Transcript Slide 1

DHAHRAN AHLIYYA SCHOOL
ADVISORY BOARD ORIENTATION
APRIL 3, 2013
SECTION 1
Welcome
&
Introduction to Dhahran Ahliyya Schools
Welcome
to the new
DAS Advisory Board
Why have we established this
Advisory Board?
Introductions
• 30 seconds (per person)
– Name
– Current job (if applicable) and connection to DAS
– Expectations for the day
– Something unique about you
• Notebook contents
Ground Rules…
• Keep an open mind and avoid pre-conceived
ideas or expectations.
– All current policies have been developed based on
experience…’everything has a reason.’
• Honor everyone’s voice.
• Topics outside of the agenda will be put in the
‘parking lot’ and addressed later.
• 100% attention – (phones, etc.)
Mission Statement
Inspired by the principles of Islam, the mission
of Dhahran Ahliyya Schools is:
First: To empower each student to be a
compassionate, thinking, lifelong bi-lingual
learner, who makes a positive difference
locally and globally.
Second: To participate in the development of
education in the Arab World.
DAS Vision
We strive to be a pioneering learning
community that fosters collaboration, persists
in continuous inquiry and development, and
utilizes current research and technology in the
service of improving student learning.
DAS Vision
1. Student learning: the purpose of the school is to ensure
all students learn at high levels.
2. Collaborative culture: Helping all students requires a
collaborative and collective effort.
3. Result orientation: to assess our effectiveness in helping
all students learn we must focus on results and use them to
inform and improve our professional practice and respond to
students who need enrichment or intervention.
“Each year we will be better than we were the
year before.”
LABORATORY
COMMUNITY
FAMILY
Four Criteria
for evaluating DAS programs
• STUDENTS FEEL safe in the school, confident
that they will be respected and not exposed to
any kind of bullying – physical or emotional –
from adults or fellow students.
• STUDENTS FEEL that what they are studying is
useful to them all the time and interesting to
them at least 65% of the time.
Four Criteria
for evaluating DAS programs
• STUDENTS FEEL that they are being asked to
apply higher level thinking skills to their learning
and that they are not being asked simply to
memorize except in those few instances when it
is absolutely necessary.
• STUDENTS FEEL that they are able to succeed in
doing the work assigned and are confident that if
they have trouble they will be able to find
assistance from teachers who can help them
LEARN, not simply help them get good grades.
Targeted Characteristics
DAS students will learn to become:
• Principled, faithful Muslims
• Thinking persons who love learning and
interact positively with the changing world
• Open-minded persons who care about others
• Successful people who contribute to the
development of society
Continuous Improvement
The DAS strategy for continuous improvement is to fulfill the
Schools’ mission by involving all employees in the schools in
an ongoing program of professional development that enables
them to participate in a process of continuous analysis and
evaluation of the results of our work, the development of
better systems, methods, and teaching materials and the
addition of new programs for our students.
In order to be effective, this strategy requires that parents and
students (and Advisory Board Members) be involved in the
improvement process whenever possible.
Continuous Improvement
Continuous Improvement
Standards of Professional Development:
Continuous, embedded, developmental, based on best
practices, differentiated, based on what is known about adult
learning
Multiple Strategies:
SMART goals, coaching process, workshops, peer coaching,
collaborative and support teams, curriculum committees,
Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles (PDSA), action research
Plan for Continuous Progress
in Learning (PCPL)
Professional Development
All imbedded in the
classroom & based on
the Standards of Good
Teaching (SGT)
Performance Assessment
Compensation
DAS Organizational Structure
DAS Facilities
• Leased or Rented by DAS
–
–
–
–
Main building (leased from Aramco)
Pre-school branch building (rented)
Housing for workers and foreign teachers (3 rented buildings)
Business Office building (rented from Alturki)
• Owned by DAS
–
–
–
–
–
–
Land beside Business Office building
Dar AlKitab building
Ibn Khaldoon Building (5 apartments for single female teachers)
Al Jisr Compound (8 town houses for foreign teachers with families)
Land (licensed for building a new early childhood building in the Tilal AlDhahran area)
2 other pieces of land purchased for building projects
The DAS- Aramco
Relationship
•
•
•
•
Founding of DAS -1977
First DAS-Aramco agreement – 1983
Moved into current building – 1985
Current Agreement – 2010-2018
– Lease of building in exchange for 50% of the seats
for Saudi Aramco dependents at rate of 35% off
(Value this year: SR10,001,565)
– Student enrollment according to Aramco policy
The DAS- Aramco
Relationship
• Aramco responsibilities: To provide
– Building + cleaning, maintenance, landscaping, utilities
– Technology
– Leadership for program for mild special needs
Benchmark: level of Aramco in-camp schools
• DAS responsibilities: To ensure
– 50% of student body and of Advisory Board from Saudi
Aramco
– Program for children with mild special needs
– Accreditation from international body (NCA CASI) and from
the Saudi Ministery of Education
– High quality programs
SECTION 2
Advisory Board Responsibilities
Advisory Board
Responsibilities
• Works at a strategic level to provide advice, support and stability
for the continuous operation and development of the school.
