Phase 1: Building Support
- “. . . flexibility, collaboration and change have to be critical components of your instructional program to make it work”
- (Fields, 2005)
The first step in implementing the IMPACT Model is creating an awareness of the benefits of the model to students and teachers.
- Administrative support is critical to implementing the model. The principal should be an instructional leader who participates fully in the Media and Technology Advisory Committee (MTAC).
- Teachers and all stakeholders should be represented on the MTAC. Research on the benefits of flexible scheduling can be shared with the MTAC whose members will serve as advocates for the IMPACT Model within the school and community.
- Parents and community members should be represented on the MTAC.
- The school library media coordinator and technology facilitator should be active participants in the School Improvement Team, ensuring that information and technology skills are addressed within the school improvement plan.
- A school wide planning retreat focusing on change, flexibility, and collaboration provides the opportunity to share research on the IMPACT Model and address initial concerns among the total staff.
- The MTAC should communicate with educators in other schools in North Carolina that have successfully implemented the IMPACT Model and learn from their experiences.
