Need, Function and Purpose

In reviewing our needs to be more responsive and more inclusive of all the constituent members including parents, teachers, administrators, and students, we identified a need for a process that would address:

• The general exchange of ideas;

• The ability to identify/discuss common district-wide issues;

• The ability to identify/discuss common building concerns;

• The ability to problem solve together; and,

• Identifying future topics that impact our ability to advance student achievement.

Other important factors considered in the development of a model necessitated that:

• Output from this type of collaboration is critical, and needed to be facilitated;
   

• A viable model include parents, teachers, administrators, and students where appropriate, in order to facilitate collaboration, and influence the District’s direction towards meeting its mission and vision established by the Board of Education;
   

• This model include members from all constituent groups, to sustain focus and provide continuity, and where building and district-wide concerns be directed to the Superintendent to present to the Board as Pre-K-12 issues. This model could also be viewed as a “bottom-up” approach to work in conjunction with a “top-down” approach in identifying, discussing, and making recommendations for improvements in student achievement.

Links to Priority Goals

• The guiding principle of this collaborative model must be that it is always aligned with the District’s vision: To advance student achievement through collaboration and strategic planning.
   

• Further, links must be made to Priority Goal Areas (curriculum, instruction, and assessment; facilities enhancement; and effective communication strategies).

BLT/DLT Model

Building Level Team (BLT)

• Membership

  • 1 parent per grade level* + 1 parent at large (all parents to be selected by PTA)

  • 1 teacher per grade level* + 1 teacher at large (all teachers to be selected by EASO).

  • 1 administrator

  • 1 student (where appropriate)

  • Other members as needed, and as appropriate. **

  • Each team will select a facilitator (or two-co-facilitators) who sets the agenda, takes and disseminates minutes.

  • The Early Childhood Program (ECP) will have parent and teacher representation based on one grade level.

  • Term limits need to be kept flexible in order to facilitate continuity. This needs to be reviewed during the Biennial Review Process.

  • Meetings will be held monthly, initially, but individual BLTs will have the flexibility of determining the frequency and duration of meetings based on building needs.

  • Consensus will be the preferred method for making recommendations.

  • Recommendations will be advisory

  • Each team will develop its own list of topics, but will also include topics that are that are referred by the DLT. Areas of discussion might include class size, study skills, summer reading, literacy, fostering respect and responsibility, tutoring, etc. Minutes of meetings will be forwarded to the DLT. The format for minutes should be uniform for all team meetings.

  • For each meeting, a quorum of at least 50% of the BLT membership with representation from each of the three constituent groups is needed.

* Members can be from any grade level, and in any combination. The middle school might have, for example, all parents from grade 6 and all teachers from grade 8.  Parents must have a child who is enrolled in the school they are representing.

** For example, a community member may be included if a community outreach program is being discussed; or a teacher in a specific discipline or area of specialty can be included if the discussion involves his/her area of specialty; “Other members” will be fully participating members with voting rights for the portion of the meeting to which they were invited.

District Level Team (DLT)

• The DLT will consist of one representative member from each BLT, the superintendent, the EASO president, and PTA council president (or their designees).

• The DLT will select a facilitator who sets the agenda, takes and disseminates minutes.

• The DLT will have representation from each constituent group (administrators, parents and teachers).

• Membership on the DLT will rotate through the BLT positions. For example, WOS might send a parent to serve on the DLT for the first year, an administrator for the second year, etc. The rotation list and the first year’s membership are indicated in paragraph V below.

• For each meeting, a quorum of at least 50% of the DLT membership with representation from each of the three constituent groups is needed.

• DLT members will represent their individual BLTs, not their constituencies.

• Three meetings will be scheduled for the year. Additional meetings will be held on an as needed basis to focus on district-wide matters.

• Consensus will be the preferred method for making recommendations.

• Recommendations will be advisory.

• Requests for DLT meetings will be processed through the Superintendent.

DLT - Rotation of Membership

District Level Team 2011 - 2012
Minutes: March 22, 2011

Health & Safety Committee 2011 - 2012 Health & Safety Committee Meeting Schedule Thursdays, 4:00 p.m. at Greenbush (623 Western Highway, Blauvelt, NY  10913) Meeting Dates:  Thursdays, January 19, February 16, March 15, April 19,  May 17, June 21, 2012 Minutes:  October 20, 2011      December 1, 2011
Building	Administration	Teachers
CLE	Barbara Bandura	bbandura@socsd.org
TZHS	Donna Grasso	dgrasso@socsd.org
BOCES	John Gulino	jgulino@rboces.org
CLE	Lisa Kahn	lkahn@socsd.org
TZHS	Eugene Kousoulas	ekousoulas@socsd.org
WOS/ECP	Ellen Kriegel	ekriegel@socsd.org
SOMS	Karen Martin	kmartin@socsd.org
TZE	Patricia McCarthy	pmccarthy@socsd.org
Facilities	Emer O'Riordan	eo'riordan@socsd.org
Facilities	Philip Scala	pscala@socsd.org
Facilities	Thomas Warren	twarren@socsd.org
PTA Rep.	To be submitted

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