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Reports for CATE Board of Directors Meeting
February 14, 2002, Oakland

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Report Index
President Membership Redwood Council Resolutions
Vice President Capitol Council San Diego Council Policy
Past President Kern Council Southland Council California English
Council Pres. Committee Central Council Tulare Council Convention
Secretary Fresno Council Convention Coordinator CATENet
Treasurer Upper Council Convention Registrar CATEweb

Reports are added as they are received

| Report Index |

Convention Coordinator's Report
by Punky Fristrom

1. All is ready for CATE 2002. A grateful thanks to co-chairs Linda Stockton and Lorraine Tracey, as well as their key committee members. I have particularly appreciated working with Program Chairs Don Mayfield, Carole LeCren and Anna Roseboro, Pre-convention and Student Teacher Chair Chiyo Masuda, Associate Chair Al Adams, Registration Chairs Mark Snead, Jennifer Ough and LuPaulette Taylor, AV Chair Charlene Delfino, Hospitality Chair Linda Marohn, Lesson Plan Exchange Chair Bev Kreps and Meals Chair Edd Armstrong. Many other volunteers will be working hard during the convention. I hope that board members will take every opportunity to commend and thank them.

2. Board responsibilities at the convention include attendance at the board meeting on Thursday, the Exhibitors' Reception (Exhibit Hall- 5:00- 6:00 p.m. Friday ) the New Teachers' Reception (Toppers- 6:30- 8:00 p.m. Friday), Council Caucuses (see program for rooms- 7:30 a.m. Saturday), the President's Reception (Toppers- 6:00- 7:30 p.m. Saturday) and the Annual Business Meeting ( Simmons 2/3- 7:30 a.m. Sunday).

3. In addition board members should sign up and attend as appropriate the following. Assist at registration Thursday 7:00- 9:00 p.m. Distribute invitations and give thanks to exhibitors on Friday afternoon. Attend meal functions and sit at the reserved tables near the podium. Work in the CATE Booth. Meet in the Hospitality Suite before major functions when members of your council are being honored or to meet speaker.

4. Board members have traditionally provided gifts for exhibitors and books for new teachers at the convention. Please plan to continue doing so. Bring your books and gifts to the board meeting.

5. Convention Sites- 2001-2006

2003 February 14-16
Palm Springs Convention Center
Palm Springs

2004 February 6-8
Town and Country
San Diego

2005 February 18-20
Santa Clara Convention Center
Santa Clara

2006 February 3-5
Hyatt Orange County
Anaheim

6. Interest in hosting the 2007 CATE convention has been shown by Sacramento, Fresno and Bakersfield.

| Report Index |

California English
Carol Jago, editor

With the state textbook adoption in progress, California English has become a sought-after vehicle for publishers to reach teachers. Several have taken out full-page, color ads for multiple issues. I also wanted to let you know that though the Heinemann ad in the coming issue is for my new book, Cohesive Writing, they have paid full price for the space.

Kyleen Beers, editor of the NCTE middle school journal Voices from the Middle, has approached me about the possibility of having the nation-wide common theme of "Comprehension" for the fall 2004 issue. I know this seems like far, far on the horizon, but editors need to think in these terms. What she has in mind is one core research piece appearing in all journals and then local voices responding to it. Please let me know your feelings about this idea. To my mind it holds real promise. Reading comprehension is at the heart of authentic literacy development.

If any CATE board members have personal connections to Latino authors, please extend to them an invitation to be a part of our June issue on Latino Literature. I would like to make this issue of the magazine a treasure for teachers in California.

I will once again be offering an editor's session at CATE 2002 inviting members to participate in their journal as writers, reviewers, and artists. I also use this session as a means of polling membership on ideas for calls for manuscripts for the coming year.

Future calls for manuscripts

April 2002
Accelerating Achievement
February 15
One of the most difficult issues we face is the need to help students who are not currently at grade level. It won¹t be enough for these children to make ordinary progress towards state standards. They need to accelerate. How have you helped English language learners make accelerated progress in your classroom? What strategies work best for children who need to acquire content knowledge and language skills at the same time? What do you as a teacher need in order to work more effectively? Describe classroom practices and cultures that foster accelerated learning.

June 2002
Latino Literature
(deadline April 15)
Classroom teachers are constantly on the lookout for literature that speaks to our students. What poems, stories, novels, or plays by Latino or Latina writers are you using in your curriculum? What lessons have you created around this literature? Does the literature pose unique challenges or invite unique responses? Have you discovered pairings of traditional and contemporary works that have been particularly successful? What Latino or Latina writers are you reading?

