Governance Structure

The purpose of the governance structure is to promote and facilitate effective school improvement in Network schools and to promote robust professional development among education professionals at all levels (teachers, administrators, counselors, psychologists, teacher education students, university faculty, etc.). The goal of the governance structure is to achieve these purposes with maximum efficiency and effectiveness, while involving all stakeholders appropriately, and allowing for flexible and dynamic development in individual partnerships.

These Network goals and purposes are to be realized through an organizational structure consisting of three units:

1. A Professional Development School Site Council (may be an existing school committee or advisory group)

The Professional Development School Site Council is the heart of simultaneous school improvement efforts. It focuses efforts at the individual school level, and involves all stakeholders in planning and realizing school improvement goals. It is organized as follows:

Membership:

• Membership on the School Site Council should include a broad representation of school personnel. It is recommended that representation include an administrator, teachers, school support staff, and the BSU faculty liaison. Membership may include parents, a school student, BSU teacher education students, and others drawn from groups such as business and community agency representatives. An existing school advisory group or committee may serve to function as the School Site Council. The size of the School Site Council will be determined by the size of the school.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct a minimum of two meetings per semester.
• Identify primary initiative(s) for school improvement to be pursued through the partnership.
• Coordinate partnership activities within the building.
• Inform and involve building personnel in partnership activities.
• Review and revise the yearly goals of the partnership.
• Encourage and support action research.
• Prepare the yearly narrative report that summarizes the partnership activities and new goals.

Leadership:

• School Site Council elects a chair from among its membership (preferably a classroom teacher).
• Council appoints a secretary to record the meetings and send the summary electronically to the PDS Network Director.

2. The PDS Network Advisory Council

The PDS Network Advisory Council serves as the unit that oversees and coordinates Network activities. The Advisory Council facilitates communication, cooperation, and coordination among and between the university, individual schools, and school communities to accomplish important Network goals. The office of the PDS Network Director will serve as the center of communication with and among agencies and partnerships involved in professional development and school improvement efforts.

Membership:

• The Dean of Teachers College.
• PDS Network Director.
• One representative from each department in Teachers College.
• One representative from each college outside Teachers College involved in teacher education.
• PDS liaisons.
• Adjunct faculty members from each PDS, including building administrators.

Responsibilities:

• Maintain communication with all partnership stakeholders.
• Approve partnership proposals.
• Facilitate sharing of information among Network schools.
• Facilitate and coordinate research agendas and initiatives among Network schools.
• Support initiatives among Network schools.

Leadership:

• The PDS Network Director.
• An Executive Committee shall be selected by the director and approved by the Advisory Council. The committee will include a representative from the College of Sciences and Humanities, Department of Educational Studies, Department of Elementary Education, Department of Special Education, early childhood education, an elementary PDS, a middle school PDS, a high school PDS, and a community representative. Representatives will be asked to serve for three years. The committee will review proposals from schools requesting a formal partnership as a professional development school, and will take the recommendation for membership in the PDS Network to the PDS Advisory Council for approval.

3. The Professional Development School Network Governing Board

The Professional Development School Network Governing Board serves to oversee and direct the operation of the Network by reviewing and establishing policies and procedures, and evaluating the progress of the overall Network effort. It is organized as follows:

Membership:

• Superintendent (or designee) of each school corporation with partnership schools in the Network.
• The Director of the Institute.
• Representatives from the following state agencies:
• Indiana State Teachers Association,
• American Federation of Teachers,
• Indiana Department of Education, and
• Indiana Chamber of Commerce.
• Dean of Teachers College, BSU.

Responsibilities:

• Establish and review policies for organization and operation of the Network, including policies and plans for expanding the Network.
• Review, evaluate, and disseminate results of partnership efforts in the various partnership schools in the Network.
• Propose new partnership initiatives, review and approve initiatives proposed by individual School Site Councils.

Leadership:

• Chair elected by members of the Governing Board.

Roles and Responsibilities of Individuals Associated with the PDS Network
Director—Roles and responsibilities include the following:

• Update the PDS Network directory.
• Update the PDS handbook.
• Maintain records and documents of PDS Network activities.
• Schedule/conduct liaison meetings.
• Handle the Holmes Conference registration/details.
• Visit PDS sites and/or make contacts regularly.
• Schedule/facilitate the PDS Network Advisory Council meetings.
• Work with the Dean of Teachers College to facilitate all Network activities.
• Assist the Dean with the Governing Board meetings.
• Process, and with the PDS Executive Committee, evaluate partnership proposals and make recommendations to the PDS Network Advisory Council and Governing Board.
• Oversee Web site.
• Oversee publication of a PDS newsletter.
• Represent the PDS Network as primary spokesperson and representative to the college, university, partners, and external community.
• Support professional development activities arising from partnership initiatives.

Principal or Principal's Designee—roles and responsibilities evolve in individual partnerships; however, they many include the following:

• Administer the PDS partnership at the building level.
• Foster the relationship between the school and the university.
• Assist in creating program design and expectations with school staff.
• Participate in the preservice teacher selection process.
• Assist with substitute teaching assignments of preservice teachers when applicable.
• Assist preservice teachers in securing extra-curricular assignments.
• Assist preservice teachers in securing paid teaching assignments.
• Develop leadership within the staff.
• Serve as a member of the PDS Network Advisory Council.
• Represent the PDS site in PDS Network activities.
• Serve on the PDS Site Council.
• Encourage and support action research within the building.
• Facilitate review of PDS proposal or PDS goals early each academic year.

Liaison—Roles and responsibilities evolve through individual partnerships; however, they may include the following:

• Serve as a member of the PDS Site Council.
• Design and implement preservice teacher seminars.
• Meet with adjunct faculty to monitor plans for preservice teacher activities.
• Meet with preservice teachers to monitor progress in achieving proficiencies.
• Monitor the overall implementation of the preservice teacher program.
• Communicate the preservice teacher program to prospective university students.
• Recruit preservice teachers.
• Assist with the preservice teacher selection process.
• Monitor preservice teacher progress in fulfilling certification requirements.
• Conduct workshops and provide technical assistance for cooperating teachers.
• Engage actively in the professional development of the school/site.
• Disseminate information to various stakeholders.
• Serve as a public relations advocate.
• Initiate and/or facilitate action research.
• Collaborate with Office of Educational Field Experiences.
• Identify and pursue resources that facilitate professional development activities.
• Serve as a member of the PDS Network Advisory Council.
• Serve as a representative in PDS Network meetings.

Adjunct Faculty—Roles and responsibilities evolve through individual partnerships; however, they may include the following:

• Serve in a leadership role (e.g., Site Council, Steering Committee, School Improvement Committee, Department Chair).
• Coordinate School Site Council meetings.
• Represent the PDS site in PDS Network activities.
• Implement the preservice teacher program at the building level.
• Assist in developing schedules for preservice teachers.
• Monitor each preservice teacher's progress.
• Meet with the university liaison to discuss preservice teachers and program.
• Assist university liaison in identifying resources in the building.
• Facilitate the development of resource materials for use by preservice teachers.
• Serve as the BSU faculty contact, if needed, when BSU liaison is not in the building.
• Encourage and support action research within the building.
• Serve as a representative in PDS meetings.
• Serve as a member of the PDS Network Advisory Council.

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