Board Chair or Administrator: Who Leads the Dance and When?
Visibility is One Key to an Effective Board
H1N1 Flu Preparedness in Your School
Invest in Your Board with WWW: Webinars, Webcasts, & Wikispaces
Board Member Recruitment Ideas
Some Ideas to Assist Your Board in Its Advancement Role
Board Spirituality Resources You Can Use
Archdiocese of Washington Provides Instant Parent Contact for Schools
Catholic Religious Education Network Online
Your School Can Participate in the Read for the Record Campaign
State Urges Parents to Ask about Integrated Pest Management Plans
Plan Now to Attend the 2010 NCEA Convention & Expo
Is Your Planning Committee on Schedule for Catholic Schools Week?
Prayer to Open the Meeting
by Michael Coombe
It is desirable for prayer leadership to rotate among the lay members of the board. Here are some suggestions for a simple prayer style that focuses on the purpose of the meeting, and does not require printed handouts.
The invitation is offered in these or similar words:
We take this time to focus ourselves on God, who has called us into this ministry together. (Pause)
Psalm 86 v. 5
O Lord, you are good and forgiving,
Full of love to all who call on you.
Give heed, O Lord, to our prayer
And attend to the sound of our voice.
God of wisdom and truth, you sent Jesus, your Son, as our Truth, to guide us and fill our hearts with the fire of your presence. Fill us with a keen sense of your presence, and of the mission of [school name] as we consider the issues that will come before us at this meeting. Open our ears and our hearts to the contributions of each person at this table. Help us to consider all the issues and deliberate wisely. And guide us into decisions that will benefit the students and staff who have been entrusted to our care, that we may all grow in wisdom, and better serve you in the community.
(Add this or a similar invitation.) We may add additional prayers for the school community, ending them with "…we pray," and all respond: "Lord, Hear our prayer."
We also raise up our personal concerns for family and friends who are in need of the Lord's help at this moment…
Into your hands we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer to Close the Meeting
Lord God, we offer up our deliberations and decisions into your hands. By your Spirit, turn them to good and correct our mistakes. Make us wise and faithful in doing what we have said we will do. Bless those who teach and those who learn.
Go with us now as we return to our lives and to those we love; guide us in the path of goodness; and protect us from evil. [In the evening: Protect us Lord, while we are awake, and watch over us as we sleep; that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.] In the name of Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Board Chair or Administrator: Who Leads the Dance and When?
by Regina Haney, Ed.D.
Outstanding boards have a chair and administrator who function as a team. Each shows respect for the other, is comfortable being honest with the other, communicates daily, and is committed to the school’s mission. Like all teams, the chair and the administrator have their special role and tasks.
I suggest that you create a chart similar to the one presented below, so that it is clear who does what rather than presume each knows. This would protect the board from being dominated by an administrator with a strong leadership style. Likewise, a written document that is continually reviewed could prevent a chair with a strong leadership style from venturing into the administrator's role.
Explanation of the Chart Below
The chair is the leader of the board. The chair collaborates with the other executive committee members to set up committees and to monitor the committees’ work. He/she sets the tone of board. If things are not going well with the board it is the chair that has to correct that. The administrator on the other hand is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the school. Each knows that he/she needs the other. The chair knows that he/she needs the cooperation of the administrator to lead the board, and the administer needs the chair to gain support from the full board to accomplish what is needed for the school to reach its potential.
Together the chair and the administrator plan efforts to make the board more effective and to meet the needs of the school. In some instances, the chair and administrator can discuss possible steps to initiate a strategic planning process.
One of the chair’s major tasks is to ensure a committee structure is in place and operating successfully. The board chair has the responsibility to appoint the chair of each committee, to make sure that each committee has goals, and to hold all committees accountable. The administrator interprets and implements the policies that originated through the committees and were recommended/approved by the full board.
Each is responsible for providing resources. For example, the administrator can provide data or staff assistance. The chair can provide contacts.
The chair signs off on the agenda even though the administration gives input or makes suggestions. The administrator has a spot on the agenda to inform the board on the affairs of the school. Together they evaluate the meeting—what went well, what did people struggle with, what needs to improve at the next meeting.
