One of the big projects I have been involved in since January has been to determine what a Building Leadership Team is and who should be on it. This has been the task of the District Leadership Team Steering Committee with the help of state facilitators. Several buildings have already put together one version or another of this, but what we really need is consistency in purpose around the district. I am certain the work you have started will not be lost, but perhaps redirected and focused with district goals.
Members of the Steering Committee have completed most of this task, enough to share. First, the main purpose of the Building Leadership Teams is to support the work of our teacher teams. At the elementary and middle schools these teacher teams are usually by grade level. At the high school these teams could be departmental, or by small school or by grade level. Teacher teams should be meeting to discuss student work, look at data from common assessments, determine areas of weakness and strength, determine strategies for teaching, and evaluate post-tests. The building level team needs to look at that work in a systematic way to see if everything is going as planned or if the teams need help in a particular area when it comes to reaching all kids. The building teams provides feedback to the teacher teams as well as the district team. The district team goes through a similar process to make sure that resources are directed to places that need them. The building teams will also be responsible for approving Student Learning Objectives in the fall.
The building team should meet once per month to do this work. The teachers on the team should represent all aspects of the school. A final decision on the make-up of these teams has not been finalized, but here is what we have been discussing:
In the elementary the make-up will include grade-level team leaders that are approved by the TAP committee, a representative from both specialists and intervention specialists shall also be approved by TAP, the ELA lead literacy teacher, and the principal.
In middle school the grade level team leaders as approved by TAP will be members, teachers from each content area not already represented also approved by TAP, the program specialist for literacy, and the principal.
At the high school the team shall consist of the department liaisons (except for guidance), the chief steward or designee, the administrative principal and one small school principal. In addition, there will appointments to ensure that at least two teacher from each small school are represented.
This work is separate from the ongoing work of the TAP committees. A teacher could be on one or both depending on interests or time. At the Steering Committee level we are still a little unsure of how the International Baccalaureate Leadership Teams fit into this model or whether or not they should remain separate. More on this later.
The work we all do is getting harder and more demanding. There seems to be much to learn from the work being done in other districts that seems more efficient and focused than the way we have been doing business. I believe that this structure, once in place and with good training, could provide a way for us to get to a higher level with our work. Trust between administration and teachers is essential in this process.
Fraternally,
Ari Klein