Resolution #08-01-1
Online Professional Development
Sponsored by: California, Florida, Texas, Indiana, Kentucky and Wisconsin
Co-Sponsors: Colorado, Maine, Tennessee, Connecticut, Northern Nevada and New York State
BE IT RESOLVED, NCSS will formulate a plan to develop and implement online professional development programs including, but not limited to, workshops and/or sessions from the fall conference, summer leadership institute, lectures and interactive NCSS workshops.
HOD Passed Resolution
Voting Results: 89% supported; 10% opposed
BOD Passed
Resolution #08-01-2
Recognition of Members of Congress who Support the Social Studies
Sponsored by: Minnesota, South Dakota, California, and North Dakota
Co-Sponsors: Colorado, Northern Nevada, Maine, Wisconsin, New York State, Tennessee, Connecticut and Washington State
BE IT RESOLVED, Members of Congress who actively support NCSS and its goals, and address NCSS leaders and members will be recognized in a timely manner through:
a) Letter of appreciation from the President and Executive Director with much gratitude and thanks
b) Recognition on the front page of the NCSS website to include available photograph for at least 30 days
c) Press release from NCSS to said Congress person’s largest state newspaper(s) and/or newspaper within the Congressional district
HOD Passed Resolution
Voting Results: 92% supported; 8% opposed
BOD Passed
Resolution #08-01-3
STEWARDSHIP FOR OUR PLANET: GO GREEN
Sponsored by: Wisconsin, Kansas, and Texas
Co-Sponsors: Colorado, Maine, Elementary Education Community, Northern Nevada, Connecticut and Middle States
BE IT RESOLVED, that the NCSS make every effort to reduce, reuse and recycle in its publications, conferences, meetings and daily operations by enacting a formal Green Policy.
HOD Passed Resolution
Voting Results: 95% supported; 2% opposed
BOD Passed
Executive Director, Susan Griffin, noted that NCSS staff has a “green committee” to help NCSS headquarters be more environmentally responsible.
Resolution #08-01-4
Simplified NCSS Legislative Updates
Sponsored by: Texas and ATSS/UFT (New York City)
Co-Sponsors: Maine, Northern Nevada, Wisconsin, Connecticut, New York State & Georgia
BE IT RESOLVED, that NCSS distill and simplify into a bulleted format the information and materials contained in the Legislative Updates which are already e-mailed to key state and local council personnel so that it is more manageable and the formal legislative language is reduced and clarified to be more useable in our respective councils.
HOD Defeated
Voting Results: 48.5% supported; 47.3% opposed
Resolution #08-01-5
CREATION OF AUTOMATIC MEMBERSHIP LINKING BETWEEN THE NATIONAL COUNCIL AND STATE COUNCILS
Sponsored by: Minnesota
*8Co-sponsors:** North Dakota, South Dakota, California, Colorado, Maine, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Northern Nevada and Washington State
BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Council for the Social Studies investigate a method of automatically linking national-membership online registration to state-membership registration.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the National Council for the Social Studies would encourage states to institute an automatic national registration, and make recommendations to states for how to best institute this change logistically, with the goal of implementing a standardized, nationwide procedure.
HOD Passed Resolution
Voting Results: 83% supported; 14% opposed
BOD Defeated
Board of Director Comments: Michael Boucher noted that the hope is that NCSS could provide services for state councils similar to how associated group dues are handled. Staff noted that this would be difficult. Another option is to provide links to members’ state councils. Sue Blanchette noted that none of this seems to imply that if you join NCSS you automatically join your state. Tyson noted that this is the case with many organizations. The board was unclear what the resolution would require.
Resolution #08-01-6
Increasing state council relevance beyond annual conference
Sponsored by: Nebraska, Georgia, Connecticut, Maine, and New Mexico
Co-sponsors: Northern Nevada, Colorado, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and New York State
BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Council for the Social Studies will add a section in the affiliation paper for councils to highlight creative and innovative member benefit and professional development achievements of the past year.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the National Council for the Social Studies will compile the aforementioned state and local information and include it (with contact information of the originating council) on the website so that it will be available for all state and local councils to access freely.
HOD Passed Resolution
Voting Results: 74% supported; 19% opposed
BOD Passed
Resolution #08-01-7
Creating Standards and Resources for Quality Social Studies Assessments
Sponsored by: Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and Tennessee
Co-sponsors: Northern Nevada, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania
BE IT RESOLVED, that NCSS convene an assessment task force to identify standards for quality assessment, including test construction and administration, providing website resources to model best practices in assessment development with sample items in various formats,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NCSS provide outreach opportunities to local affiliates and their state meetings on assessment development and best practices
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NCSS will solicit specific presenters with professional credentials in assessment and encourage submission of proposals on assessment for presentation at the annual conference.