September 2002
Collaborating for Results
(deadline July 15)

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CATEweb
Larry Jordan

We are now in the the fifth year with CATEweb. There have been many changes and several new areas added over the years. I wish to thank all those who have been helpful in providing information which has made the web site a success.

I will, again, be taking photographs during CATE 2002 to be posted on CATEweb as a photo journal of the speakers, meetings, workshops, entertainment, and most other convention activities. If you have a special need, please contact me in advance, if possible. A new camera allows for better prints if this is a need. Again, let me know about any special need ahead of time so that a satisfactory image can be obtained.

The bookstore on CATEweb does not seem to be used often. I suggest that this feature be discontinued.

CATEweb Statistics

October 1, 2001 - February 2, 2002
Total Requests = 182,497
Average request/day = 1,459

 
%
Total
100
Home Page
51
California Authors
9
California English
7
CATE 2002
6
CATE 2000
6
CATE 2001
5
Writing Contests
3
Bookstore
3
Reports
1
 

Activity by Month: Feb 2001 - Jan 2002
Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan

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GSDCTE
Oscar Browne, President

The Greater San Diego Council of Teacher of English has established a collaborative working project with the San Diego Public Library to present the World Premiere of Masterpiece Theatre presentation of Almost a Women by Esmeralda Santiago on Wednesday, April 17, 2002, from 10:00 am to 12:30 PM at the Lyceum Theater, in downtown San Diego. High school classes and teachers are invited to view the film and talk to the producers Marian Rees and Associates. All teachers who register will receive an advance curriculum guide and a free copy of the book, while supplies last. GSDCTE is excited about this project, since it was moved from the public library facility to the larger downtown theatre. This is an unique opportunity for high school students to view and respond to a piece of literature in an open forum.

I would personally like to acknowledge in cooperation with father time the 40 year celebration of one of GSDCTE's darlings. Guess who's 40?
From the Ides to St. Patrick's Day in March, GSDCTE will host our annual Lake Arrowhead Retreat. Space is still available, so join us for a relaxing and creative adventure in the mountains.

The CATE Creative Writing Awards Ceremony will be held on April 19, 2002, at the San Diego County Office of Education. The council looks forward to presenting these young writers with their due recognition and showcasing their many talents. We receive many entries and GSDCTE works very hard to narrow the entries to come up with our winners. Thanks to Don Mayfield for his continued guidance on this project.

In June the GSDCTE will host our annual award dinner at the University of San Diego on June 7, 2002. The NCTE Writing Award winners from the 8th and 11th grades will be honored along with their parents and teachers. This always turns out to be a rewarding evening for the students, their parents, teachers, and the council. Parents have continually appreciated their children being recognized in public.

The following day, June 8, 2002, GSDCTE will co-sponsor with the Old Globe Theatre, the Old Globe Awards in honor of Richard B. Wilson and the arts. GSDCTE will nominate a candidate for this prestigious award given by the Old Globe Theatre located in San Diego's Balboa Park. This is a wonderful opportunity to recognize a teacher committed to theatre for students and for students to attend the theatre for a live performance including lunch. Many parents and teachers also attend and everyone has a great time. Thank you to the Old Globe for their continued support of teachers and the arts.

My heartfelt thank you goes out to our council, GSDCTE, for their untiring and committed efforts. The GSDCTE board of directors and our council members are truly involved in the education of every child. I appreciate their leadership, expertise, and commitment. Thank you for a fantastic year. Happy New Year!

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CATENet
Jim Burke, Moderator

CATENet has been busy lately as new issues around reading programs and state tests arise. I have tried to extend the conversation into new or relevant areas such as writing instruction, in part to keep the discussion from bogging down in the reading exchanges which, though tiresome, are important as they provide an open forum for ideas. CATENet grows daily and enjoys boosts at the beginning of different semesters as professors require their student teachers to join it as part of their class.

Feedback from people on and off line helps me understand what works and can be improved.

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Fresno Council
Janeen Langenheim, President

Fresno Area Council of English Teachers has grown to 92 members, yeah; and after the CATE Conference, we should add a few more members to our lists. As we just sent out the creative writing contest fliers, this membership number looks good. I believe we gained 5 through registration for the Yosemite Conference.

Our FACET Board members started school off with a bang, but we've slightly fizzled since December. Cathy Ciremele, secretary, published and mailed our newsletter, "FACET Footnotes" and a separate flier advertising an upcoming book club talk last November. We had to cancel the book club discussion of Katharine Graham's Personal History for lack of interest. For the month of January, we had planned an evening with an author, but that also was postponed. With the CATE Convention and local council meeting, we'll get back on track. Cathy also mentioned, while we were all enjoying Yosemite, that this was the first Yosemite Conference where all the FACET Board members were in attendance: Jeannie Oppliger, vice-president, Faith Nitschke, treasurer, Tish Drioane, resolutions, and Susan Schauwecker, membership.
See you all at CATE.

