SAIS Board Bulletin: Sept 2023

Dear Independent School Board Members,

In the second installment of the Board Bulletin, let's explore the relationship between the board and head of school. One of the key responsibilities of the board is to support the head. These responsibilities can be divided into three main areas:

Public support
Giving appropriate deference
Providing feedback

Public Support of the Head

As a trustee, particularly if you are a current parent, you will most likely hear complaints about the school. Most of these concerns are operational. In these cases, a board member should respond to the complainer in the following manner:

"I am sorry to hear you are upset. The issue you raised is not one the board deals with." You can explain the board’s role here as being strategic and fiduciary, not operational.
"I know the head and staff are open to your concerns. I suggest you raise them with the appropriate school personnel." This could be a teacher, division director, business manager, head, or others on campus. Based on the concern, try to direct them appropriately.

After that:

Inform the head about the concern you heard. The notification is not so you can learn how they will deal with it but to help avoid surprises for the head. This is true even if you have empathy for and/or agree with the complaint.
Remember your role is to support the head's and the school’s decisions even if you might have decided differently.

Giving Appropriate Deference

Being a school board member is unusual. The board is responsible for the long-term health of the school and often board members have no expertise in the core business of education. Having been a student does not make you an educational expert. As a result, when making decisions the board should consider:

Respecting the head’s expertise. The more the decision concerns pedagogy, curriculum, or teachers, the more deference should be given to the head’s view.
Giving deference to the head’s view is not the same as giving the head unbridled authority. No matter the decision or the head’s view, the board should ask questions to assure the decision is mission consistent and will not endanger the financial sustainability of the school.
Conducting semi-annual conversations between the board and head about the decision-making process. Do both the board and the head feel their views are being heard and appropriately considered? If not, the board (working in conjunction with the head) has work to do on improving the way it reaches decisions.

Providing Feedback

The head, like all school employees (and all people), benefits from the opportunity to grow and develop. Part of the board’s responsibility is to ensure the head is growing professionally. The board should:

Insist that the head develop annual goals that are shared with and approved by the board. Progress against the goals should be a major part of the head’s annual review.
Develop an annual growth process that is understood and agreed to by the board and head. This process should center on improvement and growth, not perceived weaknesses.
Support and encourage the head working with an executive coach and participating in professional learning opportunities.
Every head wants an opportunity to grow and develop. Some boards think that by not providing feedback and growth opportunities, they are easing the head’s load. If your head is comfortable being static, beware.
Heads hear criticism regularly. Board members need to remember how lonely the head’s job is and offer sincere compliments.