HOD Passed Resolution
Voting Results: 86% supported; 11% opposed
BOD Defeated
Board of Director Comments: The Board noted that this would be difficult year to have a task force. Michael Boucher noted that this is asking NCSS to compile information. Goldberg noted that this is a great idea, but NCSS might not have the resources currently to do this. Beth noted that CSSSO has CSAP—a test bank of questions. Bourne noted that we might ask the assessment community for their advice whether NCSS should provide this link.
Resolution #08-01-8
ALIGNMENT OF AWARDS
Sponsored by: New York State, ATSS/UFT, Tennessee and Middle States
Co-Sponsors: Colorado, Maine, Wisconsin, Northern Nevada, Connecticut and New Hampshire
BE IT RESOLVED, that NCSS will collaborate with state and local councils to highlight the criteria and significance of awards, to encourage state and local councils to align award criteria with national award criteria
HOD Passed Resolution
Voting Results: 80% supported; 16% opposed
BOD Passed
Board of Director Comments: The board discussed the feasibility of this. Some noted that it was desireable to make it easier for state winners to apply for an NCSS award.
External Relations Director, Ana Post, noted the difficulties in coordinating the several awards and committees.
Resolution #08-02-1
ESTABLISHMENT OF GUIDELINES FOR SOCIAL STUDIES CLUBS
Sponsored by: Alabama, Ohio, South Dakota, Illinois, Arkansas and Missouri
Co-Sponsors: Maine, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Northern Nevada and Tennessee
BE IT RESOLVED, NCSS should support the creation of guidelines for the development of social studies clubs in the K-12 schools.
HOD Passed Resolution
Voting Results: 82% supported; 16% opposed
BOD
Resolution #08-02-2
Developing connections between reading literacy and social studies
Sponsored by: Nebraska, Georgia, Connecticut, Maine, New Mexico, Alabama, Ohio, South Dakota, Illinois, Arkansas and Missouri
Co-sponsors: Colorado, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Northern Nevada, New York State, Middle States and New Hampshire
BE IT RESOLVED, that NCSS promote the connections between reading literacy and social studies by providing a platform on the NCSS website for teachers to share ideas and information about how they have successfully taught literacy skills through the Social Studies
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NCSS provide resources to teachers that facilitate the advancement of integrating social studies with literacy.
HOD Passed Resolution
Voting Results: 71% supported; 26% opposed
BOD Passed
Board of Director Comments: Goldberg noted that NCSS is currently looking at a high school honor society. Probably best to do this first. He also noted that there is a national history club. Tyson asked whether this would help create interest in social studies in the lower grades—middle and elementary. Su Hickenbottom noted that if you aren’t teaching social studies at the school to begin with, a club wouldn’t help. Hickenbottom asked if NCSS should develop guidelines or provide some other sort of support. Karen supported concentrating on the honor society. Nan Jones noted at her school, the clubs started first then honor societies grew out of this.
Resolution #08-02-3
EXPANDING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH OF THE SOCIAL STUDIES
Sponsored by: Wisconsin, Kansas and Texas
Co-Sponsor: Maine, Elementary Education Community, New Hampshire, Middle States, New York State, Northern Nevada and Connecticut
BE IT RESOLVED, that NCSS expand the public awareness of the multidisciplinary approach of the social studies.
HOD Passed Resolution
Voting Results: 85% supported; 14% opposed
BOD Defeated
Resolution #08-04-1
NCSS TO ENCOURAGE TEACHING ABOUT THE EIGHT MILLENNIUM GOALS OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Sponsored by: Washington State, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nevada, New York State & ATSS/UFT, Connecticut, Maine, Kentucky, Tennessee, Oregon, Kansas and Texas
Co-Sponsors: Elementary Education Community
BE IT RESOLVED, NCSS should encourage and support teaching about the United Nations eight Millennium Goals by creating policies that encourage educators to focus on these goals in their instruction and provide links/publications to lessons and information to enhance instruction.
HOD Passed Resolution by Acclamation
BOD Defeated
Board of Director Comments: Hairfield and Goldberg noted that this asked for creating policies. This is very different from raising awareness—articles in Social Education or website links, etc. Thieman noted that NCSS needs to keep in mind our strategic goals---advocacy, membership increase, etc. This resolution does not seem to fit our priorities.
Resolution #08-05-1
MEMORIAL RESOLUTION TO HONOR JAMES J. SHEEHAN
Sponsored by: Ohio, Great Lakes and Pennsylvania
Co-Sponsors: Colorado, Northern Nevada, Maine, Wisconsin and Middle States
BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Council for the Social Studies recognize James J. Sheehan for his years of service to social studies education.
HOD Passed Resolution by acclamation
BOD Passed
Courtesy Resolutions were also passed in recognition of the service to the social studies community of NCSS President Michael Yell and NCSS Conference Committee Chair Stephen Johnson.