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Setting the Stage for a "Good" Board of Education
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A good Board of Education begins with informed candidates. Good candidates don't happen by accident. We always hope they have a history of positive involvement with the schools. They may have been active in school committee work, perhaps the district's CSIP committee or a referendum, sales tax, or PPEL initiative. Maybe they have been involved in PTO, the Booster Club, or a Parent Advisory Committee. But sometimes, they appear to have "come out of the woodwork." Whatever the background, they will have a wide range of real understanding of the workings of the district.
The savvy superintendent will begin the new board member induction process before the election takes place. Meeting with the candidates, encouraging them to be an informed candidate, one who can answer constituent's questions as they're out campaigning, and inviting them to a superintendent/administrative team designed workshop, "The Informed Candidate, An Orientation Guide for School Board Candidates," sets the stage for an open, honest relationship after the election. The strategy is beneficial even for candidates who are defeated in the election. They go forward as informed citizens who understand how a Board of Education operates.
Topics to be covered might include:
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- The District isn't what it used to be: enrollment, demographics, planning for growing or declining numbers.
- The financial foundation: funds and related data, assessed valuation (historical data), tax levy history, tax increment financing, most recent fiscal year-end statistics and comparisons, trending financial condition.
- Teaching and learning: achievement data, professional development plan (the greatest predictor of student success is the quality of the teacher in the classroom), curriculum review and revision cycle, how best instructional practices are utilized in classrooms, CSIP, NCLB, AYP, etc.
- Effective board-administrative teams: key responsibilities for school boards who are leaders for learning, responsibilities of the board, the board/administrative team, and the superintendent, how agendas are developed, standing committees, board goal setting process.
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REMEMBER, this is your opportunity to educate, to teach them how good boards work, what their role is and what yours is. It's the beginning of a working relationship and one that you influence and shape from the beginning. |
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