TSBA New Board Chairman Workshop

New Board Chairman

Workshop

October 9, 2015 TSBA Headquarters

New Board Chairman Workshop Agenda Friday, October 9, 2015 8:00 a.m. Welcome and Overview 8:05 a.m. The Chairman as a Leader (Tab1) Dr. Tammy Grissom, TSBA Executive Director 8:30 a.m. The Board’s Agenda (Tab 2)

Dr. Tammy Grissom

8:45 a.m. Meeting Management Techniques (Tab 3)

Dr. Tammy Grissom

9:00 a.m. BREAK 9:15 a.m. Parliamentary Procedure (Tab 4) Randall Bennett, TSBA Deputy Executive Director & General Counsel 10:15 a.m. BREAK 10:25 a.m. The Chairman and Board Development (Tab 5)

Dr. Tammy Grissom

10:45 a.m. Legal Responsibilities (Tab 6) Randall Bennett,

11:45 a.m. LUNCH 12:30 p.m. The Chairman and the Staff (Tab 7) Lee Harrell, TSBA Director of Government Relations 1:45 p.m. BREAK 2:00 p.m. The Chairman and Policy (Tab 8) Ben Torres, TSBA Director of Policy & Staff Attorney 2:30 p.m. The Chairman and Promotion (Tab 9)

Ben Torres

3:30 p.m. Other Issues/Q & A 4:00 p.m. Adjourn To access the digital version of this notebook, please visit www.issuu.com/tsba.

Tab 1

The Chairman as a Leader

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

THE CHAIRMAN AS A LEADER Every board member has a responsibility to make the school board effective, but the chairman carries the heaviest responsibility since s/he was selected by peers to be their leader. Certain skills and actions simply are required if the chairman is to get the job done properly. The chairman must be able to control a meeting; deal diplomatically with a variety of malcontents; be articulate on school matters, especially when it comes to speaking with the media; and provide leadership to a group of elected representatives who bring all sorts of expectations and agendas to school board service.

To a large extent, the board chairman sets the tone and shapes the public’s perception of the school board. It is the chairman’s personality that constituents most often hear and react to. And, it’s the board chairman who most often is called on to referee board member disputes and serve as the peace keeper during board meetings.

The Board Chairman’s Post “A school board chairman,” says a former board member who served in that role, “is a leader among leaders.” That’s a much better way to think about this important task than simply to view the board chairman as the convener of meetings and the breaker of ties. An effective board chairman does much more.

The board chairman must be a good leader, navigator, planner, organizer, communicator, interpreter, confidant, liaison, conscience, caretaker, and troubleshooter.

The chairman must have a capacity for clarifying generalizations and the ability to articulate aims and goals, to grasp the importance of community and public relations, and to be constructive rather than exploitative. The board chairman needs sensitivity and compassion, as a confidant bearing, trust, respect, and genuine friendliness.

Chairman as planner. Effective and detailed planning, both short-range and long-range, is a must for the leader of the school board. Examples of short-range planning include helping to plan the board agenda and planning the orientation process for new board members.

Long-range planning involves the goals that have been set for the school district. A board chairman will want to take an early, overall look at the year ahead. In the coming year, what plan of action will be in place to reach district goals? What kinds of reports will the board need as the year progresses? How will I, the rest of the board, the administration, and the public judge whether the work toward these goals is on target?

Chairman as organizer. The effective board chairman can run meetings in an orderly fashion.

To do this requires a working knowledge of board policy, a firm grasp of the agenda for each meeting, a command of parliamentary procedure, and some sixth sense of how to use these tools to keep the meeting going smoothly.

1

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook The chairman must be able to encourage the open exchange of ideas while continuing to drive for conclusions and decisions.

In the words of one board member: “It’s the board chairman’s task to reach a happy medium, to decide when a sufficient number of details have been discussed, and when it’s time to reach a decision or go on to other matters. If you’re a board chairman have a sense of humor-and I sure hope you do-this is a good place to use it.”

Chairman as a spokesperson for the board with the media. It is often

helpful to have one individual who presents the board’s official position to the public. Typically, the board chairman fulfills this role.

Chairman as a delegator. Closely related to skill in organization is the board chairman’s

ability to delegate. In order to make committee appointments, a chairman must know the strengths, weaknesses, interests, and natural talents of fellow board members and assign committee chairmanships in light of these qualities.

Part of making committee assignments is making sure that committee responsibilities are clearly spelled out and that reporting procedures are clearly understood. The chairman must also see to it that time for discussion of committee reports is secured on the board agenda.

Chairman as liaison and confidant. The board chairman must serve as a liaison

between the board and the superintendent. It is not reasonable to assume that every board member will love the superintendent or that the superintendent will adore every board member. The board chairman, though, can help foster a feeling of mutual trust and respect by interpreting board action to the superintendent and vice versa.

As with the head of any business or organization, the job of the superintendent often is a lonely one. At the minimum, the board chairman should share with the superintendent all information and correspondence that involves school operations. But the chairman can, and usually does, go much farther-offering the superintendent support, servicing as a sounding board, giving constructive criticism when needed, and helping the superintendent analyze individual community reactions to district actions.

In turn, the superintendent can keep the board chairman up-to-date on all phases of the school district. It is important for the chairman to fully communicate this information to the rest of the board.

Chairman as caretaker of relationships. The board chairman is in an excellent

position to help foster good relationships between the board and the staff, the press, the general public, the district, and other community and government organizations, as well as among board members themselves.

The chairman can encourage board recognition of staff accomplishments and two-way communications with school employees. He or she can ensure that members of the community feel welcome at board meetings and that they have access to the board. The chairman can maintain communications with other community leaders and government officials and can serve as a board spokesperson to the press. The chairman can set the tone of board member relationships by speaking of the need for cooperation and mutual respect and by allowing for diversity of opinion.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

13 Tips for the Board Chairman Following are some pointers to guide the chairman in leading the board to achieve it’s maximum effectiveness.

1. Know your board members You probably already have some information about their personal lives, but get to know and understand their viewpoints, interests, strengths, weaknesses and approach to decision-making and problem-solving. Learn which board members like to analyze information, to discuss at length or move an entire agenda at once. Recognizing these traits in your board members will help you to bring out their best qualities.

2. Realize that the collective knowledge of the board is superior to that of an individual We each bring our backgrounds, experiences and unique perspectives to an issue and when a board explores solutions with each member’s full participation, the outcome is usually more creative and cost-effective than it would be otherwise.

3. Establish a tone of cooperative leadership Emphasize cooperation and work to reduce conflict. The board chairman has the major responsibility for establishing good working relationships with the superintendent and other administrators and among school board members. Set the tone for board member relationships by speaking of the need for cooperation and mutual respect, and by allowing for diversity of opinion.

4. Firmly take charge of school board meetings Be prepared, positive, and assertive in steering discussion and keeping it on target. Use the power of the chair to keep the board dealing with board business rather than wandering into unproductive, political or philosophical areas. Move on when it’s time to move on. It’s this power of the chair that keeps a meeting from degenerating into a circus when touchy topics are on the agenda.

Learn parliamentary procedure. Use judgement about when to be firm and when to be lenient about applying the procedures is the true test of knowledge and skill.

Lead the board, but don’t be so far ahead of the other board members or constituents as to appear to abandon them or their interests. The chairman personifies the board. If you are good, the board will be viewed as good. If you are weak or ineffective, the public will view the board in that light.

5. Include each board member in the decision-making process You may have been elected by a certain coalition on the board, but as president you are the group’s leader and often expected to be the mediator. Don’t play to one side. Share information and consult each board member on an equal basis. Initially, this may be uncomfortable for some boards, but in the long run, the board will be more effective if all members think they are being treated fairly.

Besides, board majorities shift on boards, they shift from issue to issue and you may be in the 3

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook minority someday. The others will remember that.

6. Communicate with board members frequently As board chairman, you will be in close contact with district administrators. Make sure your board members are immediately notified of any newsworthy incident. Develop a system of communication for other issues, whether it be a weekly report from you through the information packet, a telephone call or a message board. In order to represent the board accurately to administration, you need to know their pulse.

7. Listen Recognize that the issue on the table or being discussed privately with you may be rooted in another concern all together. The overwhelming quality necessary for effective board leadership is to listen.

People who address the board must be reassured that they have been understood. It helps for the chairman to say something like, “I think I understand what you are bringing up.” Then repeat the statement. People at meetings or hearings keep saying the same thing over and over because they are not sure the board understands. When the board chairman repeats things that the speaker has said, it helps other board members to grasp the speaker’s idea accurately. The smart board chairman listens carefully and tries to make sure everyone understands what is going on. Eye contact is an important part of good listening. It shows that the board is listening.

8. Make sure your board members know you can be trusted You may often be their sounding board for ideas or complaints. Their concerns are real-- don’t gossip about them. Where appropriate, address these concerns without pointing fingers or naming names. If Judy complains to you that Mark dominates discussion at meetings, then use your leadership skills to make sure everyone has an opportunity to be heard.

9. Prepare for meetings Part of the board chairman’s homework is being involved in planning the board meeting agenda and going over upcoming items with the superintendent. Also included in the chairman’s takehome assignments is thorough preparation for each board meeting, including making sure all necessary background materials are made available to fellow board members. It takes twice as much homework time to be a good board chairman as it does to be a prepared board member.

10. Plan for board development It’s up to the chairman to ensure that the board continuously becomes more effective. This includes both setting an example and encouraging board members to attend local, state, regional, and national meetings—and bring back the word to the other members of the board. It also includes planning board retreats, self-evaluations and other workshops designed especially for your board.

Workshops, meetings, and professional journals are what help keep school board members—no 4

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook matter what size community they serve—open to new ideas in education. Meetings add perspective unavailable in a local community.

11. Build the board/superintendent relationship A board chairman needs to understand and to interpret for others the difference between the roles of the board and the superintendent. The board chairman should make sure board members understand their proper role as policy makers who work through the superintendent. There is definitely a teaching role on the part of the board chairman, especially when new members come on board.

The fine line between what is policy and what is administration makes it essential that the board chairman be able to clarify such situations for the board as a whole.

Another part of the board chairman’s role in establishing the proper board/superintendent relationship is to foster a sense of integrity where the board and superintendent can be trusted to be forthright and honest with each other. At the very least, the board and superintendent should generally agree to praise publicly and criticize privately.

The board chairman can help foster a feeling of mutual trust and respect by interpreting board action to the superintendent and vice versa. The board chairman can offer the superintendent support, serve as a sounding board, give constructive criticism when needed, and help analyze individual and community reactions to district action.

12. Build good relationships The board chairman is in an excellent position to help foster good relationships between the board and the staff, the board and the press, the board and the public, the district and other community and government organizations and among board members themselves.

The chairman can encourage board recognition of staff accomplishments and two-way communications with school employees. S/he can ensure that members of the community feel welcome at board meetings and that they have access to the board. S/he can maintain communications with other community leaders and government officials, and can serve as a board spokesman to the press.

13. Stay cool, even if you come under attack It’s inevitable that some school board decisions, no matter how carefully deliberated, will upset some members of the community. Recognize that angry reactions go with the territory. When anger arises during a school board meeting, it’s up to the board chairman to defuse the situation using compassionate language. If you think you need a break, in your kindest tone, declare a five-minute break. The chairman must not give in to the impulse to yell, become combative or let anger show during a meeting.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Selecting a chairman There are various ideas about who should be chairman and how frequently they should be reappointed. Some boards regularly rotate this position among the membership. Other boards expect the most senior or longest serving member to assume the position. Still other boards have been led by a particular member for so long that it apparently doesn’t occur to them that someone else should assume the position. Year after year they automatically return the same person to the chairmanship.

Quality of leadership should be the determining factor in deciding how long a person should continue to serve as the board’s chairman. No individual has a right to be elected or re-elected.

Neither should there be a limit of one term. A school board that has a good chairman should keep him as long as he is willing to serve. School boards should not play “musical chairs” with the board chairmanship. The practice of taking turns or using longevity to determine the board’s chairmanship is a sad commentary on the board’s respect for leadership. A school board should keep a good chairman until it has another member capable and willing to be a good chairman.

Some chairmen would lead you to believe that the experience of being a board chairman is mostly bad. As one said, “Everybody on the board should have to be chairman at least once. Everyone should have their share of the ulcers.”

Another chairman said, “One would assume that being a school board chairman is a great chance to be in the community limelight. Unfortunately, when the ‘light’ is on you, all it generally does is give the critics a target which is easier to hit.”

The board chairman’s post isn’t for everyone, but there are benefits. People who have been the chairman of a school board say they liked it for the opportunity it gave them.

Board chairmen also find satisfaction in being known as the leader of the board. Being board chairman carries a certain clout with other community leaders. For people who enjoy responsibility, the board chairmanship is considered a prime position to hold.

Advice for the chairman 1.

When speaking for the board, subordinate your personal views and represent those of the collective board.

2.

Be adept at communicating with the news media. The majority of the public does not attend school board meetings. Most people rely on news media coverage of school board meetings for their information. The extent and quality of that coverage can be greatly improved by the chairman who properly, openly, candidly, and honestly deals with the media.

3.

Avoid playing one member or group against another. At times it may be tempting to do so to pursue a particular goal. On certain issues where there is a divided board and strong feelings, it is difficult to rise above these differences and reach a majority conclusion.

4.

Lead the board but don’t be so far ahead of the other board members or constituents as to 6

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

appear to abandon them or their interests. The chairman personifies the board. If you are good, the board will be viewed as good. If you are weak or ineffective, the public will view the board in that light.

As chairman, the board should expect you to: • Serve as a model for the rest of the board. Other members of the board can’t be expected to behave better than the chairman.

• Keep other board members informed about special issues and problems, and insist they keep him/her informed about their concerns.

• Direct everything possible through proper channels, and avoid taking on any matter until the policy covering that issue has been considered.

• Know the difference between policy and administrative procedures and help the rest of the board make this distinction.

• Preside over meetings with dignity and fairness, using proper parliamentary procedure.

• Keep meetings moving to prevent board members from becoming sidetracked on an extraneous issue. Give board members and when appropriate, the audience a chance to voice opinions, but keep those statements limited to the subject being discussed. Keep the attention of the board on one matter at a time.

• Know when board members are ready to act on a matter and when they need more time to debate. Bring each issue to closure.

• When calling for a vote, state the issue immediately before the vote is taken to make sure there’s no chance of confusion.

• Announce the result of each vote.

• Declare discussion out of order when necessary. Especially, shield board members, administrators, and teachers from personal attacks at meetings by quickly calling persons attempting to make such attacks out of order.

• Remember, board members are the only members of the school community legally empowered to make school policy decisions. Resist attempts from outside groups to usurp that power.

• Encourage the superintendent to come to him/her with problems that might come to the board.

• Neither the chairman nor the superintendent should wait to address problems until they come up at public meetings.

• Call for the superintendent’s recommendation on every action item on the agenda.

• Promote continuous development of the board and its members.

• Ensure that the board uses its time wisely and focuses its attention on appropriate governance issues — planning, policy and promotion.

• Control the involvement of non-board members in meetings.

• Seek to eliminate inappropriate action by board members or the superintendent relative to board matters.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

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Ways to Lead your Board to Be More Effective

The Board Meeting ___ 1. ___ 2. ___ 3. ___ 4. ___ 5. ___ 6. ___ 7. ___ 8.

Adopt an agenda near the beginning of each meeting.

Develop a timed agenda.

Use a consent agenda.

Develop an annual agenda.

Adopt through policy rules of procedure.

Be sure that adequate notice is given to the community before a board meeting.

Make available a record of board action the day following a meeting.

