In multiunit high schools such as those in New Jersey's North Hunterdon district, the department chairperson serves as an intradisciplinary Learning Community Leader (intra-LCL). The multielective portion of the school's curriculum in each subject area remains the responsibility of this person, while individual learning communities determine their…

The primary role of the principal in a multiunit high school is as a curriculum leader. By allowing others to share in the decision-making process, encouraging the utilization of the program improvement council, striving for community involvement, and allowing others who are highly motivated the autonomy they need, the principal helps assure that…

The multielective system in the high schools of the North Hunterdon district in New Jersey failed to provide students a sense of belonging, warmth, openness, and importance. The multiunit high school model, developed to answer these needs, groups students into learning communities of 20 to 125 students each. Each learning community is focused on a…

The most important and most difficult task of the assistant principal for instruction in a multiunit high school is recruitment of teachers for the learning communities. These teachers must be convinced that the increased workload and added responsibilities involved in developing interdisciplinary courses, budgeting time, space, and funding, and…

This document consists of two manuals prepared for staff members and guidance counselors in the Learning Community (LC) program, as practiced in New Jersey's North Hunterdon Regional High School District. The staff members are described as teachers performing in multiple roles. Teachers help establish LCs around educational interests and are…

The purpose of this manual is to provide learning community leaders orientation to the leadership role and its responsibilities. This book is a guide through the assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation stages of community growth. Close attention to the manual will allow a learning community leader to: (1) recruit a staff of committed…

In order to effectively bring about permanent changes in a school setting, the educators involved must accept the changes privately as well as complying with them publicly. The staff development specialist must convince the educators that positive change is both necessary and possible and provide support during the implementation period. As used…