A team must have both teachers and an administrator. The Network should take the time to develop a vision to guide it and goals to accomplish. Meeting procedures and details should be discussed. These might include a calendar, meeting locations, suggested meeting themes, a division of tasks, and meeting format. The basic purpose of the Network should include sharing successful practices, researching current middle level trends, planning for improvement, and reenergizing.
Networks are useful to the restructuring process in many ways.
They can accelerate change at the school level. They can institutionalize changes already undertaken. They can invigorate teachers who may find periods of despair during the relearning process of school improvement. The will eliminate schools having to completely reinvent programs and processes already accomplished at other schools. They can provide forums for problem solving.