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School Board Membership. Session II Effective Board Membership. Larry Blackmer, NAD Associate Director of Education www.larryblackmer.com. Effective Board Meetings. Effective board meetings are properly organized and structured. Effective Board Membership.
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School Board Membership Session II Effective Board Membership Larry Blackmer, NAD Associate Director of Education www.larryblackmer.com
Effective Board Meetings Effective board meetings are properly organized and structured.
Effective BoardMembership • Become familiar with board policies, budgets, curriculum, discipline, procedures, school law, school calendar, grievance models, etc. • Know where to find information. Union & conference codes, school manuals, minutes form past meetings. • Maintain a notebook. Schools mission statement, budget, school constitution Handbook for School Board Members. • Be interested in all parts of the program. • Do not allow your personal biases to evolve into prejudice or discrimination. • Be cautious of your own expertise. Listen with an open mind.
Effective Board Procedures • Design a procedure for setting the agenda-How do things get placed on the agenda? By Whom? • Pull no surprises. Stick to the agenda, be prepared. • The board chair and the principal should discuss the agenda prior to the meeting. • Keep administrative items off the agenda. • Send the agenda, and supporting information to the board members before the meeting. • Keep meetings short. Cluster similar topics so members can focus their energy in one direction. • Board meetings are generally considered to be open meetings, but certain issues need to be dealt with in executive session.
The Board in Session 1 • The meetings should begin and end on time. • Board members have a responsibility to be prepared. • An orderly method should be established when staff, constituents and students request ot speak to the board. • Discussion should be focused on the topic. Non-pertinent discussion should be ruled out of order. • It’s the chairs responsibility to prioritize the agenda. • The chair should recognize members and give them the floor to speak. • When presiding as the chair, recognize those who have not spoken previously and those with alternate points of view.
The Board in Session 2 • Avoid speaking a second time on the same motion if someone else wishes to speak for the first time. • When speaking, address issues not personalities. Do not interrupt. Be brief. • The chair should keep the meeting moving, don’t let it drag it out. • If you have a conflict of interest, tell the chair immediately. Do not participate in discussion, ask the recording secretary to note you abstained from the vote. You may need to leave the room temporarily so others can speak freely. • Create a cooperative, rather than competitive environment. • It is important for the chair to state the motion clearly before the vote.
Parliamentary Procedure • When making a motion or speaking to an issue, address the chair. • Only one motion is to be considered at a time. • The chair will ask for a second to the motion and, if granted, will proceed with the discussion. • School boards can entertain short introduction discussions before motions are made. • A motion may require amendment during the discussion phase. The amendment must be seconded and voted on before the motion may be voted. Reference- General Conference Rules of Order
Executive Session • When discussing any person, staff or student, the chair should declare executive session. • During executive session ALL non-voting members MUST leave the room. If they will not leave, the meeting must be adjoined. • Any issues discussed in executive session may not be discussed out of the meeting! Board members may be personally responsible for liable if they break this confidence. • The board secretary must send copies of the minutes to the conference office. • Whenever the board discusses teachers or staff, a member of the conference office education must be present!
Effective schools occur when the administration and board do excellent jobs in their respective roles and do not get involved in each other’s responsibilities.
Management Styles Governance Model Vs. Management Model
Governance Better Than Management Deals with long-term issues-enables productivity in creating vs. approving Deals with the future- force forward thinking Cradles vision-think the unthinkable and dream. Explicitly addresses fundamental values-be guardian of organizational values. Sets policy Deals with issues Lets the administration do its job-balance over and under control. Defines board and administrative accountability Be obsessed with effects on people-primary concern-benefits for people
Governance Better Than Management • Dare to be bigger than yourself-leaders lead-empower others • Respect your words-make policies explicit, concise, and non-repetitive • Invest in selection and training-define process and policy • Monitor CEO performance-CEO can expect boards to play by the rules • Surmount conventional wisdom-why do we do what we do? • Develop board evaluation-What do we want to accomplish? • Are we achieving it? How do we know? • Perpetually redefine quality • View past as inspiration not impediment • Pursue excellence more than solve problems • Realize that good begets better • Excellence begins in the boardroom
Boards set policy and leave matters of day-to-day implementation of policy to the administration.
“Can’t We Just Get Along” • Effective members are continually learning. Never believe that you know it all. • Realize that not all problems are totally solvable! • When in the minority during board discussions, maintain your position without feeling guilty, but publicly support majority vote. • Recognize the difference between asking good questions and questioning every comment. • Support one another and act as a group.
Curriculum and Instruction • Board functions include: • Funding a commitment to learn • Reviewing administrative reports • Adopting curriculum & instruction policies • Establishing educational goals and providing for curriculum leadership • Assisting in professional staff development • Being aware of instructional innovations • Overseeing adequate staff evaluations
Boards Can Support Curriculum • Teacher input should be sought in curriculum or instructional improvement programs • Request reports on what is happening in curriculum • If a school contemplates a curriculum innovation, the superintendent must be consulted • The board should be aware of new curriculum and support it’s ongoing development • Addressing needs of students beyond the regular program should be addressed by the board to ensure quality education for all students • Adoption of materials other than listed in the Lake Union textbook list should follow union guidelines.