Set an example of professionalism, but do not take yourself too seriously.

___ 9. Insist that all board members do their homework before the meeting.

The Facility ___ 10. Meet in a setting that indicates that something important happens there. ___ 11. Use a seating arrangement where each member can be seen and heard. ___ 12. Use a name plate to identify each board member. ___ 13. Provide microphones where needed. ___ 14. Display something about students at each meeting. ___ 15. Provide at each meeting a brochure on the board and how to address it. ___ 16. Have a speakers podium and a microphone for persons addressing the board.

Board Operations ___ 17. Lead your board to meet the standards. ___ 18. Elect a vice-chairman and a legislative liaison and give them responsibilities. ___ 19. Adopt a policy review and adoption procedure (policy on policy). ___ 20. Lead the board into a visionary mode. Adopt an annual and long range plan. ___ 21. Adopt a plan for promoting the board’s plan and let members report periodically. ___ 22. Deal with board members (or the superintendent) who exceed their authority. ___ 23. Adopt policy requiring agendas be sent to board members at least 3 days before meetings. ___ 24. Require through policy between meeting superintendent reports to the board. ___ 25. Require through policy a local orientation for new board members. ___ 26. Through policy, set standards for board member participation in board development. ___ 27. Set annual performance goals for the superintendent and base evaluation on them. ___ 28. Schedule an annual board retreat. ___ 29. Conduct an annual self -evaluation to identify strengths and weaknesses of the board. ___ 30. Ensure that the budget is based on the board’s annual plan.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Chairman Leadership Goals As chairman, I want to lead our board to: 1. Create a vision of excellence and translate it into goals and plans.

2. Be an example of excellence for our staff and community.

3. Operate as a unit.

4. Build support for a school budget which will make things better.

5. Set clear expectations and hold the superintendent accountable.

6. Make a commitment to hire the best superintendent.

7. Ensure that staff evaluation distinguishes according to effectiveness.

8. Build public support for our schools.

10. Involve parents in schools.

11. Update policies and monitor their implementation.

As chairman, three goals I have as I lead our board:

1.

2.

3.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Role of the Board Chairman In all meeting situations, the role of the chairman is an extremely important one, particularly when controversial issues are to be debated. The objective of this exercise is to define the attributes of the effective board chairman.

Check each appropriate response.

1. The most important characteristic of a board chairman is: ____ a. To preside at all meetings of the board. ____ b. To act as the board’s official representative to the press. ____ c. To provide meeting agendas. ____ d. To provide leadership in fulfillment of the board’s governance responsibility.

2. The authority of a school board chairman is: ____ a. About the same as any board member. ____ b. Whatever state law and/or board policy says it is. ____ c. Greater than that of any other board member. ____ d. Roughly the same as that of a college president.

3. The most important qualification for a board chairman is: ____ a. Goodwill, gray matter and guts. ____ b. A good working knowledge of parliamentary procedure. ____ c. Ability to bring out the best qualities in people. ____ d. All of the above.

4. All official contacts between school board and staff should be: ____ a. Handled by the school board chairman. ____ b. Left to the superintendent and only the superintendent. ____ c. Outlined in board policy and adhered to. ____ d. Scheduled on Friday nights immediately following athletic events.

5. Community criticism of the school board should be: ____ a. Answered by the school board chairman. ____ b. Handled by the superintendent. ____ c. Refuted by each board member every chance he or she gets. ____ d. Answered by the board chairman, but only after the matter has been discussed by the entire board.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook 6. The board chairman should: ____ a. Visit each school in the district at least once per month. ____ b. Serve as a volunteer in each school on a regular basis. ____ c. Never visit schools or classrooms except to give out diplomas or judge beauty pageants. ____ d. Visit schools in the district regularly, saving his/her comments for appropriate sharing with the superintendent and the rest of the board.

7. To avoid “airing our dirty linen in public,” the board chairman should: ____ a. Call for a recess whenever a controversial issue appears to be splitting the board. ____ b. Determine, before the meeting, how each board member will vote and stifle minority

discussion before it gets started. ____ c. Not be afraid of what appears on the clothesline so long as board deliberation is carried

out openly and candidly. ____ d. Cut off debate when things get too hot to handle.

8. The chairman should allow members of the public to speak at any time during the meeting. ____ a. Always true. ____ b. Only if each speaker gives his or her name and address before speaking. ____ c. Only if the speaker would be directly affected by the outcome. ____ d. Always false.

9. The board chairman should serve as a confidant – an informal sounding board – for the superintendent as s/he grapples with the problems that confront the district. ____ a. Not as a rule. It might appear that they are conspiring to run the district. ____ b. Yes, but the chairman must remain discreet in this role. ____ c. No, never. ____ d. Always.

10. Each member of the school board, even those who usually don’t speak up, should be allowed to speak on any individual issue under debate. The chairman may refuse to call on other board members for second comments until each member has had a chance to speak at least once. ____ a. True. ____ b. It depends on how difficult it is to get close-mouthed board member to say something. ____ c. Only if the board chairman is sure that the quiet members have something worthwhile to

say. ____ d. False.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook 2013 NSBA TRAINERS CONFERENCE | AUSTIN, TX

Developing a Board Chairman Leadership Plan DEVELOPING A BOARD PRESIDENT LEADERSHIP PLAN Individual Qualities

Rank each statement from 3–1: 3 = Highly effective 2 = Adequate 1 = Needs work

As Board Chairman I am MINDFUL of...

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1. Being passionate about the role of citizen governance in our country.

2. Holding in trust the education of every child in our school district.

3. Understanding the school board is a body with collective authority.

4. Recognizing I have no more authority than any other board member.

5. Understanding that the board president’s role is a facilitative role.

6. Fostering individual relationships with other members of my team.

7. Operating with integrity – “walking my talk.”

8. Being trustworthy.

As Board Chairman I am FOCUSED on...

9. Keeping the district vision, priorities and goals as the primary focus of the board.

10. Fostering an effective governance team and promoting a sense of teamwork.

11. Working collaboratively with the superintendent.

12. Planning effective meetings.

13. Conducting effective meetings.

14. Managing conflict.

As Board Chairman I know MANNER makes a difference, so I...

15. Treat everyone with civility and respect.

16. Act with dignity and behave professionally.

17. Communicate effectively and listen to understand.

18. Respect others and other points of view.

19. Seek solutions rather than place blame 20. Display enthusiasm and motivate others.

As Board Chairman I strive to BE PREPARED by...

21. Establishing open lines of communication with each member of the team.

22. Having a working knowledge of all agenda items and their relevance.

23. Constantly seek to improve my skills and knowledge.

24. Staying current with current trends and issues in education and within the district.

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GOVERNANCE TEAMHandbook LEADERSHIP TSBABUILDING New Board Chairman

DEVELOPING A BOARD PRESIDENT LEADERSHIP PLAN Fostering an Effective Team

Rank each item from 3–1: 3 = Highly effective 2 = Adequate 1 = Needs work

NURTURING OUR TEAM — We have...

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1. Regularly scheduled time(s) to discuss our governance effectiveness.

UNITY OF PURPOSE — We...

2. Have identified our common beliefs and principles about students and learning.

3. Are in agreement about the purpose of the governance team.

4. Have identified the priorities that are most important to attend to this year.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 5. Board members operate within the role and responsibilities of the board.

6. Board members refrain from engaging in administrative or staff functions.

7. Board members follow district policies and board bylaws.

8. There is a supportive partnership between the superintendent and board.

POSITIVE GOVERNANCE TEAM CULTURE (norms) — We have...

9. Adopted meeting guidelines that describe expected behavior at board meetings.

10. Defined norms for the behaviors that we want to characterize our team.

11. Developed norms for managing conflict between members of the team.

12. Discussed norms necessary to build and sustain trust among members of our team.

SUPPORTIVE STRUCTURES & PROCESSES (protocols) — We have...

13. Discussed and agreed on protocols for conducting board meetings.

14. Discussed and agreed on protocols for conducting our work outside of meetings.

15. A process to hold ourselves accountable for following our norms and protocols.

16. An annual board self-evaluation of our governance framework and all of our agreements.

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DEVELOPING A BOARD PRESIDENT LEADERSHIP PLAN Conducting Effective Board Meetings

Rank each statement from 3–1: 3 = Highly effective 2 = Adequate 1 = Needs work

PLANNING AND PREPARATION

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1. Mindfulness 2. Document framework

STRATEGIC AGENDA 3. Planning 4. Focus 5. Content 6. Order and timing MEETING MANAGEMENT 7. Roles and expectations 8. Procedures and protocols.

9. Board deliberation and voting 10. Handling difficult situations

MEETING FOLLOW-UP 11. Board meeting evaluation 10. Minutes and recordings 11. Tracking items 12. Annual review

THE BOARD’S RESPONSIBILITIES PERFORMING RESPONSIBILITIES

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13. Setting direction for the district 14. Evaluating the superintendent 15. Demonstrating community leadership

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BUILDING GOVERNANCE TEAM LEADERSHIP

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

DEVELOPING A BOARD PRESIDENT LEADERSHIP PLAN Developing My Plan Areas of Strength

PERSONAL QUALITIES Mindfulness / Focus / Manner / Preparation Areas to Work On

FOSTERING THE TEAM

Unity of Purpose / Roles & Responsibilities / Positive Culture / Supportive Processes

Areas of Strength

Areas to Work On

CONDUCTING EFFECTIVE MEETINGS

Preparation / Strategic Agenda / Meeting Management / Meeting Follow-Up Areas of Strength Areas to Work On

PERFORMING RESPONSIBILITIES

Setting Direction / Superintendent Evaluation / Community Leadership Areas of Strength Areas to Work On

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DEVELOPING A BOARD PRESIDENT LEADERSHIP PLAN My Goals: 1.

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Vision and Planning The most effective boards give much attention to the development and subsequent refinement of an inspiring vision for the school system. In every case, someone, usually the chairman, provided leadership to get the board to focus its attention on such an effort. Make a list of the things the chairman can do to help the board become more visionary and goal-oriented.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Promotion One of the board’s responsibilities is to build public support for the school district, including obtaining the resources to accomplish the board’s goals for the school system. List as many ways as you can that the chairman can lead the board in this responsibility .

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Board Development and Unity Excellent boards don’t just happen. Leadership is required to mold the board into a cohesive, effective unit. Identify as many things as you can that the chairman can do to help the board to develop as a board and to operate as a unit.

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Tab 2 The Board’s Agenda

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

THE BOARD’S AGENDA The Value of an Agenda A well-planned agenda helps board members prepare for effective discussions and decisions. It assures that the concerns of board members, staff and community will be given appropriate consider-ation. It helps make it possible to conduct the meeting in an orderly, efficient and fair manner with a minimum of confusion, misunderstanding, dissension (even disaster) that could result from inad-equate preparation. It is an avenue for communicating to the board, staff and community important matters to be discussed and actions to be taken. It is an important record—for preparing the minutes, planning future meetings and even for legal purposes.

The Agenda — Foundation of an Effective Meeting • • • •

The steering mechanism for any meeting.

Forces logical organization and preparation for the meeting.

Serves as a guidance and disciplinary tool.

Tells those who will participate how to prepare.

• For board members, it identifies items and issues to be discussed and for which advance study may be advisable.

• For the public, it calls attention to matters in which an individual may be especially interested.

• For the staff, it indicates what supporting materials may be needed to assure that the board will have the information necessary to reach the right decision.

• For the board chairman, it provides the guidelines necessary for conducting the meeting in an efficient, well-organized manner.

• For legal purposes, it is kept on file and can be cited as the record of what transpired, also serving as the basis for preparation of the minutes.

• For the superintendent, as the chief administrative officer and advisor to the board, it provides the means for assuring that items and matters to be reported and acted upon will be brought to the board’s attention.

Steps in Preparing an Agenda The superintendent and board chairman, together, plan the agenda.

1. Determine the ultimate goal(s) of the meeting and the steps to get there.

2. Break down the generalized topics in the agenda into specific discussion items to promote logical meeting thought and better control of this flow.

3. Organize multiple topic meetings so that related subjects are discussed in order.

4. Delineate between action and information items.

5. Hold separate meetings for very important topics.

6. Select the people who attend, besides the board.

7. Mark each item on the agenda with policy references.

8. Have the staff prepare specific, predrafted motions and resolutions where possible.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Distribution of the Agenda Generally, board members receive the agenda and other relevant information at least five days in advance of the board meeting. Advance copies also may be given to staff members—particularly those who may have responsibilities relating to items to be considered. Commonly the agenda is shared in advance with PTA leaders, employee group officers, the press and others having a special interest in the schools. Copies of the agenda are made available to all who attend the board meeting.

School board policy should address the issue of how, when and to whom the agenda will be distributed. Other questions which a board should consider as it develops policy include the following: • How many days before the meeting do board members receive copies of the printed agenda and enclosures?

• Is a list of all enclosures provided for cross-reference?

• Are advance copies of the agenda provided to the media?

• What enclosures, if any, are provided to the public and the media?

• How are agenda items delivered to board members? By mail? courier? fax?

Order of the agenda The order of items on the agenda is important. The early part of a meeting tends to be more lively and creative than the end of it, so if an item needs mental energy, bright ideas, and clear heads, it may be better to put it high up on the list. Equally, if there is one item of great interest and concern to everyone, it may be a good idea to hold it back for a while and get some other useful work done first. Then, the key item can be introduced to carry the meeting Progress County Board of Education Meeting Central High School Auditorium over the attention lag that sets in May 3, 2025 after the first 15 to 20 minutes 5:00 p.m.

Call to Order John Allen, of the meeting.

Chairman

Some items unite the meeting in a common front while others divide the members one from another. The chairman may want to start with unity before entering into division, or he may prefer the other way around.

The point is to be aware of the choice and to make it consciously, because it is apt to make a difference to the whole atmosphere of the meeting. It is almost always a good idea to find a unifying item with which to end the meeting.

5:01 p.m.

Consent Agenda 1. Approval of Minutes (tab 2) 2. Adoption of Agenda (tab 1)

3. Approval of monthly expenses (tab 3) 5:05 p.m.

4. Acceptance of bid on 2 buses (tab 4)

Recognition and reports of Student Representatives for SCOPE (tab 6)

5:20 p.m.

Presentation of Long Range Technology Plan (tab 7)

5:35 p.m.

Consideration of proposal on Dual Credit Courses (tab 8) Bill Jones

5:45 p.m.

Report on Central High School Academic Recognition

Denise Smith

5:55 p.m.

Superintendent’s Report

Ron Johnson

6:05 p.m.

Set time, date, and location of next meeting

6:10 p.m.

Adjourn

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Amy Webb

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Getting on the Agenda Every school board should have a policy which sets out procedures and conditions for persons who wish to appear before the board of education. Usually, boards require that the request to appear before the board be received in time to be included on the agenda in which is distributed to the board at least five days before the meeting. In developing its policy the board should consider that only members of the board have a right to speak at board meetings. Board meetings are public meetings but not meetings of the public.

Another prerequisite to getting on the agenda is usually that a person exhaust administrative remedies before bringing the problem to the board. A board should not allow a person to use a board meeting as a forum to complain about a problem until administrators have had a chance to solve the problem.

Boards should also consider the following questions during the development of a policy regarding placement on the agenda.

• May any board member submit an item for inclusion? If so, how? Are there timelines?

• May any member of the public submit an item for inclusion? If so, how?

Are there timelines?

• Who are the key people involved in structuring the agenda?

• Who is responsible for collecting all the information, suggestions and requests and actually preparing the agenda?

• Are annual agenda items reviewed to ensure annual events are not overlooked?

