Starting off the School Year Right!
Jenni Lefing, Membership Services Manager
With the school year getting underway, now is a perfect time for boards to take a step back and refocus for the school year. A great way to do this is to review (together) key district information.
Does your district have a strategic plan? If so, this is a great place to start. A strategic plan lays out your district’s purpose and plan, that in turn guides the school board and school leaders.
Here are some additional recommendations to help your school board stay connected, engaged, and informed this school year.
Welcome Staff and Students to the School Year!
- Plan welcome events such as a lunch/bbq or reception for the board and superintendent to connect with staff.
- Schedule time to visit schools, while following all school visitor procedures and checking in with the principal and superintendent beforehand.
Review and Update Your Board Calendar for the School Year
- Confirm your monthly meetings and work sessions, training opportunities for the board (such as AASB events), key budget development dates, reviewing policy updates, new board member orientation, election of new officers, teacher contract and teacher evaluation plans.
- Identify time to review reports, such as the district report card, statewide assessments, audit review, crisis plan, and school district calendar drafts.
- Include key school district dates such as school start/end days, testing, in-service, graduations, school breaks, and key activities.
- Update as needed throughout the year with other key events
Schedule Annual Governance and Professional Development Trainings
- Board Self-Evaluation (Assessment) & Priority Setting : Opportunity for the board, as a governance team, to take a step back, look at itself and identify strengths of the board, key issues, and identify what the board should focus on in the coming year. AASB staff facilitate about half of boards’ self-assessment and priority setting workshops and would be happy to work with your board.
- Superintendent Evaluation: This is one of the most important responsibilities of a school board, and a critical tool to help your Superintendent understand the board’s expectations. AASB recommends using a performance evaluation, tied to district strategic goals, to evaluate the progress and leadership of the superintendent with regard to the board’s vision and goals each year.
- Annual trainings through AASB: For new school board members this includes Ready Set Govern at AASB’s Annual Conference in November, and First Term Board Member Webinars (free!) starting later this fall. Check out all of AASB’s upcoming events.
Ask your board chair or Superintendent when your board will be conducting these trainings this year. If your board is interested in AASB supporting your board in any of these, check out https://aasb.org/boardsmanship-training/ or call 907-463-1660 to talk to a Board Development team member.
Review and Understand Your Obligations as a Board Member
- Come to board meetings prepared. Read meeting materials beforehand, ask the superintendent questions beforehand, so there is time to have responses before the board meeting, and be prepared to participate in discussions.
- Be courteous and respectful to your fellow board members, superintendent, staff, families, community members, and students.
- Work as a member of a leadership team to perform board duties that are consistent with best practices and your policies. This includes participating in discussion of items that come before the board and voting on all motions and resolutions, unless there is a compelling reason to abstain (per BB 9200).
- Review your board policies or any other code of conduct civility your board has, ex. board standards (BB 9020). code of ethics (BB 9271 Code of Ethics), and Board Members (BB 9200 Board Members)
Following these recommendations will help your board to be a more effective leadership team this coming year. AASB is here to support you with any of these ideas, and we wish you all a safe, productive start to the school year.