By Caren Carew, Secondary Field Representative


Let's continue to be out front in the area of school reform initiatives at each one of our schools through shared decision making as a part of our School Site Councils. We are compelled to become an increased part of the solution or be labeled as part of the problem. Many initiatives that a school community wishes to implement in order to effect change at their school can be modified or "waived" through our collective bargaining agreement. Much of what people seek to accomplish when proposing to become pilot or charter schools can largely be achieved through the SSC waiver process. Let's become more a part of the active solution of these concerns now facing us rather than allowing by tacit agreement educational reforms be done to us not with us. We are at a critical juncture in public education where history will individually and collectively measure us by our willingness to get out in front of the curve or to retreat to the shadows and be left by the wayside.

Shared Decision Making utilizing the School Site Council model can work - better in the BPS through increased BTU members active involvement. The time is now for all of us to believe, to stand up, be counted, and to become involved. Becoming an active member of the community is hard. It is harder still to not act and to suffer the consequences of our voices, expertise, and concerns not being heard and included in the mix. We are the ones at the school who do "focus on children" - let's make sure the decisions made through the School Site Council (SSC) do just that through our active involvement.

Everything is connected. In each school, first there is an election to choose Building Representatives run each year by September 15th. Once BTU Building Reps are in place, they run elections prior to October 15th for BTU members to serve on the School Site Council - Shared Decision Making Team. The BTU Building Representatives also run an election to select Faculty Senate members. The faculty elects representatives to these positions and the elected representatives, be they to the BTU, SSC, or Faculty Senate need to be supported by the faculty that elected them as they in turn, support their colleagues. We are all connected.

School Site Council members are elected to bring forth and vote representing their constituency, not only themselves. In order to be able to do this effectively, often they can gain knowledge of the overall staff's perspective through Faculty Senate meetings, as well as cluster/academy/unit/pod or SLC meetings. Anyone from the school community is encouraged to attend SSC meetings. Only those who are elected SSC members may cast a vote, but up until the vote, all parties are encouraged to participate fully. Please refer to the BTU Collective Bargaining Agreement, - "The Contract" 2006-2010 (orange) pages 14-26 for specific information pertaining to School Site Councils.

Monthly SSC meetings must be held and are subject to the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law requiring all meetings be posted and open to the entire school community - not held behind closed doors. Shared decision making requires give and take. Decisions should be reached by consensus whenever possible. A quorum must be present at the SSC meeting in order to take a vote or make a decision. A quorum includes the principal, 2 teachers and 2 parents for a SSC of 9 - 12 members. For a SSC with 13 or more members, a quorum includes the principal, 3 parents and 3 teachers. If a quorum is not present, no decisions may be made.

Minutes of the meetings must be made available within five school days following said meetings. If this does not occur, there is not adequate communication within the school community of what is occurring in the decision making body of the school which often results in a feeling of disenfranchisement. Any SSC member can put items on the agenda of a meeting as long as they fall under the authority of the SSC. SSC meetings are to be co-chaired by the principal and one other member elected by the SSC. This is to ensure that one person and their agenda do not dominate the meetings. The concept is shared decision making - not having one person make the decisions and then share them with the rest of the committee!

This structure is a potentially powerful tool enabling the SSC to effectively "waive" certain components of the BTU Contract. The Union has provided a means for individual schools to have more autonomy as it relates to our contract - if the procedure is followed properly. The BTU is part of the solution to school improvement efforts. Our Contract reads in part, " The purpose of shared decision making is to create a climate in the schools where the faculty, parents, administrators, ... working together share the responsibility and accountability for school improvement, better student performance, increased satisfaction among professional educators, greater involvement by and with parents, and stronger support from the community."

There is a joint Union/Management Steering Committee co-chaired by the BTU President and the BPS Superintendent to monitor SSC concerns such as ..."to deal with Councils that do not operate in compliance with the terms of the collective bargaining agreement or where Councils are frequently unable to reach decisions by consensus, or where the principal repeatedly exercises a veto over the votes of a majority of council members." The contract explains that any SSC member may file a complaint with the Steering Committee concerning the operation of their SSC and that such complaints ... "should involve serious breaches of the established guidelines for the implementation of SBM/SDM [School Based Management/Shared Decision Making] and that there has been a good faith effort at the school level to resolve these problems prior to filing the complaint."

It's time to step up and be a part of the solution! Each member of the school community is part of the team that either decides to be a part of the process or stay on the bench. All of us are accountable for our collective and individual participation, large and small, in the governance and decisions made in our schools affecting our classrooms, our kids, and ourselves. We deserve to be heard and respected. The first step is to believe our voice can make a difference. I believe it does. The ball is now in your court. Are you going to use it or lose it? We are all depending upon each other. We are all connected. Let's support one another and our kids. We can make it better. Believe in BTUnity!