Timed agenda A common fault is to dwell too long on trivial but urgent items, to the exclusion of subjects of fundamental importance whose significance is long-term rather than immediate. This can be remedied by putting on the agenda the time at which discussion of the issue will begin– and sticking to it.

Very few meetings achieve anything of value after two hours. It is often a good idea to put the time of adjournment for a meeting on the agenda as well as the starting time. Page 2.2 shows a sample timed agenda.

Approval of the Agenda One of the first items to be addressed at a school board meeting should be the approval of the agenda. Not only does it allow individual board members to delete or add items to the agenda, it allows for the rearranging of items on the agenda. Most boards have a policy which requires a two-thirds majority vote to add an item to the agenda. Even then, an item may not be added to the agenda of a special called meeting. Once the agenda has been adopted in a formal way, chances are the meeting will be conducted in a more business-like fashion.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Consent Agenda To expedite business at a school board meeting, the board may choose to use a consent agenda. Use of a consent agenda saves the board time in ratifying administrative, routine or non-controversial items. When a consent agenda is used, the regular agenda for the school board meeting includes an item: consent agenda. This would generally be at the top of the agenda. The board chairman and superintendent should decide which items should be identified as consent agenda items.

If a consent agenda is used, the chairman in presenting the agenda, should ask if any member of the board wishes to remove any item from the consent agenda so that it might be discussed. If so, the item is taken from the consent agenda and is appropriately placed on the regular agenda or removed from the agenda entirely, depending upon the request of the board member and the board’s agreement.

While the basic purpose of the consent agenda is a more efficient use of school board time, it should be recognized by board members that the use of a consent agenda will still require staff time. It is also understood that the administration recommends approval of all consent agenda items. If the consent agenda is used, the items on that agenda are approved by a single motion stated as follows: “I move to approve the items listed on the consent agenda.� If the motion receives a second, the chairman takes the vote on the single motion. The minutes of the school board meeting should include the approved motion as stated and list all the items which were approved as part of the consent agenda.

Three Rules for Consent Agendas The following rules apply for consent agendas: 1. All background materials needed for action are received by board members sufficiently ahead of the meeting to provide time for study.

2. Any school board member may remove an item from the consent agenda for separate action simply by requesting that it be remove. No motion is necessary. However, a motion would be in order if the member wishes to delete the item entirely from the agenda or to determine where on the regular agenda the item is to be placed.

3. The consent agenda is adopted with one motion without discussion or debate.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

What Should Be Included in a Consent Agenda?

Listed below are typical school board agenda items. Read each one. Working as a group, determine if it is a good consent agenda item and put an (X) in front of it. Do the same for each item.

If the item cannot be treated as a consent agenda item, leave it blank. ____ Pay monthly bills. ____ Recognizing Dental Health Week. ____ Agree on yearly maintenance plan for district. ____ Approval of expenses for superintendent to attend AASA convention. ____ Awarding of bids to J.B. Construction Company (where policy states bids shall be

awarded to the lowest bidder).

____ Approving the Athletic Association dues for the school year.

Annual Agenda In planning the agenda, the chairman and superintendent should look first at the annual planning calendar to determine topics that occur on an annual basis. The annual calendar should include board actions required by law such as approval of the budget or issuance of non-renewal notices to certificated staff. Last month’s agenda also should be reviewed and checked for any old business that the board must resolve.

Developing an Annual Agenda 1. List each meeting scheduled for the year.

2. Schedule responsibilities to meet legal deadlines.

3. Schedule actions required by board policy.

4. Add considerations of planning activities.

5. Schedule issues as they emerge.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Progress County Board of Education Annual Agenda The Annual Agenda highlights items for Board consideration and activities of note as information. It is not intended to be all-inclusive, and does not include routine business issues (e.g.: approval of Board meeting minutes, Good News recipients, budget amendments, investment reports). The Annual Agenda is a work in progress. Items may be added at any board meeting.

Supportive data for items listed on the Annual Agenda will be provided as a part of the annotated agenda that is sent to board members five working days prior to each Board meeting.

July 1. Budget approval (by August 1) for General Fund, CTE, IDEA, and Federal Programs 2. Approval of supplies/materials/equipment/service bids 3. Special education comprehensive plan 4. Update of the strategic plan of the district 5. Approval of special courses for submission to the State Department of Education 6. Approval of Federal Programs Consolidated Application 7. Schedule a board retreat to plan goals and objectives for the coming school year 8. Evaluate Superintendent Advocacy Plan: 1. Have a meeting of the board to develop an advocacy plan for the following year.

Activities of Note: Date Young Scholars Program TSBA Summer Law Institute - Jackson and Gatlinburg

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

August 1. Report on school opening plans 2. Adoption of the annual agenda 3. Development of a board advocacy plan 4. Review data on ACT, SAT scores, other student related data and adopt a plan for release of analysis to the schools and to the community Advocacy Plan: 1. Send a note from the Board of Education to all maintenance personnel complimenting them for the job they are doing and encouraging them to keep up the good work.

Activities of Note: Date Opening Inservice School Board Training

September 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Swearing in of new Board of Education members Reorganization of the Board of Education (election of officers) Report on school opening Contract for auditor Policy Review: School Board Operations

Advocacy Plan: 1. Schedule a two-hour session at which the board will develop its advocacy plan.

2. Send a letter from the board to all faculty and staff outlining the board goals and its advocacy plan for the year.

3. Each school board member should contact the county commissioner(s) in his/her district to give a personal report about the opening of school and the adequacy of funds, buildings, etc.

Express appreciation for anything that deserves it.

4. Contact the editorial board of your local newspaper to share board goals for the school year.

5. Ask the PTA to sponsor a pass-through reception for teachers and staff immediately after school to give them an opportunity to meet their school board member and PTA officers.

6. Bring greetings to PTA organizational meetings and quickly share school board goals for the year.

7. Attend TSBA’s Fall District Meeting. Share your legislative issues with other boards in your district.

Activities of Note: Date Deadline for TSBA’s All Tennessee School Board, School Board Member of the Year/ C. Hal Henard Distinguished Service, School Board of the Year, School of the Year and Quarter Century Club Awards TSBA Fall District Meeting School Board Training

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

October 1.

2.

3.

Recommendations from long-range planning committee to be considered in development of five-year strategic plan.

Superintendent recommends needs and priorities of the district for the upcoming school year.

Policy Review: Support Services

Advocacy Plan: 1. Schedule a time on your board agenda to discuss any legislative changes your board wishes to initiate. Send a resolution to TSBA. 2. Ask your PTA to sponsor a drop-by coffee and donut reception for teachers to interact with the PTA officers and their board member.

Activities of Note: Date TSBA New Board Chairman Workshop School Board Training

November 1.

2.

3.

Review of annual audit Policy Review: Instruction Superintendent presents Annual Report Card of the district to the board including the objectives of the school district and whether or not the objectives were attained

Advocacy Plan: 1. Attend the TSBA convention and the delegate assembly to determine legislative positions of the association.

2. Hear reports from schools at your regular board meeting about exciting things happening in the schools.

3. Develop a five-minute progress report and have school board members present it at PTAs and civic clubs.

4. Send a well-prepared letter home with each student summarizing the school budget, including improvements in educational programming.

Activities of Note: Date American Education Week TSBA Annual Convention and Leadership Conference School Board Training

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

December 1. Policy Review: Review policies adopted within current year to assess effectiveness of policy and to ensure that policy is achieving desired results Advocacy Plan: 1. Ensure that every commissioner is contacted individually by a school board member to give a progress report on the first half of the school year and how the needs of the school system are being addressed.

Activities of Note: Date School Board Training

January 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Budget review Superintendent presents a working school district budget draft Board input on the budget for next year Mid-year report on school operations Review of elementary school programs and offerings Policy Review: Fiscal management

Advocacy Plan: 1. Ask the PTAs to sponsor a reception to welcome the teachers back to school. Have a school board member at each school to welcome teachers and thank them for what they do.

2. Hold a board discussion on federal issues related to education. Adopt a resolution urging Congress to take specific action on behalf of children. Release the resolution to the press and to TSBA. 3. Send a board member to Washington as part of the Federal Relations Network to inform congressmen about the needs of your school district.

4. Have a mid-year report by the superintendent and staff on the progress made toward meeting the goals of the school board.

Activities of Note: Date School Board Training School Board Week (last week of January)

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

February 1. Consideration of budget requests from the staff 2. Review of middle school programs and offerings 3. Policy Review: Personnel Advocacy Plan: 1. Invite your legislator to TSBA’s Day on the Hill breakfast. Have your entire board and superintendent attend.

2. Visit with your legislator in his office during TSBA’s Day on the Hill and share with him/her the legislative priorities of your board.

3. Be certain that each county commissioner is contacted by a school board member to explain and discuss some of the needs of the school board, which are going to be included in the upcoming budget.

Activities of Note: Date TSBA’s Day on the Hill Black History Month School Board Training

March 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Budget work session PTA proposal submission Growth projections for next year Board begins strategic plan development for next year Review of high school program and offerings Policy Review: Personnel Review of Gifted and Talented Education Program

Advocacy Plan: 1. Send a school board member to each PTA group to make a 10-minute speech on the importance of the budget and urge PTA support.

2. Be sure each commissioner is personally contacted by a school board member to discuss the budget.

3. Send a school board member to speak to every civic club about how your students are doing and what they need to succeed.

4. Assign a board member to contact your legislators on behalf of the school board to get a report on progress and to stress the legislative priorities of the board.

Activities of Note: Date Spring Break School Board Training TSBA SCOPE Conference TSBA Employment Law Seminar 10

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

April 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Approval of textbook adoptions Budget work session Board attorney contract renewal Adoption and or review of school calendar for the next school year Review of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part B, Basic and Early Childhood program Policy Review: Students

Advocacy Plan: 1. Send a thank-you note to legislators who supported the school board’s priorities during the last legislative session.

2. Be sure that each commissioner is contacted personally by a school board member to report on progress in the schools and discuss the needs of children.

3. Send a thank-you note to each school bus driver thanking them for the safe and courteous manner in which they have operated buses.

Activities of Note: Date National School Boards Association Annual Convention School Board Training

May 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Review and discuss Title I Project Report on how professional development funds were used for current year and plans for next year Adoption of salary schedules for next school year Approve working budget draft for next year Policy Review: Students Approve participation in all Federal Programs for the coming year

Advocacy Plan: 1. Find a business or the PTA to sponsor a last-day lunch for teachers. Have a school board member present at each of the luncheons to briefly express appreciation for the teachers’ work and share with them a few exciting things that are planned for the future.

2. Ask every school to present at least one success story about the school year through the media.

This could be through a letter to the editor by a class about an excellent teacher they had, or a videotaped presentation created by students about a successful program or programs that airs on cable access stations and school system website.

3. Conduct an awards ceremony system-wide or in every school, but ensure a school board presence and involvement in the awards ceremony.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook Activities of Note: Date Teacher Appreciation Week Employee/Teacher Retirement Activity TSBA Board Secretaries Conference Deadline for School Board Academy Optional Credit Proposals School Board Training Celebration for newly tenured teachers

June 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Superintendent recommendations on teachers eligible to receive tenure Working draft of budget based on prioritized expenditures and projected revenues.

Superintendent’s performance contract approval Summary report on staff evaluation.

Update of 5-year strategic plan Review of salary schedules

Advocacy Plan: 1. Name a committee to put together a publication or newspaper articles on 25 reasons to stand up

and cheer for public education in your school system.

2. Include a letter of appreciation from the Board of Education to every employee. Identify ways that

groups of employees have caused students to succeed during the year.

3. Send a written report to the commission highlighting the accomplishments of the year and

identifying the needs of students.

Activities of Note: Date Staff Picnic: “Celebrate Success” School Board Training

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Tennessee School Boards Association Descriptor Code: Issued Date:

Descriptor Term:

Agendas 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39

1.403

Rescinds:

06/01/98 Issued:

The Executive Committee of the Board shall be responsible for developing an agenda for each board meeting. Any board member may place items on the agenda for discussion. The particular order may vary from meeting to meeting in keeping with the business at hand.

For a regular board meeting, the agenda (which shall include the consent agenda), together with supporting materials, shall be distributed to board members at least five (5) days prior to the scheduled date of the meeting. The agenda shall be available for public inspection and/ or distribution when it is distributed to the board members. At the beginning of each meeting, the Board shall, by a majority vote, approve the agenda for the meeting, which may involve the addition to or deletion of items previously included on the agenda. The Board, however, shall not revise board policies or adopt new ones, unless such action has been scheduled.

Staff members or citizens of the district may suggest items for the agenda.

For items to be considered on the agenda, they must be received in the director of schools’ office _____________ (amount of time) prior to the scheduled date of the meeting. The person(s) requesting an item on the agenda shall forward any background information to the director of schools’ office so that the material will be included in the delivery to the board members prior to the meeting.

CONSENT AGENDA While developing the agenda, the chairman and director of schools shall identify routine or noncontroversial items to be placed on the consent agenda, which shall become a part of the regular agenda. If any member objects to including an item on the consent agenda, that item shall be moved to the regular agenda as an action item requiring discussion. The remaining consent items shall be adopted in a single vote without discussion.

TIMED AGENDA The Executive Committee shall assign to each item a certain amount of time determined to be sufficient for disposing of each item on the agenda.

ANNUAL AGENDA At the beginning of each fiscal year, the Board shall adopt an annual planning calendar, stating month-by-month actions required by law and those required to carry out the Board’s annual goals.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

School Board Agenda For each statement below, check the appropriate column on the right to indicate whether or not you agree.

YES NO 1. Agendas should be made available to board members, staff and public at least a few days prior to board meetings.

2. Agendas should be sent to board members accompanied by sufficient background information.

3. Visitors should be provided with copies of the agenda.

4. The public should be invited to speak on agenda items before action is taken by the board.

5. The superintendent should be invited to speak on agenda items and make recommendations before action is taken by the board.

6. The agenda should be arranged so that high interest/important decision items come early in the meeting and routine items are deferred to the end of the meeting.

7. The agenda should indicate clearly which items require action by the board and which are for discussion only.

8. The board should use a consent agenda to expedite the routine items of business.

9. The agenda should be approved by the board at the beginning of the meeting.

10. The agenda should be prepared by the board chairman and superintendent.

11. Controversial issues should come first on the agenda.

12. Agendas should list an adjournment time.

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Tab 3

Meeting Management Techniques

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

MEETING MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES How to Run a Meeting Why have a meeting anyway?

Many meetings waste a great deal of everyone’s time and seem to be held for historical rather than practical reasons. Many long board meetings are little more than memorials to problems.

A board meeting should produce better ideas, plans, and decisions than an individual, or a number of individuals, each working alone. The meeting can of course also produce worse outputs or none at all, if it is a bad meeting.

When the combined experience, knowledge, judgment, authority, and imagination of school board members are brought to bear on issues, a great many plans and decisions are improved and sometimes transformed. An original idea the superintendent proposes can be tested, amplified, refined, and shaped by argument and discussion, until it satisfies far more requirements and overcomes many more objections than it could in its original form.

1.

A meeting helps every individual understand the collective aim of the board and the way in which the board and staff’s work can contribute to success.

2.

A meeting creates in each board member a commitment to the decisions the board makes and the objectives it pursues. Once something has been decided, even if a board member originally argued against it, membership on the board entails an obligation to accept the decision. The alternative is to leave the board, but in practice this is very rarely a dilemma of significance. For most people on most issues, it is enough to know that their views were heard and considered. They may regret that they were not followed, but they accept the outcome.

Just as the decision of any team is binding on all the members, so the decisions of a school board carry a greater authority than a decision by a superintendent. It is much harder to challenge a decision of the board than of the superintendent acting on his own. The decision-making authority of a meeting is of special importance for policies and procedures.

