Specifications include, but are not limited to: • Planning and Working Group Design o Facilitate conversations with Project Team to clarify roles and responsibilities. o Serve as lead facilitator for all aspects of the Work Group process by guiding the development of resources and materials to support effective and inclusive facilitation for the working group including process design, preparing participant, setting groups norms, joint fact-finding with the group, deliberation and census building, and finalizing recommendations. o Reflect on and guide the group to establish decision-making processes (consensus, majority, etc.) o Work with the Project Team to create appropriate working group meeting agendas. Plan meeting activities, presentations, and discussion sessions. Work with presenters to ensure presentations align with the goals of the work group. o Facilitate planning meetings with the Project Team to prepare for each working group meeting o Debrief meetings after each working group meeting with Project Team o Partner with MDE Team to further develop the project work plan and timeline developed by the Project Team. o Determine the best strategies, events, and tools that need to be developed to ensure the most effective facilitation for the Working Group to develop the necessary resources. These will be discussed and refined with the Project Team, before finalizing prior to the first full working group meeting. During debrief meetings, the plan will be reviewed and further adjustments may be made by the Project Team. o Meet one-on-one with work group members as needed to address concerns about the work group process. • Facilitation of Working Group Dialogue and Discussion o Support the development and maintenance of working group member relationships, especially relationships across the difference of social identities. Develop rapport within Working Group members. o Ensuring student voice and input is respected and included in group meetings. o Facilitate initial conversation(s) with the Project Team. An initial kick-off meeting will also serve as a time to discuss preferred communication methods for setting up meetings, distributing materials, and addressing any issues that may surface between meetings. o Support effective and inclusive facilitation for the working group. Guide the process of adjusting the resources and materials as necessary. o Develop resources to support the facilitation of discussions in small group writing teams. o Foster and use strategies to nurture effective and collaborative relationships among groups with diverse perspectives. Tools must include development and use of resources and materials to support effective and inclusive facilitation and conflict resolution framework. The facilitator will utilize strategies that ensure that all voices are heard, not just those who feel comfortable speaking in a large group (use of small groups, etc.) o Anticipate and plan for potential areas of conflict in working group meetings. o Prepare for a variety of learning styles and needs o Ensure adherence to Minnesota Open Meeting Law.
