data and get feedback from a variety of people . As we end our second round of LCAP creation in 2017 , the process continues to grow and evolve , building an even greater foundation for continued transparency .
“ It ’ s refreshing to engage directly with our superintendent and Executive Cabinet to discuss matters that affect all parents and students ,” said Ocean View Parent Roundtable President Patricia Singer . “ This ‘ open door ’ philosophy has allowed for growth and honest conversations .”
We now say , look no further than inside your own walls for one of the most important audiences in any organization – your staff . How do most organizations communicate with staff ? In a word , meetings . Lencioni writes , “… there is no better way to have a fundamental impact on an organization than by changing the way it does meetings .” This is one of the best measures of health , according to Lencioni .
It also applies to negotiations and management-union relations . The California Labor- Management Initiative promotes the power of collaborative relationships among employees and administration . A local model known as Partnership : Administration and Labor ( PAL ), which was developed in neighboring ABC Unified , soon became the model for the relationship between Ocean View ’ s administration , teachers association and classified employees association .
In the spring of 2016 , the PAL program began in earnest at Ocean View . Our new PAL team , which included all three unions , issued joint communications and held an inaugural PAL Leadership event . This signaled a new way of doing business . By the end of the school year , we were able to agree upon and adopt PAL Guiding Principles , and in 2017 , we started spreading the PAL partnership model into our school sites with the goal of positively impacting student literacy and engagement .
As chief negotiator for Ocean View , Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Felix Avila experienced a significant change in the tone and environment of the negotiations process before and after the PAL work began . “ PAL helped to formalize and put into practice our collective efforts to unite the district in a trusting relationship ,” Avila said . “ Negotiation sessions have changed dramatically in that they involve open and honest discussions that address issues to ensure districtwide success .”
A bond election – now ?
Like a comprehensive patient care plan , there were many symptoms and treatments for Ocean View , but there was one goal : to heal our patient . We were on the right path now , and it was time to look to the future . By spring 2016 , we anticipated that we could refocus our energies on student learning and achievement for the 2016-17 school year . It meant that the physical status of our school facilities was next . Learning was not going to be at its highest levels if our 50-year-old structures were not safe , functional and comfortable for all students .
Dr . Conroy and Jim Choate , OVSD director of facilities , maintenance and operations , knew that a statewide school facilities bond was slated for the next general election and school districts had to be in line for funding . Without passage of a general ob- September | October 2017 37