Before the meeting The most important question the board should ask is “What is this meeting intended to achieve?”

It may be asked in different ways —”What would be the likely consequences of not holding it?” or “When it is over, how shall I judge whether it was a success or a failure?” Unless you have a very clear requirement from the meeting, there is a grave danger that it will be a waste of everyone’s time.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Background materials The practice of circulating background papers along with the minutes is a good one. It not only saves time, but it also helps in formulating useful questions and consideration in advance. But the whole idea is sabotaged once the papers get too long. They should be brief or provide a short summary.

It is folly to bring a group of people together to read several pages of closely-printed sheets at a board meeting. The exception is financial and statistical papers which have a function to support and illustrate verbal points as reference documents. All items should be carefully considered in advance if they are to be discussed.

Listing “other business” on the agenda is an invitation to waste time. This does not absolutely preclude adding an extra agenda item at a meeting if something really urgent and unforeseen crops up. Nor does it preclude his leaving time for general unstructured discussion after the close of the meeting.

The chairman’s job: Their appointment as board chairman affects people in different ways. Some seize the opportunity to impose their will on a group that they see themselves licensed to dominate.

Others are more like scoutmasters, for whom the collective activity of the group is satisfaction enough, with no need for individual achievement. Their chairmanship is more like the endless stoking and fueling of a campfire that is not cooking anything.

And there are the insecure or lazy chairmen who look to the meeting for reassurance and support in their ineffectiveness and inactivity, so that they can spread the responsibility for their indecisiveness among the whole group. They seize on every expression of disagreement or doubt as a justification for avoiding decision or action.

But even the large majority who do not go to those extremes still feel a certain stroking of the ego when they take their place at the table for the first time. It is the chairman’s first duty to be aware of the temptation of self-indulgence and of the dangers of yielding to it. The clearest of the danger signals is hearing himself talking a lot during a discussion.

The best chairmen make it a rule to restrict interventions to a single sentence, or at most two.

A good chairman limits herself never to contribute a paragraph to a meeting she is chairing. It is a harsh rule, but other members of the board will think it a good one. There is, in fact, only one legitimate source of pleasure in chairmanship, and that is pleasure in the achievements of the meeting—and to be legitimate, it must be shared by all those present. Meetings are useful only if they lead to some accomplishment. If the chairman is to make sure that the meeting achieves valuable objectives, he will be more effective seeing himself as the servant of the group rather than as its master. His role then becomes that of assisting the group toward the best decision in the most efficient manner possible; to interpret and clarify; to move the discussion forward; and to bring it to a resolution that everyone understands and accepts as being the will of the meeting, even if each individual does not necessarily agree with it.

2

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook His source of authority with the members is the strength of his perceived commitment to their combined objective and his skill and efficiency in helping and guiding them to their achievement.

Control and discipline then become not the act of imposing his will on the group but of imposing the group’s will on any individual who is in danger of diverting or delaying the progress of the discussion and so from realizing the objective.

Once the members realize that the chairman is impelled by his commitment to their common objective, it does not take great force of personality for him to control the meeting. Indeed, a sense of urgency and a clear desire to reach the best conclusion as quickly as possible are a much more effective disciplinary instrument than a big gavel.

The effective chairman can hold the discussion to the point by indicating that there is no time to pursue a particular idea now, that there is no time for long speeches, that the group has to get through this item and on to the next one, rather than by resorting to pulling rank.

There are many polite ways the chairman can indicate a slight impatience even when someone else is speaking—by leaning forward, fixing his eyes on the speaker, tensing his muscles, raising his eyebrows, or nodding briefly to show the point is taken. And when replying or commenting, the chairman can indicate by the speed, brevity, and finality of his intonation that “we have to move on.”

Conversely, he can reward the sort of contribution he is seeking by the opposite expressions and intonations, showing that there is plenty of time for that sort of idea, and encouraging the speaker to develop the point.

After a few meetings, all present readily understand this nonverbal language. It is the chairman’s chief instrument of educating the group into the general type of “meeting behavior” that he is looking for. He is still the servant of the group, but like a hired mountain guide, he is the one who knows the destination, the route, the weather signs, and the time the journey will take.

So if he suggests that the members walk a bit faster, they take his advice.

Just as the driver of a car has two tasks, to follow his route and to manage his vehicle, so the chairman’s job can be divided into two corresponding tasks, dealing with the subject and dealing with the people.

Dealing with the subject The essence of this task is to follow the structure of discussion as just described in the previous section. This, in turn, entails listening carefully and keeping the meeting pointed toward the objective.

At the start of the discussion of any item, the chairman should make it clear where the meeting should try to get to by the end. Are the members hoping to make a clear decision or firm recommendation? Is it a preliminary deliberation to give the members something to go away with and think about? Are they looking for a variety of different lines to be pursued outside the meeting?

Do they have to approve the proposal, or merely note it?

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook The chairman should make sure that all the members understand the issue and why they are discussing it. Often it will be obvious, or else they may have been through it before. If not, then he or someone he has briefed before the meeting should give a short introduction, with some indication of the reason the item is on the agenda; the story so far; the present position; what needs to be established, resolved, or proposed; and some indication of lines of inquiry or courses of action that have been suggested or explored, as well as arguments on both sides of the issue.

If the discussion is at all likely to be long or complex, the chairman should propose to the meeting a structure for it with headings. He should listen carefully in case people jump too far ahead (i.e., start proposing a course of action before the meeting has agreed on the cause of the trouble), or go back over old ground, or start repeating points that have been made earlier. He has to head discussion off sterile or irrelevant areas very quickly (i.e., the rights and wrongs of past decisions that it is too late to change, or distant prospects that are too remote to affect present actions).

It is the chairman’s responsibility to prevent misunderstanding and confusion. If he does not follow an argument or understand a reference, he should seek clarification from the speaker.

If he thinks two people are using the same word with different meanings, he should intervene.

He may also have to clarify by asking people for facts or experience that perhaps influence their view but are not known to others in the meeting. And he should be on the lookout for points where an interim summary would be helpful. This device frequently takes only a few seconds, and acts like a life belt to some of the members who are getting out of their depth.

Sometimes a meeting will have to discuss a draft document. If there are faults in it, the members should agree on what the faults are and the chairman should delegate someone to produce a new draft later. The board should never try to redraft at the board table.

Perhaps one of the most common faults of chairmanship is the failure to terminate the discussion early enough. Sometimes chairmen do not realize that the meeting has effectively reached an agreement, and consequently they let the discussion go on for another few minutes, getting nowhere at all. Even more often, they are not quick enough to close a discussion before agreement has been reached.

A discussion should be closed once it is has become clear that: 1. More facts are required before further progress can be made.

2. Discussion has revealed that the meeting needs the views of people not present.

3. Members need more time to think about the subject.

4. Events are changing and are likely to alter or clarify the basis of the decision.

5. There is not going to be enough time at the meeting to cover the subject properly.

The fact that the decision is difficult, likely to be disputed or going to be unwelcome to someone, is not a reason for postponement. At the end of the discussion of each agenda item, the chairman should give a brief and clear summary of what has been agreed on. This can act as the dictation of the actual minutes. It serves not merely to put the item on record, but also to help people realize that something worthwhile has been achieved. It also answers the question, “Where did all that get us?�

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Strategies To Promote Effective Discussion The following strategies may help a chairman to promote quality discussion where each member is engaged:

1. Paraphrase • • • • • • •

“I’m not sure I completely understand what you’re saying. Do you mean ... ?”

“Before we go on, let me paraphrase what I think you are saying. Are you proposing that... ?

“Let me restate your last point to see if I understand.”

“What I think I am hearing is ... Is that correct?”

“I think you’re saying ... Is that right?”

“Let me see if I completely understand your position. Are you saying that ... ?”

“Are you asking me to ...?”

2. Elicit Answers • • • •

“George, what do you think about this suggestion?”

“Before we continue, I’d like to know what Helen thinks about this.”

“We haven’t heard what Jean thinks about this. What is your opinion, Jean?”

“We’ve heard from everybody except Mary. How do you feel about what’s been discussed, Mary?”

• “Jerry, how would you answer that question?”

• Avoid questions that can be answered with yes or no and questions that intimidate.

3. Ask for thoughts and feelings • • • • •

“How do you feel about ...?”

“What do you think about ...?”

“How did you decide that ...?”

“How did you feel when ...?”

“When did you come to the conclusion that ...?”

4. Dig deeper • • • • •

“What other feelings do you have about ...?”

“How else could we look at ...?”

“What else should be considered?”

“How else could we go about looking at ...?”

“Joan, what could you add to what’s already been said?”

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5. Divulge your own feelings • “I’m confused. Can anyone explain in simple terms?”

• “I’m exasperated. I wonder if we have enough information to make a good decision. What do you think, Mike?”

• “I feel uncertain about ...”

• “I feel uncomfortable because ...”

6. Share what you think someone else is feeling • “Dan, I don’t think you agree with what I just said. Is that right?”

• “Lois, I don’t think you’re satisfied with the logic of that argument. Am I right?”

• “I have the impression that Judy feels isolated by ... Is that right, Judy?”

7. Be supportive • “Jim has a right to feel the way he does. Maybe you could elaborate on why you feel the way you do, Jim.” • “I don’t think Ellen means what you think she does. I think she means ... Is that right, Ellen?”

• “Let’s give Walt a chance to tell us what he thinks.”

• “Barbara, you’ve had your turn to say what you think. Let’s give Joe a chance to speak.”

8. Clarify • • • •

“I don’t understand Walter what you mean. What if ...?”

“I’m not clear about ... What would happen if ...?”

“Bill is nodding his head. Could you explain it even further, Bill?”

“Alice is shaking her head. Alice, are you wondering if ...?”

9. Get examples • “John, will you give us an example of what you mean by ...?”

• “When would that most likely occur?

10. Summarize • “We’ve expressed a lot of concerns. Could someone please summarize the primary concerns before we go any further?”

• “There have been a number of good suggestions made. Paul, could you please summarize them so we can see what we have?”

• “I don’t think Dick agrees. Dick, could you please summarize your objections?”

• “I’ve lost track. Could someone please summarize the pros and cons of this strategy?”

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11. Check your assumptions • “Your idea seems to assume that ... Is that right?”

• “I have assumed all along that ... Is that a correct assumption?”

• “This strategy assumes that ... Is it a good idea to assume that?”

12. Check on consensus • “We all seem to agree on this point. Does anyone think that we should not ...?”

• “Henry, do you also think that ...?”

• “Before we go on, let me make sure that we’re all thinking about the same thing.”

13. Call for action • • • •

“Frank, will you ...?”

“How do we begin to ...?”

“How should we ...?”

“Does anyone have a suggestion for ...?”

14. Make a suggestion • “In order to ..., why don’t we ...?”

• “Would it help if we ...?”

15. Suggest a different approach • “I think I may have monopolized the conversation. I suggest we go around the table to see what everyone else thinks about this.”

• “Maybe it would be better if we rated each idea and narrowed down the choices in that way.”

16. Stop the discussion • “I think we’ve been going around in circles. Let’s stop and take a break.”

• “I think we’re saying the same things over and over. Let’s stop discussing it for a minute and take turns telling the group how we feel right now.”

17. Stay on the track • • • •

“What are our goals?”

“Are these the right questions?”

“If this does work, what other effects might it have?”

“How is this related to the topic?”

18. Acknowledge dissent • “Darryl, by the expression on your face, I don’t think you agree with this. Is that right?”

• “Claudia, you haven’t said much. Does that mean you have some reservations about the proposed solution?”

• “Warren, you seem hesitant about this. Do you disagree with the strategy?”

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19. Walk in someone else’s shoes • “How would you feel if you received that answer?”

• “Let’s consider where Carol is coming from.”

• “Let’s think about why this request was made.”

20. Create scenarios • “If this doesn’t work, what will happen?”

• “Let’s think of everything that could go wrong if we did this.”

Listening to Others Chairman not only need to be skilled at listening, but they should set an example for other members of the board. Every board member should strive to become a good listener. Following are some tips.

1. Stop Talking. You can’t listen while you are talking.

2. Empathize with the Other Person. can see where they are coming from.

Try to put yourself in their place so that you

3. Ask Questions.

When you don’t understand, when you need further clarification, when you want them to like you, when you want to show you are listening, but don’t ask questions that will embarrass them or show them up.

4. Don’t Give Up Too Soon. what they have to say.

Don’t interrupt the other person. Give them time to say

5. Concentrate on What They are Saying.

Actively focus your attention on their words, their ideas, and their feelings related to the subject.

6. Look at the Other Person.

Their face, their mouth, their eyes, their hands, will all help them to communicate with you. Helps you concentrate too, and makes them feel you are listening.

7. Leave Your Emotions Behind (if you can).

Try to push your worries, your fears, your problems outside the meeting room. They may prevent you from listening well.

8. Control Your Anger.

Try not to get angry at what they are saying. Your anger may prevent you from understanding their words or meaning.

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9. Get Rid of Distractions.

they may distract your attention.

Put down any papers, pencils, etc., you have in you hands;

10. Get the Main Points.

Concentrate on the main ideas and not the illustrative material; examples, stories, statistics, etc.., are important, but usually are not the main points. Examine them only to see if they prove, support, define the main ideas.

11. Share Responsibility for Communication.

Only part of the responsibility rests with the speaker. You as the listener have an important part. Try to understand, and if you don’t, ask for clarification.

12. React to Ideas, Not to Person.

Don’t allow your reactions to the person influence your interpretation of what they say. Their ideas may be good even if you don’t like them as a person, or the way they look.

13. Don’t Argue Mentally.

When you are trying to understand the other person; it is a handicap to argue with them mentally as they are speaking. This sets up a barrier between you and the speaker.

14. Use the Difference in Rate.

You can listen faster than they can talk, so use this rate difference to your advantage by trying to stay on the right track; anticipate what they are going to say, think back over what they have said, evaluate their development, etc. Rate difference: speech rate is about 100 to 150 words per minute, thinking 250 to 500.

15. Listen to What is Not Said.

Sometimes you can learn just as much by determining

what the other person leaves out or avoids in their talking as you can by listening to what they say.

16. Listen to How Something is Said.

We frequently concentrate so hard on what is said that we miss the importance of the emotional reactions and attitudes related to how it is said. Their attitudes and emotional reactions may be more important than what is said in so many words.

17. Don’t Antagonize Speaker.

You may cause the other person to conceal their ideas, emotions, or attitudes by antagonizing them in any of a number of ways: arguing; criticizing; taking notes; not taking notes; asking questions; not asking questions; etc. Try to judge and be aware of the effect you are having on the other person. Adapt to them.

18. Listen for Their Personality.

One of the best ways of finding out information about a person is to listen to them talk. As they talk you can begin to find out what they like and dislike; what their motivations are; what their value system is, what they think about everything and anything, what makes them tick.

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19. Avoid Jumping to Assumptions.

They can get you into trouble in trying to understand the other person. Don’t assume that they use words the same way you do: that they didn’t say what they meant, but you understand what they meant; that they are avoiding looking you in the eye because they are telling a lie; that they are trying to embarrass you by looking you in the eye; that they are distorting the truth because what they say doesn’t agree with what you think; that they are lying because they have interpreted the facts differently than you have; that they are unethical because they are trying to win you over to their point of view; that they are angry because they are enthusiastic in presenting their views. Assumptions like these may turn out to be true, but more often they just get in the road of your understanding and reaching agreement or compromise.

20. Avoid Classifying Speaker.

Too frequently we classify a person as one type of person and then try to fit everything they say into what makes sense coming from that type of person.

