TILS A-a

Leadership Team
Activity: I have been a member of the schools leadership team for two years.
Description: As one of the Freshman Academy Lead teachers, I was asked to serve on the
Leadership Team as a liaison for our academy. My role was to represent the needs and opinions
of the teachers, and administration if not present, during the meetings with our principal and
other leadership team faculty members: STEM Academy, Medical and Business Academy,
Humanities Academy, and Guidance personnel. If and when issues needed to be addressed with
the Freshman Academy at the conclusion of the leadership meetings, I would then notify my
academy in the appropriate way: email, meeting, face-to-face, etc.
a. What went well?
The most effective part about being a member on this team is the interaction with other
leadership representatives in the school. Being an academy school, I do not really get
those opportunities to interact with colleagues outside of the Freshman Academy. There
was collaboration among the team members during discussions, even if there were
disagreements. We would come together to discuss various issues and upcoming events:
testing schedules, academy focus, FEMA building grant, etc. The planning,
conversations, and feedback are mainly what went well.
b. What did not?
A lot of the meetings simply could have been addressed in an email format instead of a
before school meeting with the very same outcome. When collaboration with a purpose
did take place, it was successful, but that did not occur every other week when the
meetings were held. Lastly, the worst part was when the leadership team had to listen to
the principal complain and talk badly about the central office and superintendent. If a

decision was made that, his view, negatively affected our school, we all heard about it the
entire meeting and nothing more was accomplished- time wasted.
c. Given the chance to do it again, how would you do it better?
When I am given the opportunity to lead leadership team meetings, or when I lead any
meeting, I would make sure to have an agenda to focus on for entire meeting. That
agenda would keep myself and team on track when/if one or all lose focus. I would also
like to get that agenda out to those coming to the meeting at least one day in advance, so
those of whom I am asking to participate will have an opportunity to review the
information ahead of time and be prepared as I am prepared. I would also not use this
platform to simply complain about issues or problems. There is a professional way to
discuss problems, even with the leadership team, and the goal is make sure the focus is on
the school and students. If the school and students are not the focus, then that platform is
not the time.