Hi folks:

Here  is a report which may become "leverage material" for our efforts with Oakland Schools.
http://www.eschoolnews.com/resources/reports/reinventingschoolit/index.cfm

Comments please.

Beth:

I spoke with Bob Schudlich of AVL North America today regarding our meeting which we were trying to schedule to discuss OSMTech and U.S. FIRST Robotics partnership and/or sponsorship possibilities.  It appears we will not be able to meet with the president in a very timely fashion.  To that end I had a conference call with Bob and the individual whom is in charge of their current program which takes place in Ann Arbor.  We seemed to share a lot in common regarding resistance to change in the K-12 educational arena.  Additionally, he asked if I would be interested in having a "casual lunch" to discuss the various possibilities and mutual opportunities that might present themselves.  One of the "talking points" was the co-development of a "whitepaper" to be delivered to Oakland Schools on behalf of all of our mutual endeavors. 

Would you like to attend and offer your observations to date regarding same? Yes, I would be interested in attending. Let me know where and when. Beth

Best,

Jim

  ¶ 7:58 AM

  Friends:

Congratulations to one and all who were the true believers in OSMTech!

Detroit Free Press Article
http://www.freep.com/news/locoak/ois14_20040714.htm
blogger

Best,

Jim  ¶ 9:38 AM

  Jim:
I truly believe "things" happen for a reason! Here are some dates that I have available to meet with AVL people- 7/22-7/23(anytime) 7/26-7/31 (after 9:00 a.m.) and 8/3-8/6 (after 9:00 a.m. Let me know what works out for you and I will contact one or two of the students that signed up to be involved this summer to go and/or one of the former OSMTech staff? (thoughts?).

I will contact Bob and give him the dates so he can look at Don's schedule and see if anything works for him. I would love to have a couple of students attend, but only if they were prepared. And although some students may have signed up to be involved this summer, it hasn't happened yet and the summer is almost a memory. I would never have anyone (student or adult) come to a meeting just for window dressing, too dangerous. Same for OSMTech Staff. SOMETHINGS JUST HAPPEN FOR A REASON and regardless of the best of intentions regarding opportunities, YOU GO WITH WHAT YOU HAVE.

Thanks for sharing your discussions with Sherry. I have posted some of my thoughts within. I have followed on your responses.
Thanks!
Beth

Beth:

It is indeed a very small world. Regarding your conversation yesterday with Bob Schudlich while at the observatory (AVL digital equipment donation) in which we were trying to decide on possible dates and times for a meeting with Don, what works for you?

I'm over the top next week and won't free-up until the following Wednesday, July 21, 2004. However, I can bend my schedule to fit anything after that date. Please let me know what will work for you.

We should discuss some of the agenda items (end-game) for the meeting. To date Bob an I have been discussing the following elements, Observatory, OSMTech, U.S. FIRST Team (possible sponsorship) and a realtionship that would bring AVL North America to K-12 education via real-world visits and telecommunications connections. We are also focusing on some new software they have recently released (July 2004) and how we might combine that into our offering. What other issues and or considerations would you like to add to the meeting opportunity?

My shameless capitalism is showing through but, can we be so bold as to ask if AVL would like to put their name (for a price) on the school formerly known as OSMTech?

I think we should let AVL discover WHY they would want to partner in this endeavor (value added component) and then let them determine their level of committment to same. The observatory seems to be resonating with them for some reason. Perhaps it is the commonality of purpose (research and development) that each organization represents that allows for the current easy "skillful discussion." / Jim

Jim,
That's why you are the man! Agreed, we let AVL figure out how to be a part. It does seem that their research and development purpose is right up the alley of OSMTech. A partnership that would allow students to work with their professionals in a "real-world" workplace. Just trying to develop that "skillful discussion"! Remember, I am still learning!;)

We may want to develop that end, yet not forget the development of a discussion with an institution of higher learning i.e. Kettering Univ. or Oakland Univ. OSMTech could serve as a training ground or lab for instructional best practices and student teachers(in the case of OU).

Some of these discussions really need to include the teachers (don't they?). The development of an enrichment/outreach program to less advantaged students or even middle schoolers from the sending districts.
Back at ya!
Beth

Things are beginning to come together nicely and we need to exhaust all the possiblities and/or oportunities this meeting could represent.

Best,

Jim  ¶ 4:12 AM

  Folks: (FYI)

Just a little insight on the NEW "Barrier Free" NSF Informal Science Grant 2004 initiative.

COMMENTS WELCOME!

Best,

Jim

Sherry:

I'm glad to hear the conference is in his thinking. Do we have to start calling Kent HRH?

My friends from New York whom are participating in the conference have been developing some opportunities to connect them to some of our similar efforts taking place here in Oakland County. There should be many opportunities to collaborate.

I had not planned on attending the Board Meeting although I know OSMTech is on the agenda in a last ditch effort to continue the program for one more year.

"Barrier's are just opportunities in disguise." I believe you have aptly framed the opportunity as you have described. There are some additional nuances and diversity elements which when added will create wealth, richness and substance to the program. Some of them are additional sites we have been developing and/or discussing with them regarding participation.

Regarding Ed's written information on OSMTech..........I know it is posted on the NSF Grant 2004 blog-site.

