Collaborative Team Meetings: The Piece Connecting PLCs and MTSS

Welcome to the Collaborative Team Meetings Companion Site!

As you explore Collaborative Team Meetings: The Piece Connecting PLCs and MTSS, access ready-to-use templates, samples, and tools to support your work.

Browse all resources organized by chapter below, plus additional materials and learning opportunities to deepen your Collaborative Response practice.



Chapter One - Introducing the Collaborative Team Meeting


1.1 - Collaborative Response: Three Foundational Components That Transform How We Respond to the Needs of Learners - learn more about the foundational text to develop an understanding of Collaborative Response, including access to the introductory chapter for free, which includes a link to the book's companion website.

1.2 - History of Collaborative Response - overview sharing the origin story for Collaborative Response.

1.3 - Overview of Collaborative Response - short article sharing what is Collaborative Response, with links to additional resources.

1.4 - Overview of Collaborative Response - short video, sharing the foundational components of Collaborative Response. Ideal for introducing Collaborative Response to your educational community.

1.5 - Introducing Collaborative Response: Ten Considerations for Leaders - article sharing ten considerations when introducing Collaborative Response to your school community, with multiple links and related resources.
1.6 - The Impact of NOT Talking About Students in Every Meeting - video where Kurtis shares the origins of the Collaborative Team Meeting and how it looks different from how we typically talk about students in schools.
Chapter Two - Understanding the Layers of Team


2.1 - Every Child Deserves a Team: Layering Team Meetings - webinar in which Lorna shares through multiple school samples and resources, the value of layering collaborative structures and processes within a school and how the introduction of a very intentional collaborative team meeting can work to respond to the needs of students collaboratively, while increasing the instructional capacity of everyone involved.

2.2 - Team Meeting Overview - template for planning to determine the types of collaborative structures happening in the school, determining the purpose of each, who is involved, duration and frequency. Assists in the layering of team meetings to support the needs of students in connection to all levels of support.

2.3 - Layered Team Meeting Overview - Google sheet template to connect meetings occurring in a school with the four layers of collaboration (meetings are automatically colour-coded when aligned with one of the four layers).
2.4 - Team Meeting Overview Samples - collection of various school and divisional team meeting overview samples, sharing different formats and considerations when developing this critical resource for schools.
2.5 - Layered Meeting Observables - template to assist teams in examining each layer of team integral to Collaborative Structures and Processes, determining observables and non-observables for each.

2.6 - Team Meeting Overview Poster - poster to describe the layers of team in a school to provide further clarity for the staff team.

2.7 - Team Meeting Overview Poster for Robinson Elementary - sample of a completed team meeting overview for Robinson Elementary.
2.8 - Reduce the Number of Meetings...By Adding One More - overview of the four layers of team, reinforcing that the introduction of the collaborative team meeting can reduce the number of meetings focused on individual students.

2.9 - Scaffolding our Collaborative Response: Purposeful Layering of Team Meetings - blog post describing the layers of team and how they connect to one another.

2.10 - The Missing Piece - keynote address where Kurtis and Lorna discuss the four layers of teams, with multiple examples provided.

2.11 - Creating Focus for Collaborative Planning WITHOUT Micromanaging Your Teams - on-demand workshop examining how leaders can create aligned goals for collaborative planning that ensures alignment and focus, while honouring the professionalism of teacher teams.

2.12 - Five Considerations for School Support Teams - on-demand workshop to support leaders in understanding and establishing effective school support teams.

2.13 - Six Considerations When Planning to Meet the Needs of ONE Child: Examining Case Consult Team Meetings - on-demand workshop breaking down considerations for managing and operationalizing case consult teams with particular attention to the involvement of parents and external partners.

2.14 - Reduce Your Meetings...By Adding One More! - Ep 11 - podcast that explores the contradiction of reducing the number of meetings by adding one more through and in depth discussion of the various layers of team meetings that align with the continuum of supports as part of Collaborative Response.

2.15 - Aligning Tiers of Support With Team Meetings - poster that illustrates how different levels of student support (Tiers 1-4) in a school setting correspond with various team meetings.
Chapter Three - The Collaborative Team Meeting In Action


3.1 - CTM Starter Kit - pdf document of resources to support you in facilitating your first Collaborative Team Meeting. This kit includes everything you need to get started with confidence and clarity.

3.2 - Facilitating Effective Collaborative Team Meetings - online course to support anyone responsible for facilitating collaborative team meetings, including video and document resources to ensure CTM's have their optimal impact.

3.3 - Collaborative Team Meetings for Educational Assistants - online course designed specifically for EAs, provides the essential clarity they need to become confident and active participants in your school's collaborative team meetings.

3.4 - The Psychology Behind Collaborative Team Meetings - Ep 10 - Kurtis Hewson addresses the contradictory statement "support the student by not focusing on them during the Collaborative Team Meeting" as well as a number of collaborative structures and processes that are implemented intentionally to create psychological safety for staff as they build their collective efficacy.

3.5 - Four Mistakes Leaders Make When Planning for Collaborative Team Meetings - on-demand workshop in which Kurtis explores four mistakes we see leaders make when planning for their first collaborative team meetings, whether the critical structure is new to the school or being reintroduced for another year.

3.6 - Four Mistakes Leaders Make When Setting Up Collaborative Team Meetings - Ep 12 - podcast that explores four mistakes leaders make when first setting up collaborative team meetings in schools, as well as ideas to consider to avoid and/or overcome these mistakes.