SUMMARY

Ball State University PDS Network Advisory Council
Elementary Schools Representatives
Institute Meeting #18
April 14, 2005
9:00–12:30
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis

Jill Miels, chair of the Department of Elementary Education, welcomed the 45 members and guests and expressed appreciation for all of the fine work they are doing. After looking at the impressive list of presentations on the meeting agenda, she is entertaining the idea that the PDS Network may be ready to host a larger event that would include partnership schools. Jill gave each liaison and each PDS a copy of the AACTE publication, Assessing the Impacts of Professional Development Schools, by Lee Teitel.

Ruth Swetnam thanked the Children's Museum of Indianapolis for hosting the meeting and furnishing three gift baskets for door prizes. She also thanked Ball State's Department of Elementary Education for the three Barnes and Noble gift certificates. Ruth expressed appreciation to Jill Miels for her leadership and her support of the professional development schools.  She explained the agenda for the morning, the template for the end-of-the-year report that each PDS is asked to submit by June 1, and the site visit information for next year.

Each table was asked to respond to questions about preferred formats for professional development. This information will be used by Susan Johnson, Associate Dean of Sciences and Humanities, in planning follow-up to the Good Science…Good Writing summer workshops.

Ruth acknowledged the coming retirement of Edna May, principal of T.C. Steele Elementary School, and Marilyn Sudsberry, principal of Towne Meadow Elementary School. Unfortunately, Marilyn was absent due to illness. In thanking them for their participation in the PDS Network,  she noted they were the first elementary school principals to collaborate with Ball State to develop a PDS relationship. Ann Leitze also recognized Edna May's leadership and her contributions in making Urban Semester a successful nationally-recognized program.

During three 45-minute sessions, everyone was given the opportunity to select from the following topics for small group discussions:

Session I

• Apple Tree Child Development Center – "Preparing Administrators for Early Childhood Programs"
• CUMNS Kids – "The Circle Process"
• Minnetrista – "Creating Connections between Classroom Learning and Life Outside the Classroom"
• Rhoades Elementary School – "Improve Reading Skills Using Community Volunteers"                                                  
• T.C. Steele Elementary School – "Building Math Problem-solving Skills"
• Washington-Carver Elementary School – "Take the Worry Out of  Hosting a Site Review"

Session II

• Children's Museum – "Using Community Resources to Enhance the Curriculum"
• Forest Dale Elementary School – "Remediation for At-risk Students"
• Huffer Memorial Children's Center – "Incorporating Literacy Materials Into Early Childhood Classrooms"
• Orchard Park – "The Orchard Park Homework Club"
• Rhoades Elementary School – "Preparing for a Site Review"
• T.C. Steele Elementary School – "Reading Remediation Strategies"
• Wes-Del Elementary School – "Professional Development to Remediate: What Does It Look Like?"

Session III

• Cowan Elementary School – "Using Technology to Improve Learning"
• Huffer Memorial Children's Center – "Collaboration Among Early Childhood Centers"
• St. Mary School – "Action Research"
• Storer Elementary School – "University Connections with a Student Focus"
• Towne Meadow Elementary School – "Reaching Struggling Readers"
• Washington-Carver Elementary School – "Strategies for Improving Reading"

Door prizes were awarded to six lucky people. The meeting was adjourned at 12:15 p.m.

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