Subject: important: March minutes and help needed requests
From: "Reis, Elizabeth"
Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2007 13:08:47 -0700
To: "SAFE SCHOOLS: post to \"IMPORTANT NEWS\" list" , "SAFE SCHOOLS: post to main list"

[:ssc338:] important: March minutes and help needed requests

Dear Safe Schools Coalition members and friends:

Help needed requests are in RED.

Minutes 3/20/07, 3-5 p.m. PDT
Safe Schools Coalition Meeting
Chairing: Marsha Botzer; Recording: Penny Palmer

  1. Attending in person: Beth Reis, Public Health - Seattle & King County; Marsha Botzer, Ingersoll Gender Center and The Task Force; Barbara Hathaway, Hearing, Speech and Deafness Center; Vincent Lachina, Planned Parenthood of Washington; Lisa Stuebing, candidate for Seattle School Board; Sue Eastgard, Youth Suicide Prevention Program; Kari Kesler, Public Health - Seattle & King County; Kristina Armenakis, Safe Schools Coalition Speakers' Bureau Manager; Penny Palmer, Safe Schools Coalition Co-Secretary
  2. Attending by phone: Judy Hoff, PFLAG National; Ed Murray, Washington State Senator; Gabi Clayton, Safe Schools Coalition Webspinner; Piper Sangston, Safe Schools Coalition Membership Co-Chair       

 
(2)     WA STATE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE & CYBERBULLYING BILL – Sen. Ed Murray

(3)     HEARING, SPEECH AND DEAFNESS CENTER -- Barbara E. Hathaway
a)      Barbara defined her goals as wanting to empower deaf GLTB youth. This includes speaking up, participation in decision making and becoming more independent. Deaf Gay Organizations want to foster fellowship, protect rights, and advance interests. Also, they want to build an organization structure that will encourage and promote educational, social and economical welfare. They service mostly those 18 yrs and older due to legality issues but Barbara feels she can be a resource for SSC. Her email address is bhathaway@hsdc.org.

b)      Relay Service - VS - VIDEO Relay Service. The new video relay service does not require both participants to have relaying equipment. The deaf person signs to an interpreter via a computer who then translates to the phone user. The intervention specialist could communicate with the deaf student via a toll free number (1-866-327-8877).

c)      Deaf Gay Organizations in the USA  that Barbara is involved with include: NWRAD Northwest Rainbow Alliance for the Deaf, HSDC Hearing, Speech and Deafness Center (Tacoma), CMRA Capital Metro Rainbow Alliance and GLAD-E Gay and Lesbian Association for the Deaf

(4)     WA DEPT OF HEALTH INVITES SSC TO PARTICIPATE IN CONFERENCE PLANNING

(5)     MEMBERSHIP – Piper, Tad  
a)      Renewals: Gay & Gender Research, Seattle PFLAG, Bellevue PFLAG, WA. Association of Social Workers,
b)      New org member applications: Peninsula Pride Alliance’s application for membership was approved unanimously.
c)      If your org has not renewed yet for 2007 NOW IS THE TIME. Go to http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/members_join-renew.html

(6)     WEB SITE REPORT – Gabi
a)      In 2006, the web site had 1.7 million hits by 314,000 visitors from 172 countries, including educators in remote, conservative places from Yemen to Cuba, Ecuador to Iraq, Cambodia to Fiji.

b)      New on the site: “The Importance of Listing So-Called ‘Protected Classes’ in Anti-Bullying Laws and Policies” http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/EnumerationMatters.pdf

(7)     INTERVENTION Heidi
a)      Welcome to our new intervention specialist Amy Durbin.
b)      HELP NEEDED: We still need volunteers to serve as Intervention Specialist for Saturday and Sunday. More below at the end of the agenda about who can fill this volunteer need and what the commitment entails! *

c)      We are currently receiving about one intervention request a month:

(8)     RESEARCH ISSUES – Chris
a)      YRBS analysis project. Chris will try to get additional information. There might be a graduate student interested in working on the study.

(9)     SPEAKERS BUREAU – Kristina
a)      300 people have been trained so far this year. Included were: Western WA LGBTQ group, Decatur H.S., Adolescent  Sexuality Conference and WA Journalism Education Association. AFSC: Ingram H.S., PPWW, Roosevelt H.S., Stop Kiss play (representing SSC), Vashon H.S., Planned Parenthood in Redmond. Training is in progress at 2 middle schools in Issaquah and every building in Federal Way.

b)      People are needed to staff a PFLAG/Safe Schools table at the PTA Conference May 3-5 in SeaTac. Contact Kristina at http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/contact/?id=3 or 206-451-SAFE (7233)

(10)     RESPECT FOR ALL PROJECT SHOWINGS/TRAININGS – Beth
a)      There is a great training tool available for middle schools, a film entitled “Let’s Get Real” and a fantastic accompanying curriculum. With the training you get a free DVD, training materials and a manual for each school involved. For training anywhere in the country, contact the Respect for All Project: http://www.groundspark.org/films/letsgetreal/

(11)    GENDER ROUNDTABLE
a)      Kristina and Marsha will represent SSC at the next Gender Roundtable meeting at the Seattle LGBT Community Center on April 19th, 2007 at 6pm until approximately 7:30-8pm.

