Head & Board Taking Care of the School AND

Each Other

Introductions

• You meet me • I meet you

4

Mission

Governance Operations

Type 1Fiduciary

Type 2Strategic

Type 3Generative

Board Responsibilities

ParentsFaculty & Staff

Trustees

School Community

6

Board Structure

Bylaws & Policies

Three Types of Boards

• Progressive

• Ceremonial

• Liberated

Annual Board Documents

• Annual Committee Structure & Membership

• Annual Board Agenda

• Head’s Goals & Objectives

1) Heads hired by Board but they have to train and guide their boss(es)

Governance Conundrums

2) Heads may have to enforce compliance, i.e. pay tuition, dismiss child

3) Heads are expected to run the school but have to devote 30% of their time caring for

the Board

4) Heads often have to press the Board to evaluate and complete next contract.

Others?

Leadership Revisited

Board & Head

Communication & Building Trust

• Answer emails promptly

• SILENT = LISTEN

Let’s look at 2 examples

• 2 Ears and 1 Mouth

Communication with an attitude

An Example of Miscommunication

Communication

Good Procedures

Thoughtful

Trust

+

Meetings – an often missed opportunity

Discuss and list

• 3 meeting characteristics you like • 3 that frustrate you

Perspective Taking

Recognition

Must work both ways

• Head to Board

• Board to Head & Staff

Clarkson Montessori School“Terry, you have a call from the board chair on line 2.” “Hello, Terry. How was your weekend?” “Hi, Chris. I was just thinking that I can’t believe this is my fifteenth year at Clarkson. We’ve seen so much progress in a short period of time. What’s up?” “Terry, I heard at drop-off this morning that Leslie will be leaving after the holiday break. Is that true?” “Oh, yes. I probably should have brought it up last week when we had our weekly meeting.” “Terry, I cannot believe this. Leslie has been with us over 25 years, and is one of our most beloved teachers.”

Dawson Montessori Day School“Hi Pat. You all set for tonight’s board meeting?” “For sure. I will give my Head’s Report right after the Committee on Trustees Report, right?” “Yes. Oh, and one other thing, we will have an executive session right at the end, so you will be able to leave sooner. You deserve an early night. You’ve been working so hard to get this capital campaign up and running.” “Executive session? You never mentioned anything about that. Is something wrong?” “No, the board just wants to talk about your performance, and we feel that the dialogue will be more honest and robust if you were not in the room.”

Executive Sessions&

Heads Voting

Board/Head Partnership

“Great schools house outstanding faculty, but

they are built through the strong leadership of solid

head/board partnerships.”

How do the Board and Head do this in your school?

Sustaining Montessori Culture

• AMS Website• Monthly Newsletter

• Heads’ Listserve

What is not Montessori in our schools?

• Develop your leadership

• Support school mission

• Promote professional development

• Give Recognition

• Care for the child

• Do right

For Head & Board

“When Parents Complain — what’s a board member to do?”

“When You’re a Parent and Board Member”

Beyond our own Montessori Schools

• Professional Development

• Accreditation

• Montessori Advocacy

• Montessori Research

• Montessori in the National Agenda

• Technology

Accreditation Process

Manual on Evaluation & Accreditation(2006 Edition)

IV. Governance

Manual on Evaluation & Accreditation(2011 Edition)

II. Governance

Roles & Responsibilities

Major recommendation – 2003 accreditation report

“The fourth major recommendation is for all areas of the school to understand their roles and responsibilities. The leadership of the school and the Board have a deep understanding of this issue. The challenge is to change the culture of the faculty and parent body without losing their strong loyalty, generosity, and dedication. The change will take some time and may require some outside assistance from a facilitator along the lines of Dr. Robert Evans. Fortunately, the Board seems to be thinking strategically and can provide support to the administration.”

• Absolutely no surprises between the head and board chair!

• Always work towards building trust among school constituencies, especially between the board chair and head of school.

• Constant, regular communication between board chair and head is essential. With email, messaging, and cell phones, there is no excuse for lack of communication.

• Board executive sessions (those that exclude the head) must be logical and anticipated by both the board and head, i.e. discussing head’s compensation, head’s goals, and head’s annual evaluation.

• Use the Committee on Trustees to help manage trustee behavior. This committee can be a good support to the board chair, particularly when it comes to helping best governance practices prevail.

• Make provisions for and insist on succession planning for board leadership.

• Make sure that the head shows appreciation for trustee time and energy, always remembering that they are volunteering their time.

• Make sure that the board shows its appreciation for the work of the head and the staff.

• The Incumbent Rules:• It is incumbent upon the board chair and head to

use the Executive Committee when sticky situations are beyond their purview.

• It is incumbent upon the board chair to apprise the board as soon as possible when difficult situations arise beyond the scope of the board chair, head, and Executive Committee.

• It is incumbent upon the head to keep the faculty and staff apprised as soon as practical of changes that affect the school.

• Keep all sensitive matters relating to governance, operations, and treatment of one another ethical and confidential.

Jim Collins Patrick Lencioni

NAIS

Richard Chait

www.nais.org

www.nysais.org

www.boardsource.org

www.iscachairs.org

www.isminc.com www.amshq.org

Tomorrow’s ChildMontessori Leadership

Hard Work

3 Final Points . . .

Humility Humor

The Hs

1.  “Golden Governance”2. “Casa Dei Bambini”3.  “Recognition”4.  “30%. . . No. Really?”5.  “Whose Decision Is It?”6.  “Board/Head Partnership” (from NAIS)7. Slides from this presentation

Handouts & Resources – Session 5

Fostering Relationships Between Heads of School

& Boards of Trustees