Saturday, July 27, 2013

Next Wharton Board meeting: July 30, 7 PM

As a Field Service Representative for NJ School Boards Association I was charged with helping local boards of education maximize their effectiveness in seeing that their schools were well-run.  I found there to be three types of boards:
  1. Don't bother us with a better way, we're having too much fun doing it our way.
  2. Our superintendent tells us what we need to know, we just approve his/her decisions.
  3. We select the superintendent, collaborate with him/her on a vision for the district, then hold him/her accountable to getting results.
I never heard from #1 boards - they couldn't be bothered. Occasionally, a No. 2 boards would show interest in doing better than just rubber-stamping a superintendent's decisions.  No. 3 boards would invite me in for guidance, ask questions, thank me for my assistance and take satisfaction in knowing they were improving their effectiveness as a board in making the schools better.  These boards lead through example: just as schools should be on a path of continuous improvement, their board of education should likewise expect continuous improvement of their own performance.

The extra effort required from going to Type 1 or 2 to Type 3 is not that much, actually.  Board members have to decide to take their role seriously, care enough to be up-to-date on district needs and initiatives - and public education in general - and come prepared for board meetings.

The Wharton Board next meets on July 30 at 7 PM.

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