Re: [school-discuss] Schoolforge.net's next step and payment for Web services

[Justin Riddiough <jriddiough@xxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks.  David and Bryant especially for enabling transparency and
developing a vision for the future of SchoolForge.

Justin

On 07/30/2012 04:59 AM, David M. Bucknell wrote:
> Dear Schoolforge members,
> 
> 1. As you know, we have had general agreement among list members that
> schoolforge.net should get more directly involved in forwarding its
> mission of "fostering" use of free and open software and other resources
> for education.  There have been many ideas, and I would like to invite
> you to re-open that discussion with hopes of getting started this year.
> 
> An idea that is gaining traction among several of us is for
> schoolforge.net to host a place where sub-groups can be formed for
> projects by members -- those of you on the list.  We have fiddled with
> Open Atrium as the basis of our thinking as it has a fine interface and
> built-in group-collaboration tools.  I personally support that option
> because I've used it with schools successfully already, and I can say a
> lot more on that subject.
> 
> The important thing, however, is that it would have groups designed for
> collaborative work.  We wouldn't stipulate what project you did there
> (although we might need criteria for vetting projects), and we would let
> those with the energy go for it.  Notice I'm not saying software,
> training materials, or anything else because they would all be ok. 
> Anyway, that's the kernel of an idea.   Please help improve it.
> 
> 2. As you may also know, Justin Riddiough designed and developed the
> current schoolforge.net Web site using Drupal 7 and continues to
> maintain it.  He has ideas and energy for extending it, too.  It has
> taken him considerable time, and the site is serving us well with over
> 200 visitors a day.
> 
> Like all of us, Justin needs to work for a living, and, as our Web site
> is a real need for schoolforge.net, it only seems fair that we pay him
> for his work. You may remember that he was also the one who entered
> schoolforge.net as an applicant for the open source development grant
> which we won from http://taos.com and which must be spent this year:
> US$1,000.00.  Bryant Patten of NCOSE (National Center for Open Source
> and Educatio) at http://www.ncose.org/ generously did the paperwork and
> accounting to accept the money on our behalf.
> 
> Now, I know there are many things we could do with that money, and we
> should get going on those projects, but, in the meantime, there is no
> more obvious real-life need staring us in the face than supporting the
> one who supports us.  I would like to ask you to support using the grant
> money to support Justin.
> 
> As this is a somewhat personal matter, please just comment on whether
> it's alright with you to spend the money on supporting our Web site
> designer, developer and maintainer.
> 
> Thanks to all you who support opening up education for all.
> 
> David Bucknell
> On behalf of Schoolforge.net
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