Comments on: Two Open Positions on DHS School Leadership Team

By: CSD Mom

CSD Mom — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 19:42:35 +0000

She was definitely on an SLT last year, but I won’t name it so I don’t blow her cover. Not sure if she’s still on it this year.

By: Diane

Diane — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:35:02 +0000

So which SLT are you on?

By: karass

karass — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 17:54:02 +0000

Of course all 2,000 or so parents can’t run! And everyone has to find where they fit best as a contributer to their school community. But I want to make the point that we can complain and debate one another all we want but meanwhile others are making the decisions. If a DHS parent wants to be a decision-maker for DHS, here’s the opportunity. The CSD Charter has delegated some pretty substantial authority to SLTs for school-level decisions and a School Board member has said that it’s up to the SLTs to seize the opportunity and use that authority. If parents show little interest in being on the SLT, the school system can interpet it as a sign that parents don’t really want a leadership role in our schools. Maybe that’s true. IMHO, I think many know that serving on SLTs has had its rough spots and growing pains–initially, lots of folks ran to be SLT members. It’s hard to volunteer your free time for something time-consuming and sometimes difficult, sometimes unpleasant, sometimes frustrating, sometimes without proof of impact. The hardest part is discussing issues and sometimes disagreeing with the administrators and teachers in whose hands you place your children every day. But governance isn’t easy, especially when the form of governance changes without changing out the people involved. SLTs have a lot of potential if the system can learn to trust and empower them and the parents and teachers can commit time and energy to them.

By: Diane

Diane — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 17:18:51 +0000

While I understand the basis of your point, I don’t think one needs to agree to be on this team in order to have the right to voice an opinion. I’m not particularly fond of meetings and am not terribly good at things that require a lot of meetings. I am, however, very good at getting stuff done. Boots on the ground, hands dirty sorts of things.

As a volunteer, I have sometimes been taken aback at people who criticize how others have handled something. I can almost always silence them by asking them to take part in doing something. Hear those crickets chirping?

By: karass

karass — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:59:26 +0000

DHS Parents: No application, no complaining!