LEADERSHIP DESIGN TEAMS/ BUILDING LEADERSHIP TEAMS

Change comes person by person, building by building.

Leadership teams in schools have been a key Consortium strategy since the organization’s inception. Leadership Design Teams operate at the district level; Building Teams operate at the individual school level. Both provide an open, inclusive forum to discuss school improvement issues and to make collaborative decisions.

Consortium staff members assist in the development of these teams and facilitate their operation.  There are minimum membership requirements and general protocols (noted below) that are meant to broaden the decision-making base, encourage trust, and provide confidence to tackle problems large and small. In order for the teams to function effectively, each member must make a commitment to attend the monthly meetings, at which all voices are considered equal, on a regular basis.

Leadership Design Team/
District Level

Required Minimum Membership:
School Board representatives
Superintendent
Business Manager
Administrator(s)
Principal from each building
Peer-selected teacher from each building
Teacher association president
Representatives from: secretarial staff, maintenance staff, custodial staff, and bus driver staff

Building Leadership Teams

Building Leadership Teams interact with the Design Team and keep building staff informed of Design Team actions. Members include the principal and peer-selected teachers from each grade, each team, or each department, based on the school’s organization and interest.  They meet once a month, usually for a minimum of two hours.

Required Minimum Membership:
School principal
Peer-selected teachers (one per 4-6 teachers – representative of the building)
Support personnel
Open chair

While the Consortium sets minimum team requirements, team members have the latitude to expand membership as they see fit.  For example, a Design Team may want an Open Chair at the district level or a Building Leadership Team may invite student representatives to join them once or twice each year.  Some teams choose to have community members as well.

The Consortium also has established criteria (Terms of the Partnership) for districts operating leadership teams. These govern the number of meetings per year, interaction between district and building teams, gathering data and disseminating information, and other issues.  Teams also must agree to participate in the annual Leadership Retreat convened by the Consortium in the Spring.

Support

Any questions or concerns should be directed to Dr. Linda L. Croushore at the the Consortium office at 412-678-9215.