Keeping Schools Open As Community Learning Centers - July 1997
A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n
Appendix F
Consider Logistical Issues: How to Go from Design to Implementation
Although the excitement of collaboration and the immediacy of children's needs naturally draw attention to curricula, services, and programmatic concerns, don't forget to address the logistical issues involved in building a partnership and implementing new approaches, including governance and management and the sharing of facilities.
Governance and Management Features
These include:
- Strong leadership--on-site and within the collaboration, to keep activities connected to goals, motivate staff, and generate continuing resources.
- Collaborative decision making--through committees, hearings, task forces, workshops, and public forums, to ensure that activities match local needs and to build the investment of all stakeholders.
- Clear understanding of management and organization procedures--including agreement on which partners hold legal responsibility and which partners are accountable for each element of the program.
- Training and professional development of after-school staff-- on-going, paid professional training and development are as critical for after-school staff and tutors as staff development is for teachers and paraprofessionals working during the regular school day.
- Well-managed, mutually accepted arrangements for sharing space and costs--carefully plan and discuss responsibilities and payment structures, making sure that all parties are heard; everyone must accept, and have the same understanding of, the final arrangements.
- A system for communication and problem resolution among partners--from the start, establish a system of accountability and a system for handling grievances about all of the issues above.
Sharing Facilities
All programs need easy access for students with disabilities, adequate space for activities and staff, a safe and drug-free environment, and an inviting atmosphere that attracts program participants. Since extending schools hours means using the school at night, ensure that there are adequate, safe, and well-lit parking areas. Programs that offer recreation need access to safe indoor and outdoor play areas; programs that provide day care or preschool need areas where young children can be protected and supervised.
After-school and summer enrichment programs often must share space that serves other purposes during regular school hours. Licensing requirements also can influence the type of school space that a program needs. These factors create possibilities for conflicts among school and after-school program staff about the size, management, and scheduling of program facilities.
Formal agreements among partners can reduce or eliminate conflicts, especially regarding classrooms, parking areas, entrances, administration and reception areas, lounges and restrooms, and storage and staff work areas. Remember that priorities, needs, and patterns of use change daily and over the life of a program. Keep the agreements flexible enough to adapt to these changes.
Continual, deliberate efforts to coordinate activities, communicate about small problems, and negotiate solutions can avert major disagreements over shared space. A building manager or coordinator, responsible for maintaining and scheduling space, can serve as a liaison among partners and ensure that the spaces are maintained and shared without disrupting any programs.
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[Appendix E: Design an Effective Program] 
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[Appendix G: Obtain Qualified Staff]