Transcript Heading a Montessori school

Head & Board Taking Care of the School
AND
Each Other
Introductions
• You meet me
• I meet you
I. Board Basics
II. Foundation of Trust
III. Sustaining a Montessori Culture
IV. Golden Governance
V. Resources
I. Board Basics
4
School Community
Board Responsibilities
Parents
Faculty & Staff
Type 1
Fiduciary
Type 2
Strategic
Trustees
Type 3
Generative
6
Board Structure
Bylaws & Policies
Three Types of Boards
• Ceremonial
• Liberated
• Progressive
Annual Board Documents
• Annual Board Agenda
• Head’s Goals & Objectives
• Annual Committee Structure
& Membership
Governance Conundrums
1) Heads hired by Board but they have to train
and guide their boss(es)
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?
II. Foundation of Trust
Leadership Revisited
Board & Head
Communication & Building Trust
• Answer emails promptly
• SILENT = LISTEN
• 2 Ears and 1 Mouth
Let’s look at 2 examples
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.”
III. Sustaining a Montessori Culture
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?
For Head & Board
• Develop your leadership
• Support school mission
• Promote professional development
• Give Recognition
• Do right
• Care for the child
“When You’re a Parent and Board Member”
“When Parents Complain — what’s a board member to do?”
Beyond our own
Montessori Schools
• Accreditation
• Professional Development
• Montessori Advocacy
• Montessori in the National Agenda
• Montessori Research
• 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.”
IV. Golden Governance
• 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.
• Keep all sensitive matters relating to governance,
operations, and treatment of one another ethical and
confidential.
• 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.
V. Resources
NAIS
Jim Collins
Richard Chait
Patrick Lencioni
www.boardsource.org
www.isminc.com
www.iscachairs.org
www.nais.org
www.amshq.org
www.nysais.org
Tomorrow’s Child
Montessori Leadership
3 Final Points . . .
The Hs
Hard Work
Humility
Humor
Handouts & Resources – Session 5
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
“Golden Governance”
“Casa Dei Bambini”
“Recognition”
“30%. . . No. Really?”
“Whose Decision Is It?”
“Board/Head Partnership” (from NAIS)
Slides from this presentation
Fostering Relationships Between
Heads of School
&
Boards of Trustees