Date:  

October 14, 2009

Facilitators:  J. Kelly, M. Piccirillo, J. Sandler

Location:

3 Blue Streak Blvd., 2^nd floor, School District Administrative Offices

Recorder: R. Ambrosino

Attendees:

Materials Distributed:

none

Overview

Discussion

Decisions/Actions

News and Announcements

This is the first meeting using the Partnership’s new structure. People sitting at the front – Jack Sandler, John Kelly, Mike Piccirillo, and Maureen Cary – represent the group’s executive board.

Meetings will be structured differently in the future. Action steps will take place in committees, while the reporting and requests for support will take place at the Executive Board meetings. In an effort to keep meetings to a minimum, if partners can only attend one meeting a month, it should be their committee meeting.

In the future, the four existing committees will meet separately each month. One representative from each committee will also attend the monthly Executive Board meeting to report on the committee’s progress. The goal with the new structure is to help the committees function more efficiently.

 

Committees:

Community Awareness – Chair, Cindy Dort

High School Transition – Chair, Josh Walker

Parent Resource – Chair, Mike Piccirillo

Youth Empowerment – Chair, Becky Black

 

Sheets were posted around the room to let partners know each committee’s accomplishments and future goals, and partners were asked to put their name on the sheet of the committee they’re interested in. They can stay on their existing committee or move around. Maureen asked that committee chairs let her know who signs up for each committee, identify their next meeting time, and let her know who the reps are to the Executive Board so she has a record.
 

Another goal is to see membership in the Partnership grow. We need more people involved. Jack Sandler asked members to reach out to new people and ask them to get involved. Alternatively, they can ask Jack or John to extend a formal invitation.
 

Partnership
Updates

Robin Ambrosino explained to the group that the Drug Free Communities grant funders are expecting to see increasing amounts of matched in-kind contributions. For years 1-5 we needed to match $100K per year. For the calendar year that just closed on Sept. 30, we need to match $125K. For the upcoming calendar year, we will need to match $156K. She will be looking for areas we may have overlooked in the past to make sure we account for every matched dollar. She encouraged members to use their professional rate when estimating the time dedicated to the Partnership and not to underestimate the worth of anything related to Partnership initiatives. Please return worksheets to her as soon as possible. Dan Tallman offered to find out the value of the smoke bus used at DARE All Stars Camp. Robin will contact him for that information.
 

A series of three Parenting Wisely workshops for parents of teens and pre-teens will be held at the Saratoga Springs Public Library on three consecutive Thursdays:  Oct. 22, Oct. 29, and Nov. 5. Prevention Council Community Outreach Coordinator Mary Zlotnick will facilitate. The program will address helping around the house, solving conflicts, improving school performance, speaking respectfully, and obeying requests. For more information, contact Mary at 581-1230, or visit http://preventioncouncil.org/programs/parentingwisely.asp.

 

The Parenting Wisely program grew out of a concern about low enrollment at the Strengthening Families program that’s offered every fall to families of 6^th graders at Maple Avenue Middle School. SF is a six-session program. Only 7 families registered this fall, so staff had to cancel due to low enrollment. We will offer it again in early Spring. Meanwhile, parents can participate in Parenting Wisely, which has a flexible online component families can use at home, at the library, YMCA, etc.
 

The Saratoga County District Attorney’s office hosted a “Safety in Cyberspace” program on Wed. Oct. 14 at Maple Avenue Middle School to help parents protect teens from being victims via electronic devices. Presenters are Jim Murphy, Trooper Phil Poitier, David L’Hommedieu, and Donna Andress.
 

The Regional Prevention Cooperative, made up of representatives from prevention agencies in surrounding counties, recently launched a faith-based initiative. Eleanor Stanton wrote a letter to regional members of the clergy, urging them to preach on the topics of addiction and substance abuse and to reach out to their youth groups in honor of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Awareness Month. There was an article in the Daily Gazette on Sunday, October 4^th. Maureen passed the article around.

The new Parent University initiative will be launched with a community breakfast and summit on Saturday, November 7^th, 2009, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Saratoga Springs High School. Mike Piccirillo and Rich DeMartino will be kick off the event with a pancake Iron Chef competition, with participants voting for their favorite pancake (or chef). The keynote address will be on “Incorporating Balance into Your Life and Career” by Jay Rifenbary, President of Rifenbary Associates and Board of Education Trustee. Workshops will follow on the following topics:  Juvenile Health and Wellness, Navigating Adolescent Child Development, Smartboards 101, New Ways of Understanding ADHD, an Early Childhood Development Panel, Career Planning, and Financial Literacy.

Parent University workshops will be available throughout the year in an effort to offer ongoing learning opportunities to parents and community members that will help them in the parenting process.

Judy Ekman has a new grandson. Alexander Pierpont Wiggers was born on October 10^th in Cleveland, OH. He was 7lbs. 4 oz. and 19 ½ inches long.

Upcoming
Events

Next Meeting

The next Executive Board meeting will take place on Thursday, November 12^th at 12 p.m. in the district administrative offices.