(12)     LAUGH OUT LOUD – Beth
a)      SAVE THE DATES for June 26 and Sept 25, the next 2 Laugh OUT Loud Comedy Underground events for Safe Schools Coalition. SSC was the first group to pack the house for this fundraiser.

b)      Thank you in advance to Kathy, Rachel, Sheri, Tracy

(13)     THE BIG PICTURE: WHERE SSC IS GOING -- Beth
a)      Raynier Grant update: We were awarded a grant for $146,000 to fund all four of our projects. Projects include: Intervention Enhancement, Training, List Serve Growth, and a Web Sit Project. The Grant money will enable SSC us to re-design the speakers bureau to include both professional and volunteer trainers. Our Web master Gabi can be given more time. An intern might be hired who can help with the list serve. And the Intervention Specialists can be provided with a notebook to better assist people who contact them. There are also many additional improvements in all 4 areas that now can be made. The next step is to develop a plan/structure to use the funds most efficiently. Penny volunteered to work with Beth and Kristina on a proposal. We are also looking for people from all over the state who would be good sources as consultants. Please contact Beth or Kristina with suggestions. They also separately funded a position for youth suicide prevention to work with kids 10-24 yrs old who are at risk. It is their hope SSC and this person, when hired, will work together when possible.

b)      City of Seattle RFP for LGBT Cultural Competency trainings – There is a $50,000 grant to address both the LGBT issues with immigrants/refugees and LGBT seniors. Joyful would like to work on the grant. 

c)      Americorps Application – Kathy, Kari Beth and Shannon will work on the application for an Americorps spot. Solid Ground invited SSC to apply.

d)      We are looking for a place to house Gabi in the new half time position. If we get an Americorps person, they would also need housing. There are some places that are being explored.

e)      The group voted to support flexibility in the use of funding of proposals and personnel. This would help to assure using all resources in the most efficient way possible.

  1. LISA STUEBING ADDRESSED THE GROUP
  2. She is running for the Seattle School Board, Pos. 2 and is the first candidate to ask for time. She is already familiar with the SSC and is very concerned about Seattle’s low graduation rates. She feels helping kids at risk is critical along with hiring quality teachers. She mentioned specifically teachers who would work to stop bullying. She also mentioned wanting to make the schools available in non-school hours for non-profit organizations.

(15)     WHEN CONVERSION MINISTRIES AND SO-CALLED RESTORATIVE THERAPIES COME TO TOWN

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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.

Apr 17, 3-5 pm. Frieda chairs and Kathy records
Frieda: 253-765-7062;
ftakamura@washingtonea.org
Kathy: 206-767-0760, 847-421-7009;
kathykaminski@yahoo.com

May 15, 3-5 pm. Beth chairs and Chris records
Beth: 206-296-4970;
elizabeth.reis@metrokc.gov 
Chris: 206-723-1818;
chrisbeahler@yahoo.com

June 19, 2-4 pm. Marsha chairs and Penny records -- PLEASE NOTE SUMMER HOURS
Marsha: 206-601-8942; mbotzer@botzerconsulting.com
Penny: 425-487-2813; holdyrhorses@verizon.net

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* HELP NEEDED: Intervention Specialists should be Washington residents [Intervention is the one service of the Coalition that is limited geographically – all other services are available anywhere] with a background in education or social services (retired or currently working). People of color, transgender individuals and gender queer individuals are especially encouraged to apply.

The Intervention Team responds to crisis requests from students, family members and educators experiencing anti-LGBT harassment or violence at school. An Intervention Specialist will listen and problem solve and then might, for instance, meet with someone's principal or superintendent with the caller or for them. They might help them come out to their family so they can talk with them about the bullying. They might sit with a student while they made a police report if they were afraid to do that alone. They might refer them to local resources for ongoing monitoring of the harassment situation and support or to an attorney if that is requested.

The commitment? You'll be on call one day a week and will need to check email and phone messages as often as possible on that day. Practically speaking, you will get an intervention request approximately 2-5 times a year and you will spend anywhere from a half hour to a day or two responding to the request, mostly by phone, but occasionally in a face-to-face meeting with a student, family, or school personnel. The Coalition can cover travel expenses if you incur any.

It's a chance to make the world a better place one person at a time. To help one child finish school who might otherwise have dropped out. To help people feel powerful enough to avoid escalating the violence or attempting suicide. It's a way to make a real difference. To volunteer contact Heidi: mailto:hrettkebischoff@hotmail.com or (206) 849-5513.

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About Safe Schools Coalition


The Safe Schools Coalition is a public-private partnership of 80+ organizations (government agencies, schools, community agencies, churches, youth/student groups, gay/lesbian groups, human rights groups) and 400+ individuals working to help schools become safe places where every family can belong, where every educator can teach, and where every child can learn, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. 

Safe Schools' website: http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org

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 at Intervention

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Co-Chairs:
Frieda Takamura, Washington Education Association, 253-765-7062
Beth Reis, Public Health - Seattle & King County, 206-296-4970
Marsha Botzer, Ingersoll Gender Center and The Task Force, 206-601-8942
Listserv Managers:
Beth Reis, for action items, resources, jobs and events messages
Chris Beahler, for news messages 
Gabi Clayton, for legislative and fundraising messages 
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