Alcatraz Weekly
Staff Meeting Notes - CORRECTED - 7 Nov 2013
What is this a picture of? Read on and find out.
Weekly Discussion Topics
Thank you to all the staff for your all of the incredible hard work you do each day to make Alcatraz a once in a lifetime opportunity for thousands of visitors. I also want to extend a special thanks to the nominees of this year’s Bridge Awards for being shining stars for the rest of us. The nominees include: Demarco, JoJo, Chenier, Craig Glassner, Jim Nelson and Shelagh. Camey Yea who helped us tremendously with the office reconfiguration was also nominated. Jim Breeden was not just nominated but also a recipient for the award. Congratulations to each of you!
Also, thanks again to Cortney for helping with the SIR report. We thought we were all done last week and “wham” we found a whole stack of program forms that were never entered. Cortney scrambled to get them all in on time.
Looking for volunteers to on 11/14 when AZ rangers are at an all day retreat. Rangers Durgerian and Combs will be on the island. Please let Lori and Marcus know if you can make it.
Research Time: Several staff have requested setting up scheduled research time. To accommodate that, we will set up time. Cortney is setting up time T/Th 9-1 pm. Carla is setting time TBD.
Alcatraz has a consolidated budget this year. So I need to carefully plan all of our supply, training, intern needs for the year. I would like to hear from you what our needs are especially for interns and training (individual and group sessions).
Also, as you all have heard, Ranger Sam Bell just had her last day at Muir Woods. She has left the NPS to work for Eventbright. This is a great new opportunity for her both personally and professionally. This also opens up an opportunity for us. Michele will be sending out a note about how we plan on filling it. GOGA has several
Pathways students that now would qualify for the position. These individuals, if interested, will be considered. In addition, if there are any GS-9 that are interested in laterals into those position, please let Michele and Mia know to be considered.
Nov 14-15, the Theatre Projectors will be switched out. The theatre may need to be closed for part of the day.
LE Ranger Matt is going to join the day staff starting next month. He will be working the same shift Cristal had (Sun – Thu). Matt Crabtree, the new LE assigned to the island will be working the night shift.
A visitor turned in a Guard Uniform Button that she found on the hillside on the way up to the cell house. She gave it to John who will get it into the archive. See picture above.
Parks Conservancy just posted the permanent interpreter position to their website. This is Theresa’s former position.
Weekly Safety Message
Emergency Response. If a visitor seeks medical attention, please call an EMT at once. It is their job to assess and treat. If there is minimal treatment (as in all we do is provide a band-aid), there is no need for documentation. If we are more involved in assessing and treating, documentation must be take down.
Also, a variety of safety programs are being offered: Upcoming Safety Classes
Nov 19th 8 – 12: Ergonomic Seminars had to be canceled. This has now been rescheduled to take place on Tuesday, November 19th. The seminar will be held at Lower Fort Mason, Landmark building C, 2nd floor, room C205 and runs from 8:00 am until Noon.
The seminar will focus on workstation set-up, ridding harmful habits, improving movement patterns, simple relaxation exercises for your eyes and body, and minimizing eyestrain that results in headaches, burred vision, and fatigue.
Nov 19 Blood Drive 201 FOMA 11:30-3:30
Nov 19-20 Operational Leadership @ PORE POC: Thomas Meyer 415-561-4970
Visitor Comments
10/19/13 “The chap who did the presentation on escape attempts (I think his name was Benny Banton) deserves special credit. I thought he was a very engaging guide and I really enjoyed his tour. ”
10/19/13 “Very interesting experience. Lucky opportunity to meet Robert Luke #1118AZ and Mrs. Luke and purchase their memoir. A young male Park Service Ranger on 1 PM boat ride to island spoke knowledgeably and interestingly of Indian history and buildings that we were seeing on the way in to Alcatraz. Ranger Lori Branson on boat back engaged in conversation on current day athletes who swim to Alcatraz to SF shore. Thanks to all for a memorable experience. Suzanne Pulawski”
10/24/13 “Park Ranger Carla was very informative and kept our interest. Would recommend tour narratives.”
10/25/13 “Two comments: 1) There was an abundance of flies on the ferry. I'm sure there must be something that could be done about that...it was really awful to sit by the windows with flies everywhere. 2) We wanted to take the "Out and About" tour and were sitting on the benches next to the office. The tour left without us. If the tour guide had made an announcement to gather anyone nearby, we would have heard it. So, unfortunately we missed the tour even though we were right near the tour gathering area 15 minutes prior to the tour start time. I suggest the tour guides make a loud and clear announcement when gathering for the tour.”