• Reviews the affairs and business of the school and enacts such
policies as are needed consistent with the mission and strategy.
• Assists in ensuring the following:
– Long-term financial stability of the school
– Compliance of the school with relevant laws and regulations
– Provision of facilities that adequately support the program
– Continuous improvement of the schools’ instructional
programs
• Develops and monitors the long and short range strategic plans.
• Cultivates and maintains good relations with school constituents
as well as the broader community.
Advisory Board
Responsibilities
• Appoints new members of the advisory board
• Reviews and recommends an annual balanced
budget, tuition rate, and scale of salaries for
School personnel for the following year
• Identifies risks and takes appropriate steps to
protect the school from the same
• Regularly evaluates the quality of its own work
and takes steps to improve it when necessary.
Divided Responsibilities
Advisory Board
Administrative
Focuses at strategic level
Focuses on implementation of strategy
Ensures presence of appropriate policies
and processes
Responsible for outcomes of policies
and processes
Performance evaluation of Board and COO
Performance evaluation of staff
Approves policies for dealing with parent
concerns but does not intervene
Responsible for parent / school
relationships
Approves admissions policies but does not
intervene
Implements admissions policies and
procedures
Advises and proposes legal and finance
matters
Final legal and finance decisions
(President)
Anticipated questions to you from parents
and people in the community…
Q: My child / relative is a perfect fit for DAS.
Can you help me make sure they get
accepted?
A: Sorry, I can’t help you, the Advisory Board
has nothing to do with admissions. The
school has very specific procedures and
policies that they use to select students.
Anticipated Questions…
Q: I am not happy with my child’s teacher…
something must be done. Can you help me?
A: Sorry, I can’t help you, the Advisory Board
doesn’t get involved in parent / teacher
interactions or advocate for parents. I would
suggest you talk directly to the teacher, or the
teacher’s supervisor.
Advisory Board
Standing Committees
• Three Standing (permanent) Committees
– Governance
– Finance and Risk
– Development
• Each board member will be a member of at
least one Standing Committee
• Meet as often as necessary, usually not less
than three times per year.
Advisory Board
Task Forces
• Formed to deal with a specific task and
then disbanded in a specific period after
clear expectations are met
• Deal with specific projects or issues
– For example: publications, athletics,
curriculum selection process, etc.
• Report to the Advisory Board
Governance Committee (GVC)
• Responsible for the identification, cultivation
recruitment and orientation of new members and
selection of members of the various committees
from within the Advisory Board and outside it.
• Shall consist of a total of four members
– Chairman of the Board
– One designated by the Chairman of the Board
– Two designated by the Advisory Board at large
• Performance Evaluation responsibilities
– Chief Operations Officer
– Advisory Board (annually and for accreditation)
Finance and Risk Committee
(FRC)
• Responsible to
– Review the financial affairs of the school including
monitoring of the budget.
– Oversee audit processes for financial and other
issues, e.g.,identification and management of the
school’s major business and operational risks.
– Direct and monitor management of School funds.
• Chairman appointed by the Advisory Board
and will include Director of Business Affairs as
an ex-officio member.
Development Committee
(DVC)
• Responsible for
– Increasing and strengthening the financial base of
the school through fundraising, alumni relations,
and public relations.
– Oversight of website, annual report, and other
means of improving relations with parents and
community
– Development and oversight of alternative income
projects, including The Educational Book House
(Dar AlKitab Atterbawi).
Advisory Board Meetings
• First Meeting
– Plans and progress toward the year’s objectives
reviewed
– Presentation made for election of new members
– Other current business
• Second Meeting
– New members and officers elected and membership
in standing committees determined
– Annual report of previous year approved
– Priorities, plans, budget, and tuition rates agreed
upon for the following year
Advisory Board Meetings
• Third Meeting
– Both new and old members in attendance
– Reports heard regarding progress and challenges
during the present year
– Personnel decisions for the following year reviewed
• Fourth Meeting
– Plans completed for the new annual report and other
PR materials
– Long term strategy and challenges discussed
– Other current business studied
Advisory Board Meetings
This year only:
Third meeting in May instead of March
• Reports on progress
• Discussion of current challenges
Fourth meeting in June?
