Summary Notes of the HML Board Meeting on May 6, 2021

The Horace Mann League’s Spring Board Meeting
Summary Notes of the HML Board Meeting on May 6, 2021
Attending: Ruben Alejandro, David Berliner, Virginia Cardenas, Bill Mathis, Marty Brooks, Kevin Riley, Jeanne Collins, Lisa Parady, and JackMcKay
Reports and Updates
  1. Membership: Reviewed membership numbers, new members, and strategies to contact additional potential members, e.g., (a) donations of any amount to pay for a potential member’s annual dues, (b) board members make initial contact with a potential member, (c) send they HML Post to potential members,
  2. Financial report: Reviewed revenues at 37% of proposed and expenses at 29% proposed for the first four months of 2021.
  3. Corporate Partners: Reviewed current partners. No new partners.
  4. Strategic Plan: Reviewed progress Recruitment, Corporate Partners, Advocacy Project, and Online Presences.
  5. 100th Anniversary Book Project: Word-smithing and cover are progressing. m Production on schedule.
  6. Membership Survey: Fifteen percent participation with the following trends: (a) current members willing to nominate new members, Continue HML Post, Hybrid model for the Annual Meeting.
  7. PPP Loan Application: Accepted for $2,900 based on the lost salary of the Executive Director in 2020.
Action Items
  1. New initiatives based on Membership Survey: (1) Ask membership to nominate new members, (2) Maintain the day, content, and frequency of sending out the HML Post. (3) create new ways to increase engagement, and (4)
  2. Forum – Podcast Concept: Utilized podcasts and webinars as ways to provide leadership development for members. Next step: Create a proposal on topics, panelists, and dates with Bill Mathis, Jeanne Collins, Kevin Riley, and Jack McKay. Steve Gross, also a Vermont member, has organized and conducted podcasts and has agreed to provide assistance, as well. To be completed by the next HML Board meeting on August 5th
  3. Support of Superintendents during COVID era. Create a draft letter on the “leadership of the Superintendent” during COVID to be a possible “letter to the Editor.” Draft letter to be developed by Kevin Riley.
  4. Guidelines for New Directors: Proposed that the guidelines be suggestions when considering new directors.
  5. Planning the 2022 Annual Meeting: If held in conjunction with AASA, then the Annual meeting will be in Nashville on February 17-19, 2022. Factors to consider are date, time, location, menu, hybrid or virtual technology, presentation speakers, etc. Report back to Board on August 5th. Spike Jorgensen, Kevin Riley, Virginia Cardenas, and Jack McKay
  6. Nominations Committee: The August 5th meeting is the time to consider board reappointments, new director, and the position of Vice President (selected from current directors).
Per the By-Laws,
Article II Membership, Section 4. Nominating Committee
  1.  The elected officers of The League, together with the Executive Director serving in an ad hoc capacity, shall serve as an annual Nominating Committee which shall bring to the Board of Directors for approval and submission to the Annual Meeting of The League, nominations for the offices of President, President-Elect, and Director. (also Vice President, reappointments, and new appointments)
Executive Director’s “To Do” list:
  1. Send list of Vermont members to Jeanne Collins
  2. Ask Jim Harvey to get the list of NSR members to add to emails for the HML Post.
  3. Send the HML Post the book contributors
  4. Add comment to the HML Post about members nominating new members.
  5. Develop a book flyer when the book cover is approved.
  6. Coordinate with Jeanne Collins, Bill Mathis, and Kevin Riley about the format of a podcast production – to be done by the August meeting.
  7. Work with Kevin Riley about a sample “Letter to the Editor” about the importance of the local public school leadership of during the COVID.
  8. Work with Ruben Alejandro, Spike Jorgensen, Virginia Cardenas, and Kevin Riley about coordinating the 2022 Annual Meeting.
  9. Future Dates:
Next quarterly HML Board Meeting: Thursday, August 5th
AASA Convention, February 17-19, 2020, Nashville.