Notify staff of organizational meeting and who is serving on the Building Committee.
Staff can submit written concerns to any member of the Committee.
Allow members to submit concerns anonymously.
Establish a deadline for submitting concerns.
Select the chairperson.
Review concerns submitted by the staff and prioritize them.
Set aside inappropriate concerns (i.e., conflict between staff members or issues that must be bargained).
Develop consensus on positions, potential solutions, priorities, and the agenda for the meeting with your principal.
Determine which Committee members will speak to each concern.
Develop an agenda - limit it to a few items.
Select a notetaker.
Distribute agenda to staff.
Give principal a copy of the agenda.
Establish a mutually convenient time to meet.
Agree upon a neutral location.
Do not discuss items or details with the principal prior to the meeting.
The chairperson facilitates the meeting.
The principal may have the assistant principal in the meeting.
Present the agenda items with details, specific examples, and propose solutions.
Take comprehensive notes.
Obtain commitments for follow-up from the principal - with deadlines and specific steps.
Provide a written report to the staff.
The report should not be edited by the principal.
Publish victories.
If your school is receiving ongoing support from an MTEA staff member, send him/her a copy of the report.
Hold the principal to his/her commitments and deadlines.
Begin next committee meeting with a review of the previous agenda items and resolutions.
If you experience major and/or persistent problems in addressing your concerns, contact an MTEA staff member for advice and support.