4/6/09 meeting

· We started out just brainstorming some ideas as we begin to look at the make-up of the two orientation days at Alexander Pond. We definitely want to cut the rotation times down to 35 minutes each and we know we need another “fun” activity in addition to the hike/tree i.d. and the fishing rotations. One idea would be a scavenger hunt of some kind – maybe using a compass to find things that would be place in various spots around the pond/forest. Another possible rotation could be some kind of “survivor”/ropes course type of challenge that would require teamwork to accomplish. We would also like to incorporate the “color” activity that was used with last summer’s “survivor 9” group. Training also came up and we agreed that providing the facilitators with training during Regents Week might be a good idea – 8th grade teachers are not responsible for regents exams so we could find a day for training and hopefully go up to the pond as a group to work through some of the activities. This would also reduce the need for training funds.

· Principal, Diane Arbes, joined us for a few minutes so that we could discuss our additional funding needs. We would like to provide each of the facilitators with a copy of The 7 Habits…, we would like to start a “homework” club next year (see previous notes) that would be for 8th & possibly 9th grade students and upperclassmen mentor/tutors. We would need funding to pay the teachers and train the mentors – Diane let us know that 2 days/week could be funded. We need to investigate training opportunities for the mentor/tutor students. It was also suggested that once we develop new activities for the 8th grade that we try them out this summer during the “survivor 9” program. Funding is in the budget for survivor 9 and we may be able to tap into some of those funds for additional curriculum development. Diane also asked that we share our ideas/work with the high school site based team at their May meeting.

· Specific Rotation ideas: We decided we would need 8 different rotations and that each group would work through 4 each day.
Rotation Ideas:
o Hike around pond on nature trail/tree identification
o Fishing instruction & practice
o What I Know/H.S. Activity opportunities
o Perceptions (needs to be updated with the same pictures for each group)
o New Rotations – need to be developed:
§ Scavenger Hunt (use camera to take picture of each discovery)
§ Remote Control Activity – Habit #1
§ Survivor/Ropes Course style challenge (2 different)

· We will also develop a Circle of Control Activity (Habit #1) that each group will do simultaneously and present (in place of the sculpture/dream catcher activity of the past). We will re-introduce the teacher-student role play with Matt & Debbie acting out a more scripted version than what we’ve done in the past.


· We started to sketch out the format for the two days with the following as our initial draft:
o Day One:
§ 8:15 – 8:30 “Find Your Facilitator”
§ 8:30 – 8:55 Hike to Alexander Pond
§ 9:00 – 9:10 Involvement Activity – “Name Toss”
§ 9:10 – 9:30 (New Activity) “Find Someone Who…” personal scavenger
Hunt
§ 9:30 – 10:05 (New Activity) Introduction to the 7 Habits
§ 10:05 – 10:15 Break
§ 10:15 – 10:45 (New Activity) True Colors
§ 10:45 – 11:20 Rotation (assigned by group)
§ 11:20 – 11:50 Lunch
§ 11:50 – 12:25 Rotation
§ 12:25 – 1:00 Rotation
§ 1:00 – 1:10 Break
§ 1:10 – 1:45 Rotation
§ 1:45 – 2:00 (New Activity) “This or That”
§ 2:00 Hike back to the M.S.

o Day Two:
§ Hike to the Pond
§ 8:40 – 8:50 Involvement Activity “Something you wouldn’t know…”
§ 8:50 – 9:40 (New Activity) Circle of Control Poster and presentation
w/large group role play and processing
§ 9:40 – 10:15 Rotation
§ 10:15 – 10:25 Break
§ 10:25 – 11:00 Rotation
§ 11:00 – 11:20 History of Alexander Pond w/Ross McGraw
§ 11:20 – 11:50 Lunch
§ 11:50 – 12:25 Rotation
§ 12:25 – 1:00 Rotation
§ 1:00 – 1:10 Break
§ 1:10 – 2:00 ???
§ 2:00 Hike to the M.S.


· We need to find an activity or activities for the last 50 minutes on Day 2

· Activity work to be done – we will divide and conquer:

o Intro to Habits – Deb & Jill
o True Colors Activity – Deb will get info. from Jessica Williams and John Tomazin
o Scavenger Hunt – Bonnie & Billie
o Survivor challenges – Robin will check with Katie Belyea & Scott Wandell for possible ideas
o Perceptions – Robin & Billie will review pictures and come up with several that can be duplicated for each group
o Circle of Control Poster & Role Play – Matt & Debbie
o Remote Control Activity – whole group
o What I Know “tweak” - whole group


· Supply List
o Books – Guidance will order 8 – 10 copies
o Electronic megaphone
o Colored bracelets or ribbons for True colors I.D.
o Poster board for Circle of Control
o Decorative things for Circle of Control
o Scavenger Hunt items?


· Next meetings
o April 21
o April 27