Organizational Redesign

Introduction

In the field of education at the local, state, and federal levels, the demand for services and flexibility of expectations have changed greatly from specific, tangible requests to innovative, holistic guidance. The Collaborative’s mission -- to develop and foster educational excellence and opportunity for all learners through collaboration and leadership -- demands that, as an agency, we remain nimble and relevant in the face of increasingly complex challenges. Launching Our Future Together (LOFT): The CES Vision for the Future represents a strategic approach to defining and achieving agency goals that accounts for our strengths and addresses our unique challenges in this rapidly shifting educational environment.

The Collaborative determined that the most effective way to respond to these changing demands was to conduct a redesign process that was holistic and included voices and experiences from all levels of the agency. Rethinking the internal structure of the Collaborative was critical to envisioning change. A structure that opens the door to better understanding and improved communication about the work we do, and that stimulates innovation in all areas of the agency, can only enable greater effectiveness in delivering and improving the services we provide.

Below you will find the following:

Dear Collaborative Employees,

I am pleased to announce the blueprint for a new organizational structure for the Collaborative. The attached document, Launching Our Future Together (LOFT): The CES Vision for the Future, represents a strategic approach to defining and achieving agency goals that accounts for our strengths and addresses our unique challenges.

To design this approach, a group of Collaborative employees representing all departments at every level of the agency convened to develop a new way of thinking and planning. Rethinking the internal structure of the Collaborative was critical to envisioning change. An internal structure that opens the door to better understanding and communication about the work we do, and that stimulates innovation in all areas of the agency, can only enable greater effectiveness in delivering and improving the services we provide.

The plan presented in this document is not to eliminate work but to make all the more powerful the work we already do. It is intended to strengthen the alignment of the great efforts each of you put forth as a Collaborative employee with broader agency goals and to ensure that we are practicing the collaboration that is at the heart of our mission and values.

Though the design document is finalized, there is still a great deal of work that lies ahead. Of primary importance is the introduction of Platform Chairs. These individuals will serve as conveners, facilitators, and leaders of the platforms they oversee. They serve key roles in the gradual process of implementing the new structure, and in ensuring an active interchange of information, innovation, and ideas across the agency as a whole.

Teaching and Learning Platform Co-Chairs: Damon Douglas and Kay Lisseck
Knowledge Management Platform Chair: Rich Cairn
Shared Services Platform Chair: Barbara Siegel
Markets Platform Chair: Kathy Levesque

There will be information to come related to details, updates, schedules, and planning. We will all need to invest our ideas, energy, and time in restructuring this organization. It is my hope that all of you will take the time to stay informed, to support the goals and priorities of the agency in your work, and to communicate ideas, questions, and concerns with Platform Chairs, your colleagues, and me as we embark on this path to change.

I am excited about these changes. I believe strongly in the vision, goals, and strategies reflected in the work presented by the LOFT design team and I look forward to working with you as we move forward together in reshaping our structure and the future of the Collaborative.

Sincerely,
Joan E. Schuman, Ed.D.