Fall, 2000 No. 9 National Network of Partnership Schools
How to Organize Successful Action Teams
Joyce L. Epstein,
DirectorTogether Everyone Achieves More (TEAM) is a favorite saying of many schools, districts, and states in the National Network of Partnership Schools. Why are action teams so important?
Studies show that partnership programs are not sustained when just one person is “in charge.” If that person moves or changes schools, as often happens, partnerships decline or disappear. Also, there is little buy-in when involvement is seen as “Ms. Myown’s program.” By contrast, an action team of teachers, parents, administrators, and community partners working together to plan, implement, evaluate, and improve partnerships from year to year can involve all families in ways that support school improvement goals for student success.
How can schools make the most of their Action Teams for Partnerships? The Partnership School Award sites have some good examples and advice on effective teams.
Integrate School Leadership Structures
The Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) is the “action arm” of a school improvement team or site council. Bouquet Canyon, Franklin-York, and Westlake Elementary Schools integrate partnership goals with their overall plans for school improvement. Mount Logan Middle has fully integrated the ATP with its Community Council and PTSA. Nightingale Middle’s ATP reports its progress in the school’s monthly newsletter so that all parents and teachers know about partnership activities and how to participate.
Delegate Tasks and Find Team Talent
An ATP has a chairperson or, better, co-chairs to lead the team and committees. To organize its work, Westlake’s ATP selects a team leader, facilitator, timekeeper, recorder, and liaison to the Building Leadership Team. Good teams also seek talent. For example, Woodridge Primary School recruited a parent team member to develop the school’s web site.
Allocate Time for Meetings
Well-functioning Action Teams meet at least monthly, and committees meet as needed to implement scheduled activities. Westlake holds one ATP meeting per month before school and one after school so that parents with different schedules can participate. Some administrators support teamwork by covering classes or arranging monthly substitute teachers so that the teachers on the ATP can meet with other team members.
Involve All Teachers and All Families
There are many ways for an ATP to plan a partnership program that involves the whole school community. At Franklin-York, all teachers make “porch visits” at the start of the year to their students’ homes to meet all families and to initiate a spirit of partnerships. All teachers at Mount Logan Middle have telephones in their classrooms to communicate with students’ families.
Maintain Members
Action Teams must replace teachers, parents, and other members who leave, and orient new members to team procedures and on-going action plans. For example, Woodridge has had three principals in the past three years who needed to be included in the school’s partnership program. Despite changing leaders, the ATP sustained a quality partnership program.
Select a Team Name
Action Teams for Partnerships may be given unique local names. Bouquet Canyon calls its ATP the Parents as Partners Committee. Whatever the name, a well-organized action team is essential for a successful and sustained program of school, family, and community partnerships.
NOTE: To help your Action Team with its work, see the Network’s Partnership Planner, which guides Action Team activities for one school year. Also, see useful information and tools in Your Handbook for Action including “Who are the members of your Action Team? (pp. 148-150); and alternative forms for the One-Year Action Plan (pp. 130-136).
