Reach School Board Members

"If you can interest school board members and the superintendent (in middle level education), they will become powerful advocates in what you are doing."

That was the message to NMSA leaders from Barbara Wheeler, past president of the National School Boards Association, speaking at the Affiliate Lunch during the NMSA conference. It's a message that those promoting a greater understanding of the middle level concept need to remember.

"There are a lot of issues that come before school boards that get lost because they weren't packaged correctly," she cautioned as she suggested ways to communicate effectively with board members.

One message that board members need to hear is that young adolescents succeed academically when the middle level concept is used appropriately.

"Our job is student achievement," she said. "We need data to make decisions. If the data show student achievement, we will buy into your message."

Other techniques Wheeler recommended include:

• Remember that the power center on the board is not always the president. It may the least obvious member, and finding that individual is critical to getting the attention of the school board.

• Know the "hot buttons" of board members, including community partnerships and students. Whenever kids speak at board meetings, board members pay attention.

• Get school board members into schools. Possible activities include involving them in awards presentations, having them talk with teachers during a brown bag lunch or breakfast, speaking to a class, or having them available to parents during a PTA meeting or when parents are in the school.

• Provide board members a list of 50 good things about your school. Make it concise and forget jargon.

• Provide your school's web site address to school board members. Many are becoming web savvy.

Wheeler also cautioned NMSA leaders to remember formal channels of communicating with school boards, and specifically cited superintendents. If the superintendent doesn't understand and support the middle level concept, he or she will not promote it to the board. Thus, middle level educators should work with superintendents and other central office administrators in building support for middle level learning.

Wheeler indicated "controlled pressure" was another way to reach board members, but cautioned that it must be controlled.

"Involve parents and the PTA in delivering your message," she said. "Board members listen to these people because they are voters. However, be careful not to make us feel like caged animals. You don't need many parents, but they have to be the right people."