The chair keeps the administrator informed about such things as his expectations of the board, what he/she hears others say about the school, and other items that will prevent surprises to the administration. The expectation of the administrator is to communicate solid requests and recommendations to the board—ones supported by data and research. Together they plan for a productive meeting and even do a dry run of the agenda to check timeframes, anticipate questions and struggles, and identify possible actions that may come from various agenda items.
Like all board members, the chair is expected to bring knowledge and insights to the table. However, he or she is also expected to draw out the best thinking and ideas from other members by creating an atmosphere in which each is comfortable sharing skills, knowledge, and insights to benefit the school.
The administrator serves as a communication link between the board and constituents. For example, the administrator brings to the faculty the approved policies dealing with the accrual of personal days and sick days and related compensation. Or the administrator can gather the reactions of the faulty on a board-proposed idea.
In and out of board meetings, both are qualified to answer questions for the board.
The buck stops with the chair. The chair is responsible for the process of selecting new members. As we know, it is the responsibility of the Nominating/Governance Committee to bring candidates to the board. However, the chair has to ensure the process is in motion and that the committee has a viable game plan. He/she may opt to be part of the committee at various times. The administrator may suggest a viable candidate to the committee, but he/she is not responsible for the process.
The chair is the chief fundraiser. This can play out in a couple of ways. He/she states the expectation that each gives to development effort and follows up on this with a conversation with each member. His/her presence at fundraisers is another way.
The chair keeps in touch with the administrator regarding progress on the implementation of polices or decisions that the administrator has been charged with.
Remember, it is very important to have the roles of both chair and administrator written down. Once written they need to be promulgated and reviewed often so that there is no confusion about who leads the dance when.
Chair
Administrator
Both
1. Lead and manage the board
Make day-to-day decisions in the school
Planning
2. Ensure committee structure, request progress reports to keep them on track
Contribute information and suggestions, allocate resources
Resource allocation
3. Sign off on the agenda
Inform the board on the ongoing affairs of the school, suggest items for the agenda
Go through a dry run of the agenda, evaluation
4. Keep the administrator informed
Provide solid recommendations
Plan together, agree there will be no surprises
5. Bring knowledge and insights to the work of the board
Serve as the communication link to the board and constituencies
Answer questions posed by members
6. Responsible for the process of board member selection, orientation
Suggest possible candidates
Participate in orientation
7. Chief fundraiser
Keep board informed of upcoming events
Acknowledge contributions
8. Beneficent monitor of policy implementation
Interpret and implement policies
Evaluate policies
Visibility is One Key to an Effective Board
A Tip from Ronnie Huizar Perez, president of St. Mary's High School Advisory Board, Phoenix, Arizona(St. Mary's Board received the Outstanding Board Award in 2009.)
When I became a board member at St. Mary's High School, I was amazed that many parents, alumni, and the community did not know the school had an advisory board, let alone what its purpose was. Therefore, making the board more visible became one of the goals for our board during the six years that I served. Here is what worked for our school board.
First, it starts with your administration's support. It is important to have an administration that wants the board to be known and visible in the school and community, realizing that it may open the board to controversial issues that arise. The board should be there to listen to students, parents, and alumni and to be a voice for the school.
Knowing how board members function in the community helps you to look at their strengths in order to determine how they can be used most effectively. Our board is very diverse. The board is made of parents who are alumni, parents who have or had children in the school, and alumni who have no children at the school. Another strength of our board is that many members also are involved with the school's Parent Organization, Band Booster, and Sports Booster clubs. This is a plus because not only are we members of those groups, we also represent the board and bring first-hand information back to the board.
We look at the school calendar to find events or functions scheduled for the year that might be an opportunity for the board to get involved by sponsoring or assisting with that event. Our board recently identified the following events: Freshman Parent Mixer, Report Card Night, Open House, and Senior Night for fall and spring sports.