Hope all finds you well. Let me know what you need from me.

Best,

Jim




-----Original Message-----
From: Kuchon, Sherry [mailto:Sherry.Kuchon@oakland.k12.mi.us]
Sent: Friday, July 09, 2004 9:52 AM
To: 'James Ross'
Subject: RE:


Jim,

Kent is all about the SOL conference and I'm sure he will shift his focus on that event when he gets back from his two day jaunt at the University of Michigan. The event he is at is decribed in the following paragraph:

Our HRH The Prince of Wales's Business & the Environment Programme [BEP] U.S. Alumni Reunion scheduled for July 8-9 is going to be a landmark event!!! We'll have about 50 alumni delegates, BEP faculty members, speakers and guests exploring the theme of "Positively Transforming Organizations for a Sustainable Future." Along with networking time, feedback and discussion groups, and a Thursday evening "Midwestern" barbecue at my farm, we'll be hearing from and dialoguing with seven of the world's leading experts on organizational leadership, ethics and transformation.

I'm anxious to hear the outcome of his last two days.

Are you planning to be at the Board meeting next Tuesday? I see there was a little write up in today's paper about OSMTech being on the agenda.

In regards to the grant, I may be faced with some of the same barriers you faced in the past when I discuss the possibility of a partnership. I can be persuasive--however, by the time I got a green light on the IERI grant we were just two weeks away from the due date. I need to find on Ed's computer whatever he has written for OSMTech and merge that with some of the things you and I talked about last week. Again, if we frame what it is we want to accomplish (the end in mind) then we can assign folks to begin to fill in the blanks. Do you envision the end (in its simplest form) 3-years of operation for OSMTech (all the while collecting data to support and buiding an endowment to sustain) with the observatory as an extended classroom (fiber optic connection), sending student led science and math lessons to district classrooms? How far off base am I?

Sherry

Deeds and Execution (a start?)- Shery writes: Do you envision the end (in its simplest form) 3-years of operation for OSMTech (all the while collecting data to support and buiding an endowment to sustain) with the observatory as an extended classroom (fiber optic connection), sending student led science and math lessons to district classrooms? How far off base am I

-----Original Message-----
From: James Ross [mailto:jross2@earthlink.net]
Sent: Friday, July 09, 2004 9:17 AM
To: 'Kuchon, Sherry'
Subject: RE:


Hi sherry:

Yes! I attempted to run this very grant past the folks at Oakland Schools two or three years ago. It was a good fit then and it is a great fit now.

I also have the link posted on the OSMTechFutures blog-site to get their perspectives.

What's next?

Have you heard anything further from Kent regarding the SOL Conference? Has he been getting any rest? We should be developing end-game scenarios. My colleagues in New York are willing to collaborate/partner. We could utilize their speaking and booth positions in the conference.

Hope all finds you well.

Best,

Jim


-----Original Message-----
From: Kuchon, Sherry [mailto:Sherry.Kuchon@oakland.k12.mi.us]
Sent: Friday, July 09, 2004 8:58 AM
To: 'James Ross'
Subject: RE:


Did you get a chance to review that NSF request for proposals?
-----Original Message-----
From: James Ross [mailto:jross2@earthlink.net]
Sent: Friday, July 09, 2004 8:08 AM
To: sherry.kuchon@oakland.k12.mi.us
Subject:


Sherry: (FYI)

More fodder for the NSF Grant cannon.

Report on Science in California
http://www.cftl.org/centerviews/june04.html
blogger
Best,

Jim
>  ¶ 4:01 AM

  Folks:

Here is a link to an NSF Grant that we at the observatory are discussing with Sherry Kuchon at Oakland Schools. Please take a look at it and let me know what your thoughts might be.

http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2004/nsf04579/nsf04579.htm
blogger

Best,

Jim  ¶ 1:56 PM

  Hi folks:

I met with Marianne Livezey yesterday and we discussed and reviewed her charter school "draft" which has been submitted to Oakland University. She suggested we should have a follow-up meeting next week to discuss this initiative further in detail. Agenda items would include budgetary considerations, funding vehicles, who, what where, when, etc. She also asked about the observatory and it's structure, intent and direction regarding same. It is also my understanding that their will be a final (again) decision made by Oakland Schools at their regularly scheduled board meeting on Tuesday, July 13, 2004 regarding the dispensation of OSMTech.

Please let me know what your thoughts might be and if you are interested in attending the meeting when it gets scheduled and/or what additional agenda items you would be interested in discussing at that time.

Best,

Jim

National Geographic July 2004 / Stormy Star
http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0407/
blogger
http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0407/feature1/index.html
blogger  ¶ 3:58 AM

  Folks:

A little something to keep us focused.

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/070404/edu_20040704072.shtml
blogger

Best,

Jim  ¶ 11:33 AM

  Folks:

How can we help this transformation and transistion of opportunity through developed solutions.

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/070304/opi_20040703012.shtml
blogger

Best,

Jim

We can help Dr. Vickie by showing her that OSMTech may be her ticket to showing how valuable ISD's could be in the transformation of educaiton. OSMTech can serve as a "living lab" for student teachers; delivering technology to students both on and off site; using an integrated approach to teach high levels of math and science. My two cents.
Beth  ¶ 12:20 PM