QUALITY OF THE PROCESS. RESPONSIBILITIES The Staff Development Team (SDT) is responsible for managing the process and for ensuring the consistency and fairness of the process as well as the accuracy of specific, as well as overall, ratings of therapists. The principal and relevant regional/district/area manager must sign all documents being submitted to the Department. Principals and the relevant regional/district/area managers must verify that the information provided is accurate. The regional/district/area manager (or his /her delegate) will review a sample of the evaluations to ensure their consistency, fairness and relevance to the school plan and other stipulations. It is only during the cyclical external evaluations by the Whole School Evaluation Team that it will be possible to validate evaluations of the sample of therapists identified for the purpose of observing therapists in practice for the external WSE. In instances where there are discrepancies or where the process has not been satisfactory, the WSE Team must make recommendations, in the WSE report, to address these shortcomings.
QUALITY OF THE PROCESS. 7.1 The Mediator shall make reasonable efforts be- fore Mediation is initiated or at the start of the Mediation to ensure that the parties understand the Mediation process.
QUALITY OF THE PROCESS. A Mediator Shall Conduct the Mediation Fairly, Diligently, and in a Manner Consistent with the Principle of Self-Determination by the Parties. A mediator shall work to ensure a quality process and to encourage mutual respect among the parties. A quality process requires a commitment by the mediator to diligence and procedural fairness. There should be adequate opportunity for each party in the mediation to participate in the discussions. The parties decide when and under what conditions they will reach an agreement or terminate a mediation. COMMENTS: • A mediator may agree to mediate only when he or she is prepared to commit the attention essential to an effective mediation. • Mediators should only accept cases when they can satisfy the reasonable expectations of the parties concerning the timing of the process. A mediator should not allow a mediation to be unduly delayed by the parties or their representatives. • The presence or absence of persons at a mediation depends on the agreement of the parties and the mediator. The parties and mediator may agree that others may be excluded from particular sessions or from the entire mediation process. • The primary purpose of a mediator is to facilitate the parties' voluntary agreement. This role differs substantially from other professional-client relationships. Mixing the role of a mediator and the role of a professional advising a client is problematic, and mediators must strive to distinguish between the roles. A mediator should, therefore, refrain from providing professional advice. Where appropriate, a mediator should recommend that parties seek outside professional advice, or consider resolving their dispute through arbitration, counseling, neutral evaluation, or other processes. A mediator who undertakes, at the request of the parties, an additional dispute resolution role in the same matter assumes increased responsibilities and obligations that may be governed by the standards of other processes. • A mediator shall withdraw from a mediation when incapable of serving or when unable to remain impartial. • A mediator shall withdraw from a mediation or postpone a session if the mediation is being used to further illegal conduct, or if a party is unable to participate due to drug, alcohol, or other physical or mental incapacity. • Mediators should not permit their behavior in the mediation process to be guided by a desire for a high settlement rate.
