Science Fair

May:                    Book Sale/Snack and Yak

REGULAR MEETING PROPOSAL:

One member of the leadership team will oversee and attend at least one monthly meeting per year.  The meetings will be run by committees with a facilitator/overseer for each meeting.

Committees:

• Snack
• Clean Up
• Lending Library
• Book Sale
• History Fair
• Science Fair
• Workshops
• Devotionals

Facilitator:   Leader In Training

The Facilitator will partner with a Leadership Team member to oversee a monthly meeting.

• Contacts Committees to answer questions, coordinate set ups, etc.
• Communicates with person(s) presenting the workshop
• Communicates with the person(s) presenting the Devotional
• MCing the meeting: Intros, general announcements
• Secures the facility key
• Insures that the facility is returned to its original state following the meeting, and secures the building

3.  New Homeschooler Liaison List.

There was a request for an updated “liaisons” listing for each community.  This would be a person within each community that could address first time homeschoolers, and be a general “go-to” person for information.

4.  Field Trip Calendar

Field Trips:  There was much discussion regarding the lack of information for field trips.  A suggestion about a field trip calendar that lists various opportunities was discussed.  Adding seasonal opportunities to the calendar, such as various harvesting times for local fruits/vegetables was suggested. 

There was discussion about hosting a meeting specifically dedicated to ideas for field trips.  Individuals interested in coordinating events could pick and choose the trip they would like to coordinate or just attend to assist with presenting suggestions.  A listing could be posted (possibly on the website or “News and Notes”) and anyone wanting to coordinate a field trip could pick and choose from the list or even add.

**Watch News and Notes for Planning Meeting Date: TBA

5.  New Homeschoolers Info

There was also a great deal of discussion about getting the word out to prospective and new homeschooling families.  Currently, there is no way for this group to get information easily for WMH. 

Help Wanted: Coordinator of the  WMH New Homeschoolers Binder. 

Duties: This person would fill orders for binders, ship them and maintain the binder supply.

6.  WMH Website a little to private

There was discussion about the amount of information available to homeschoolers on our website.  Many feel more information should be available to the general public, such as meeting dates and times, general information about getting starting with homeschooling, conventions, etc.  At present, most information requires a subscription to the website (the subscription fees pay for the website’s costs, it is NOT a money making issue).  A review of what information should be more public will conducted.

7.  WMH Bi-Annual Used Book Sale & Your Chance to Help WMH

  On Thursday, May 15th at the Orchard Covenant Church, 95 Berkshire Street, Indian Orchard the WMH will hold its Bi-annual Used Book Sale.

Here’s your chance to help WMH:  We will hold an informal meeting at the Book sale; to discuss the opportunities available to help WMH continue to meet the needs of group. 

If you have

• a desire to help fellow homeschoolers
• have a few hours a month of time to dedicate to one of the jobs listed above
• willing to make a minimum of a 1 year commitment to that job
• and have the support of your family to take on that job

Please contact Lisa Marie Mikkola at Mikkolafamily@msn.com prior to the Book Sale on May 15th or attend the meeting to offer your assistance.

WMH sends a special thank you to Denise Houle for her assistance; with the writing of these meeting minutes.