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Mecosta Osceola Personnel Cooperative “ Sit Down vs. Drive Through” 2011. Mecosta-Osceola Intermediate School District Curtis Finch, Ph.D. Superintendent Ron Bongard, Hope Shaw, Larry Sredersas & Sheri Thompson – MOISD Board members. Structure. ISD/ESC/RESA/ESA Info
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Mecosta Osceola Personnel Cooperative“Sit Down vs. Drive Through”2011 Mecosta-Osceola Intermediate School District Curtis Finch, Ph.D. Superintendent Ron Bongard, Hope Shaw, Larry Sredersas & Sheri Thompson – MOISD Board members
Structure • ISD/ESC/RESA/ESA Info • Big Picture/State Trends in MI • History • Design • Methods • Rewards • Contact Information (All on-line at www.moisd.org)
MOISD • 10,000 Students • Six (6) Districts – 5 Public and 1 Charter • Rural • 1500 Square Miles • As large as Rhode Island • Ferris State University • $24 million Operating Budget • 250 Employees
What is an ISD/RESA/ESA? • 57 ISDs/580 local school districts • ISD Board Members elected by Local Boards • Mecosta-Osceola ISD • General Education • Technology • Early Childhood • Professional Development • Special Education Center • Career and Technical Education • Service organization designed to diffuse individual district “extreme” cost programming by consolidation • ISDs = ESCs = RESAs = ESAs = ?
MOISD Schools • Big Rapids (2300) • Chippewa Hills (2700) • Crossroads Charter Academy (625) • Evart (1150) • Morley-Stanwood (1600) • Reed City (1800)
MI State Trends • Different ISDs are doing different collaborations • MI Legislature has tripled pressure for production while gutting MDE • Increased academic standards on locals • ISD (non) elections can impact cooperation • Local pressure to not cooperate because of “School of Choice” legislation • More mandates are coming…monthly
MI Trend • Technology partnerships • Fiber • On-line learning • Purchasing • Bidding on larger scales with multiple districts/ISDs • Health care • Equipment • Energy • Transportation • Community organization around topic (i.e. early childhood) • Governmental agencies – MOTA, U.S. Forest Service • Collective bargaining • Contact MASA (www.gomasa.org) for examples • 1st one to focus on Sharing People/Services beyond business functions
Catalyst for Collaboration? • Fear of change • Fear of other school district’s strengths • School of Choice • MEAP/ACT/SAT Scores • You need SOMETHING to bring the districts together – You can not force real collaboration! • Personality? • Event? • Legislation? • Geography? • Common Needs/Problems? • “Good to Great” was our catalyst!
History of MOISD Shift • “Good to Great” by Jim Collins • Local Superintendents • Administrative Team • MOISD School Board • Grad Students analyzing top companies looking for “great” • Adopted Concepts & Principles • “Service” – Guiding Mission • Collaboration = Cooperation • Good ISDs Survive, Great ISDs Serve
Competing ISD Philosophies • Two Different ISD Philosophies A: “Here are the services we offer, which ones of these would you like to use?” B: “How can we change to deliver the services you want and need?” • 60% A – 40% B • Since 2000 almost all have new leaders • Economics has magnified the different approaches – those who serve are “epi-centers” of change • Board elections change customer focus
Level 5 Leadership First Who ... Then What The Flywheel and the Doom Loop Confront the Brutal Facts(Yet Never Lose Faith) Technology Accelerators The Hedgehog Concept A Culture of Discipline
Needs/Variables: • Resources shrinking • Internal expertise not keeping pace • Cost for expertise increasing • Collaboration opportunities are at all time high • How can we increase expertise and share costs without cutting local jobs? • State push for cooperation • Third party or ours?
Philosophy: Sit Down vs. Drive Through • Roadblocks – “Sit Down” • Timing of districts to join the group • Retirements vary • Job losses • Financial & emotional risk up front • Schools of Choice – Competition • Turf Wars • Whenever Ready – “Drive Through” • Spring board for more Collaboration • Demonstrate Commitment to Locals/Others • Don’t wait to start until the “timing is right”! Let your customers who are ready… drive through!