At times, it helps us to understand people to know their policies, their religious beliefs, their jobs, etc., but people have the trait of being unpredictable and not fitting into their classifications.

Dealing with Difficult Members Not all boards have them, but chairmen must be prepared to deal with difficult members as well as some common problems. In dealing with problem people, always begin with the most subtle and least threatening actions. If a low-key approach doesn’t work, then you may need to be more direct, saving the most direct action until last. Here are some specific problems board chairmen face:

The Latecomer

always comes to meetings late, making a big commotion, stopping the meeting and wanting to be caught up. As a general rule, don’t confront the chronic latecomer in front of the group. Wait until after the meeting and then ask why s/he is late so often. Don’t lecture, but don’t wait. Starting the meeting late only encourages the latecomer. TIP: Have the board secretary put the time the board member arrives in the minutes.

The Early Leaver

drains the energy of the meeting by leaving before it ends. Like the latecomer, this individual shouldn’t be confronted before the group. Find out later why this disruptive behavior continues. Maybe your meetings are too long or too loose. Maybe there is something you can learn from the early leaver. TIP: Board secretary should record in minutes when the board member leaves.

The Broken Record

keeps bringing up the same point over and over again. Acknowledge that the point is important to the group. Demonstrate that it has been heard and recorded several times. You might ask, “Is there something else you want to add? If not, can you let go of it now?”

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The Doubting Thomas

constantly puts down everything. “That will never work.” This person is always negative. While it is healthy to have a skeptic in any group, aggressive negativism is a damper on creative effort. Get the whole group to agree to withhold evaluating ideas for a given period of time. Then use this agreement to correct anyone who violates it. “Wait a minute, Harry! You and the rest of the group agreed not to evaluate ideas for awhile.”

The Headshaker non-verbally disagrees in a dramatic and disruptive manner. They shake heads, roll eyes, cross and uncross legs, slam books shut and push chairs back. The first strategy is to turn to the person and say, “Frank, I see you shaking your head. Looks like you disagree with what’s being said. Do you want to share your reactions with the group?” If the headshaker continues or becomes even more disruptive, wait until after the meeting to ask, “What’s bothering you?”

The Dropout physically withdraws, doesn’t say anything or reads a book or doodles. The

best way to approach this is during a break or after the meeting, ask the dropout why s/he isn’t participating. Sometimes this behavior indicates the individual is understandably preoccupied or doesn’t feel a part of the group. Giving this person a special task or important assignment may create the necessary involvement. Sometimes the individual may be hurt or angry about something that has gone on in the meeting. Giving this person the chance to articulate those feelings may help. It also may give you a chance to provide a different perspective to what happened.

The Silent One fails to participate even though they may have something important or creative to contribute. The silent one’s non-participation may be due to shyness. A board retreat where board members get to know each other helps to create an environment which overcomes the silent one’s resistance. The chairman may try asking, “Mary, I would like to hear your opinion.” Do not allow other board members to speak so often that a quiet person cannot get a word in edgewise.

The Whisperer constantly whispers to a neighbor and is one of the most irritating problem

people. The chairman can pause and look at the whisperer until they stop. Often this low-key approach will work. If two members are really going at it you can ask, “Do you want to share what you’re talking about with the rest of the group?” After the meeting, you might also point out, “The board gets very distracted by your whispering. Would you save your comments till later?”

The Monopolizer talks too much and says too little, dominates the meeting and is seemingly

impossible to shut up. Don’t embarrass a monopolizer in front of the group. Interrupt with something like, “That’s an interesting point of view (reason, idea, etc..). Let’s see what others think about it. I would like to hear from those who haven’t had a chance to express themselves yet.” Privately, you might confide your concern about the limited participation and invite this person to help you draw others out.

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The Attacker launches personal attacks on another member or on you as chairman.

If two group members are going at it, try to interrupt and get them to talk to you rather than to each other. Ask, “What’s this all about? What’s the problem?” That’s fine for you to work out your differences but not during the meeting. Save it for later.” If you are being attacked, don’t defend yourself. Take a moment to collect yourself and say, “You feel that I am not... How do you think I could correct that?” Check out the accusation with the group. If they agree, correct the behavior immediately.

The Interpreter speaks for other people, “What Albert is trying to say is...” If Albert is being

interrupted you might say, “Hold on a minute, let’s let Albert finish making his point.” If Albert has finished, check out the interpretation with him. If this behavior continues, confront it after the meeting.

The Gossiper introduces hearsay and gossip into the meeting. The most common is the “I

got a phone call” routine. When you see potentially important information introduced with vague qualifiers, check it out immediately. “Do you know that for a fact?” “Can anyone verify that?” Defer the discussion until the facts are known.

The Know-it-all uses credentials, age, length of service or professional status to argue a point.

Acknowledge his or her expertise once, but emphasize why the issue is being considered by the group: to consider new alternatives, to hear other points of view, etc. If appropriate, follow this person’s remarks with a vote on the issue or by verbalizing a sense of the group’s feelings.

The Big Cheese

is always ducking in and out of the meeting to take phone calls or handle emergencies. And it is pointless to continue the meeting with this person if s/he is key to the issues being discussed. It is almost impossible to deal with this behavior during the meeting. The best time to deal with this behavior is either before the meeting or right at the beginning of the meeting.

Ask this person to agree to hold his or her calls. Or have the group establish a group norm of “no interruptions.”

The Interrupter

starts talking before others are finished. Often this person doesn’t intend to be rude but simply spits out an idea without realizing that someone else has not finished speaking. As the chairman you should deal with this interruption immediately. It is your job to let everyone have a chance to be heard without being cut off. You can jump in immediately saying, “Hold on, Irving. Let Sue finish what she was saying.”

The Maverick. School boards sometimes have members who are mavericks.

Through their election to the school board, they feel they have a mandate to correct perceived wrongs in the system. They are the self-appointed watchdogs of the school system. Sometimes they are veteran board members, but often new board members assume the role of maverick.

Mavericks tend to have poor relationships with other board members. They forget individual board members have no authority outside school board meetings. They don’t realize board members need 12

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook to work as a team to accomplish their goals and those of the system. The media loves mavericks.

Their outspoken nature makes for good copy, regardless of whether it is accurate, and their antics transform routine board meetings into headlines. Mavericks so often use the news media to draw attention to themselves and perhaps to advance their causes.

Mavericks generally have good intentions. They are willing to break the rules of boardsmanship and to sacrifice the effectiveness of the board as a unit. However, they genuinely believe that their actions are in the school system’s best interests in the long run. While some may relish their role, others may feel isolated—that they don’t have an alternative. Mavericks may view other board members with suspicion. They perceive that their peers don’t like them or are distrustful. They don’t think their views are welcomed by others, and they are frustrated.

Working with a maverick also can be vexing for the other school board members. Peers often don’t object to what the maverick hopes to accomplish—they resent how the maverick does it, and they resent dealing with peers who aren’t playing by the same rules.

This frustration can build to a level where the board is unable to function effectively or efficiently.

Frequently victimized by long, fractious meetings, school boards who have reached this boiling point need to lower the temperature and redirect their efforts toward students. Here is a variety of suggestions to help school boards experiencing “Maverick syndrome.”

How to Deal With Mavericks Following are specific actions boards can take to deal with these mavericks.

1. Refer to the board’s Code of Ethics policy.

2. Develop long-range plans with clear goals and objectives for the district. Once you have a plan, any diversions will be apparent.

3. Conduct a board retreat where such issues as team-building, goals and ideas can be addressed openly.

4. Require local in-service training for board members – review board members’ roles and responsibilities.

5. “Do lunch” with a board member(s) you have difficulty getting along with so you can discuss your differences privately.

6. Elect a strong chairman who will ensure meetings are orderly while permitting all members to voice their opinions.

7. Never resort to using maverick tactics on the maverick. It only reinforces negative behavior.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook 8. The chairman should discuss frankly the maverick’s conduct and explain its negative impact on the board. Explain that the behavior diminishes the maverick’s influence on the board.

9. Have a second member of the board follow up to enforce the chairman’s observations and strongly suggest changes in the maverick’s behavior. Warn that such behavior will isolate the maverick from the rest of the board. If the maverick refuses to act like a member of the board, the board will act like the maverick is not a member.

10. Follow through with the warning. Listen to the comments made by the maverick at board meetings but ignore them and continue discussion as if no one had spoken.

11. To stop ranting and raving by the maverick, the chairman should ask the maverick to make a motion before making comments. Let the motion die for a lack of a second.

12. Conduct a board self evaluation/retreat using a facilitator. Honestly confront the maverick’s behavior. Don’t leave the burden on one or two members. Rather each member should contribute to the discussion and share frustration with the maverick’s behavior.

13. Encourage the maverick to participate in a workshop on the subject of board operations and effectiveness. Inform the instructor in advance about the problems the board is experiencing with the maverick.

Boards that allow mavericks or other difficult people to dominate their activities are hurting their efforts, and ultimately, the school children they serve. While your friends, family and those “in the know” may perceive your reactions differently, the general public views the board collectively.

The public perceives that the board is having difficulties, they don’t blame individual members.

Each board member has a role in developing a working relationship among board members because each board member – and the board – will benefit when the board acts as a team.

These suggestions for handling difficult people were excerpted from the book, How to Make Meetings Work, by Michael Doyle and David Straus and from an article by Sandra Sims deGraffenried .

Dealing with Angry Adults 1. Concentrate with an open mind on the person and the complaint. well as the facts.

2. Listen carefully and allow for full expression.

Listen to hidden feelings.

3. Do not interrupt. Let the person talk as much as necessary.

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4. Ask questions after onslaught ends.

Look for clues – is s/he more relaxed? Ask questions in a non-defensive manner to clarify the person’s view.

5. Repeat complaint in your own words.

6. Assure the person of your genuine concern.

7. Explain your perception.

8. Admit and ask.

Admit you made a mistake. Give assurances it will not be repeated.

9. Resolution. Bring the problem to resolution.

10. Finish.

Conclude the conference - “wrap it up.” Keep an eye on the clock. Encourage ongoing communication. Assure resolution. Get right information.

11. Follow up. consideration.

Investigation - what are the facts? Where does the fault lie? Take feelings into

12. Decision - Explain at follow up meeting.

Thoroughly outline reasoning. Finish it up.

13. Keep a log.

14. Do your homework.

15. Be loyal to staff and fellow board members.

16. Assume no enemy of schools.

Your premise must be that everyone’s views, no matter how haywire to you, are aimed at school improvement. This will take wind out of the critic’s sail.

17. Know your schools.

18. Do not give the impression of superiority.

19. Remember, the children come first.

20. Don’t answer for the staff, the administration or the board as an individual.

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What the Chairman Needs to Know about Presiding at a Board Meeting Check each item below that you believe the board chairman should understand before conducting a meeting: ❑ The problems that are to be handled on the agenda. ❑ The reasons the items are on the agenda. ❑ The reasons for the sequence of events on the agenda. ❑ Approximately how much time each item will take. ❑ What action is necessary by the board for each item on the agenda. ❑ At what point(s) the superintendent will be recognized. ❑ What kind(s) of report(s) the superintendent will make. ❑ How the superintendent intends to use staff members or outside consultants during the meeting. ❑ How to involve other members of the board. ❑ How to handle emergency situations that might arise. ❑ How to deal with pressure groups.

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The Effective Meeting Checklist Effective board meetings don’t happen by chance. To have control of their meetings boards should assess their current practices, agree on needed changes in these practices, and put the results on paper so everyone will know what the procedures are and what’s expected.

This section provides a checklist of meeting policies and practices that are considered essential ingredients of effective board meetings. You can respond to the checklist for your own information, or you and your board can use it to determine areas that need improvement.

Check the appropriate columns on the left to indicate: G= Good, A= Adequate, NI= Needs improvement

Meeting Preparation ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI

1. Are the notices of your meetings properly posted?

❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 2. Has the board adopted a procedure for setting the agenda and preparing

backup reports and briefings? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 3. Do staff members understand which matters need to be brought to a

scheduled meeting and which do not? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 4. Do your board chairman and superintendent discuss agenda items and

other business and try to anticipate any problems that might occur? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 5. Have you established policy and published procedures by which board

members, school staff, citizens, and others can request that a matter be

considered by the board? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 6. Have matters to be acted upon been reviewed, studied, and presented in

writing to your board by the administration? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 7. Does the superintendent specify in advance those items for which he or

she has a recommended action? Are these accompanied by

recommendations, a list of pros and cons, and alternatives when feasible? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 8. Are new issues for the board’s attention channeled through the agenda

development procedure and not brought up for the first time at board meetings? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 9. Are your meetings held in pleasant, comfortable surroundings that are

conducive to effective communication and decision making?

(Check applicable items.)

❑ Chairs are in proper repair.

❑ Lighting is well adjusted.

❑ Room temperature is controlled.

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❑ All audio visual equipment is in working order.

❑ Water or other beverage is provided for board members.

❑ The board policy book is available for reference if necessary.

❑ A book on parliamentary procedure is available for use.

❑ A gavel has been provided for the chairman.

❑ Adequate seating is provided for the audience.

❑ All board members have good audio and visual contact with the audience, speakers, and each other.

❑ Board members have nameplates that are visible to the audience.

❑ Arrangements are made for the news media.

❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI

10. Are reporters briefed about what will happen at the meeting?

❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI

11. Do board members come to meetings well prepared?

❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 12. If your board has committees, are committee reports or minutes

distributed to all members of the board? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 13. Is the board attorney asked to attend when important legal matters are on

the agenda? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 14. Are all members of the public, especially those involved or interested in

agenda items, invited to attend your meetings and made to feel welcome? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 15. Has the board established an orderly method for the public including

students, to speak at board meetings? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 16. Does the superintendent invite staff or specialists to your meetings to

supply backup advice and knowledge on recommended proposals? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 17. If the recording secretary for the board meeting is not available, is an

immediate substitute always on call? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 18. Does each administrator who is to make a report to the board have a

substitute in case of emergencies? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 19. Is there a plan for cancelling or postponing a board meeting on short

notices, because of bad weather or other emergency? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 20. Has adequate parking and security been provided for vehicles of all those

who attend board meetings?

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Meeting Conduct ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI

21. Do your board meetings start on time?

❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 22. During the meeting, does the board chairman pay attention to the clock so

that adequate time can be devoted to important matters? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 23. Are agendas distributed to members of the audience so they can follow

the board action? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI

24. Does the board chairman clarify or explain each agenda item?

❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI

25. During the meeting is only one person permitted to speak at a time?

❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI

26. Are speaking privileges granted through recognition by the chair?

❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 27. Is board discussion confined to the issue on the floor, and is discussion

that is not pertinent ruled out-of-order? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 28. Is the board chairman adept at summarizing arguments before bringing

matters to a vote? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI

39. Does the board stick to the agenda?

❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 30. Are all board members provided an opportunity to express their views on issues? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 31. Are issues before the board resolved unless postponed, committed, or

tabled pending further study? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 32. Are issues that are brought before the board for the first time by residents,

students, or staff referred back to the administration for investigation and

a recommendation for action? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 33. If the board goes into executive session, is a reason announced that is

consistent with open meeting laws? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI

34. Do meetings end on time?

After The Meeting ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI

35. Are clear, concise minutes sent promptly to all board members?

❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 36. Is a report summarizing board action published for the press, school staff,

and interested citizens? ❑ G ❑ A ❑ NI 37. Do the administration and board follow up on questions that have been

deferred to another time?

Note: For may boards there will be no need to formalize all of these procedures, especially if the board has always operated in such a manner. But, when new members join the board, they must be made aware of the rules. Keep in mind that not all boards need all these rules, but boards should consider and adopt those that meet their needs.

