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FROM THE CHIEF OF STAFF The Throughline From Committee Meetings to Member Impact
M ost or g a n i za t i ons h a v e c omm i tt ee s . T he r e a l qu e st i on i s w he t he r t h os e c omm i tt ee s mov e t he wor k . A t CPAA, our c omm i tt ee s s h ou ld be mor e t h a n n a m e s on a rost e r or m ee t i n g s on a c a le n d a r . T he y s h ou ld be w he r e m e m be r e xp e rt i s e bec om e s un i on a c t i on , a n d w he r e s ch oo l - le v el c on ce rns a r e stu died , r ec omm e n d a t i ons a r e de v el op ed , c omm i tm e nts a r e s ec ur ed , a n d r e su l ts a r e c ommun ic a t ed b a ck to m e m be rs . O n e o f my fi rst pr i or i t ie s a s C hief o f S t a ff h a s bee n hel p i n g b u ild t he i n f r a stru c tur e to m a ke t h a t poss ible . W e a r e de v el op i n g a cle a r e r p ic tur e o f e v e ry CPAA c omm i tt ee : w h o le a d s i t , w h o p a rt ici p a t e s , w he t he r a ll p a rts o f our m e m be rs hi p a r e r e pr e s e nt ed , h ow o f t e n i t m ee ts , w h a t i t i s r e spons ible f or , w h a t i t i s c urr e nt l y wor ki n g on , a n d w he r e t he wor k m a y be stu ck . T h a t i n f orm a t i on w ill a ll ow us to mov e f rom s i mp l y h a v i n g c omm i tt ee s to op e r a t i n g t he m w i t h g r e a t e r purpos e , c ons i st e n c y , a n d a cc ount a bili ty . A f un c t i on i n g c omm i tt ee n eed s mor e t h a n a ch a i r a n d a li st o f m e m be rs . I t n eed s a cle a r ch a r ge , a r eg u l a r m ee t i n g c a de n ce , defi n ed pr i or i t ie s , d o c um e nt ed deci s i ons , a ss ig n ed n e xt st e ps , a n d a pro ce ss f or e s c a l a t i n g b a rr ie rs . I t a l so n eed s a w a y to r e port b a ck so m e m be rs c a n s ee h ow t hei r i nput i s mov i n g t h rou gh t he or g a n i za t i on . M y ro le i s not to t a ke ov e r t he wor k o f our c omm i tt ee le a de rs or bec om e t he p e rson c omp le t i n g e v e ry t a s k . M y r e spons ibili ty i s to hel p e nsur e t h a t t he m ee t i n g h a pp e ns , t he wor k pro g r e ss e s , c omm i tm e nts a r e tr a cked , r e su l ts a r e c ommun ic a t ed , a n d b a rr ie rs r e a ch t he r igh t le v el o f le a de rs hi p w he n t he y c a nnot be r e so l v ed b y t he c omm i tt ee . C ons ide r our P e r f orm a n ce E v a l u a t i on C omm i tt ee . A s CPS p il ots ch a n ge s to pr i n ci p a l a n d a ss i st a nt pr i n ci p a l e v a l u a t i on , t he c omm i tt ee s h ou ld not be b rou gh t i n on l y a f t e r t he syst e m h a s bee n de s ig n ed . I t s h ou ld g a t he r s ch oo l le a de r
e xp e r ie n ce s , ide nt if y p a tt e rns , de v el op r ec omm e n d a t i ons , e n g a ge t he a ppropr i a t e CPS le a de rs , tr a ck r e spons e s , a n d hel p e nsur e t h a t e v a l u a t i on bec om e s a too l f or le a de rs hi p g rowt h r a t he r t h a n s i mp l y a not he r c omp li a n ce e x e r ci s e . T he s a m e t h rou ghli n e s h ou ld e x i st a c ross our wor k i n pro fe ss i on a l de v el opm e nt , s a fe ty , stu de nts w i t h di s a bili t ie s , f a cili t ie s , l a b or m a n a ge m e nt , b u dge t , po lic y , a n d po li t ic a l a c t i on . T he su bjec t m a y ch a n ge , b ut t he op e r a t i n g di s ci p li n e s h ou ld r e m a i n c ons i st e nt . T hi s a l so di str ib ut e s le a de rs hi p a c ross our un i on . P r e s ide nt Ba n k s s h ou ld not h a v e to a tt e n d e v e ry m ee t i n g f or t he wor k to mov e . CPAA st a ff s h ou ld not r e p l a ce t he le a de rs hi p o f c omm i tt ee ch a i rs . M e m be rs w i t h e xp e r ie n ce a n d e xp e rt i s e s h ou ld h a v e m e a n i n gf u l opportun i t ie s to s h a p e t he un i on ’ s pos i t i ons a n d pr i or i t ie s . I w ill us e t hi s c o l umn to m a ke mor e o f t h a t wor k v i s ible : w h a t our c omm i tt ee s a r e t a ckli n g , w h a t pro g r e ss t he y a r e m a ki n g , w he r e b a rr ie rs r e m a i n , a n d w he r e w e n eed a ddi t i on a l m e m be r p a rt ici p a t i on . W he n our c omm i tt ee s f un c t i on w ell , m e m be r i nput d o e s not e n d w i t h a surv e y or c onv e rs a t i on . I t mov e s t h rou gh CPAA’ s g ov e rn a n ce , bec om e s a r ec omm e n d a t i on or de m a n d , r e a che s t he p e op le w i t h a ut h or i ty to a c t , a n d r e turns to m e m be rs a s i n f orm a t i on , support , or ch a n ge .
T h a t i s t he t h rou ghli n e w e a r e b u ildi n g .
Chad H. Thomas C hief o f S t a ff c t h om a s @ my c p aa. c om
One Union | One Voice | One Direction • 7
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