• Guidance for Annual Report
• Agree on goals for the coming year
• Prepare for accreditation in early 2014
SECTION 3
Accreditation
Accreditation
• What is Accreditation and why is it important?
– Provides a process for institutional evaluation
– Promotes, strengthens, and assures the operation
of quality educational programs for all students
– Gives license for having an international program
• North Central Association Commission on
Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI)
/AdvancED
– First accredited in 2009
– Should be renewed every 5 years --2014
Accreditation
Five Standards of Accreditation (NCA CASI)
1. Purpose and Direction
2. Governance and Leadership
•
This is very Advisory Board focused
3. Teaching and Assessing for Learning
4. Resource and Support Systems
5. Using Results for Continuous Improvement
Accreditation
• Two Parts:
– Internal review – Self study
– External review – External committee
• Both based on:
–
–
–
–
Observations
Evidence
Surveys
Interviews
Board Standards
(For Accreditation)
• Establishes policies and supports practices
that ensure effective administration of the
school.
• Operates responsibly and functions effectively.
• Ensures that the school leadership has the
autonomy to meet goals for achievement and
instruction and to manage day-to-day
operations effectively.
Also, three standards for leadership
SECTION 4
Board Business
Board Business
• Variable service requirements for the first
Advisory Board
– 2 years / 3 years / 4 years
– Straws
• Committee Selection (May)
• Advisory Board Announcement at Graduation
– please attend
Boys – May 9
Girls – April 18
SECTION 5
Responsible & Exceptional Boards
Responsible Boards
• Responsible Boards
– Are competent stewards
– Honor their fiduciary (legal, fiscal, ethical) duties.
– Operate both effectively and ethically.
Exceptional Boards
• Exceptional Boards are responsible AND
– Focus on strategic issues - the future
– Actively build their knowledge base
– Communicate often, honestly, positively
– Foster a genuine partnership with the head
– Are value, mission and vision driven
Exceptional Boards
Principles of
Governance that Power
EXCEPTIONAL
BOARDS
1. Constructive Partnership
Exceptional boards govern in partnership with
the head, recognizing that the effectiveness and
success of the board, the head – and the school
– are interdependent.
2. Mission Driven
Exceptional boards know and affirm the school’s
mission, articulate a compelling vision, and
ensure the congruence between decisions and
core values.
3. Strategic Thinking
Exceptional boards delegate the operation of
the school to the head and devote their time to
what matters most: continuously engaging in
long-term, strategic thinking.
4. Culture of Inquiry
Exceptional boards institutionalize a culture of
inquiry, mutual respect, and constructive debate
which leads to sound, shared decision making.
4. Culture of Inquiry
5. Independent Minded
Exceptional boards are independent-minded.
When making decisions, board members put the
long-term welfare of the school above all else,
especially special interests (e.g. individuals,
pressure groups).
6. Ethos of Transparency
Exceptional boards promote an ethos of
transparency by ensuring that the school’s
various constituencies have appropriate access
to accurate and significant information.
7. Compliance with Integrity
Exceptional boards actively promote strong
management values and disciplined compliance
by establishing appropriate mechanisms for
fiduciary oversight.
7. Compliance with Integrity
8. Sustaining Resources
Exceptional boards promote sustainability by
linking bold visions and ambitious plans for the
school with reliable and long-term financial
support, expertise and networks of influence.
9. Results-Oriented
Exceptional boards are data-driven and resultsoriented. They measure the school’s
advancement towards its vision and evaluate
the performance of major programs and
services.
10. Intentional Board
Practices
Exceptional boards intentionally structure
themselves to maximize effectiveness and
efficiency in fulfilling essential governance
duties and supporting the school’s values,
mission and vision.
10. Intentional Board
Practices
11. Continuous Board
Learning
Exceptional boards embrace the qualities of a
continuous learning organization, evaluating
their own performance and assessing the value
they add to the school and its operations.
12. Revitalization
Exceptional boards reenergize themselves and
promote the school’s sustainability through
planned turnover and thoughtful recruitment of
new board members in light of the school’s
needs, mission and vision.
12. Revitalization
SECTIONS 6 & 7
Q&A
Thanks
Q&A Panel
What are your questions about the school?
What questions are you going to be asked?