Subject: IMPORTANT: announcing leadership changes, help needed and May meeting minutes
From: "Reis, Beth" <Beth.Reis@kingcounty.gov>
Date: Mon, 23 May 2011 15:23:49 -0700
To: IMPORTANTNEWS@safeschoolscoalition.org
Dear Safe Schools Coalition Members and Friends:
 
Please help us welcome a new Co-Chair to the Coalition: Mo Lewis, from King County Sexual Assault Resource Center. Mo has agreed to serve in this capacity on the Coalition's leadership team. We are very lucky to have her. We are still working to fill a number of other spots if you wish to nominate yourself or someone else.
 
Please help us thank Stefanie Fox, who has served as a Co-Chair for many years and is stepping down to focus on the exciting next chapter in her life. Stefanie led our media efforts along with Hanna King, and invested many, many hours in coordinating fund-raising events and chairing meetings. Stefanie chaired a committee on race and racism, and helped keep the Coalition mindful of oppression -- an on-going challenge for many organizations and one we continue to attend to.
 
Find attached and below May meeting minutes, including a number of HELP NEEDED messages in RED.
 
Safe Schools Coalition Meeting
DRAFT Agenda 5-17-2011, 3-5 p.m. PDT
Facilitating: Beth Reis; Recording: Frank Couch
 
HELP NEEDED messages are in RED.
 
Members Present in person: Beth Reis, Public Health “ Seattle & King County / Frank Couch, Science and Management of Addictions (SAMA) Foundation / Briana Herman-Brand, SCC Speakers™ Bureau Manager / Paul Uhl, U.W. School of Social Work Student
 
Members Present by phone: Gabi Clayton, SSC Webspinner and Membership Chair, PFLAG Olympia, Families United Against Hate, and Youth Guardian Services
  1. INTROS
  2. SHARING TIME
  3. SEATTLE LGBT COMMISSION REQUEST “ Commissioner(s)
  1. The purpose of the Seattle LGBT Commission is to provide information and advice to the Mayor, City Council, and other City departments, offices, commissions and boards concerning issues of importance to lesbians, gays and other sexual minorities. The City of Seattle LGBT Commission is staffed by the Seattle Office of Civil Rights. In 2008, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels gathered community stakeholders and Commission members to participate in a roundtable on LGBTQ issues to better understand the needs, issues, and engagement of the LGBTQ community. Many people provided thoughtful ideas and perspectives but there was a lack of data to support this anecdotal information, and the Mayor asked for more concrete information about how the City could engage the LGBTQ community. The lack of data also impacted the Commission™s ability to make policy and budget recommendations, and was a hindrance to community organizations and nonprofits seeking grant funding.
  2. The LGBTQ Commission Needs Assessment Report 2011: After speaking with multiple organizations and community members, the Commission decided to create an online needs assessment survey to begin compiling information about Seattle™s LGBTQ community. The œSnapshot Seattle survey was launched the last week of May 2010 and remained live through the second week of July 2010. The survey is an important first step in addressing the needs of the LGBTQ community in Seattle. The feedback and data from the survey will be used by the Commission to identify current issues in the LGBTQ community and opportunities for partnering with the City and other organizations for improvements to the community.
  3. If someone is available it would be great to see SSC represented at a needs assessing gathering the Commission is hosting: May 31, 2011 from 6:00-7:30PM at Seattle Counseling Service, Rainbow Room - 3rd Floor, 1216 Pine Street, Suite 300, Seattle, WA 98101. Briana Herman-Brand said that she would try and attend; however, others are welcome to attend on behalf of SCC.
  1. WFHB RADIO REQUEST “ Beth
  1. WFHB radio in Bloomington, Indiana houses a queer radio show called BloomingOUT (see http://wfhb.org/bloomingout/). They would like for Safe Schools Coalition to provide someone “ perhaps someone different each month “ to come on the show for 15 minutes and talk about œthe various issues related to lgbt youth - and outreach - etc..