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Past President's Report
Robin B. Luby

1. NCTE Liaison Report:

A . NCTE has posted on its Web site http://www.ncte.org/affiliates/Awards/awardsindex.shtml all the directions and applications needed for meeting the May 1 deadlines for awards.

B. Upcoming events: see www.ncte.org for more events and more details....
Spring Conf, "Changing Landscapes: Explorando Fronteras Nuevas," Portland, ORE March 6-9
CCCCConv. "Connecting the Text and the Street," Chicago, March 20-23
Fall Conv., "Celebrating the Languages and Literacies of Our Lives," Atlanta, November 21-24
November 20-23, 2003, San Francisco

C. We still await news of who has actually been nominated for the various NCTE positions for election in Spring, 2001.

2. CATE Business: Awards and Elections

A. Awards -- During the convention, at each general session or meal, the awards nominated by the Councils will be announced and presented.
Classroom Excellence Award:

William Younglove, Millikan High School, Long Beach, retired,Southland (SCTE)
Judy Johnston, Dow¹s Prairie School, McKinleyville, Redwood Council (RCTE)
Kathie Babigian, Language Arts Coordinator, Fresno Unified, Fresno Council (FACET)
Stacy North, Roosevelt Middle School, San Diego Unified, San Diego Council (GSDCTE)
Larry Zeiger, Point Loma High School, San Diego Unified, San Diego Council (GSDCTE)
Faye Peitzman, U.C.L.A. Writing Project, Southland Council (SCTE)
Lola Brown, Edna Maguire School, Mill Valley, Central Council (CCCTE)
Patricia Potter, Horace Cureton Elementary, Alum Rock, Central Council (CCCTE)
Debbie Summers, CSU, Chico, Upper Council (UCTE)

Awards of Merit:

Patt Morrison, KCET Book Talk Host and columnist L.A. Times, Southland Council (SCTE)
Rafael Hernandez, Director Summerbridge Program, UCSD, San Diego (GSDCTE)
Gordon "Zeke" Knight, Summerbridge Program, Board Member, The Bishop¹s School, San Diego (GSDCTE)

Career Achievement Award: Mary Ann Smith, former Executive Director, California Writing Project

The CATE Distinguished Service Award nominee certified by the Awards Committee (which consisted of Robin Luby, Vince Piro, and Patricia Cipriano) will be ratified by the Board of Directors during this meeting, and the award itself presented to the nominee (who remains secret until ratified) will be given at the Saturday banquet.

B. Elections -- At the Annual Business Meeting on Sunday, February 17, the following candidates for office will speak to the delegates for a maximum of 3 minutes:

three-year terms....

two-year terms....

Any additional candidates must be submitted by petition, due no later than the scheduled beginning of the Annual Business Meeting, 7:30a.m. Any and all nominees for office are to bring with them to the Annual Business Meeting a PHOTO suitable for scanning and insertion into the ballot and a background and platform STATEMENT of no more than 200 words for printing on the ballot. (The DEADLINE for submission of photo and statement will be Saturday, February 23.)

Ballots will be mailed as soon as all new members from the convention have been entered into the rolls; ballots will be due by April 30.

3. Proposed Consideration of Policy:

With Board authorization, Past President Luby convened a telephonic conference of past CATE Presidents (Barton, Infantino, Lucas, Fristrom) and Hemric to consider the timelines and logistics of the Awards process. The Board will need to consider the proposed amendments to existing policy for the Distinguished Service Award, intending to make it more "open" and more "timely," so that nominees can be selected far enough ahead of the convention to allow their award to be publicized as part of the program.

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TUCATE
Carol Surabian, President

TUCATE has been a little slow this year what with tragedy striking some members of the board and others celebrating births and other family additions. However, we are happy to add two new board members through the "incentive plan" as proposed for small councils at the last meeting. Two teachers took us up on the offer of a scholarship to the CATE convention as their schools would not be able to pay for them to attend. They have expressed an interest in becoming more involved in the activities of CATE and we are excited to have them on board.
We are continuing to prepare for the upcoming WIT conference, a writing conference for students. It once again promises to be an exciting time for the students and for the authors who share their talent and time with the youngsters. Along with this is the writing contest which precedes the CATE writing contest. So we are in the midst of a most busy spring. We are looking forward to those wonderful testing days, as well, but with a little bit of fun thrown in.
See everyone soon in Oakland.

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