Step 1: Create an Action Team
A team approach is an appropriate way to build school, family, and
community partnerships. The Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) can be
the “action arm” of a School Council, if one exists. The action team takes
responsibility for assessing present practices, organizing options for new
partnerships, implementing selected activities, evaluating next steps, and
continuing to improve and coordinate practices for all six types of involvement.
Although the members of the action team lead these activities, they
are assisted by other teachers, parents, students, administrators, and community
members.
The action team should include at least three teachers from different
grade levels, three parents with children in different grade levels, and one
administrator. Teams may also include at least one member from the community
at large and, at the high school level, at least two students from different
grade levels. Others who are central to the school’s work with
families also may be included as members, such as a cafeteria worker, a
school social worker, a counselor, or a school psychologist. Such diverse
membership ensures that partnership activities will take into account the
various needs, interests, and talents of teachers, parents, the school, and
students.
The leader of the action team may be any member who has the respect
of the other members, as well as good communication skills and an understanding
of the partnership approach. The leader or at least one memberof the action team should also serve on the School Council, School
Improvement Team, or other such body, if one exists.
In addition to group planning, members of the action team elect (or are
assigned to act as) the chair or co-chair of one of six subcommittees for
each type of involvement. Alternatively, members can serve as chair or cochair
of three to five committees that focus on family and community
involvement for school improvement goals (e.g., improving reading, math,
behavior, partnerships). A team with at least six members (and perhaps as
many as 12) ensures that responsibilities for leadership can be delegated so
that one person is not overburdened and so that the work of the action
team will continue even if members move or change schools or positions.
Members may serve renewable terms of two to three years, with the
replacement of any who leave in the interim. Other thoughtful variations
in assignments and activities may be created by small or large schools
using this process.
In the first phase of our work in 1987, projects were led by “project
directors” (usually teachers) and were focused on one type of involvement
at a time. Some schools succeeded in developing good partnerships over
several years, but others were thwarted if the project director moved, if the
principal changed, or if the project grew larger than one person could handle.
Other schools took a team approach to work on many types of
involvement simultaneously. Their efforts demonstrated how to structure
the program for the next set of schools in our work. Starting in 1990, this
second set of schools tested and improved on the structure and work of
action teams. Now, all elementary, middle, and high schools in our
research and development projects, and in other states and districts that
are applying this work, are given assistance in taking the action team
approach.