Toward Collaboration in District/Association Relationships: ABC School District.

February 25, 2009
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Toward Collaboration in District/Association Relationships

The San Bernardino Experience

San Bernardino also has a district/association relationship that is worthy of copying.  Only they have had one big difference – they began with and continue a collaborative intent.  It spread from the Superintendent and President of the association to the entire teacher corps and staff in just 4 short years.  Early on they saw the need to maintain a reasonably positive and close working relationship.  Like ABC School District, they saw the need to establish a series of guidelines or ground rules as they call them.  They are:

  1. Focus on problems or solutions, not people.  Avoid blame and defensiveness.
  2. One person talks at a time.  Avoid side conversations.
  3. Check assumptions.
  4. When generating options:
  5. No evaluation
  6. No ownership
  7. No commitment
  8. We will share openly and honestly, and will assume confidentiality unless otherwise decided.
  9. Cell phone will stay on stun.

It’s through these ground rules and a collaborative intent that San Bernardino maintains its positive relationship with the teachers association.

How it Works

  1. The District Superintendent and Association President meet once a month
  2. The clients of the district and the association meet approximately 4 times a year.
  3. They used a facilitator at first from the outside then eventually from the inside.

They operate on much of the same conflict principles as does ABC School District.  All in all they are an exemplary school district in district/association collaboration.