From: Linda Hurst [mailto:llhurst51@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2004 7:57 AM

Subject: WECCP Regional Network Planning Team

Good Morning Everyone,

I am writing to update everyone on the WECCP Video Conference last Friday and ask for dates you will be available to meet to discuss next steps to planning for our Spring "Event".

As you know, the SE and Milwaukee Regions tried a new mode of collaboration at this conference. We had a site at UW-M in downtown Milw. and a site in Kenosha
and attempted to link via video. We had a few people, 5-10 at each site and only a few Planning Team members were able to attend. We discussed what has happened in
our joint regions over the past six months and using the minigrant funds (along with support from Scholastic) to sponsor an event in the spring.

Unfortunately we had a only a few moments of visual contact between the sites and then were only able to link via audio for the morning regional networking session and not at all for the afternoon session regarding the Early Learning Standards Training.

As a result, we had two group perspectives on what to do with the mini-grant funds. Most participants agreed that an "event/sumit/conference" in the spring would be a good idea. Their biggest concern is the short time period between now and April for Planning.

Some participants thought a regional event that focuses on collaboration training would be best since WECA is already doing the ELS training and each Region will have its own trainers.

We discussed the possibility of inviting groups from SE WI who have successful collaborations to be the break-out presenters and invite the Keynote speaker to address "Vision" and important steps in forming collaborations or perhaps "Consensus
Building".

Arthur T. Himmelman was suggested as a possible Keynote presenter. Himmelman is a consultant from Minneapolis who presented at a WECCP event on his paper on "Collaboration for Change".

People at the Milwaukee site agreed on the idea of promoting collaboration as the goal but still felt that bringing them together on some other "hook" would get more participaition and interest. Several of the presenters from other areas on Firday essentially said the same thing. They used the ELS or other mutual interest subject to come together when the real goal was collaboration or community approaches.

The group at the Kenosha site also felt it was important for the participants at such an event to come back together after the breakout sessions to identify and begin to plan for possible next steps toward collaboration.

I welcome other Planning Team members who were at the Video Conference to also share their perspectives.

I, also, think a meeting of the Planning Team is the next logical step for our regions. If we want a Keynote speaker at this event, we need to contact them a.s.a.p. as well as book a site. Can we meet before the end of the year?

Linda
Community Collaboration Coach