Board Trustee Development: Embracing the Principles & Practices That Promote Effective Governance

Trustee Affinity Group

Trustees will begin networking with the consultants and other trustees, previewing the Governance Institute sessions, sharing successes and challenges from their own Boards, and identifying issues and topics for further exploration this week.

MORNING SESSION:

Roles and Responsibilities

Essential Question

How does the board perform the roles and fulfill the responsibilities of both governance and leadership?

Enduring Understandings

• Established “Principles of Good Practice” for an international school board;
• The distinction between board approved policy and administrative developed procedure;
• The distinct yet complementary roles and responsibilities between the board and the head.

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AFTERNOON SESSION:

Fiduciary Duties of the Board

Essential Question

How does the board meet its fiduciary responsibilities and serve as a good steward?

Enduring Understandings

• What it means to be a “fiduciary”;
• Sharing fiduciary responsibility - who does what;
• Effective fiduciary practices.

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SUSTAINING THE BOARD

Essential Question

How does the board build and sustain its own membership?

Enduring Understandings

• Board structure does matter; different models of boards/governance in international schools have particular strengths and drawbacks.
• Effective trustee recruitment and retention requires deliberate planning and execution.
• Professional learning for and evaluation of the board must be thoughtfully planned, deliberately executed, and ongoing.

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Afternoon Office Hours

An opportunity for individual school-based governance teams to meet with David and Rick to explore particular issues, challenges, and tasks related to their governance responsibilities.

MORNING SESSION:

Being a Strategic Board

Essential Question

How does the board establish and sustain a strategic direction for the school?

Enduring Understandings

• The board is the author and trustee of the school’s mission, vision and values and, as such, is responsible for ensuring alignment between those foundational documents and the school’s policies and practices; and for ensuring that those foundational documents are “living” and relevant.
• By employing deliberate structures and processes, the board can focus on its strategic role;
• Strategic Planning, integrated with Financial and Facilities Planning, and establishes priority goals and action plans for fulfilling the school’s mission and vision.

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Essential Question

How does the board monitor progress and success in regards to fulfilling the school’s mission, vision, values, educational objectives, and strategic intent?

Enduring Understanding

• It is the board’s responsibility, working with the head, to develop the metrics/measures of success that effectively and efficiently inform its strategic decision making.

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AFTERNOON SESSION:

i. Board-Head of School Relations
ii. Board Operations

Essential Question

How does the board build and sustain the school’s leadership?

Enduring Understandings

• Hiring the head and insuring smooth leadership transition is the board’s most important responsibility
• The head of school is the board’s only employee and s/he must be publicly supported
• The evaluation of the head must be seen through a “growth mindset” and aligned with the job description and board-approved goals
• The chair and head of school represent a partnership, “leading together” in the work of the Board.

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Essential Question

How does the board conduct its business?

Enduring Understandings

• Board effectiveness is enhanced through the use of standardized formats and routines
• Board structures should follow the “form follows function” principle
• It is essential for the board to have an articulated culture/set of common agreements that is adhered to and enforced.

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MORNING & Afternoon Office Hours

An opportunity for individual school-based governance teams to meet with David and Rick to explore particular issues, challenges, and tasks related to their governance responsibilities.

Please bring your laptop/tablet to these sessions.

Save paper and effort where possible!

For your convenience, and to support our efforts in being "green", all handouts/files posted here have been notated with an A, B, C or D indicating the following:

(A) hardcopies needed at workshop
(B) electronic version on laptop is sufficient (for viewing during the workshop)
(C) required reading PRIOR to the workshop
(D) file not needed for workshop itself, but simply material of additional interest/reference

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(B)

• Being Strategic Workbook
• Fiduciary Duties Workbook
• Roles and Responsibilities Workbook
• Board/Head of School Relationship
• Growing and Sustaining the Board
• Optimizing Board Operations