Building Southmoor Together

Facilitator’s Summary Notes (Bill Fulton, The Civic Canopy) - link to full meeting minutes here

In its first meeting, the Task Force went through a series of discussions and activities to build a strong foundation for working together as a team and for communicating effectively.  They developed a set of guiding principles for their work together that include:

• Respect the views of all members: seek first to understand, then to be understood
• Be flexible and open to new ideas
• Be solution-oriented, not just position-oriented
• Build buy-in for the solutions we create
• Be accountable-follow through on what you say you will do

The Task Force then used these principles as they took part in a team development activity called Toxic Waste (adapted here as “Toxic Chicken J).  The group had to collaboratively solve a complicated task, with half of them blindfolded and half sighted.  They successfully completed it, and drew these lessons from the experience that will likely apply to the planning process for Southmoor:

• We need a clear, shared picture of where we are heading-what a vision of success will look like for Southmoor
• We need to communicate with other constantly and clearly, reinforcing what needs to change as well as what we are doing well
• We need to trust that if our common goals are met, our individual needs will get met as well-but that if we only pursue our individual interests separately, no one will succeed

The Task Force then engaged in a dialogue about the importance of creating a learning community as the school pursues its strategic planning process (see graphic model below).  That means creating  a common vision for the school, a clear plan for achieving it together, and way to learn from the results along the way.  As the dialogue continued about what that vision should be, everyone agreed that improving student achievement for “all of our kids” is at the heart of the vision.  Less clear, however, is who “our kids” are-and indeed, who are “we” as a community at Southmoor.  Many voiced the belief that everyone who attends the school is part of the “we.”  Others noted that there are some voices in the community who might challenge that, and have different notions of who should be included as a member of the community.  In the end, several questions emerged as central to this process:

• How can we become a more successful school, within the larger DPS system but in our unique way, given our restraints?
• Who is included in “our community?” Who do we consider to be a member?
• How can we use our resources to best meet the needs of all of our kids?
• In this process, how can we build an investment in Southmoor?

Individuals summarized the outcomes of the meeting on their own 3 x 5 index cards as a way to document the group’s ideas and to synthesize the process so far.  Overall, people described the first step as a way to develop the Task Force as a team, and to establish the foundation as a learning community to work with each other and with the larger community in the planning process.  Some members still felt unsure of what the Task Force will actually be doing, and what the clear outcome is. That will need to be refined and restated throughout the process.

The meeting ended with a discussion of how the group can best communicate with each other, and with the larger community.  It was agreed that a website will be central to this process.  Michael Acosta agreed to set one up for the group. He and Bill Fulton will coordinate efforts to get one up and running within the next few weeks.

Next Meeting Date:  Tuesday, January 19, 6:00 - 8:00 PM (5:30 Light Dinner)

Full meeting minutes: Building Southmoor Together Task Force Meeting Minutes - Dec 8 2009