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Parliamentary Procedure Quiz for School Board Members Circle "T" if the statement is true, and "F" if the statement is false.

T

F

1. All motions require a second

T

F

2. A unanimous vote is the same as consensus.

T F

3. The chairman's decision may be overruled with a majority vote.

T

4. Once a motion is tabled, it is dead.

F

T F 5. A motion would fail if the vote were as follows.

Aye-3 Nay-2 Not Voting-2 T

F

6. The board chairman only votes in case of a tie.

T

F

7. Voting by written ballot is a violation of the Sunshine Law.

T

F

8. An item may not be discussed until a motion is on the floor.

T

F

9. A motion to reconsider is the same as a motion to rescind.

T

F

10. A motion to adjourn is not debatable.

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Rules of Order Any deliberative body must adopt some rules of order that determine such matters as what will be discussed and who may have the floor. The rules of order most commonly adopted by school boards and many other deliberative bodies in western societies are minor variations of H. M. Robert’s Rules of Order. These rules are often also called parliamentary procedure because they derive from the rules governing debate in Great Britain’s Parliament. The underlying purpose of adopting rules of order is to assure that every member has reasonable opportunity to participate in the deliberation and that deliberation is effective and efficient—even when the topics of deliberation may be intense.

A school board normally adopts a set of rules of order as board policy. The value of having such rules becomes most obvious during discussions when people disagree or are intolerant of each other’s viewpoints. The rules provide for someone (the board’s chairman) to chair the discussion in a manner that permits all members’ views to be heard. Typically such a discussion must assure that only one person speaks at a time, that procedures prevent one person—or only persons on one side of an issue—from monopolizing discussion, and that both positive and negative votes are counted.

The chair of the discussion is also responsible for keeping the discussion from wandering to other topics or becoming ad hominem (attacks on the personality or motives of other speakers rather than discussion of issues).

Some boards become bogged down in conflicts over parliamentary procedures such as the proper form of a motion or what matters take precedence in a debate. On the one hand, careful attention to rules of order should help deliberations move forward in a constructive way and keep everyone focused on the topic of discussion. On the other hand, bickering over procedural issues can become a method of obstruction by a frustrated or unhappy board member. When conflict over parliamentary procedure begins to dominate board meetings, firm and tactful intervention by the board’s chairman may be needed to resolve any underlying issues.

Purpose Most organizations operate under their own bylaws which are designed to deal with most substantive issues they face. Most follow a standard set of rules to handle the procedural questions. Following a uniform set of rules permits democratic disposition of discussion, giving everyone who wishes to speak an opportunity to express an opinion or raise a question with minimal delay and confusion.

Most rules of order are designed for large formal bodies such as the U.S. Congress or the British Parliament. School boards with three to twelve members rarely need to follow the rigid form of the larger group, but those who are charged with leading the sessions would do well to know the basic principles needed to take the board beyond locally-adopted operating rules.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

What Is Parliamentary Procedure?

Parliamentary procedure is all the rules that govern the transaction of business in meetings. Contrary to popular opinion, it’s not limited to Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised. True, Robert’s is the most used authority, but Sturgis Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure is actually an easier book from which to learn parliamentary procedure.

What procedures should you follow?

You can formally adopt written rules of procedure by adopting a bylaws provision that a book such as Robert’s shall be the parliamentary authority. This authority then governs procedure except as spelled out in higher authorities—such as federal or state law, governing documents, or specially adopted rules of order. The parliamentary authority can also be supplemented with specific rules.

How you conduct your business is often determined by the size of your assembly. (To learn more about the total flow of business at a meeting, see “Business to Business”) Smaller boards and committees can and sometimes should be more informal. In fact, Robert’s Rules notes that formality can actually hinder business in a meeting of fewer than a dozen. As a result, in smaller boards, members aren’t required to obtain the floor and can make motions or speak while seated; motions need not be seconded; there is no limit to the number of times a member can speak to a question; motions to close or limit debate generally aren’t used; and the chair usually can make motions and vote on all questions.

Small boards can always follow more formal procedure on matters of sufficient importance or controversy. In contrast, an annual meeting must be more formal due to the number of members present.

Debate has to be limited to keep the meeting on time, and formal votes help avoid legal challenges to any actions that are taken.

Types of Motions All motions are designed to help in handling a main motion. A main motion is simply defined as one which brings business before the board for action. It may not conflict with local, state, or national law, or with the bylaws or policy of the board. Rules of parliamentary procedure do not supersede state statutes.

The Main Motion

A main motion is made, seconded, and then stated by the chairman. No other business may be discussed until that has been disposed of in some fashion. Small boards may wish to dispense with a second, or even allow discussion of an issue without a motion. However, no action should be taken without a duly made motion which can be recorded in the minutes. Each motion should deal with one point and, whenever possible, should be stated in a positive manner. By stating motions in a positive manner, the intent of the board is made clear. For example, if the motion is "to build a new school" and the vote ends in a tie, then clearly the motion has failed. However, if the motion is stated "not to build a new school" and the vote ends in a tie, it would be confusing as to what action the board has taken. The main motion is debatable and is adopted by majority vote.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Subsidiary Motions

Main motions may be amended. Words can be added or deleted or whole sentences or paragraphs may be inserted. For example: The main motion may be that, "The Everytown School Board will permit duly recognized community groups to use the district buildings for meetings and public events." An amendment may insert the word "non-profit" before community. The amendment is debatable, requiring majority approval. Then the amended motion must be considered.

The maker should state the amendment clearly, indicate what changes are to be made, and by what method, and the chair should repeat the amendments. If a long discussion follows, the motion, with its amendment, should be reread before the vote is taken.

The amendment may be amended after it has been approved by the same process, but that action must take place before the main motion is adopted. Only one amendment to a main motion or to amend an amendment may be made at any one time.

What Motions are Most Used?

As you can see, the key to parliamentary procedure is the motion. While there are a lot of them—Robert’s Rules lists more than 80 in its central table—most meetings stick to about a dozen: • Main motion: brings business before the assembly; permitted only when no other motion is pending.

• Amendment: allows modifications to another motion by adding, deleting, or changing words.

• Refer: allows a matter to be sent to a smaller group to consider and report back.

• Postpone: delays consideration of a matter.

• Limit debate: places a limit on the time or number of speakers.

• Previous question: ends debate immediately.

• Table: temporarily delays a matter when something of urgency arises.

• Recess: permits a short break.

• Adjourn: ends the meeting.

• Point of order: calls attention to an error in procedure.

• Point of information: allows a member to ask a question.

• Division of the assembly: demands a rising (but not counted) vote after a voice vote.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

How do Motions Work Together?

Not all motions are in order at any given moment. Instead, certain motions are considered ahead of others in formal procedure. This concept is known as “precedence.” The order of precedence, from highest- to lowest-ranking motion is as follows: adjourn, recess, lay on the table, previous question, limit/extend debate, postpone to a certain time, refer, amend, and main motion.

Precedence is governed by two rules: 1. When a motion is being considered, any motion higher on the list—but no motion of lower precedence—may be proposed.

2. The motion last proposed (and highest on the list) is considered and decided first. For example, suppose the main motion being discussed is to authorize $5,000 for painting.

A motion is made to amend the main motion by striking “$5,000” and inserting “$7,500” (which is in order, as it’s higher on the list than the main motion). The amendment is discussed, and a motion is made to refer the matter to a committee (which is also in order).

Discussion begins on a motion to refer. Then a motion is made to postpone the matter until next month’s meeting (again, in order). A member then moves to adjourn the entire meeting (also in order). Prior to voting on the motion to adjourn, a member obtains the floor and moves to recess for five minutes. The motion to recess is out of order in that it is lower on the list than the motion to adjourn.

This may seem like an unnecessarily elaborate process for what seems like a simple item of business.

Consider what has been avoided: unnecessary debate and multiple motions being discussed at the same time. The assembly had only one question before it at any given moment. As a result, members were required to focus on the immediately pending motion only, avoiding distractions.

Parliamentary procedure takes many forms and has many specific rules that are beyond the realm of this article, but the preceding example makes clear the true value of parliamentary procedure. A solid foundation of procedural knowledge can enhance credibility, produce shorter and better meetings, and make the difference between legitimate and illegal actions.

Each motion has detailed rules on when it can be introduced, whether it needs a second, whether it is debatable, and what vote is required for adoption. (See “Motion Detector”) The main motion, with or without amendments, may be referred to a committee or to staff for study.

The committee or staff must report at the time specified in the motion to refer. The motion which is debatable and amendable, must be accepted by a simple majority. .

A motion to postpone to some future date may be introduced at a time no one is speaking. It is debatable and the time suggested may be amended. A motion may also be laid on the table or tabled.

It may be taken from the table when new conditions arise, new information is received, or whenever no other matter is before the body. These motions may not be debated or amended.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook They require majority vote. Tabling motions should not be used intentionally to kill a motion, although that is often the effect.

A motion may be reconsidered, whether carried or lost, either at the same or next meeting. The mover must have voted with the prevailing side. The motion is debatable and requires a majority.

The motion being reconsidered must be handled as the next order of business.

More Notes on Motions • To close debate on a pending question requires a motion which is not debatable or amendable and needs a two-thirds vote. It should only be used when debate has been prolonged. The issue being debated must be voted immediately.

• Motions may also be made to limit the length of time an issue may be discussed. These may be amended, but not debated, and also require a two-thirds vote.

• During the discussion of any motion one may raise a point of order. It can be done at any time, but only to question a ruling of the chair or a point of parliamentary procedure.

• The chair’s decision may be overuled with a majority vote.

• A member may ask a “question of privilege.”

• A motion to adjourn is almost always in order. The exceptions are: when a speaker has the floor, when a vote is being taken, after a similar motion has been turned down, and when the business at hand cannot be concluded quickly.

• The motion to adjourn is not debatable.

There are many other motions that may be used in complex deliberations. Most of them are used with larger groups and in involved discussions. School Boards should be able to operate with a degree of informality that eliminates the need for the detailed structure that is required and is used with larger bodies.

A good, complete parliamentary guide should be kept on hand at each meeting to answer more complex questions that may arise. The accompanying chart will prove helpful.

First Steps The rules under which your board operates should be clearly stated and formally adopted, including a reference to an external set of guidelines, such as the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, as the resource used when unusual questions arise. Parliamentary procedures do not have the force of law. They do not bind anyone or any group unless the group adopts the procedure.

However, once adopted they must be followed until rescinded.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook Parliamentary procedure is a logical process designed to aid group deliberation in a democratic society. When it becomes cumbersome, it should be changed. To be most effective, it must make sense to those who must use it.

Basic Principles To assure open discussion, one must understand when a motion is debatable or not debatable, amendable or not amendable, or whether a speaker may or may not be interrupted. The ground rules and methods must be generally understood or the result is likely to be chaos and extremely long meetings.

While the accepted principle allows the majority to make decisions, the rights of the minority are protected in major issues calling for two-thirds approval, such as in constitutional changes or debate closure.

A quorum is the minimum number of members required to be present in order to conduct the business of the organization. TCA 49-2-202 which became effective July 1, 1998, requires a majority vote of the members of the board in order to transact all business. The chairman (without relinquishing the chair) may enter discussion, make and second motions, and vote.

Running the Meeting Every meeting should follow an order of business and an agenda, which is usually prepared by the superintendent in consultation with the board chairman. Each member of the board should have copies well in advance of the meeting, including any background material. The chairman of the board calls the meeting to order. Usually, the first item of business is the adoption of the agenda.

Opening the meeting: The presiding officer should never call a meeting to order until a quorum is present. A quorum is the number of members entitled to vote who must be present in order for business to be legally transacted. Quorum is typically defined in the governing documents of the community association. Once a quorum is present, the presiding officer calls the meeting to order by stating, “The meeting will come to order.”

Approval of minutes: Minutes typically are distributed to all members so that they don’t have

to be read aloud. Corrections and approval are normally done by unanimous consent. That is, the presiding officer can ask, “Is there any objection to approving the minutes as read [or distributed]?”

If there is no objection, the minutes are approved.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook Reports of officers and standing committees: The first substantive item of business in many

meetings is hearing from the officers and established committees. In most cases, the presiding officer learns in advance who needs to report and calls only on those officers and committees. Reports are generally for information only. In such instances, no motion is necessary following the reports unless there are recommendations to be implemented. A motion “to adopt” or “to accept” a report is seldom wise except when the report is to be issued or published in the name of the organization.

Reports of special committees: Unlike standing committees, special committees don’t have

continual existence. Instead, they exist solely for the purpose of a specific project or special event.

Unfinished business: Unfinished business refers to matters carried over from a previous meeting.

For organizations that meet at least four times a year, this may include any item that was pending when the previous meeting adjourned or was postponed to the present meeting. If there is no unfinished business, the presiding officer should skip this category.

New business: The presiding officer may be unaware of what items will arise here, and thus introduces the heading by asking, “Is there any new business?” Any member can introduce any new item of business by making a motion and obtaining a second. Following the consideration of each item, the chair asks, “Is there any further new business?” This process continues until there are no additional business items.

Closing the meeting: In most assemblies, the presiding officer can adjourn the meeting without

waiting for a motion to do so. If every item of business has been considered, the presiding officer can ask, “Is there any further business?” If there is no response, the presiding officer simply states: “Since there is no further business, the meeting is adjourned.”

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Tennessee School Boards Association Monitoring:

Descriptor Term:

Review: Annually, in September

Descriptor Code:

Issued Date:

Rescinds:

Issued:

1.405

Rules of Order

1 2 3

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules Of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern the Board in all cases to which they are applicable, except as otherwise provided by any statutes applicable to the Board, or by policies of this Board including the following exceptions:

4

VOTING METHOD

5 6

When a formal vote is taken on any question brought before the Board, the decision shall be made on the basis of a majority of the membership of the Board.1

7 8 9

Roll call votes will be used at the discretion of the chair or upon the request of any board member.

Each member's vote shall be recorded in the minutes on a roll call vote. Upon request, any member's individual vote may be recorded in the minutes. No secret votes shall be used.2

10

CHAIRMAN'S PARTICIPATION

11 12

The person chairing a meeting may participate in discussion, make motions, and vote on all issues as any other member without relinquishing the chair.3

13

SUSPENSION OF RULES

14 15

Rules of order may be suspended by a majority vote of the membership at any regular or special meeting.

16

CHALLENGES

17 18 19

Procedural challenges to the rules of order must be made in a timely manner and not later than the next successive meeting.

_____________________________

_____________________________

Legal References

Cross References

1.

2.

3.