Formation • Road Trip to Manistee ISD & Charlevoix RESA in Northern Michigan • Studied structure & concepts • Built upon Business Functions • Worked with Local Supers on needs • Designed Co-Op to meet needs • Worked with Dave Olmstead – Thrun Law Firm of Lansing, MI on legal formation document (517-374-8773 – available on-line)
MOP Co-Op Basic Structure • Advisory Council made up of seven board members – one rep for each • Original Cooperative Agreement signed by all School Boards • MOISD, & Charter School Advisory Council wrote “policy” and “procedure” manuals • Designed to share services… (people?) • Meet every-other month
Internal Secrets to Success • “Good to Great” vs “Deep Change” vs “The Tipping Point” vs. “Motion Leadership”? • Common Language/Vision • Relationships • Time and Timing • Trust • Results bring Customers • Commitment by local Board(s) of Education • Commitment to vision by ISD Board despite movement in and out by participants
External Keys to Success • Build system that is flexible, universal, and inclusive • Be consistent with process • Get input from local on needs • Never say “no” to a service • ISD takes the $ & personnel “risk” up front • Make it difficult for the “Lone Ranger” supers • Local Board members are “moles” for growth • ISDs should “steal” cooperative parts from each other – adapt for customers • Three exact “copies” of this model - more coming
MOP Co-Op Services • Maintenance • Boiler Certification • Electrical Certification • Plumbing • General Maintenance • General Education • Pupil Accounting • Title I Services • Early Childhood • Literacy Consultant • Social Worker • Technology • Computer Technicians • Network Technician • Data Coach • Data Manager • Assistant Data Manager 2007 Winner’s Circle Award
MOP Co-Op Services (cont.) • Financial Services • Accounts Receivable & Payable • Budget Development • Payroll • Business Manager • Transportation • Supervisor • Mechanic • Asst. Mechanic • (Partnership with MOTA) • The Sky’s the limit!
Employees • All MOP Co-Op employees – • “At-will”, but officially under the MOISD • Built on “market” value • Local and ISD “contacts/supervisors” • Covers areas of finance, maintenance, technology, and general education • MOISD responsible for unemployment, discipline, payroll, etc. • Billed two different ways – per day/per function depending upon position
Hidden Rewards • Employees are “family” vs. out-source • Expertise rises exponentially • Ability to share in emergencies • Cross Training • Lower Vulnerability – passwords in-house • Program Alignment • Common Vision for Two Counties • Increase “Value” of ESC to Locals • Increase Trust with other systems
Process • Superintendents/Boards/MOP discuss trends/needs • Districts have retirements/movement • Request an employee/part of one • MOP Co-Op Advisory Council recommends direction/hire • MOISD approves hire • Employee works in local district(s) for the MOP Co-Op • Evaluated/supervised cooperatively by both the ISD and the local
MOISD Board Role • All employees come through Co-Op • All agreements signed together • MOISD responsible for Unemployment • Council shapes Co-Op Vision • Made choices to “Front Load - $” Ideas • Approve Policy and Procedure changes • Approves Annual Budget and priorities • Promotes MOP Co-Op throughout districts and connections
MORE REWARDS OF COLLABORATION • Common ISD Calendar • Wind Turbine Project • Natural Gas Exploration • ISD Enhancement Millages • Trimesters w/ Common Start Time • SuperTechs group • Pearson D.A.T.A. Project – 6 years • Skyward, SMS, SDS, Purchase – 4 to 6 years • Wide Area Network, filters, software, security back-up • Impacts teaching & learning and PD • Thirty % increase in Career Center use • Open to Governmental Services (MOTA)
Access Documents • Access Website for MOP Co-Op documents at www.moisd.org • MOP Co-Op is under “About Us” • All documents to build • Policy Manual • Procedure Manual • Agreements
More Info?… • Call: 231-796-3543 • cfinch@moisd.org • Come Visit . . . Big Rapids, MI or visit virtually at www.moisd.org