The Freshmen Parent Mixer gave incoming parents an opportunity to meet other freshman parents. Although sponsored by the Parent Organization, it provided an opportunity for the board president to introduce the board members and talk about the purpose of the board. Report Card Night and Open House were events that happened in the evening and on a weekend. Since many parents came straight from work or Mass and did not have time to cook, our board decided to sponsor a hot dog meal and make it FREE. The board provided a hot dog, chips, and drink to all parents and students who attended the events. Board members did the cooking and serving. Signs were made stating that the meal was being provided by the board. Handouts were made listing the mission of the board, the board members' names, the dates of the meetings, and how any parent could get involved in projects or committees. This allowed us to meet many current and future parents. With the fall and spring sports Senior Nights, the board decided to demonstrate visible support by presenting the senior parents with a carnation, attached to a thank-you card signed by the board. The announcer broadcast to all in attendance that the parents were receiving the flowers from the school advisory board.
For many years, all board members wore name badges that identified us as board members. This past year the principal purchased embroidered dress shirts that identified us as board members. These dress shirts will be worn at all school events and functions.
We use school communication venues to increase the board visibility. St. Mary's High School has two newsletters, one monthly and one quarterly. These newsletters are mailed to present parents as well as to alumni and the community. Articles were written introducing board members, the mission statement, and dates of meetings. When possible, a picture was attached so people could put a name with a face. In addition, our technology committee did a great job of updating the school Web site. This became an excellent asset for board visibility. A Web page was made just for the board that provided a picture of the board, our mission statement, members' contact information, board meeting dates, each month's meeting agenda, and the minutes of the board meetings. This allows parents, alumni, and the community to read exactly what the board is doing.
Lastly, none of these tasks can be accomplished without dedicated, hard-working board members who are willing to do more than just attend monthly committee or board meetings. Our board members realize that they have to give up many of their nights and weekends in order to be visible to the students, parents, alumni, and community.
Due to the increased visibility of the board to the students, parents, alumni, and community, our board has been able to recruit for committees and future board members, and conduct two-way communication with the school community regarding school issues, thus making our board worthy of a great award such as the NCEA Outstanding Board Award.
H1N1 Flu Preparedness in Your School
Information for schools continues to be updated pertaining to the "swine flu" epidemic that is expected to intensify as winter approaches. Board members and administrators should check for updates regularly.
The School Located Vaccination program (SLV) of the Centers for Disease Control will supply the vaccine, syringes, etc. but will not provide nursing personnel to administer the vaccines. Some state and local health agencies may supply personnel to administer the vaccines at private schools but some may not. Your board might want to investigate whether or not nursing personnel will be made available in your jurisdiction. If local public officials are willing to collaborate, make arrangements to administer the vaccine to your students. If they are not, your board might want to advertise among parents or the supporting parish communities for qualified health professionals willing to volunteer to assist the school nurse in administering the vaccine in a short amount of time.
Invest in Your Board with WWW: Webinars, Webcasts, & Wikispaces
Webinars
Board members, principals, presidents, superintendents, other administrators, pastors, committee members, and anyone who works with a Catholic education board can benefit from participating in these 3-week webinar courses from the comfort of your own computer.
Come away with a plan of action.
Go online any time of day or night during the course.
Read assignments, answer questions, learn from one another.
Interact personally with the professional trainer.
Dialogue and share ideas with classmates.
Receive 1.5 CEUs upon completion.
Class members may choose to continue the discussion with one another after the webinar concludes through a special Wikispace created for that purpose.
$45 for members of the Department of Boards and Councils, $110 for a team of 3.
$80 for non-members, $200 for a team of 3.
Sign up 3 people from another school and you or someone you designate can take an upcoming course FREE.
2. The Board's Faith Development:
Articulating Shared Vision Grounded on Mature Faith
You will become better able to articulate your vision about maturity in the Catholic faith and identify commonalities that are important in setting direction for the school. You will be able to help the board to understand and implement a mature Catholic vision in its leadership of all aspects of the school.
3. How Catholic School Board Leadership Promotes Fiscal Growth & Stability
After this webinar, you will be better able to understand and carry out the board's responsibility for overseeing the financial health of the school, including the steps needed to shape and monitor the budget, the role of the finance committee, audits, investments, fundraising, and development.
