The Building Leadership Team - Colorado Department of ... · The Building Leadership Team in a Reading First School The Building Leadership Team in a Reading First school is a group

Colorado Reading First, 2005

The Building Leadership Team

Shared Leadership in the Reading First School


The Building Leadership Team in a Reading First School

The Building Leadership Team in a Reading First school is a group of people, representing the larger school community, who collaborate through a structure of shared leadership in order to increase student achievement in reading.


Why School Leadership Teams?

1. Research shows that schools with strong, collaborative leadership are the most successful in supporting student achievement.



2. Experience tells us that those closest to the students are most capable of making the best, most meaningful educational decisions.



3. The job of principals has become far more complex than at any time in our history. Distributed leadership and decision sharing enables the school to increase its leadership capacity in order to manage change.



4. Broad involvement helps foster ownership; a commitment to the reform on the part of the entire school community.



5. Organizing a small group makes it easier to move the process forward in an efficient fashion. Such a group can have meaningful discussions, divide up responsibilities, and hold its members accountable for carrying out their assigned tasks.



6. Team structures ensure effective communication in planning for improvement of school programs.


Ten Characteristics of Well-Functioning Teams

1. Purpose

Members proudly share a sense of why the team exists and are invested in accomplishing its mission and goals.



2. Priorities

Members know what needs to be done next, by whom, and when to achieve team goals.



3. Roles

Members know their roles in getting tasks done and when to allow a more skillful member to do a certain task.



4. Decisions

Authority and decision-making lines are clearly understood.



5. Conflict

Conflict is dealt with openly and is considered important to decision-making and personal growth.



6. Personal Traits

Members feel their unique personalities are appreciated and well utilized.



7. Norms

Group norms for working together are set and seen as standards for everyone in the group.



8. Effectiveness

Members find team meetings efficient and productive and look forward to this time together.



9. Success

Members know clearly when the team has met with success and share in this equally and proudly.



10. Training

Opportunities for feedback and updating skills are provided and taken advantage of by team members.


Steps to Establishing a Building Leadership Team


Select Members

BLT members can be selected to represent the following stakeholders:– Grade Levels Teams (K-3 or K-5)– Special Educators– Principal– Coach– Parents– Specials


Determine Constituencies

Each BLT Member has a number of people or groups who are their constituents.

BLT Members…– Communicate the work and decisions of the BLT

to their constituents

– Gather feedback from constituents to inform decisions of the BLT


Sample Constituency Chart

School BoardParent 3

PTSAParent 2

PTSAParent 1

Custodial StaffELL Task Force

Sandra RabasLiteracy Coach

Kitchen StaffDistrict Curriculum Council

Jody MuddLiteracy Coach

Tina Grando, Joe Guitierrez, Mary EdensPeggy ReynoldsCarrie JohansingSpecialists

Elaine Dickinson, Lynette Clap, Delia Medina, Heather Symons, Lori Donaldson-Jack, AnnaLee Stedman, Angela Stowers

Donna AggenSpecial Education

Don Frenzen, Angela Cardenas, Cynthia Gonzales, ArceliaBocanegraAccountability Team

Cindy KusunoDon Frenzen

Principal

Casey Rocha, Anna SinkShawna WestoverFifth Grade

Brinda Schweger, Nancy SmithFrances GonzalesFourth Grade

Vada Roedel, Stephanie Kosmicki, Emily SmarttJanice WhiteThird Grade

Monika Nadanyi, Brenda McKay, Veronica WoodworthMatt WalterSecond Grade

Courtney Bickish, Valerie Rigali, Maria Herrera, Lauren Anderson, Mili Austin

Kathy MurawaFirst Grade

Esther Cordero, Coralee Reed, Marcy Galicia, Lila ChavezDeb BrownKindergarten

Michelle Buscho, Betty Martinez, Della Perales, Theresa GarciaLisa ArrabitPre-School

CONSTITUENTSNAMEPOSITION


Establish Meeting Schedule

The BLT should meet a minimum of once per month. A possible plan:

Alternate…– Full day meetings– Evening meetings


What Other Ways Can You Think Of To Find Time to

Meet?


Fund the BLT

Include money to fund the Building Leadership Team (e.g., substitutes, stipends, food, technical assistance) in your Reading First budget. Explore other sources of funding.


Conduct The First Meeting


First Meeting

Create an agenda for the first BLT Meeting– Welcome– Warm-up– Roles/Responsibilities of Group Members– Norms– Reading First Big Picture


First Meeting

• Mission Statement• Case Study Support• Assessment Plan• Professional Development Plan• Comprehensive Intervention Plan• Next Meeting• Closure

Documents

The Building Leadership Team - Colorado Department of ... · The Building Leadership Team in a Reading First School The Building Leadership Team in a Reading First school is a group