10/31/13 I just wanted to let you know how super one of your volunteers is. My family and I were at Alcatraz on Oct. 30th. We had really wanted to see the hospital section. I asked a ranger and he said it was closed, but we could see it if we could get a volunteer to take us up. I found Nancy Graziola and she immediately offered to show us. My family, along with a few other people got a an excellent tour of the facility. Nancy was informative, funny and asked us insightful questions which helped us interpret the history on our own. It was the high point of our trip to Alcatraz and we couldn't stop talking about it all night. I'm glad you have volunteers like her- people who obviously love what they do and share that love with visitors. Thanks to Nancy for doing a great job.
11/3/13 “When I arrived in the dining hall (Sunday 3rd November ~12.30 to 1pm) there was a man from the parks service on the phone to a former convict, Bob Schibline, with the conversation being relayed through loudspeakers and questions taken from the audience. This was amazing! Such a wonderful and personal experience. I tried to remember the gentleman's name, as afterwards he stayed behind to chat to us a bit more about some stories he had from former convicts and his activities in organising dinners for formers cons and prison guards. There was a volunteer too, I think his first name was Lee, who was organising this telephone call. Maybe the guy from the parks department's sirname was attwood or something beginning with 'att'. This experience really made me visit! ”
11/4/13 “The gentleman that discussed the Fortress, the ex teacher, did an amazing job. :)”
11/4/13 “I think his name was Stan, he greeted our tour as we got off the boat. He was excellent!!”
11/4/13 “Stan a joy at the wharf , audio tour superb ( I usually switch them off) and just enough information. Info about industries being open not given till I got back to wharf ready to leave. More info on gardens trail etc would be good but wish I'd had more time !”
Upcoming Leave (Annual, Sick, Off-Site Training)
15-21 Nov John AL
8-13 Dec Marcus Travel (Grand Canyon – Albright)
18-31 Dec Marcus AL
17-20 Dec Lori AL
24 Dec Lori AL
25 Dec – 3 Jan Nancy AL
31 Dec Lori AL
5-10 Jan Marcus Training Travel (Philadelphia)
2-7 March Marcus Training (San Francisco)
11-17 May Marcus Training Travel (Wash. DC)
Calendar of Events
11/9/13 Alcatraz Junior Ranger Day. Lead: Ranger Kelly.
11/11/13 Forsite foundation comes out to look at lower New Industries. Need Ranger accompaniment.
11/11/13 Wiss Janney and associates doing monitoring on cell house. Will be rapelling from roof. Need ranger to give them a ride with equipment to the roof. Lead: Ranger Nancy.
Nov 14-15, the Theatre Projectors will be switched out. The theatre may need to be closed for part of the day.
11/14/13 Joint NPS/PC Staff Retreat. Rangers Durgarian and Combs on the island. Location: SAFR. 9 Am – 3 Pm. Potential Topics include:
- How do we talk about Native Americans and the occupation?
- How do we make our behind the scenes tours more consistent?
- Methods of working with youth.
- How do we reach out to underserved communities?
- What are good ways of using humor to address sensitive or controversial topics?
11/19-20 Operational Leadership Training.
11/20/13 All Supervisors Mtgs 1-3 pm
11/21/13 Annual Flu Shots 1-3:30. Schedule with Lance Lewis.
11/28/13 Thanksgiving Sunrise Ceremony
12/11/13 Interpretive Get Together 9 – 11:59 am (Alcatraz is hosting all GOGA Interp Rangers). Ranger John is lead.
2/2014 Health and Safety Week.
3/22/14 Living History Day
3/28-29/14 Bio-Blitz. All hands on deck to help out throughout the park.
9/27/14 Living History Day
Exhibit Calendar
Band Room:
8/28/13 - 2/28/13 Flower Painting Display
2/14 – 8/14/13: San Quentin Prison Arts Project
10/14 – 4/15 Proposed Ai Wei Wei Exhibit. Various locations around the island.
5/15 – 9/15 Tentative: Community Works West
10/15 – 5/16 Art Explorers, Inc. Alcatraz Inmates paintings by Charles Unser.
New Industries:
3/21 - 3/20/14 Anniversary of Prison Closing Exhibit
7/15 – 12/15 Tentative: Prisoners of Age* by Ron Levine
Bldg 64 Casemates:
4/28 - ? Native Nationalism and Red Power: Historicizing the 1969 Alcatraz Occupation venue: Building 64/Theater/China Alley AZ lead: Teresa
Other Proposed Exhibits
10/14 – 4/15 Proposed Ai Wei Wei Exhibit. Various locations around the island including Industries, Model Industries, Band Room, A-Block.
Fall 2015 Proposed: We Players "Hamlet".
Date TBD California College of the Arts Graduate Seminar. Artists on island at various time. Exhibits at various locations at end of Graduate Seminar. Lead: Patrick Gillespie.atrick Gillespie.
Closures
Closures (Updated 8/28/13): Off limits areas include: Cell House Roof, Citadel, QM Lower Level, Bldg 64. Upper floors, area past cable by power house.