In West Virginia, where minority populations represent a very small component of the total population, divisions along racial or even ethnic lines are rare. Here, divisions occur along lines of family or geography. Geographic divisions take place between folks who live in the hills and the valleys or between folks who live on opposite sides of a river. In Putnam County, even though most of the population is on the south bank of the Kanawha River, it is always important to make sure that north bank residents get their equitable share of the action. They represent a small but politically vocal and powerful minority. —Dr. Sam Sentelle, Superintendent, Putnam County Schools, Putnam County, West Virginia
Step 18. Creating a school facilities master plan Step 19. Supporting the plan’s implementation
facilitator and the members of the core planning team; they need to be consistently reinforced through training and vigilance.
the committee's purpose and a summary of expectations for members. Send out materials in advance of the first meeting. Include pertinent facts about the school district and its
Key concerns for selecting steering committee members include the need to reflect as many perspectives as possible, to fully represent the region's social and ethnic diversity, and to include all geographic areas in the school district. “Diversity”means different things to different communities. Consider, for example, the case of the Appalachian community that is quoted at the top of this page. When the objective is to achieve comprehensive diversity on a single committee, it is helpful to consider community leaders who can represent several issues or constituencies. Whenever a diverse group comes together, disputes and disagreements may be expected, so it is wise to choose steering committee members who can remain open minded and committed to achieving community consensus and a shared vision. From the outset, these attributes need to be demonstrated by the
STEP 5 ACTION CHECKLIST:
facilities, an overview of the facilities
ORGANIZING THE STEERING
planning process, a schedule of future
COMMITTEE
meetings, and literature about current
Make a list of potential steering committee members who meet the three criteria of clout, commitment, and diversity. Keep in mind that members should
research and best practices related to teaching and learning. The design principles and descriptions of actual innovative school designs contained herein can provide useful advance information.
include educators, parents, students, and representatives from local civic and busi-
Plan meetings carefully. Prepare a
ness organizations within the community.
list of operating norms to guide the
Consider soliciting suggestions for poten-
steering committee. Build into the
tial members from groups such as the
meeting schedule time to develop a
PTA, the local ministerial association, and
common knowledge base, provide
the Chamber of Commerce.
training and orientation for the planning
Create a database to track members and ensure broad representation from
process, and prepare a shared mission statement focused on addressing the district's and community's facilities needs.
the outset. This database will aid communication throughout the process. Schedule an initial meeting of prospective members, issuing invitations through personal contact or by telephone. Follow up with a written invitation that includes a brief statement of
PART FOUR: MAKING IT HAPPEN 49