HELP NEEDED: Briana Herman-Brand is willing to coordinate the radio segments. If any SSC members are willing contribute to a segment “ if you have things you would want to share with listeners from your perspective as a student, a GSA advisor, a parent, a teacher or teacher educator, an administrator, or a community member -- or you have ideas please contact Briana at mailto:briana@safeschoolscoalition.org 
(5)     FISCAL REPORT “ Michelle
  1. We renewed our application this month to participate in King County™s Employee Giving Campaign.
  2. This month, $400 came in from Delta Lambda Phi at University of Washington “ the profits from their Inclement Sprint fundraiser to benefit Safe Schools Coalition. Thanks, guys. Awesome gift.
  3. Also this month, we received a total of $1,042 from Woodinville Unitarian Universalist Church from their showing of the play Laramie Project to benefit Safe Schools Coalition. Thank y™all so much.
  4. Beth reported that there is the possibility that SSC may be eligible to receive a grant in the amount of $20,000 from the Seattle Foundation. She and Briana will pursue it.
  5. Michelle sent a fiscal report that showed our current balance as $24,108.72. 
(6)  LAW & POLICY WORK GROUP REPORT “ Beth for Lonnie, Jen
  1. Youth Suicide Prevention Project is still receiving some (limited) funding amidst the current state budget cuts.
  2. The bullying bill passed which made (very modest) funding available for a statewide bullying task force.
  3. The fate of the Office of the Education Ombudsman is still unclear as the special legislative session is still negotiating a budget compromise.
(7)      WEB SITE(S) REPORT “ Gabi
  1. HARVEY MILK DAY: The Safe Schools Coalition is proud to host a new set of pages on our web site devoted to California™s state holiday that honors martyred gay rights pioneer, Harvey Milk. The pages are a project of California Safe Schools Coalition, Gay Straight Alliance Network (GSA Network), and Our Family Coalition. They were designed by and are hosted on the Safe Schools Coalition's website. The pages include a biography and downloadable lesson plans about Harvey Milk and the history of the LGBT rights movement. Harvey Milk Day is May 22, 2011 in California this year. http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/HarveyMilkDay/ 
HELP NEEDED: We are asking teachers to send YOUR curricula about Milk to the GSA Network for consideration and sharing. Keep in mind copy right infringement issues if you do send items others have created. To contribute to the Harvey Milk page, go to: www.safeschoolscoalition.org/HarveyMilkDay/forms/SendUsYourCurricula.html
b)      POSTER: We got donated services from Stephen Schlott of the firm Partners in Design to repair a misspelling on our wonderful œI™m Different poster. The cleaned up poster is on line and can be downloaded and we™ll spell œyou™re correctly on the print version next time we print new posters. In the meantime, feel free to use the misspelling as a teachable moment. Thank you, Stephen and Partners in Design. Looking for a design firm? Please patronize our supporters.
c)      KEEPING THE SITE CURRENT AND USER-FRIENDLY: Thank you to volunteer Jeaneen Watkins who has been supporting the web site by spending many hours checking links, email addresses and phone numbers to make sure they are still good. Jeaneen has also been stickering SSC brochures and posters to reflect our current phone numbers. Thank you, Jeaneen. Our web site couldn™t be as awesome as it is without people like you.
d)      SUPPORTING SCHOOLS ALL OVER THE WORLD: In April, users with almost 16,000 unique IP addresses accessed our web site. We had visitors from 109 countries. 
e)      AMONG OUR MOST VISITED PAGES IN APRIL:
  1. Jeaneen is reviewing the website for broken links and other items that need updating.  While Gabi has volunteering her time on membership, Thanks Jeaneen and Gabi for your volunteerism.
 
