ZAMORANO FINE ARTS ACADEMY
SHARED DECISION MAKING GOVERNANCE DOCUMENT - SCHOOL GOVERNANCE TEAM
PHILOSOPHY/PURPOSE
Vision Statement: The Zamorano community will work together to enable each child to achieve their full potential and self-worth through an integrated visual arts curriculum which will allow each student to become a productive member of a global society.
We strive to achieve these goals through shared decision-making as set forth in this governance document with the involvement of administration, certificated and classified staff,parents and community.
PARTICIPANTS AND SIZE
Total Members: 14
9 Total Staff Members that Include:
1 Administrator
4 Classroom teachers (At least one representative from K-2 or 3-6)
1 SDEA Representative
1 GATE/Special Education Representative
1 Non-classroom certificated staff
1 Classified staff
5 Parents or Community Members
Alternates
When a member cannot attend a Governance Team (SGT) meeting, that member will select his or her own alternate to attend. The alternate can vote in place of regular member.
METHOD OF SELECTION
- Representatives are volunteers and some serve in an ex officio capacity.
- Parents may volunteer to serve or may be appointed.
- Any vacancy on the SGT shall be filled for the remainder of the school year by volunteers, or appointment by the co-chairs. If the unexpired term is for another full year thereafter, the term for that following year shall be filled by the regular selection process.
TERMS OF OFFICE
Members will serve a two year term. Members may be elected to serve one or more additional terms of office. In the interest of continuity and experience, two-year terms will be staggered so that there will always be experienced people on the team.
To resign from the SGT, a member will send a letter of resignation to a SGT co-chair.
LEADERSHIP
Chairperson
The chairperson shall be elected by the SGT.
Term
One year, may be re elected only once.
Duties
- Set agenda with input from other SGT members.
- Provide a system for suggesting agenda items.
- Open meetings.
- Elicit participation from all team members.
- Guide the SGT to keep discussions on task.
- Guide the SGT in reaching consensus, decision-making, team building, and dispute resolution procedures.
- Ensure copy of minutes is distributed to each SGT member.
- Post agenda in office and in parent room at least 3 days prior to the meeting.
Recorder
There will be one recorder who may volunteer or be appointed by the chairperson. The Recorder will take the minutes of meetings regularly and will arrange distribution before the next meeting as follows:
- Highlights of meetings will be shared with the PTF and SSC via representative and through the weekly staff bulletin,and Z-News when necessary.
SCOPE OF DECISIONS
The goal of the SGT is to improve the achievement of all students by ensuring quality instruction and learning experiences and will strive for the following:
- The principal and school staff will be engaged in continual learning and reflective study.
- Respect the diversity among students,parents, staff and the learning community.
The SGT will oversee the comprehensive site plan to ensure the continuous development of optimum student achievement.
Activities/Roles of the SGT
1. Oversee the following:
- Health and Human Services
- Assessment and Accountability
- School Policies and Procedures
2. Supports the shared decision making process.
3. Seeks input and sharing outcomes with ILT teams and the learning community.
4. Oversees site policy and goals.
5. Creates committees/groups based on identified needs.
6. Shares information, expertise and documents necessary to make informed decisions. (Staff, PTF, Instructional Teams, SSC & Foundation).
7. Participation on district committees by SGT members is recommended.
8. Reviews instructional team's recommendations and rank as needed.
9. All meetings will be published and open to anyone who wishes to attend. Agenda items must be submitted to the chairperson at least
4 days before the scheduled meeting. Forms on which to write agenda items are available in the main/front office and website and must be signed by the originator.
10. Consensus is the preferred type of decision-making (see operating procedure“b”).
11. Decide when it is necessary to take recommendations to a group of stakeholders for their input and/or vote (i.e.parents, community, staff.)
Range of Authority
The SGT is empowered to act on behalf of Zamorano when the SGT decisions and actions are approved by a two thirds majority (or upon reaching consensus) of the members present. Actions and decisions of the team must be consistent with Board of Education policy, legal mandates and contractual language (unless a waiver is granted).
Process for Changing Governance Document
Staff and parents may go to any SGT representative with concerns, and the representative will bring the proposed concern to the SGT at the next meeting. Agenda item forms on which to write concerns will be available in the workroom and Parent Center and must be signed by the originator.
OPERATING PROCEDURES
a. Decisions by the SGT will be made primarily by consensus.
b. If the decision cannot be reached by consensus, the SGT will follow a standard problem-solving format and try for consensus again. If consensus still cannot be reached, then the decision will be made by a 2/3 vote. If neither consensus nor a 2/3 vote can be achieved, the matter will be removed from the agenda and returned to the originator.
c. Issues taken to the staff will follow the following procedure:
- A clear and simple statement of the issue, including supporting data, will be disseminated to the staff prior to the decision-making meeting.
- A response sheet will be included with the information sheet providing staff members an opportunity for written input. The SGT will collect, organize and consider the written responses at the staff meeting, if needed. Discussion will follow. After a reasonable amount of discussion, a decision will be made by a 2/3 vote using a secret ballot.
d. Issues taken to parents/community will follow the following procedure:
- A clear and simple statement of the issue,including supporting data, will be disseminated to parents/community
- A response sheet will be included with the information sheet providing parents/community an opportunity for written input. The SGT will collect, organize, and consider the written responses. Information may be disseminated in various ways such as:
telephone, parent bulletins, weekly staff bulletins, newsletter,parent meeting, PTF, and SSC.
e. If an individual or group feels they need to go directly to the SGT with an issue or concern, they can complete an agenda form or email the Chairperson.
f. The SGT will meet a minimum of four times a year. The schedule of meetings will be determined by the first meeting. Extra meetings will be held if needed. All meetings will be advertised and open to anyone who wishes to attend. Voting privileges are limited to official members or their assigned alternates. Minutes of each meeting will be posted next to the agenda in the office and read and approved at the following meeting.
STRUCTURE
a. Each constituent group will reach consensus before presenting recommendations to the SGT committees.
b. The SGT will discuss and decide to:
- accept recommendation or sent back to the constituent group (staff,parent/community) for reconsideration, or for input and/or vote.
c. The SGT will disseminate their decisions in written form and/or in staff meetings as necessary.
MONITORING OF PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
A review of the existing bylaws will be made annually and completed before July 1st of each year. The results of this evaluation will be reviewed by the SGT.
SGT Bylaws 2017-2018