TCA 49-2-202(g) TCA 8-44-104(b) Reeder v. Trotter, 142 Tennessee 37 (1919)

Version Date: September 17, 2015

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook Chart of Parliamentary Motions for organizations that adopt Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised

Motion

Privileged Motions 14. Fix time to which to adjourn 13. Adjourn 12. Recess 11. Raise a question of privilege 10. Call for orders of the day Subsidiary Motions 9. Lay on the table 8. Call for the previous question 7. Limit or extend limits of debate Special order General order 6. Postpone to a certain time 5. Refer to committee 4. Amend an amendment 3. Amend or substitute 2. Postpone indefinitely

Requires Debatable Amendable Second

Vote Required

Yes Yes Yes No No

No No No No No

Yes No Yes No No

Majority Majority Majority Chair None

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No

Majority 2/3 2/3 2/3 Majority Majority Majority Majority Majority Majority

Principal Motions 1. a. Main motion (resolution Yes Yes Yes b. Specific main motions Reconsider Yes Yes No Take from the table Yes No No Rescind Yes Yes Yes

Incidental Motions (No order of precedence) Parliamentary inquiry No No No Point of order No No No Appeal from the decision of the chair Yes Yes No Division of the assembly No No No Suspend the rules Yes No No Modify or withdraw a motion No No No Divide a motion Yes No Yes Point of information No No No Create a blank Yes No No Object to consideration No No No

10

Majority Majority Majority Majority or 2/3 None Chair Majority None 2/3 Majority Majority None Majority 2/3

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Simplified Chart of Parliamentary Motions

Motion Debatable Amendable Vote Required

8. Adjourn

No

No

Majority

7. Recess

No

Yes

Majority

6. Close debate

No

No

2/3

5. Postpone to a certain time

Yes

Yes

Majority

4. Refer to committee

Yes

Yes

Majority

3. Amend the amendment

Yes

No

Majority

2. Amend or substitute

Yes

Yes

Majority

1. Main motion (resolution)

Yes

Yes

Majority

Reconsider

Yes

No

Majority

Rescind

Yes

Yes

Majority

Motions Dealing with the General Conduct of the Meeting No Order of Precedence Point of order

No

No

None

Parlimentary inquiry

No

No

None

Appeal from the decision of the chair Yes

No

Majority

Division of the assembly

No

No

None

Suspend the rules

No

No

2/3

Divide a motion

No

Yes

Majority

Withdrawn or modify

No

No

Majority

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Answers to Parliamentary Procedure Quiz 1.

False

Motions to accept committee recommendations and nominations do not require a second.

2.

False

Consensus means of the same mind or common consent; however, it does not require an actual vote. When a motion is made to adopt by consensus, the chairman should ask if there is any objection. If not, it should be stated, "without objection the motion is approved by consensus."

3.

True

4.

False

It doesn't kill the motion because the motion can be moved from the table.

5.

True

TCA 49-2-202 which became effective July 1, 1998, requires a majority vote of the members of the board in order to transact all business.

6.

False

The chairman may vote on any issue, after all, his constituents should not be deprived of their representative's vote.

7.

False

Written ballots may be used provided that the individual votes are publicly announced.

8.

False

Generally speaking, for boards with less than a dozen members, the procedures observed is that of committees rather than a large society or assembly. Committee rules are more informal. For example, the chairman is much more open in discussing a question, members do not have to rise to make a motion nor to wait for recognition before speaking.

9.

False

A motion to rescind is not in order when the subject can be reached by reconsideration.

10.

True

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

A Minute on Minutes If your board tends to regard the approval of minutes as an irrelevant chore, reconsider. Your board’s minutes are the main channel of communication from the board to school personnel and the public.

They also are the only legal record of your meetings. As one school attorney said, “Minutes may have the force of law and should be treated as if they will some day appear in court.... It’s quite possible that they may.” In your district, the board clerk, secretary, or superintendent may be responsible for recording the proceedings. Your board may find it wise to employ trained secretarial help to keep the minutes, so that all of those involved in board deliberations can give their full attention to the business at hand.

When taking the minutes, the secretary should sit near the board president so that every word can be heard. If the recorder doesn’t hear or understand something, he should ask the president to have it repeated. If the secretary obtains much of the pertinent information before a meeting, this will simplify note taking. An example: keeping a roll of the board members on hand to check their presence, absence, late arrivals, and early departures, recording the exact time of each.

Minutes should be written immediately after a meeting. If a stenographer prepares them, the board secretary or clerk should read them carefully and sign the official copy which will be included in the school district’s records. Copies of the minutes should be sent to all board members as soon as they are prepared, but no later than the distribution of the next meeting’s agenda. Some districts send minutes to the press and other community leaders immediately following a meeting, but all districts are required by law to make minutes available to interested citizens upon request. Board minutes should include the following:

• • • • • • • • • •

Name of your school district, city or town.

Place and time of the meeting.

Board members present and absent, and staff members present.

Approval of the minutes of the preceding meeting or meetings.

The nature of the meeting (whether it was a regular or special meeting, or adjourned regular or adjourned special meeting).

Reports Main Motions A summary of remarks Other motions Time of Adjournment

The kind of minutes that will be the easiest to read and to glean information from will be those that summarize the meeting, and record important matters in an easily-discernable way. For example, margin heads, sideheads, or paragraph heads can be used to record main motions, resolutions, votes, and decisions and important words can be underlined throughout. If you or members of your board want to correct or supplement the minutes before you approve them (usually at your next board meeting), you should make corrections in ink directly on the original and make additions on a separate page to be attached. Minutes should not be rewritten after they have been read, but should stand as corrected. Copies of all board minutes will be kept by the board clerk or superintendent, usually under lock and key, so you may or may not want to keep your copy on file.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Precedence of Motions Ladder Roberts Rules of Order Fix time to adjourn Adjourn Recess Question of Privilege Call: orders of the day Lay on the table Previous question Limit/extend debate Postpone: certain time Commit or refer Secondary Amendment Primary Amendment Postpone Indefinitely Main Motion 14

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Applying the Precedence of Motions Member A makes the motion: “I move that we purchase a computer.” The motion is seconded, is & restated by the chair, and is being discussed by the members. This is a main motion (#14 on the ladder of precedence).

Group 1

•

Member B thinks that we should form a committee to study all the technology needs of the organization.

Member B says: “ I move we form a committee to study technological needs and charge the committee to compile a list of technology needs.” The motion is seconded.

Group 2

•

Member C thinks that we better put a price limit on that computer or the person responsible for purchasing the computer will buy all kinds of extras that are not needed.

Member C says: “I move to amend the motion by adding the words ‘not to exceed $2,000.’” The motion is seconded

Group 3

•

Member D thinks that Member B is cheap or hasn’t bought a decent computer in a while and doesn’t realize the cost of a computer that meets the needs of the organization.

Member D says: “ I move to amend the amendment by striking ‘$2,000’ and inserting ‘$4,000.’” The motion is seconded.

Group 4

•

Member E thinks that we need to know more than we currently do about the cost of the computer.

Member E says: “I move to postpone this motion until our next meeting next month.”

The motion is seconded.

Group 5

•

Member F believes that the Finance Committee should decide what price range ofcomputer to buy and have a recommendation for the group at the next meeting.

Member F says: “ I move that we refer this to the Finance Committee and direct them to have a recommendation for us at next month’s meeting.” Penny Pincher, chairman of the finance committee, quickly seconds the motion.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Robert’s Rules of Order Handling Tricky Situations What should/must the chair do?

Situation 1 @Archie makes a motion and as usual Edith seconds it. After the chair restates the motion there is a brief time of discussion and Archie realizes that his motion is not the brightest one he ever made.

He rises to advise the chair that he’d like to withdraw the motion. Edith chimes in and offers to withdraw her second. Micheal, hoping to embarrass Archie, objects.

Situation 2 @There is a motion on the floor to change the time of the regular monthly board meeting from the first Monday of the month to the second Monday of the month. George, never a fan of Monday night, moves to amend the motion by striking Monday and substituting Tuesday. As soon as he makes the motion, Louise moves to amend the amendment by changing the meeting time to 5:30 p.m., and Lionel seconds it.

Situation 3 @Maude loses the vote on her motion by a 3/2 margin. During a break in the proceedings, she manages to corner Harold and convinces him to change his vote. When the board reconvenes, Maude moves to have her motion reconsidered.

Situation 4 @Homer is stuck in traffic and late for the board meeting. He knows that Marge is going to propose a new initiative that he opposes and it is the first item on the regular agenda. Just as the board is ready to vote, Homer manages to get through to the superintendent on his trusty cell phone. He asks to speak to the chair and advises her he wishes to cast his vote by phone.

Situation 5 @The board is trying to hurry through its agenda so the members can attend the championship girls basketball game to cheer for their team. Raymond checks his watch and realizes that if they don’t finish now, they will never make the game. Ray moves to adjourn and Frank, the chair, states that if there is no objection, the meeting will be adjourned. Deborah rises to object, reminding Frank that they still haven’t considered Marie’s new home economics proposal.

16

Parliamentary Motions Guide

Close debate Limit or extend debate Postpone to a certain time Refer to committee Modify wording of motion

Kill main motion

Bring business before assembly (a main motion)

ยง16 ยง15

17

ยง11

ยง10 I move that [or "to"] ...

Yes Yes

No No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes Yes

No No

I move to adjourn I move to recess for I rise to a question of privilege I call for the orders of the day I move to lay the question on the table I move the previous question I move that debate be limited to ...

I move to postpone the motion to ...

I move to refer the motion to โ ฆ I move to amend the motion by ...

I move that the motion be postponed indefinitely

2ND?

INTERRUPT?

YOU SAY:

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

No

No

No No

DEBATE?

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

No

No Yes

AMEND?

Jim Slaughter, Certified Professional Parliamentarian-Teacher & Professional Registered Parliamentarian 336-378-1899(W) 336-378-1850(F) P.O. Box 41027, Greensboro 27404 web site: www.jimslaughter.com

ยง12

ยง13

ยง14

ยง17

ยง18

Close meeting Take break Register complaint Make follow agenda Lay aside temporarily

ยง21 ยง20 ยง19

YOU WANT TO:

Side 1

Majority

Majority

Majority

Majority

Majority

2/3

2/3

Majority

None

None

Majority Majority

VOTE?

The motions below are listed in order of precedence. Any motion can be introduced if it is higher on the chart than the pending motion.

Based on Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (11th Edition)

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Tab 5 The Chairman and Board Development

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

THE CHAIRMAN AND BOARD DEVELOPMENT Why your board needs self-evaluation An evaluation system can show the public how well the board is performing in its role as a governing body. Boards are always being evaluated by the people they represent. For some boards this kind of subjective, informal analysis by the public is evaluation enough.

The right kind of evaluation. As with many aspects of school board service, there is

no one “right” method of board self-evaluation. How a board views its role will affect the way that the board evaluates itself. For example, if a board assumes its primary role to be the approval of bids and the development of a budget, then only a simple evaluation is needed. On the other end of the spectrum, if a board sees its role as inextricably tied to the success and failure of all school district programs; if it views itself as the district navigator, charting both the purpose and direction of the district; then there is need for a much more extensive evaluation. A formal evaluation procedure, established by the board members and the central office staff, can provide the board with a way of measuring and observing its own established goals and objectives. Such a process will help school boards to help themselves. Somewhere in between these two extremes lies a self evaluation technique that is right for your board. Here are some of the things an evaluation program can do:

Identify and clarify the board’s purpose.

The first benefit of board evaluation is that the evaluation procedure itself forces boards to identify goals and procedures clearly. An evaluation process demands that the board constantly reassess its progress—as well as its pitfalls— in light of the board’s purpose. Because local boards differ dramatically in philosophies, operating procedures, and scope of responsibility, no simple set of goals and procedures has universal application. A formal evaluation system requires school boards to establish written achievement statements— which is itself a benefit beyond the evaluation process.

Identify strengths and weaknesses. Objectively identifying their own strengths and weaknesses can be of tremendous help to boards in planning, in selecting methods of operation, and in making self-improvements. Because a school board is made up of distinct personalities, attempts at assessing strengths and weaknesses often result in disagreement among individual board members.

But by using objective data, the board can determine its strengths and weaknesses without bias.

Assessing success and failure. A well-structured evaluation system makes it easy

to identify success and failure. School boards can explore programs being implemented to see if they are meeting defined goals and purposes. A formal evaluation system also provides a framework for increasing long-range success. For example, if at the midpoint of a board program it’s clear that the program isn’t working, the board can make the changes necessary to steer the program back on course.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Inform the public.

One basic responsibility of a school board is to communicate effectively with the public. Sharing the results of a formal board evaluation serves this purpose, but it also provides a method for dealing with misrepresentation and rumors. Studies indicate that the public frequently misunderstands the role of the school board member or of the board as a whole.

A formal evaluation can help to eradicate faulty perceptions, as well as help to reinforce a positive image for school board members.

Promote the concept of accountability.

Virtually all school boards support the tenets of accountability. What better example could a board establish for its employees than to adopt a formal evaluation system for Itself. Evaluation should begin at the top.

Avoid abuses of power.

When one board member or one faction of the board abuses the board’s authority, resolving the problems of that abuse is no simple matter. A formal evaluation system can serve as a reminder that, at some point, board members—and the board as a whole—will be held accountable to the public for their actions. Knowing that actions will be assessed can serve as a deterrent to abuses of power. The evaluation system clearly should identify the proper authority of the board as well as the authority of individual members.

Ingredients of effective evaluations.

Although there is no one form of evaluation that will work for all boards, there are some standards school board veterans see as essential evaluation elements and outcomes, such as:

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Effective Evaluation Components An evaluation should be constructive. It should be a tool that is both positive and helpful, assessing both the strengths and weaknesses of a board. It should provide a systematic process by which the members of a board can improve their performance.

Board members should develop the standards against which they will evaluate themselves.

They should be involved in developing the standards that measure their relationship with the superintendent; how well they conduct board meetings; and how effectively they plan, make decisions, and set policy. Evaluation at the end of the year should be based on what the board planned to do at the beginning of the year.

Evaluation should be based on goals the board sets for itself not on goals it sets for the entire school system. When developing an evaluation instrument, the board should recognize the difference between board goals and district goals.

The evaluation process should include board establishment of objectives and strategies for improving board performance. Some boards include in their evaluation instruments a place where evaluators can write in suggestions for improvement. These suggestions are used to set objectives and priorities.

The board should not limit itself to those items that appear on the evaluation form. Although an evaluation form will help start board discussion, informal comments also have value.

Formal evaluation should occur at least once a year and at a scheduled time and place.

Many boards hold annual evaluations with a mid-year review. Once a final report is written, the evaluation process is recycled with the re-establishment of board goals for improvement and accomplishment.

A composite picture of board strengths and weaknesses is best. Each board member should complete an evaluation form independently. Then the board as a whole should meet to compare and discuss results.

The board should be evaluated as a whole, not as individuals. Although some self-evaluation instruments allow for an individual assessment of a board member’s strengths and weaknesses, these self-assessments usually are not shared with other members of the board. Evaluations which avoid personal criticism are generally more productive, since they focus on board action rather than on personalities.

3

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook The board should have an orientation and in-service program for its members. Self-evaluation should not occur until all members of the board understand what is expected of them. Thus, when new members come aboard, they should be introduced to the evaluative criteria and goals the board has set for itself. In addition, the board as a whole might need to undergo training in areas in which it functions poorly. For example, if board members want to improve their policy-making abilities or their relationship with the superintendent, they might hire a consultant to help them do this.

The key to the self-assessment process is the result. The self-assessment instrument is based on the responsibilities of the board and the previous goals established by the board. The individual items of the self-assessment instrument should be related to the responsibilities and goals of the board. For example, some of the goals the board may have had the previous year are: • The board will improve its relationship with the superintendent • The board will become more effective in communicating with the public • The board will allocate more resources to finance the instructional program.

The results of the self-assessment process will tell the board if, in fact, it has accomplished its responsibilities and if it has achieved the goals it set. The results are used to establish goals for the coming year. For example, if the board, through the self-assessment process, determines that the policy-making process is ineffective or inefficient, the goal for the coming year may be that the board will design and implement an effective, efficient policymaking process. The selfassessment for the next year will include this goal as an item on the instrument.

When and where should self-assessment occur? Any self-assessment of a

local board should be established on a timetable which interfaces with establishing goals for a school system and relating these goals to the budget. It is important that a school board make the assessment on an annual basis.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Retreats and Other Activities As you plan your board evaluation process, you might consider planning to use a retreat setting.

Or, as a result of your evaluation, you may wish to hold a special workshop concentrated on board development or other special-interest areas. This chapter deals with the whys and hows of retreats to help you plan them and other similar activities.

