Update from the NSRF National Center

Centers Summit Update
This is a special update from the National Center devoted entirely to reporting our group learning at the Center of Activity Summit, October 5-6, in Atlanta, Georgia. Please see a summary of our work together below. Full agendas, notes, charts, and attendee list are available to at our meeting notes page.

Center Summit
The Centers Summit was a powerful and productive meeting where we focused on the following areas of our work:
• National Facilitator and Intern Standards and Guidelines
• National Facilitators Meeting Planning
• Centers of Activity and Membership
• Local Fundraising and Development
• Communication
• Membership

Summary of our work at the summit:

National Facilitator and Intern Standards and Guidelines
Goal: build a developmental document that identifies the “absolutes” to start an internship, developmental points as an intern, and the qualities of a mature National Facilitator

We used historical documents to bracket this topic into questions around what is a National Facilitator and how does one become one, and created a continuum of practice as a starting point. We also tied the standards to the Facilitators Meeting as a vehicle of accountability and for making our work public for feedback. We arrived at five inter-dependent standards: skills, equity, living the work, commitment to national mission, and significant experience in the four other standards. Next steps include The NSRF National Center refining the draft continuum of practice into usable guidelines.

National Facilitators Meeting Planning
Goal: frame the purpose of the NSRF National Facilitators Meeting

We identified preparation for practice as NSRF National Facilitators as the overarching goal of the NSRF Facilitators meeting. This means preparation for work in terms of sharing skills and knowledge, working on what we want to build or need to get as facilitators, and preparing for summer seminars. This also means sharing documentation of our past work for feedback. Next steps include forming a Facilitators Meeting Planning team with a core of identified volunteers from this working group to plan the next Facilitators Meeting.

Centers of Activity and Membership
Our goal was to create a shared understanding around the question “What does it mean to be a Center of Activity in a membership organization driven by the NSRF mission?” We did a Microlab around the understandings, opportunities, challenges and obligations raised by this question and what is needed from the national organization. Through a gallery walk we identified trends and found that communication among centers, including the national center, and between NSRF and the full community of educators were strong themes.

There was also a common tension around conflicting objectives: turf/competition/money/etc. vs. the work. We developed a model for thinking for our common objective that links all of us to students. The ultimate question became: How do we as Centers support each other and how can the national organization maximize communication? Next steps include developing communication tools and strategies, developing a Center of Activity network, and meeting our obligation as Centers to support NSRF membership.

Local Fundraising and Development
We explored how to raise money locally and strategized approaches for appropriate amounts. We also explored types of support that are available for these efforts from the National Center.

Communication
We examined our current modes of communication: listservs, websites, an email distribution list, meetings, and mailings, including Connections, and thought of how to improve and enhance our communication. Our next steps include using Connections more as a tool for communication from the National Center, using new strategies including blogs and bulleting boards, solidifying the format content and structure of our annual meetings, and developing an avenue to gather information from Centers.

Membership
We worked on how to support membership as Centers of Activity and National Facilitators. We found that the most compelling reason to join is in a local context and we may need facilitator help for member retention to keep this local connection. Next steps include making time and space next fall for reflecting on the summer membership drive, adjusting membership for institutions, and an article in Connections that explores institutional membership.

Notes from the summit and other NSRF national meetings

Thank you for your support and attention. Please don’t hesitate to call or email with any questions, additions, or ideas you might have.

On behalf of the NSRF National Center,
Chris

Chris Jones
website • resources • centers
____________________________
National School Reform Faculty
Harmony Education Center
909 East Second Street
Bloomington, Indiana 47401
p 812.330.2702
f 812.333.3435
e cjones@nsrfharmony.org
www.nsrfharmony.org


	Centers Summit Update This is a special update from the National Center devoted entirely to reporting our group learning at the Center of Activity Summit, October 5-6, in Atlanta, Georgia. Please see a summary of our work together below. Full agendas, notes, charts, and attendee list are available to at our meeting notes page. Center Summit The Centers Summit was a powerful and productive meeting where we focused on the following areas of our work: • National Facilitator and Intern Standards and Guidelines • National Facilitators Meeting Planning • Centers of Activity and Membership • Local Fundraising and Development • Communication • Membership Summary of our work at the summit: National Facilitator and Intern Standards and Guidelines Goal: build a developmental document that identifies the “absolutes” to start an internship, developmental points as an intern, and the qualities of a mature National Facilitator We used historical documents to bracket this topic into questions around what is a National Facilitator and how does one become one, and created a continuum of practice as a starting point. We also tied the standards to the Facilitators Meeting as a vehicle of accountability and for making our work public for feedback. We arrived at five inter-dependent standards: skills, equity, living the work, commitment to national mission, and significant experience in the four other standards. Next steps include The NSRF National Center refining the draft continuum of practice into usable guidelines. National Facilitators Meeting Planning Goal: frame the purpose of the NSRF National Facilitators Meeting We identified preparation for practice as NSRF National Facilitators as the overarching goal of the NSRF Facilitators meeting. This means preparation for work in terms of sharing skills and knowledge, working on what we want to build or need to get as facilitators, and preparing for summer seminars. This also means sharing documentation of our past work for feedback. Next steps include forming a Facilitators Meeting Planning team with a core of identified volunteers from this working group to plan the next Facilitators Meeting. Centers of Activity and Membership Our goal was to create a shared understanding around the question “What does it mean to be a Center of Activity in a membership organization driven by the NSRF mission?” We did a Microlab around the understandings, opportunities, challenges and obligations raised by this question and what is needed from the national organization. Through a gallery walk we identified trends and found that communication among centers, including the national center, and between NSRF and the full community of educators were strong themes. There was also a common tension around conflicting objectives: turf/competition/money/etc. vs. the work. We developed a model for thinking for our common objective that links all of us to students. The ultimate question became: How do we as Centers support each other and how can the national organization maximize communication? Next steps include developing communication tools and strategies, developing a Center of Activity network, and meeting our obligation as Centers to support NSRF membership. Local Fundraising and Development We explored how to raise money locally and strategized approaches for appropriate amounts. We also explored types of support that are available for these efforts from the National Center. Communication We examined our current modes of communication: listservs, websites, an email distribution list, meetings, and mailings, including Connections, and thought of how to improve and enhance our communication. Our next steps include using Connections more as a tool for communication from the National Center, using new strategies including blogs and bulleting boards, solidifying the format content and structure of our annual meetings, and developing an avenue to gather information from Centers. Membership We worked on how to support membership as Centers of Activity and National Facilitators. We found that the most compelling reason to join is in a local context and we may need facilitator help for member retention to keep this local connection. Next steps include making time and space next fall for reflecting on the summer membership drive, adjusting membership for institutions, and an article in Connections that explores institutional membership. Notes from the summit and other NSRF national meetings Thank you for your support and attention. Please don’t hesitate to call or email with any questions, additions, or ideas you might have. On behalf of the NSRF National Center, Chris Chris Jones website • resources • centers ____________________________ National School Reform Faculty Harmony Education Center 909 East Second Street Bloomington, Indiana 47401 p 812.330.2702 f 812.333.3435 e cjones@nsrfharmony.org www.nsrfharmony.org If you do not wish to receive these messages, simply reply to this message or send a message to cjones@nsrfharmony.org with a request to be removed. Join NSRF as a dues-contributing member
	Harmony Education Center PO Box 1787 Bloomington Indiana 47402 • 812.330.2702 nsrf@nsrfharmony.org • fax 812.333.3435