​​​​Nancy Springer

Because of the size of the district and the mere fact that it is a K-12 building, the Building Leadership Team is essentially the District Leadership Team as well. The members consist of district and building administrators, school social worker, school psychologist, test coordinator/computer teacher, special service teacher, and teacher representatives from each level (primary/intermediate/upper). This particular team formed as a result of the school improvement process and MTSS training in 2008. We meet once a quarter to develop and promote the school mission, plan and carry out the district goals by setting up timelines and accountability measures, and review and revise the school vision through collaborative discussions and decision-making. These measures are all done through careful reflection using state and federal mandates, community surveys, student assessment and behavioral data, staff input, and focused on building/district goals. Another important task this team works on are documents that inform all stakeholders: state/federal entities, district/building staff, community, parents, students, and school board members. Some important skills I have developed  through the District Leadership Team over the years are:

​

• Positive and healthy discourse is a result of careful and planned meeting expectations that are agreed upon and carried out at every gathering. 

• Effective procedures and actions stem from clear and concise expectations; what is to happen, when, where, by whom, etc.

• When students' success is the first and foremost goal, many of the once thought of "problems" become minimal or unimportant. 

​

Some future ideas that I might consider are the following:

​

• Team Membership - Including community members and parents would bring perspective and relational trust that is not currently a strong characteristic in our district. Because of the confidential nature of some of the material, this would need to be carefully monitored. Presently, membership does not change unless a member leaves the district. This is advantageous for training purposes, consistency, and relational trust. On the other hand, does that practice allow for new and interested leaders to grow within our district? Are we modeling and practicing the team spirit that we hope aspire throughout our school culture?

• Communication/Meeting Minutes - Although the team does a great job of communicating with specific people and groups affected by decision-making, the general process and procedures that take place during the meetings are not shared with the staff. I believe doing so would provide them with valuable information and further encourage involvement. Team members and administrators should be prepared for communication and push back that may occur as a result.