Discussions

Discussion Items


 * TEST
 * Concerns with ESU staff and other districts believing negative things that have been shared by Rita. Several individuals specifically have been targeted as well as negative comments about other districts. How can we handle this?
 * Possible ESU picnic or get together to help new staff get to know everyone and help with moral

a Team Scoreboard __The purpose of the Team Leader meetings__: To communicate, collaborate and proactively problem-solve //as a united group// to protect and celebrate ESU 1.
 * November 1, 2014:**
 * Revisit in March 2014.**

Our Thematic Goal: __Rhonda__: I was thinking more like Wendy for the Thematic Goal. Since we will have our Team Leader Retreat on September 20--and focus on Presenter Skills, I wondered if we should use that as our focus for 2013-14 as Team Leaders. As Team Leaders, we could intentionally use the skills/strategies we learned during the Retreat for our ESU leadership responsibilities. Time could be provided during our Team Leader meetings to update one another and what we have done and how we are doing. Maybe there would even be one specific strategy/skill all Team Leaders would focus on???
 * Billie: Combine mission statements, visions, and goals in a meaningful manner so that these can be implemented and understood by all ESU staff.**
 * Bob: I agree with Billie and would add to keep this simple; possibly go with our mission statement; PILS**
 * Wendy: Is this goal for our team leader group? I think our goal should be simple and go along with mission of PILS if possible but I think our goal is something along the lines as leaders to communicate with our group and individual departments. Keeping eachother informed and working to make our esu as a whole better and making decisions on needs where improvements/changes are needed.**
 * Cheri** ~ I agree with all of the above. I believe it needs to be simple and yet meaningful to all of us. I like the idea of taking what we learn at our leadership retreat and focusing in on a specific skill/strategy to use within our different groups.

Billie: We will have a mission statement, vision, and goal that are fluid and meaningful thus, easier to implement. These should also be placed in one location and possibly all listed together? Bob: If we have a strong goal we will never reach it. However we will be a strong ESU that provides high quality services to schools. One might conclude that if we have the right goal and have a laser focus we are reaching our Thematic Goal. Wendy: I think we are meeting our goal when we have data/evidence on how we are working together to improve departments. How as a leadership team do we communicate and support and work together? __Rhonda__: If we lead our Departments with strategies/skills we learned during the September 20 training, update our progress during Team Leader meetings, and continue to add to the strategies/skills with mini-lessons during our Team Leader meetings--we will be moving towards our goal.
 * How will we know when we have reached our Thematic Goal?**
 * Cheri** ~ I do believe it is important to have our mission, vision and goals listed in one location and having them visible. If you can't remember what each of those items are then it is difficult to be working towards them. I agree with Wendy about how we know we are working toward our goals or reaching them, is when we can show the evidence and proof of that work. We can list things we have done on the road to reaching those goals.

What are some ways in which we can track progress toward our goal? __Rhonda__: Keeping our Team Leader goal front-and-center during each meeting. This could mean the goal is listed on the agenda, Team Leaders share progress made using strategies/skills during Department meetings, and each of us bring additional strategies/skills to add to our presentation "toolkit".
 * Billie: Each department could have this listed on each agenda and could review them at each meeting. I do this at each of the department meetings for our department goals...but not to the ESU goals. This would be a good addition potentially?**
 * Bob: Input from ESU and school staff, identified goals, our annual survey, student data ie., NeSA, MAPs, AimsWeb, Results Matter, etc. also agree with Billie's addition**
 * Wendy: Evidence of what we are doing, what needs to be done, what people would like to see done, ... We do a lot of good things but are we working together as teams the best we can to make the best progress for our schools and students? I think having the SPED staff meetings is one example of how we have tried to improve our communication with other departments and to help us do things better.**
 * Cheri** ~ I think it is important to look at our goals monthly, at our Team Leader meetings and review the progress that has been made and share the struggles too.

Billie: We could talk at each of or coordinator meetings about how our departments are EACH working toward the ESU goal and how our department goals work with ESU goals. Bob: The use of various forms of data and through our AdvancED process. Maintaining a focus of continuous improvement. Wendy: Once we know what our goal is I think having that in front of us each meeting and discussing what we are doing to work towards it. If we have that discussion each month then it's easier to talk about changes that need to happen. __Rhonda__: Similar to my comments above (goal is listed on the monthly agenda, Team Leaders share progress made when working with Departments, Team Leaders bring additional strategies/skills to share). I think we could build the "scoreboard" together once we have our Team Leader thematic goal determined.
 * What kind of "scoreboard" will help us stay focused on the goal and able to see our progress?**
 * Cheri** ~ I think it would be helpful to have a document, that we update each month at our meeting to keep track of our progress. Even if it is a running record of sorts, it could list what we have accomplished so far, challenges we have had or anticipate and our plans to move forward.