Oct. 7, 2009
Oct. 18 - Nov. 8, 2009
5. Marketing Our School
You will come away with the ability to create marketing objectives and strategies and translate them into measurable action plans. In the process you will learn how to understand and articulate the board's role in situation analysis and be able to identify the school's strengths, competitors, and target markets, and develop a marketing budget.
7. Recruitment, Selection, and Orientation of Board Members
Through a strong, targeted, recruitment program, you will create a board with the skills, leadership ability, and contacts to make a difference in the school. Through a well-planned orientation program, you will be able to prepare those members to implement the mission and make informed decisions from the moment they arrive.
Jan. 4, 2010
Jan. 10-31, 2010
6. Board Self-Evaluation
You will come away with a plan to present to your board and the skills to lead your board through self-assessment. You will learn how to understand and explain the value and methods of conducting board self-assessments, how to overcome obstacles, and how to design board improvement steps using a retreat, mid-year steps, and assessment of each meeting. You will also learn tips to keep the meeting on track.
8. Working with Committees of the Board
(This is a new webinar. Description will be available soon.)
Feb. 17, 2010
Feb. 28 - Mar. 21, 2010
Webcasts: One-hour-long seminars
A new series of short duration (1-hour) seminars on various topics will be held throughout the academic year. The 2009 topics are listed below.
Each interactive webcast will be broadcast live to your computer through the Internet. You will be able to interract with the presenters by typing questions on your computer.
The first two are intended to help the board and administration set up and conduct an effective Development and Advancement program if your school does not have the resources for a professional Development or Advancement office.
Cost: $20, member of the Department of Boards and Councils; $35, non-member.
So What Do You Do When You Don't Have a Development Office?
(The Role of the Board and Administration in Catholic Development and Advancement)
PART 1: What is development and how to set up the process using the Development Committee of the board as the core team supported by subcommittees.
Friday, October 23, 2009
1:00 pm (EDT)
So What Do You Do When You Don't Have a Development Office?
(The Role of the Board and Administration in Catholic Development and Advancement)
PART 2:
A: Introduction of and Planning for the Annual Fund, Capital Fund, and Evaluation of Success
B: Administrators and Board Members Tell their Development Success Stories
Board Member Recruitment Idea
Use your school's Web site to advertise for prospective board members. The headline might read: Volunteer your time and skills on (name of school board). In the message, list the job description and other information they may need before deciding to volunteer, for example, how much time a month this requires, what the achievements of the board in the last academic year were, what the committees are, what particular skills the board needs at this time. Have the person send his or her interest or nominate another person to the chair of the Nominating/Governance Committee.
But don't accept just anybody. Be sure the invitation makes it clear that not everyone who volunteers will become a final nominee. The nominating committee is looking for the best fit with the current needs of the board, so it does not reflect negatively if a volunteer is not selected.
Some Ideas to Assist the Board in its Advancement Role
"The most productive advancement program is driven by the board," reports Sister Mary Tracy, SNJM, in the September 2009 NCEA Notes. With that in mind, here are two development ideas your board may consider adapting.
Check out the One in a Million Campaign www.MillionNow.org going on now to support the Nativity/Miguel Network of schools serving students in low-income areas. One can join the campaign via several social media—Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, MySpace, and Ammado.
The range of donations based on a year, a month, a week, a day, and an hour go from $1 a year to $8,760, which translates into a dollar an hour. Donations also can support a teacher (a dollar for each in the network), or $4,500 (a dollar for each student in the network).
The message I received came via e-mail. That message convinced me to give because of the way the amounts of donations were set up. The support of the teacher got my attention.
Sponsor-a-Student has just been launched by the Diocese of Salt Lake, Utah. The superintendent, Sister Catherine Kamphaus, CSC, sees this as "an opportunity for all Catholics to share in the education of young people in our diocese." Alumni of Catholic schools may see this as a way to give back to the schools from which they benefitted. This is a spin off of the Adopt-a-Child program that became popular in the eighties. At that time the donation amounts were limited to the cost of tuition and were directed toward a particular child. The sponsorship program has sponsorship levels that go beyond the tuition costs and donors may designate a school rather than a particular child.
Sponsorships are available at four levels:
Patron—One full-year school scholarship: $7,500
Benefactor—One full-year elementary school scholarship: $5,000
Guardian Angel—One half-year elementary school scholarship: $2,500
Sponsor—A different level that matches your ability.
