Leadership Structure at the Western Massachusetts Writing Project Site, MA

Summary: This site leadership map shows how the Western Massachusetts Writing Project describes their infrastructure—the work of the site and the people who lead the work. Read how they describe the thinking behind their organizational structure—including the design for site governance (advisory board, teacher-consultant council, etc.) and the site's relationship with its host institution.

As the WMWP site map shows (see below), governance of the Western Massachusetts Writing Project is collaborative rather than hierarchical. Central to the organization of WMWP is the Executive Board, which meets regularly throughout the school year as the WMWP Leadership Team.

Each member of this board has one or more jobs within WMWP, ranging from the liaison to the University of Massachusetts School of Education to the coordinators of student writing programs. The board serves three essential functions: (1) to act on program and personnel recommendations of the Co-Directors, (2) to assist the Co-Directors in program maintenance and problem-solving, and (3) to generate ideas for new initiatives.

Seven times per year (usually September, October, December, January, March, May, and June) the Executive Board holds WMWP Leadership Team meetings for the purpose of reviewing ongoing programs, planning future programs, and discussing issues of importance to teachers. Leadership Team meetings are open to all Western Massachusetts Writing Project TCs, who are also eligible for professional development hours if they attend five or more meetings per year. One meeting a year includes reflections for the NWP Annual Report.

New to the site map two years ago were the three dotted ovals representing the In-Service, Continuity, and Outreach Task Forces. These groups are committees made up of Executive Board members and other TCs. Co-Directors lead each task force and are responsible for a particular area of programming.

The three Co-Directors of WMWP are a subset of the Executive Board, each serving as the chair of one task force but in reality sharing responsibility for programs in all areas. The Site Director functions as one of the Co-Directors but has the additional responsibility of developing and maintaining the site's budget, ensuring University support for its programs, and coordinating logistics and communications.

Download "Western Massachusetts Writing Project Site Map"