(8)      INTERVENTION TEAM REPORT “ Penny
  1. RECENT INTERVENTIONS with/for:
(9) MEMBERSHIP REPORT “ Gabi
  1. NEW MEMBER DECISION: Lesbian and Gay Childcare Task Force.  All members present voted to accept the new members. Please help SCC in welcoming our newest member of the coalition. Learn more about them on their website at http://www.thetaskforce.org/about_us
 
(10)     SPEAKERS BUREAU REPORT “ Briana
 
Speakers Bureau & Training Team
 
Date: Location: Trainers: Audience Total:
4/27 Shoreline School District Beth 26
4/29 Bush School Briana 35
4/29 Bush School Briana 35
5/4 Evergreen MIT Program Gabi 35
5/6 MLK VISTA Briana & Nathan 30
 
Upcoming:        Schools Out WA 5/17 WEA 5/21, SPU  5/19, 5/24, or 5/26 US EPA June
               
Outreach
 
Date: Location: Tablers:
5/6 Edmonds United Methodist Church Sue Ferguson
 
Upcoming: Inter GSA Meeting, SPS 5/21
Healthy Schools Summit 5/24
Pride 6/26
 
(11)     LISTSERV REPORT “ Beth
  1. THANK YOU to several wonderful listserv volunteers who have needed to step down or are about to: Brad A. Palmertree has been sending Opinion Digests (blogs, editorials, letters to the editor); Joyful Freeman sends Digest of  Jobs, Internships, and Volunteer Opportunities; Nicole Lee signed up to send Lesson Planning Guide messages.
  2. THANK YOU to Julie Parmenter who is going to take over sending Opinion Digests shortly.
  3. HELP STILL NEEDED: 2 VOLUNTEERS to help staff the listserv. You can live anywhere in the world with email access. You need 1-2 hours a week (2-4 at first until you got the hang of it and then 1-2 after that). So if it would be fun for you helping keep this important service alive by sending weekly Jobs Digests or monthly Lesson Planning Guides, we need you. We™ll train you. Contact Beth Reis: beth@safeschoolscoalition.org
  4. Welcome to subscribers in the last month or so from:
(12) BOOK WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO REVIEW: œDiversity County, USA “ Beth
  1. This book by author Melissa Hayden and Melinda Walker is a very well-meaning attempt to address bigotry in a reading level and format that 3-5th graders could manage. Unfortunately, it falls short. Some of the chapters involve adults, rather than 3-7th graders and I suspect their stories will be much less compelling to young readers. Other chapters offer glib too-easy solutions, making bigotry seem way less serious than it really is. Still other chapters seem aimed at pre-schoolers, even as the reading level would be beyond them. I want to congratulate the authors on their clearly wonderful intentions, but I wouldn™t recommend the book. For titles more on the mark, see this Welcoming Schools Project web page: http://www.welcomingschools.org/bibliographies/ -- Beth Reis
  (13) FILM WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO REVIEW: œFish Out Of Water “ Briana, Beth
  1. We previewed the film, a documentary that explores the impassioned relationship between homosexuality and the Bible. Using animation and academic interviews, director Ky Dickens examines different Christian interpretations of scripture. It is beautifully put together, allowing pastors and theologians as well as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals to speak for themselves, across the spectrum of beliefs and interpretations and keeping the message palatable through the strategic use of animation. It is feature length (60 min) and appropriate for use in churches and church youth groups, especially Christian ones, and parochial high schools and church-affiliated young adult service groups. More information including how to book a screening: mailto:ekurasz@redhartproductions.com -- Beth Reis
(14) HONORING JAMES GAYLORD
  1. 2011 marks the 35th anniversary of the law suit filed by James Gaylord, who™d been fired by Tacoma Public Schools for being gay (because he attended a meeting of a gay rights organization outside of school hours). 35 years go the Washington State Supreme Court upheld this outrageously discriminatory firing. http://www.seattlepi.com/default/article/More-doors-open-to-gays-today-1147993.php
  2. Gabi agreed to attempt to contact Mr. Gaylord with the hope of inviting him to ride in our Pride parade contingent and in hopes of honoring him through Alec (Clayton)™s writing an article about his story for publication.
  3. HELP NEEDED: Gabi is following all the leads we have, but if you know how to reach James Gaylord, please do let her know: mailto:gabi@safeschoolscoalition.org
(15)  1ST EVER FEDERAL LGBT YOUTH SUMMIT, JUNE 6-7
  1. Beth Reis has been asked to represent Safe Schools Coalition and attend the first ever LGBT youth summit hosted by the U.S. Department of Education. She will be joined by Lisa Love, some Seattle youth panelists and their chaperones, and, we hope, Mo Lewis and Heather Carter. (Word about these last two nominations of Mo and Heather was awaited as of the SSC meeting; we have since, unfortunately, been informed that the US Department of Education does not have enough funding to bring two more SSC representatives to DC).
(16) SEATTLE PRIDE PARADE, JUNE 26
  1. HELP NEEDED: Pride is coming up. SCC and Seattle Public Schools are looking for additional chaperones to ride the bus this year. Frank Couch has agreed to ride the bus. Any members willing to ride the bus or walk along and help pass out brochures please RSVP to Lisa Love mailto:llove@seattleschools.org.
 
                *********************************
UPCOMING MEETINGS ¦ contact the chair if you have agenda items to suggest or if you need instructions about attending (in person) or calling in (by conference call). All are welcome - you do NOT need to be a Coalition member to attend.
June 21st, 3-5 pm, Pacific Time. Beth facilitates and Heather C records. Beth: 206-296-4970; beth.reis@kingcounty.gov
July 19th, 2-4 pm (NOTE SUMMER HOURS), Pacific Time. Stefanie facilitates and Penny records. NOTE: Beth will miss this meeting.
Aug 16th, 2-4 pm, Pacific Time. Heather M facilitates and Frank records. Heather: 206-616-6361; hmurphy@u.washington.edu
 
 
 
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Got a problem at school with anti-gay harassment?
In Washington State:
1-877-SAFE-SAFE  (1-877-723-3723) 24 hours a day - the phone line is answered at the Sexual Assault Hotline and they will have a Safe Schools Coalition Intervention Specialist volunteer get back to you within 24 hours. Or contact us by email:  Intervention:  http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/contact/?id=10 and we will respond within 24 hours.
 
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Co-Chairs:
Frieda Takamura, retired from the Washington Education Association.
Beth Reis, Public Health - Seattle & King County, 206-296-4970.
Heather Murphy, Ph.D., school psychologist.
Mo Lewis, King County Sexual Assault Resource Center
 
Listserv Managers: 
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Tara DeZao for Event messages
HELP NEEDED for Jobs, Internships, and Volunteer Opportunity messages
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HELP NEEDED for Lesson Planning Guide messages
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