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The process of joining the Consortium involves getting to know each other, sharing information and thoughtfully
exploring how we might strengthen each other by being together.
Contact Diana Bender or Laura McAlister (Contact Us!) to get started!
Process for Joining the
Consortium
Exploration Phase
- Introduce the concept of the Consortium to Center Board Chair, Director or other key stakeholders.
Explore:
- What do you think about the model? How might this work for
your Center? Do you see any barriers to your Center joining?
- Answer questions and identify
places of alignment and possibility
- Learn about the Center’s decision-making process and
fit smoothly to that.
- Meet and discuss with the Board Executive Committee if it exists, otherwise continue dialog with
Board Chair, Director and/or other stakeholders. Ensure everyone understands the vision and concept. Identify questions or
areas of concern. Both Consortium and Center will likely have questions; decide together which, if any, questions need a written
response.
- If mutually interested thus far, exchange financial and other data. Consortium conducts site visit.
- Explore details of implementation and ‘fit’ between Center and Consortium. Begin
to identify the financial benefits to the Center. Answer the questions:
- Does
the Consortium improve and more effectively support the Center’s mission?
- Does the Center fit the Consortium’s criteria and share the Consortium’s vision for children and
families?
- If 6a and 6b are yes, decide together if it makes sense to proceed to the Discussion Phase.
Develop a timeline for making decisions together.
Discussion Phase - Schedule and present to
the full Board. Ensure everyone understands the vision and concept. Identify questions or areas of concern. Both Consortium
and Center will likely have more questions at this time; decide together which, if any, questions deserve a written response.
- Deliver written responses in a timely fashion.
- At this point, the Consortium
or the Center may decide that they are interested, but have criteria which must be met before they can join together. This
may involve adjustments to the Consortium’s or the Center’s policies, practices, staffing patterns, enrollment
or other procedures. We are open to considering adjustments to the Consortium model unique to each Center because we want
to strengthen and preserve each Center’s unique identity. We commit to being very clear about our
expectations for commitments from the Center.
- This question, answer and negotiation stage
may take 1-3 months. We want everyone to be very open about the issues and clear on the implications of
joining the Consortium. The Board and Director will decide at what point to inform and/or further involve
teachers and/or parents in the decision-making process. At any point, either the Center or the Consortium
may decide to withdraw from the discussion phase with no hard feelings.
- At the close of this
stage, the Consortium will invite the Board to vote on joining the Consortium.
- When the Board
is ready, they will vote; if the decision is yes, we will proceed to the Commitment Phase
Commitment Phase - Develop and sign a letter
of commitment which outlines:
- Fees for any significant management services
to be offered prior to the Center fully transferring to the Consortium. (This allows for a phased transition if helpful to
the Center.)
- Timeline for transfer of personnel, financial data and any assets.
- Composition,
roles and membership of the Center’s newly created Parent Advisory Board function and initial membership.
- Any other relevant transition plans.
- Board votes on commitment agreements and
transition plans.
- The Center joins the Consortium as of a specific date.
- Celebrate!
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