I’ve updated the KABT Bioblog and the Board site to new versions of the Wordpress Software.  I mention this because you’ll find that your “dashboard” looks different now when you log on to post.  I don’t think you’ll have any problem but let me know if you do.

At Randy’s and other’s request I’ve also added a new plugin tool to both sites that allows us to make an “Announcement” post that stays at the top of the page even as new postings are added.  It stays at the top until it is reassigned as a normal post.  I’ll use the feature to announce info about the fall meeting after I get back next week and have a chance to talk to Randy.

BW

Now, I remind one and all that I’m not a board member but as you know I’m not shy about offering some suggestions for the board to consider. Keep in mind that I’m not volunteering to organize this field trip, I’m only recording parts of the conversation that Randy and I had with the hopes that it begins a board conversation so that plans can be finalized. At last winter’s board meeting, the board voted to prepare for a fall meeting at KU, a field trip to the new Kansas Wetlands Education center at Cheyenne Bottoms in June of ‘09 and a fall trip to the NABT National convention in Denver in ‘09. Randy and I discussed the new museum trip and another field trip idea for future consideration.

Since the Wetlands center is a work in progress, I called Jerry Choate this morning to find out the status of the center–will it be ready to host our group? He indicated that unless they get another massive flood or some other unforeseen event the center should open by Jan. or Feb. of ‘09. While they haven’t hired a director yet he was sure that they would be able to accommodate our group. I also asked if he thought it best for us to wait one more year (2010) before visiting the center but he thought all systems would be go for ‘o9. He indicated that we’d probably be able to do field work and there are classrooms and an auditorium. Without a staff in place yet, it is not possible to really tie down a potential program. In the past we’ve bivouacked at Camp Aldrich which might work again. There is not much in the way of camping facilities anywhere near although Ellinwood used to let folks camp in their city park.

Here’s a KS Wetlands Education Center that describes the project from the Kansas Water Office.

Randy and I also talked about another idea–one that morphs the Bioblast idea more seamlessly in to the KABT spring field trip format. We scheduled a bioblast field trip (a one-day biological inventory) a couple of years ago but several things complicated the final offering and as such not one member attended. Seemingly one of the limiting factors associated with organizing the bioblast is that we had difficulty finding “experts” to oversee taxon specific surveys at the bioblast site. In addition we had a difficult time deciding on a site. As Randy and I cussed and discussed this issue it occurred to us that perhaps we need to recreate what we did at Kanopolis a few years back. John W., Ernie Brown and I set out aquatic samplers in the spring habitats around Kanopolis, we gathered papers relative to the area, Ernie built samplers for all to take home with them and I brought microscopes to view the aquatic organisms. The idea was that the members attending would actively participate in exploring the biota of the region. I thought we were pretty successful with some KABTer’s viewing their first green Kansas hydra, brown diatoms and planaria. Both Randy and I (as well and Sandy and Paula) have attended the late Charlie Drewes’ aquatic invertebrate workshop up at Iowa lakeside Labs and thought we could use that as a model for our field trip but expand it to include other field type of activities–plant i.d., intro. to mosses and liverworts, insects, etc. The key is that we’d set up a mobile lab at a campground shelter with microscopes (compound and stereo), microscope cameras, digital cameras and computers to record the results of our field experience. We figured that if this field trip structure were successful we could replicate it throughout the state in many of the ecosytems we have recently visited but now we’d go back and study them in detail while creating digital resources for KABT members. As a suggestion for the first site for the KABT Field lab, I suggested Toronto Reservoir’s Cross Timbers State Park. The park is noteworthy for it’s Ancient Crosstimber forest–possibly the oldest surviving old-growth stand of trees in the eastern U.S. (several of the trees date to the early 1700’s.

There you have it–some rambling thoughts on possibilities. Now we need some input from others. That input can come from comments posted here or if you’d prefer, perhaps you could encourage Randy to try another conference call.

BW

Option A

As per our discussion the other night,

Option B

I worked up this map as one proposal a couple of maps for how KABT regions might be redrawn. Notice that every region has a regents institution. and I think short of making Johnson county it’s own region maximizes the number of possible members in each region without compromising too much on the geography side of things.  The map with Lyon county in the Northern  region probably maximizes biology teachers per region.  I can mark up other possibilities or suggestions others might have.

BW

In attendance:

Pat W.
Pat L.
Randy D.
Paula D.
Josie S.
Lisa V.
Bill W.
Todd C.
Sandy C.
Stan R.
BradW.

• Pat will take notes and post to the blog. Last Jan. board meeting notes will wait until board has a chance to look over the notes.
• Business for the conference call was to consider a restructuring of the KABT regions into regions more equitably distributed or into regions that have an identity.
• Discussion of purpose of boundaries and whether or not to revise the regions. Randy stated that the constitution does not define the regions—only that there is one rep/regions.
• Randy suggests that we put suggestions on the blog to create a discussion. Paula expressed a need for an idea for the number of biology teachers in a particular county.

Two proposals:

• Change regions
• Reduce the regions while adding additional at large. Pat L will be working on this along with some others.

BW talked about the fall meeting at KU—just about firmed up as to schedule date

Josie talked about the spring field—will prepare some type of sign up for the blog….

Randy needs description and title for KATS presentations….

Pat W. talked about fall brochure—a document/mailing that would tout the accomplishments of KABT—it would be a bulk mailing and perhaps take the place of the newsletter. Todd is going to work on that……Paula will investigate using the Postal service for the mailing…..

Bill is going to generate a list of Wichita teacher possibilities…..

Josie is going put together a quick KABT flyer for recruitment.

Poster/ powerpoint for KABT spring field trip for presentation at KATS.
Constitution bylaws from Todd to Brad to post on the KABT Board Site

BW

1) Todd will you comment on the areas covered by community college gatherings or service areas for biology teachers?
2)Richard , does Emporia bring in teachers from different counties?
3)Pat what changes did you record in the minutes as possibilities?
4)Other board members thoughts?
My goal is  to recruit individuals that want to become active in the improvement of biology education through KABT leadership.

Randy
o       Appoint 3 KABT members to nominating committee Bill Welch, Jeff
Witters, Eric Kessler, Scott Sharp (one from Executive Council)
o       Prepare Ballot so that 1/10 membership required for election in
fall
o       Fill positions by approval of executive councils Representatives
J.J. Lawrie (Jennifer), Brian Coon

Calendar
o       2008 May 31–June 1    Ash Falls   Leader Josie Stiles
o       2008 Sept 9  or 13th KU ??? (Computer lab work) Brad Williamson
and Steve Case
o       2009 Jan 17 Kanopolis (meeting Exec council)
o       2009 June 6 Cheyenne Bottoms (New Wetland Museum)
o       2009 Oct 15 NABT Denver

KATS
o       NABT KIT
o       Membership Flyer
o       Need proposals/titles of presentations from Paula, Josie, Brad,
Randy, Pat (elementary)

Newsletter
o       Appoint Editor”
o       Timing— September
o       Mailing list–All Biology teachers
o       Topics–Current events of KABT

Todd-Constitution update to Brad for posting on blog.

Regional Map
o       place input on map changes on the board business of blog

Conference call Feb 10

Randy Dix
Facilitator Biotechnology/Life Sciences
Olathe North H.S.

BW

Sometimes it’s best to read the instructions…..

Todd