[Winona Online Democracy]
First of all, I am indebted to Brenda, Dick, Eric,and Randy for the
information and insights posted on WOD. I appreciate reading about how site
teams do or do not function from former site team members, as well as about
some of the history and parameters of site based decision making in our
district.
For those who may be reading this who don't know me, I will give a little
background I have been a resident in Winona for 15 years now. I have never
served on a site team, but I have served on PTA boards, district committees,
worked as a volunteer in and out of classrooms, and have tried to stay
informed about school issues.
What is the role of the community in site-based decision making?
The simple answer to this question is that the community makes up the
membership of the site team. Teachers, administrators, support staff,
parents, and when possible, students are obvious groups whose participation
on site teams is needed. The larger community, outside the previously
mentioned groups with obvious interests tied to schools, also has many
members with both interest in public education and expertise that can be of
tremendous benefit to site based decisions. Laurie Rogers mentioned how
Dakota was able to utilize the expertise of a parent with an engineering
background to solve a moisture problem at Dakota. Although the person she
mentioned was a parent, surely site teams could call upon community members
with expertise in a host of areas for input for specific problems. These
community experts might serve only for a limited time, but it would be
foolish not to recognize and use the talent this community has to offer.
How does a site team need to function in order to be of benefit to the
community?
The first word that comes to mind in response to that question is the word
'open'. Every member must feel that s/he may openly express ideas and
opinions. Not only must all members show respect for one another, but all
members must be treated as equals--a particular challenge if some of the
members are students, and if there is a perception of any one person or
group of persons as having more authority or say in the discussion. While
it is natural and perhaps appropriate to defer to those members who have a
greater familiarity or expertise with a particular issue, others with less
obvious expertise often are able to provide some insight from different
perspectives. And all learn by listening to others and considering their
ideas.
Some issues would certainly require research outside of committee meeting
times. Members could take on parts of this task, reporting back to the
group. This would lessen the burden on administration, which is often the
main source for information.
In addition, there should be some way in which the discussions and
especially the decisions made by site teams are made available to the
public. Ideally, school web sites would have a section for site teams,
listing members, posting vacancies, detailing discussions and decisions.
Such information should also be available to those who do not have internet
accessl.
Something that I believe we all lose sight of from time to time is that
others who are not involved with the same groups or issues may have
completely different perceptions of events and decisions than those actively
involved. Sometimes, these perceptions are formed by lack of information,
but often it is simply a lack of opportunity to share perspectives. We may
not always reach consensus, but surely we should work toward greater
understanding. Note: this is something that needs to take place OUTSIDE
of site team meetings and would hopeful grow out of making the discussions
and decisions accessible to the public.
How does this benefit the students?
1. If the site team functions well, with many points of view considered,
better decisions can be made at building levels. Better decisions, whether
it is about building funds, staff and staff development, implementation of
curriculum, (to name a few from Dr. Bartleson's list) benefit all, including
students.
2. Site based decision making at its best can be a good model of how people
from varying points of view can work together to make good decisions.
Students are keen observers of the adults around them. When students see
adults working effectively towards a common goal, and even better, have the
opportunity to participate in the process, they develop valuable skills they
can draw upon thorughout their lives.
3. By involving more members of the community, including some that may not
be so obviously interested, the decisions made at individual sites should
gain more acceptance and understanding throughout the community. Not only
will this benefit students at individual sites, but as the community grows
in its understanding of how and why decisions are made, the community will
have a greater understanding and appreciation for the challenges and
successes of students, individual schools, and the district as a whole.
Surely, this will translate into stronger support for our schools and our
students.
4. If site team processes and decisions are shared openly throughout the
community, other school buildings, and perhaps other entities altogether can
benefit from the process at individual sites. Shared information about how
and why decisions were made, as well as the effectiveness of the decisions
could benefit all of us. Certainly, I have seen PTAs effectively share
information about programs and activities held at individual buildings.
Sometimes, these programs and activities were adapted, sometimes not. But
sharing the ideas was a very powerful way that let individual PTAs and
schools decide if they were providing the best for their students and
families.
Thank you for inviting me to respond.
Terri Hyle
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