WATJ Board Meeting Minutes
November 5, 2003
Aki Stevenson’s home
Present: Kurt Thompson, Akiko Stevenson, Yoshitaka Inoue, Motoko Hayashi, Laurie
Pruden, Courtney Clouse.
Speech and Skit Contest report by Courtney
Speech and Skit Contest is scheduled for Friday, May 14th at Highline Community
Center.
Hyogo is looking for local groups that can financial support the Speech Contest.
Any suggestions or ideas are welcome.
Last year’s budget was roughly $2-3,000.
At the Jan. 10, 2004 meeting Courtney will recruit committee members of speech
and skit contest.
It is critical to find a main Judge, as well as other judges. Sandy Mizuno was
last year main judge.
Courtney is working with Asia Society through HCCC to promote more school
exchanges at the senior and junior high school level. More information will be
forthcoming as the two organizations work out details.
Agenda is approved as attached.
Treasurer’s Report
Membership---41 members as of November 5.
Checking Account Balance is $1535.44 as of 11-5-03
Special Funds Account Balance is over $2500.00
Undetermined amount of money is in Money Fund account controlled by Judy Coble.
Kurt was assigned to write to Judy for an accounting of how much was
transferred, when it was transferred, how many shares were purchased and at what
price, what is the latest price per share and balance of the funds. It was
agreed that with these answers the Board would determine when to liquidate the
Money fund account and bring those funds back into the Checking Account.
It was unanimously approved to moved WATJ bank accounts from Bank of America and
Wells Fargo to the School Employees Credit Union of Washington.
WAFLT discount
WAFLT discount ($10) was supposed to be good only until the WAFLT fall
conference. But some people are still sending the membership fee in at the WAFLT
discount amount. This results in only $25.00 coming to WATJ. And from that
$25.00, $15.00 is sent on to NCJLT leaving only $10.00 going into WATJ’s
operating account instead of $20.00. Since with 41 members it was planned that
at $20.00 each WATJ’s budget would receive $820.00 for operating funds. In
actuality less has come in because of this confusion. The Board agreed to
discontinue offering a discount for joint WATJ and WAFLT membership.
WATJ fee / WAFLT and NCJLT
WATJ board is going to decide next year’s WATJ membership fee. Also, they will
also consider whether to continue to collect WAFLT fees for WATJ members. It was
previously decided in June 2003 that WATJ would combine its fee of $20.00 with
NCJLT’s fee of $15.00 for a total Membership fee of $35.00.
WATJ Homepage
Kurt will work on updating WATJ Homepage to promote events such as WATJ
conference and Camp and to recruit old members.
Board agreed that the latest newsletter should be on the top page of the
Newsletter section.
Aki shared some homepage design ideas which looked good.
As previously approved, our WATJ Domain Name Fee was paid for 2 more years. Kurt
will check with Hitmark to find out what our future costs will be for the
website.
Board meeting schedule Updated
12/10 Wed. Board Boonenkai 4-6 @ Yoshi’s
1/10 Sat. from 9-10 before general meeting at 10-12 @ Eckstein. Potluck will
follow this.
2/11 Wed at Eckstein. 4-6pm
3/10 Wed at Aki’s 4-6pm. Motoko may not make this one.
5/5 Wed at Yoshi’s 4-6pm
6/5 Sat. 9-10 before General meeting from 10-12am.
8/20 Friday Board Planning Retreat at Laurie’s 12-5pm
9/11 Sat. 9-10 before General meeting from 10-12pm
9/18-20. East Side Aki Matsuri
Membership Drive
Yoshi will email Ikuyo Suzuki at WASU and Yuasa at Western to recruit student
members for WATJ. Board also thinks the WATJ should reach out more to elementary
school teachers. Also, we should refer members to the Kyouiku No Jittai report
from Japan Foundation.
Camp
Camp committee met on 10/22. Taeko has knowledge about everything concerning the
camp in her head. Attendees were Yokokawa, Murakami from Tahoma, Misner, Tashibu,
and Motoko.
Motoko requests at least one of the board members should attend the camp
committee meting. It was agreed that Yoshi would do so. As President, Kurt was
surprised to learn that he was also Camp Principal, but agreed to fully
cooperate.
Next meeting is Wednesday, 12/3 at Taeko’s home from 4:00
Early bird application form deadline will be 11/29.
Volunteer applications will also be due the same day.
Kurt knows 10 people from UW who help in his classes who might volunteer for the
camp. Final registration date is Friday 12/19. .
Each school can bring a max of 8 students.
Due to increased Insurance costs the tuition was raised $10. Early bird is 65
dollars and regular tuition is 70 dollars. If participating teacher is a WATJ
member they do not need to pay their tuition. Teacher meeting will be held from
9am-4pm on 1/4
Second meeting is scheduled for 2/28 after the General conference from 3-5pm.
Camp is scheduled for 3/26-27 (Friday/Saturday)
Elizabeth Faulkner who is a neighbor of Murakami sensei is going to teach one
culture class. Kati Peters is lead one cooking class.
We still need to find other teachers to teach culture classes such as kendo,
judo, sado, sumie etc..
It was suggested that the Sakura-Kai be contacted for helping the camp.
Conference
Keynote speaker is Kato sensei from the UW’s Technical Japanese Program. He is
thinking topic like how to teach reading or how to teach advanced level
students. We agreed this workshop would try to appeal to the whole range of
teachers from elementary to college.
Other ideas raised were…
What kind of assignments can we give with limited equipment?
How to teach advanced level kids in split class. What kind of activities or
projects we can assign them.
General Conference will be at University Prep on 2/28th.
Tentative Schedule was shared. Aki will email revised schedules as they
develop.
It was agreed to order Obento from Kisaku.
Registration Fee
Early Bird due on 2/10
$55 for members
$85 for non-members.
Regular
Members $60
Non-members $100
Applications will be available at the Oshougatsu potluck meeting.
More details on budget, Grant letter, Ads etc. were discussed and settled. See
upcoming reports for that information
Aki will email appeals for ads and Yoshi will call business people.
This years Participation goal is 60 teachers.
Newsletter will be out next month by 12/20. Kurt will talk to Julia. Aki will
translate into Japanese.
Meeting adjourned.