Dear Alexander Families,
Think about your family. Think about your colleagues at work. Think about a team on which you’ve played. In each of these groups, certain norms or expectations have guided how the group works together.
Establishing norms within a group is an important step to ensuring that the group will function as effectively as possible.
In alignment with our District goals related to collaboration and engagement, our committees, grade level teams, and department teams have spent time this year crafting norms to guide our work. Norms can include things like starting and ending on time or accepting input from all members of the team or staying present and avoiding distractions during meetings. Norms help reinforce those things we do well as a group and guide us in areas that might be a challenge. Another way of thinking about norms is to consider norms as the commitments team members make to each other to ensure the work can be accomplished in a collaborative, purposeful, effective manner.
Our Board of Education has spent some time recently crafting their own norms. The Board norms communicate the role of the Board and how the Board works together on behalf of the Alexander community. The Alexander Board of Education norms are:
*We represent all students and District residents.
*We speak with one voice.
*We consider all matters brought to the Board as confidential.
*We are active listeners.
*We agree to the practice of tell one, tell all.
*We are visible in our schools and at school functions.
*We are respectful to all.
These norms speak volumes about the commitment of our Board of Education to serve our community.
In Alexander, we are committed to our District mission and goals. Crafting norms for how we work together in a deliberate and thoughtful manner is essential as we challenge all students to be confident, contributing, learners within a structured, safe, and caring environment.
With thanks~
Dr. Huber
