Department of Professional growth Systems
Operations/Process
The process established by the Administrative and Supervisory Professional Growth System Steering Committee is critical to the teamwork we promote and the trust we build. The process should be known by our constituents and stakeholders, honored by the Committee, and questioned if the process does not work for all.
The meeting times should be for a minimum of three hours every two weeks, through the opening of school. The Steering Committee will determine future meeting schedules. Attendance by members at all meetings is critical to the effective functioning of the team.
A trained facilitator is needed to support the Steering Committee in the formative stages. A project manager has been identified to handle the workload of the project. The project manager will:
- Handle the establishment of the Design Team and work groups
- Facilitate the communication process
- Expand benchmarking
- Be the liaison between the Steering Committee, the Design Team and the work groups
- Ensure timelines are met and work is produced
- Develop a plan to ensure program evaluation is implemented once the system is complete and operational
Once the project is significantly underway, the Steering Committee should revisit the need for a facilitator and a project manager, in the hopes that the project manager can facilitate all meetings as needed.
Steering Committee decision-making must be by consensus, with the facilitator taking additional time to utilize interest-based bargaining strategies when roadblocks prevent consensus. Consensus can be reached when all members of the Steering Committee are committed to supporting the final product(s). The Steering Committee should continue with the one-text process as the products are developed until support is reached, and should utilize “red flag” and “elephant” strategies when needed.
The Steering Committee supports collaboration in all aspects of its work and encourages trust-building activities among the three unions, the established collaborative committees, and the Executive Staff. In all situations, Steering Committee members should confirm rumors, commit to joint communications, address issues directly to involved members, and support each other inside and outside the group meetings.