Start up your district committees

Among the questions district and site staff development committees should consider when establishing themselves and evaluating progress are the following:

How will members be selected/elected?
What will representation be? There must be a teacher majority by statute.
Who else should be involved even if not a member of the committee?
When (time) and how often should we meet? Where to meet is often another important consideration.
How long will members serve on the committee? By rotating membership, there always is a core left to bring new members aboard.
How will decisions be made (majority vote, consensus, etc.)?
What responsibilities will everyone have? Having co-chairs helps. Who will create the agenda?
Who will take notes? Will they be formal minutes or informal notes?
Does the committee have a change statement concise enough for everyone to know and operate by? Are there annual goals for the committee?
What resources does the committee need and have available?
What norms will there be? Who will develop and agree to them and how?
Would a staff development handbook be a valuable tool for committee members and others?

January 19, 2009