If you have a development effort that you would like to share, please e-mail me haney@ncea.org. We can showcase it in our next newsletter.
Board Spirituality Resources You Can Use
These two small publications can help your board's faith to shine through all your deliberations and decisions. They can be used both by individuals and in the board setting.
Learners and Leaders: A Spirituality for Board Members is a 44-page guide by Sister Mary Benet McKinney, OSB, D.Min., that, according to the Foreword, "offers members many suggestions for continual spiritual growth or formation within the context of their governance role, especially in seeing that the institution is living out its mission, and that their decisions reflect specifically that mission and generally the Gospel." Chapter titles are: The Call to Minister, Defining Spirituality, A Church Model of Decision Making, A Spirituality That Supports the Model, Discerning Membership, Group Behaviors, Prayer as an Integral Part of Meetings, Nurturing the Spirit, and Some Final Thoughts. Price: $9 for NCEA members, BDS-25-1278.
Spirituality of the Board is one title in The Board Member's Thumbnail Series by Sister Ann Moore, CND. This small tri-fold publication offers some reflections on the fact that "I have been given gifts that I want to use for the building of the body of Christ." It goes on to offer some practical steps to nurture and practice faith before, during, and after meetings. It includes questions that boards can use as part of a discussion on the topic. This series is designed and priced so that each board member can have a copy to use as an easy-to-read guide for personal reflection and/or for discussion and planning during a meeting. (Committees will find it just as helpful.) Price: $9 for a pack of 25 copies. BDS-25-1427.
Available from NCEA Member Services at (800) 711-6232, Fax (202) 333-6706, or services@ncea.org.
Archdiocese of Washington Provides Instant Parent Contact for Schools
The Archdiocese of Washington (D.C.) had adopted a plan to provide all schools in the archdiocese with the capability to contact parents or guardians instantly in case of an emergency or unexpected situation that requires immediate parent contact. For example, early closings, late openings, weather-related cancellations, emergency lockdown, etc. The system also can be used for routine notifications such as report card notifications and reminders to those who haven't paid tuition. The archdiocese has contracted with one of our newsletter sponsors, SchoolReach, to provide this vital service for the schools in the archd, , iocese. SchoolReach can be contacted at vconrad@schoolreach.com.
Catholic Religious Vocation Network Online
www.vocationmatch.com helps people discern their calling and explore religious life. Sixty percent of people using this service attended Catholic schools. Religion teachers, campus ministers, DREs, etc. could promote this Web site so that young people can explore the many types of religious life.
Your School Can Participate in the Read for the Record Campaign
October 8, 2009
Consider planning a program to participate in this year’s Read for the Record Campaign. Teachers, students, parents…all can advocate for literacy by joining together with people across the country in reading the same book on the same day to preschool children in your community.
Why not capitalize on the publicity? In addition to raising awareness of the importance of instilling an interest in reading at a young age, your school may benefit from the national media coverage of this event.
Visit www.readfortherecord.org for complete information, including toolkits and media materials. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle will be this year’s book.
State Urges Parents to Ask Schools about Integrated Pest Management Plans
As the new school year approached, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources urged parents to ask whether their child's school or daycare facility has a current School Integrated Pest Management Plan (IPM). This is a good question for all school boards and administrators, as well as parents, to consider.
Integrated Pest Management is a comprehensive program of prevention, monitoring, and control which offers the opportunity to control pests in ways that eliminate or drastically reduce student and staff exposure to toxic and potentially harmful chemicals.
www.health.gov is a portal to health initiatives and activities of a number of government agencies.
Plan Now to Attend the 2010 NCEA Convention & Expo
April 6-8, 2010
The 2010 NCEA Convention & Expo in Minneapolis, Minnesota, will have a lot to offer board members, administrators, and superintendents. All who are involved in the governance of Catholic schools and religious education programs will find professional development sessions that help you do business better in any number of areas. Networking also provides valuable information and contacts to follow up later.
A special reduced registration rate for board members is being considered. Stay tuned for details.
Hotel Reservations Online will go active on November 2.
