Staff Board of Trustees
This is the seventh in a series of updates about the Small Schools at Heights High.
Shared Responsibility
Each small school at Heights High formed a shared governance team of about 16 members including principals, students, teachers, parents and, community members. In early May, each team met for their initial orientation and to get aquatinted with this method of governing or guiding a school. Teams will also meet in June and perhaps over the summer before reconvening in August.
The first goal of the meetings is to "familiarize members with the process of shared governance and group decision making, especially with all the voices at the table," says Dave Lehman, Ph.D, who led the first orientation meeting. He has considerable experience on shared governance teams and his support is provided by a KnowledgeWorks grant. The main goal of the teams is to improve student achievement. Dr. Lehman thinks that the best way to start these teams is for each team to choose a few goals and really focus on those.
Part of the power of the shared governance teams is that many voices and perspectives are contributing to the work. Here are a few comments from team members with a list of all members included at the end.
Student members Angela Steele (10th grade, Legacy School) and Shequea Howard (8th grade, REAL School) were excited at the prospect of being involved in the shared governance team where, at the first meeting, they felt that student opinions were welcome and even solicited.
"Mr. Aden (principal) made it clear from the start that students are encouraged to speak up and are expected to be equal members with the adults," said Ms. Howard. She also said that she feels "very honored" to be included on the team and sees great potential in students and adults working together.
Angela Steele does not see herself as a student leader but rather as a student representative. "I want to think about how we can, as peers, get student input into the governance meetings," she says. "One of my goals is to get more students successful and involved at school." She was especially impressed that the first meeting was well planned and that many members had a role.
Each team also includes three teachers, plus the teacher leader. PRIDE School Family and Consumer Science teacher Pat Fuller sees the teams as a way to get a well-rounded view for problem solving. "Student, parents and community members bring a different and valuable perspective to school work," she says. "My hope is that this team can respond faster to problems and be a grass roots way of helping the school."
Renaissance School Guidance Counselor Michael Dixon thought the first meeting was "full of energy and commitment to create a common good." He believes that developing the academic, social and moral strength of students works best when it is done as group or village. "If we can build real and strong relationships with parents, together we can solve many of our problems," he says. While he sees huge potential for the governance teams, he also acknowledges that "we have just begun on this journey and that there is a long road before us."
"I see the governance teams as an opportunity to make a positive change at Heights High," says Mosaic School parent Andrea Freeman. Ms. Freeman has served as PTA president at several CH-UH schools and is looking forward to having input in school policy. "One of the things I am thinking about is how to best connect the parents to each other, and then to the governance team," she says. "If parents first get to know each other then it is easier to talk about the issues that are important to us."
Kendra Reddick teaches middle school in Euclid and has been looking for a place to volunteer at Heights High and now she has found it. "I was impressed with how well organized the meeting was," she said. "I really liked that all interest groups were represented, it is a well balanced group." She looks forward to working to make Renaissance School a great place, "The governance team gives us a structure to work in."
Mike Suster has two young children and said "I feel privileged to be serving on the governance teams. I was really impressed with the students, they are mature and articulate, they added so much to the meeting." When thinking about his own high school experience, he hopes he can help make the REAL School something that he wanted when he was a teenager. "A place where there is more interaction between students and teachers and where kids are really known by the teachers."
Long time community member, parent of two alumni, and former Heights High teacher Reva Leizman sees the governance teams as a "golden opportunity to work with parents and community members for the greater good of the school." She appreciated that the first meeting was well thought out and looks forward to contributing to the work.
For more detailed information about shared governance, see http://www.chuh.org/smallschools/Shared%20Governance%20May.pdf
Click Here to see the Shared Governance Teams for each Small School for the 2005-06 school year.
This update was compiled by Joy Henderson, Parent/Community Liaison for the Small Schools Initiative. If you have questions or comments, please e-mail or call J_Hendeson@chuh.org or 320-3052. This is the seventh in a series of updates about the Small Schools at Heights High.
