It is hard to believe that April is already here and now is the time to plan for year-end tasks. Effective boards understand that they need to accomplish a number of items before the final meeting of the academic year in order to support the head, improve their own performance, and serve the school well. Here are some of those tasks:

• Provide performance feedback to the head. The head deserves a clear understanding of how the board views their performance. That feedback ought to be part of a predictable and known process that is based largely on how well the head accomplished their annual goals.

• Discuss the head's compensation for the upcoming year. It is surprising how many boards neglect to talk to the head about their compensation for the upcoming year. Ideally, this conversation should take place in the spring around the same time other employees get their contracts. The conversation should include the head’s monetary compensation as well as benefits. A board should consider that a head may wish for different benefits depending on their stage of life.

• Assess the board’s performance for the year. One of the attributes of a strong performing team is that they spend time thinking holistically about their own performance. A board is no different. The chair of the Governance (or Trustee) Committee should devise an approach to review the board’s performance including how well the board accomplished its annual goals. The board should also consider how engaged its members are, how dynamic the agendas were, and how well they supported the head.

• Set board goals for next year. A high functioning board should be aware of the looming strategic issues that need to be addressed in the upcoming academic year. The best time to set goals for the next year is in the last meeting of the current year. That allows the board to hit the ground running. The board’s goals should also inform the head’s goals.

• Elect new board members. The final meeting of the year is the best time to elect the class of new board members. It is also a good time to give them a calendar of meetings for the following year including the date for the onboarding (orientation) meeting. It is also nice to invite the potential members as guest observers so they can see a meeting in action before officially joining the board.

• Celebrate accomplishments and departing board members. The end of the year is a time for reflection. Time spent thinking about what was accomplished and thanking board members who have served the school is a worthwhile investment.