Marketing and Enrollment will be the theme of a whole stand of sessions in the Boards and Administration strand.
Is Your Planning Committee on Schedule for Catholic Schools Week?
January 31 - February 6, 2010
Make sure your Planning Committee is on schedule. "Dividends for Life" is this year's theme. In October your planning committee should:
Continue making plans and following through on details. Make sure each subcommittee is making progress.
Find out what your diocese or archdiocese plans for CSW, such as a special Mass or event or coverage in the diocesan newspaper, so that you can be included and incorporate it into your plans.
Get together with CSW organizers at other area schools to plan any shared events, such as a joint Mass, assembly with a major speaker, community festival, athletic tournament or multi-school outing. This is a good way to extend each school's resources.
Request official proclamations from local, county, state and national officials. Invite them to your festivities also.
Order National Marketing Campaign supplies and anything needed for special projects or events. Note the new toll-free number for ordering materials: (877) 772-2289 Monday-Friday, 7:45 am – 5:00 pm (Eastern Time) or use the Web site at www.catholicschoolsweek.com.
This newsletter is a benefit of your membership on a board or council that is a member of the NCEA Department of Boards and Councils.
Please do not forward this newsletter to anyone who is not a member of the boards department.
Administrators: please send all board member additions, deletions, or address changes as soon as they occur to services@ncea.org. Keeping our database current will keep your dues at the lowest rate. Thank you.
You are invited to send us contributions to this newsletter or ideas for things you would like to see included.
When I became a board member at St. Mary's High School, I was amazed that many parents, alumni, and the community did not know the school had an advisory board, let alone what its purpose was. Therefore, making the board more visible became one of the goals for our board during the six years that I served. Here is what worked for our school board.
The Freshmen Parent Mixer gave incoming parents an opportunity to meet other freshman parents. Although sponsored by the Parent Organization, it provided an opportunity for the board president to introduce the board members and talk about the purpose of the board. Report Card Night and Open House were events that happened in the evening and on a weekend. Since many parents came straight from work or Mass and did not have time to cook, our board decided to sponsor a hot dog meal and make it FREE. The board provided a hot dog, chips, and drink to all parents and students who attended the events. Board members did the cooking and serving. Signs were made stating that the meal was being provided by the board. Handouts were made listing the mission of the board, the board members' names, the dates of the meetings, and how any parent could get involved in projects or committees. This allowed us to meet many current and future parents. With the fall and spring sports Senior Nights, the board decided to demonstrate visible support by presenting the senior parents with a carnation, attached to a thank-you card signed by the board. The announcer broadcast to all in attendance that the parents were receiving the flowers from the school advisory board.
The School Located Vaccination program (SLV) of the Centers for Disease Control will supply the vaccine, syringes, etc. but will not provide nursing personnel to administer the vaccines. Some state and local health agencies may supply personnel to administer the vaccines at private schools but some may not. Your board might want to investigate whether or not nursing personnel will be made available in your jurisdiction. If local public officials are willing to collaborate, make arrangements to administer the vaccine to your students. If they are not, your board might want to advertise among parents or the supporting parish communities for qualified health professionals willing to volunteer to assist the school nurse in administering the vaccine in a short amount of time.
These two small publications can help your board's faith to shine through all your deliberations and decisions. They can be used both by individuals and in the board setting.
Spirituality of the Board is one title in The Board Member's Thumbnail Series by Sister Ann Moore, CND. This small tri-fold publication offers some reflections on the fact that "I have been given gifts that I want to use for the building of the body of Christ." It goes on to offer some practical steps to nurture and practice faith before, during, and after meetings. It includes questions that boards can use as part of a discussion on the topic. This series is designed and priced so that each board member can have a copy to use as an easy-to-read guide for personal reflection and/or for discussion and planning during a meeting. (Committees will find it just as helpful.) Price: $9 for a pack of 25 copies. BDS-25-1427.
Consider planning a program to participate in this year’s Read for the Record Campaign. Teachers, students, parents…all can advocate for literacy by joining together with people across the country in reading the same book on the same day to preschool children in your community.
Continue making plans and following through on details. Make sure each subcommittee is making progress.
