Assembling the School Design Team
Overview
In this step, the high school principal, along with 2-3 other leaders at the school, delves into understanding the meaning and purpose of school transformation and the role a school design team will play in their school’s design journey. If they are undertaking transformation as part of a larger, district-led initiative, they also familiarize themselves with a new model for how their schools will relate to the district and its central offices. Together, they explore the essential roles within the school design team, identify potential candidates for these roles, and begin the process of enlisting them.
Goal
Recruit and empower a school design team to lead the journey
Owner(s)
Principal; for a new school, the potential design team leader
Contributors(s)
2-3 high school leaders
Why this matters
Equitable, impactful, and lasting high school transformation starts with putting schools and students at the center of the change. While this may sound simple, it requires a fundamental rethinking of how change happens in a school, who needs to be involved, and how to work together.
Putting schools and students at the heart of transformation means grounding any change in the specific needs of students, the ambitions of the local community, and the unique qualities of a new or redesigned school. Unlike more traditional, top-down change efforts that tend to yield more uniform, generalized solutions, this process drives transformation that is nuanced, participatory, meaningful, and holistic.
A school design team that takes on the task of designing a new school or redesigning an existing one will need to be agile and resourceful enough to move quickly and address challenges creatively, while also coordinating the efforts of others. The work ahead includes planning deep learning and development experiences for students—and crafting the finance, technology, operations, and human resources systems that make those experiences tangible. There’s a lot to accomplish, and it’s important to keep up momentum.
Throughout the journey, the school design team will be responsible for:
- Engaging, activating, and aligning the school community to provide a comprehensive set of services, supports, and opportunities for students, while also amplifying their voices to foster a community-driven transformation
- Strengthening ties with key people in the district or other transformation partner who can champion schools by streamlining processes, eliminating barriers, and shaping policy
- Involving and managing the extended school team, encompassing a broader group of individuals, to enhance the school design team’s capacity and enrich the transformation process
- Connecting with various stakeholders cross-functionally within the school to execute transformation efforts
- Leading the day-to-day implementation of the transformation strategy
- Making decisions at the school level about time, money, and collaboration
A strong school design team, composed of 10-11 champions, expediters, communicators, and facilitators, is critical to driving the design journey. If they are redesigning an existing school, they enjoy both the support of the school principal and the independence they need to make key decisions. This unique position enables them to effectively spearhead change.