Location Where will you hold your board retreat? It may not be necessary to go off to some distant site.

Many boards choose to use their own board room or another school system facility. Before deciding whether to stay close to home or find a more distant site, review these questions: • What are the advantages or disadvantages of holding this meeting in the school district? . . . outside the school district?

• Will board members be able to attend this session if it is not held at the district office?

• If a location outside the school district is considered, does the board have a budget for such costs as food, lodging, and travel?

• How much time will be needed for this activity?

• Where can the type of facility to meet the needs of this event be found?

To help you in your decision making, here are some suggestions regarding location.

Use of Board Room or Other District Facility If you are planning a one-day meeting that will last from two to six hours, and you have a comfortable meeting facility, your district facility may be a good choice.

PROS • • • •

Easy access.

Free of travel problems.

Non-controversial.

Good equipment.

• Easy for administrators to attend.

CONS • Too close for comfort.

• Too much audience.

• Family and work demands may interfere.

5

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook Don’t fail to consider use of other facilities within your school community—facilities such as a local hotel, community center, corporate conference center, or even a school building not usually used for school board meetings. Often, local businesses or organizations will assist by donating use of their facilities or offering special rates. Distance alone does not necessarily make the meeting or event a success. Make your decision based on what is best for your school board.

Use of Site Away From District Many boards choose to use a facility away from the local community. Religious organizations and corporations have long valued the concept of retreats or conferences away from the normal work site. They recognize the need for relief from the day-to-day pressures and the opportunities that present themselves for team building away from the regular meeting or work location.

Some suggestions for locations might be: nearby resort; conference or retreat center; university or college facility; religious organization retreat or conference centers.

The value of the location rests not in the cost or glamour factor, but in the ability afforded the board to relax, spend time in constructive activities, and not be distracted by school, family, or business matters.

PROS • • • •

Better facilities.

Freedom from personal commitments.

Opportunity for interaction and socializing during travel time.

More privacy.

CONS • • • •

Costs for travel and lodging.

Away from center of action.

Does not provide for easy access by community, employees, or media representatives.

No assistance available from support staff.

An approach you might consider is to use the annual convention of your state association as a time to conduct your retreat — particularly if your entire board will be in attendance. Arrive a day early or remain a day longer, and hold your meeting in the hotel/motel facility where you are housed for the state meeting. An added benefit, if you are using an outside facilitator, is that you might save money on the facilitator’s travel expenses if that person already will be attending the same convention.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Guarantee a Quality Retreat While the location, costs, and logistics of a meeting are important concerns to address, there are other major elements of a quality retreat or meeting to consider to assure a positive experience.

At a regular meeting of the board, present the following information and seek consensus approval or support for the proposed retreat or conference: A. Expected outcomes of the meeting. Exactly what does the board hope to have happen as a result of this meeting?

B. Budget. What are the estimated costs for travel, lodging, meals, materials, and outside facilitator (if applicable)?

C. Agenda. How will you spend your time at the meeting?

If reading materials or information need to be reviewed by participants prior to the retreat, make sure that all members have the materials five to ten days in advance of the meeting. Include all the information listed above in the packets.

Advertise the meeting to make sure the local media and community understand why the board is having this meeting and why it is being held at the selected site. You may face some disapproval of your activities, but it is far better to have done your pre-planning and posting in advance. Do not bring hidden agendas to this meeting or retreat. Stick with your stated goals and objectives. Do not allow the opportunity to build a cohesive team and organization to be hampered by personal agendas and plans.

Agenda Planning and Preparation When presenting a proposal for a retreat to your board, you should provide a draft of expected outcomes that will be used to prepare the agenda. The following list represents some potential outcomes you may wish to incorporate: • Improved communication among board members.

• Improved communication between the board and superintendent.

• Methods for improving working relationships.

• A review of past accomplishments and projects undertaken by the board and superintendent.

• A review of the organization of the school district and the management structure.

• Formal evaluation of the board.

• Formal evaluation of the superintendent.

• A review of policies and procedures adopted by the board.

• Goals and objectives for the operation of the board.

• Goals and objectives for the school district.

• Strategic and long-range plans for the school district.

7

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook • Discussion of school system concerns and problems. • A review of administrative recommendations on personnel actions.

These represent examples of the types of expectations you may plan for your retreat. For yourretreat to have the maximum opportunity for success, you should keep your expected outcomes to a minimum. No more than five substantive outcomes can be adequately addressed in a one- to twoday period. By expecting too much, you may dilute the results.

After you determine your expected outcomes, develop your agenda. It should be as complete as possible. Make sure that you schedule tentative times for each item and list by name the person who will be primarily responsible for each. Also list any support services or materials that may be needed or desired. For example, the board may wish to have members of the administrative team in attendance during discussion of some items. This needs to be determined in advance. If you plan to use a facilitator, allow the facilitator to suggest an agenda format and specific recommendations.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

PROGRESS COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION RETREAT AGENDA Friday, January 25, Noon-9:00 p.m.

Noon-1:30 p.m.

Lunch and Opening of Meeting. Information packets distributed.

1:30-1:45 p.m.

Break

1:45-3:30 p.m.

Communications Workshop. Using communication styles assessments and group activities; materials in packet..

3:30-3:45 p.m.

Break

3:45-5:00 p.m.

Issues Session. Group will determine issues that are facing the school district and issues that are facing the board. Board will identify areas of concern, consensus, and possible problems.

5:00-6:00 p.m.

Free Time

6:00-9:00 p.m.

Dinner and Informal Meeting During dinner, participants will use the time together to become familiar with each other and with participants’ goals and objectives.

Facilitator will use techniques to promote group interaction.

Saturday, January 26, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

8:00-9:00 a.m.

Breakfast as a Group No agenda

9:00-9:15 a.m.

Break

9:15-10:45 a.m.

Board Evaluation Session. Board will participate in pre-approved board evaluation session.

10:45-11:00 a.m.

Break

11:00-Noon

Continuation of Board- Evaluation Session.

Noon-1:00 p.m.

Lunch

1:00-2:00 p.m.

Summary of Evaluation and Recommendations for Future Activities.

2:00-2:15 p.m.

Break

2:15-5:00 p.m.

Advance Planning. Board will adopt recommendations, suggested timeliness and plans for future activities, i.e., adoption of board goals and objectives, receipt of a written summary of the evaluation session, future plans suggested by the facilitator.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Who Should Attend?

Determining who should attend your retreat depends a great deal on your expected outcomes. If your purpose is to conduct board-evaluation, superintendent-evaluation, or board-development activities, the board, your superintendent, and facilitator obviously should be present. If you plan to address other topics, you might wish to involve key members of your administrative team.

Some boards involve their entire administrative team in some or all portions of the retreat. But the old adage, too many cooks spoil the broth, should be kept in mind.

Facilitator Many boards and superintendents prefer the assistance of a professional facilitator in conducting a retreat or special workshop. The benefits of this approach are twofold: • an objective, trained third party conducts the program to allow maximum input from the participants; • an outside source is sometimes able to deal more effectively with sensitive or controversial issues.

If you determine that you would benefit from using an outside facilitator, consider the following selection criteria: • Does this person have experience and a proven track record in facilitating these types of work shops?

• Does this person have the time to dedicate to the advance planning and any necessary follow-up?

• What is the cost for this service, and exactly what does the fee include? (Don’t forget that most facilitators also will have travel and other related expenses.)

• What can this facilitator contribute to the program that the board chairman or other board members cannot?

• Would this facilitator’s style mesh well with your board’s and superintendent’s styles?

Experienced facilitators know that not all retreats result in a grade of A+ . . . and it usually isn’t the fault of the facilitator. The process can deteriorate when a board is split over whether to hold the retreat, when a superintendent is not in favor of the activity, or when a group has false or unrealistic expectations for the program.

Know what results you want before planning a retreat. Don’t rely on an outside facilitator to know your problems. With clear objectives, you and the facilitator can plan a resultsoriented session.

Selecting a Facilitator In selecting a facilitator, try the following resources: • Tennessee School Boards Association • National School Boards Association

• •

Local colleges and universities Facilitators you have heard about at conferences 10

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook When selecting a facilitator, ask for detailed fees and services, including follow-up activities; a proposed agenda or suggested activities for the event; and references from past workshops or retreats. When you make your selection, a conference telephone call should be held with the facilitator, board chairman, superintendent, or others selected by the board to discuss the agenda and other key items.

Some facilitators use their own personally developed or selected evaluation instruments. If possible, request the materials in advance for review purposes. Don’t hesitate to ask for changes that will tailor the materials to your group.

Realistic Expectations Remember that relationships and practices that have been in operation for years cannot be undone in one or two days. What can and should result from a board retreat is that lines of communication are opened or reopened, problems are addressed and solutions suggested.

What you do with the information and the planning that occur at the retreat is of paramount importance to how you proceed.

If one of your expected outcomes is to heal wounds and improve some sensitive relationships, for example, expect that change to take time. The analogy that board members are married to each other and to the superintendent is appropriate. Marriage, like all relationships, needs time to flourish – to nourish forgiveness, understanding, cooperation, and honesty. Pitfalls and problem in interpersonal relationships are the rule, not the exception.

Most boards meet in the evening following a long day filled with various activities. Agendas are full of business that must be taken care of that evening. The greatest benefit of a retreat can be that the board has the opportunity to sit down, relax, and spend quality time discussing important and sensitive issues in an unhurried manner. How well do you really know or understand your colleagues? These issues and more can be handled productively in the retreat setting.

The Best Time The best time for a board retreat is the right time for you and your board. Some boards prefer week-end retreats so that members do not have to lose time away from their employment. Many boards choose the summer months, often scheduling their retreat just prior to the start of school.

When selecting the time for your retreat, do not forget to poll the board and your superintendent for each person’s suggestions to keep conflicts at a minimum. It’s important that every member attend.

Some times that are excellent for retreats are: • Immediately following an election. Formation of a “new” board offers an outstanding opportunity to provide new and returning board members with information and to build your board/superintendent team. The orientation of new board members is a responsibility of the entire board. Using a retreat or workshop gives the entire board a chance to participate.

11

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook • Immediately following the selection of a new superintendent. When you select a new superintendent, a retreat gives you a chance to become better acquainted, share your expectations, review district history, establish positive working relationships, and plan for the future.

It allows the board and the superintendent to start their relationship on the right track. Some superintendents are re-questing these retreats when they agree to accept new positions. • Prior to or just after state or national association meetings. The board may attend these meetings as a group, thus saving the additional travel and other expenses of going to a different meeting site. You also may take advantage of a facilitator from outside your geographic area.

In addition, you will have a chance to share information that you gain at sessions of the state or national meeting or from the many other board members you meet.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

School Board Self-Assessment 1. Instructions Below is a list of several statements connected with your position as a school board member. For each item you are requested to give two ratings:

a. Current status?

b. How IMPORTANT is this to me?

As you rate the questions, use a scale from 1 to 6 where low numbers represent low or minimum amounts and high numbers represent high or maximum amounts.

There are NO right or wrong answers.

13

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook 2. Board Meetings 1. The board has sufficient time and opportunity to review the agenda and supporting materials before a board meeting.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

2. The board encourages participation by each board member.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

3. Board members come to meetings prepared to focus on discussion issues and keep comments relevant and brief.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

4. All board members are routinely famliar with the agenda materials and are ready to discuss and decide important items.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

5. Adequate background information on issues to come before the board is routinely provided in advance of the board meeting.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

6. The board weighs all decisions in terms of what is best for the students of the school system.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

14

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook 3. Team Building 1. The board is able to disagree on matters and still maintain an attitude of mutual respect and trust.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

2. The board is open and honest with each other, as well as administrators and is able to maintain an attitude of mutual trust and respect.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

3. The district has a planned program to orient newly-elected board members.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

4. Once a decision has been made, all members respect the decision and the board speaks with one voice.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

5. Board members do not attempt to individually speak on behalf of the board or commit the board.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

15

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook 4. Board/Superintendent/Staff Relations 1. The board and superintendent trust and respect one another.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

2. Each member of the board understands and respects the distinction between the board's responsibilities and the superintendent's duties.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

3. Our board and superintendent agree on how complaints or concerns to board members should be handled.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

4. Board members work to avoid surprises by sharing concerns or questions with the superintendent in advance of the board meeting.

1

2

3

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5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

5. The superintendent is given direction by the board as a whole rather than by individual members.

1

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3

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5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

6. The board recognizes staff accomplishments.

1

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3

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6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

7. Individual board members avoid making excessive personal requests from staff.

1

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6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

16

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook 8. Board members are respectful to other board members, administrators, staff and visitors.

1

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6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

9. Board members direct complaints and requests to the superintendent rather than attempting to solve them directly.

1

2

3

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5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

10. The board ensures that an effective evaluation system is in place for the superintendent and all employees.

1

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3

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5

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Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

17

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook 5. Vision/Planning 1. A vision/mission statement for the district exists and is periodically reviewed by the board and widely disseminated in the district.

1

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5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

2. The vision reflects community priorities.

1

2

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6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

3. Discussion of major items before the board routinely includes consideration of their impact on meeting district goals.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

4. The superintendent's evaluation considers how well the superintendent has addressed the district goals.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

5. The board emphasizes setting and monitoring district goals, instead of how staff should achieve these goals.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

6. The board does not get bogged down discussing operation details of the district or schools.

1

2

3

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6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

7. The board regularly solicits input from the community when establishing the future vision of the district.

1

2

3

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5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

18

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook 6. Board Policy 1. Our board sets policies needed for the operation of the school district.

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Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

2. Before adopting a policy which affects them, our board actively seeks the input of employees, students and community members.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

3. Board policies are administered consistent with the intent of the policy.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

4. The board has developed an ongoing system to review and update all policies annually.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

19

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook 7. Student Achievement 1. The board holds itself ultimately responsible for high achievement by all students.

1

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6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

2. The board regularly examines data to determine where achievement gaps exist and how much progress is being made to reduce those gaps.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

3. The board provides a quality educational program imposing high individual academic standards for each student.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

4. Student academic performance is regularly presented to the board.

1

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3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

5. The board regularly recognizes student accomplishments at board meetings.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

20

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook 8. Board/Community Relations 1. The board provides for involvement of the public in the operating of our schools.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

2. Our board actively promotes the school district to the public.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

3. Our school board is respected by the community.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

4. Our board is accountable to the community.

1

2

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4

5

6

Current status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

5. The board refrains from committing to a position on an issue before all relevant facts are present.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

6. Members of the board refrain from speaking for the board on issues on which the board has no official position.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

21

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook 9. Advocacy 1. Our board takes the initiative to establish and maintain positive personal relationships with other locally-elected officials/funding body.

1

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3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

    

    

    

    

    

item to me?

2. Our board strives to keep local officials up-to-date on board activities and school district needs.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Current Status?

    

    

    

    

    

    

How IMPORTANT is this

    

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

10. Budget/Finance 1. The board understands the basic principles of school finance, including state, federal and local sources of revenue.

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2. The budget reflects the strategic plan and supports the district's goals and objectives for student achievement and citizenship.

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4. The board requires proper accountability for the expenditure of school district funds.

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5. Please enter your name and school board below.

Name: School Board:

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Other Issues Committees Did you ever wonder why some school boards have several standing committees?

Early in the history of school boards the practice of dividing the group into committees for special purposes was common. School boards administered to school system without the benefit of administrators. During recent years, administrators have been delegated management responsibilities and school boards have focused on governance responsibilities of policy making, planning and promotion of the school district.

The majority of boards today use no standing or permanent committees. They conduct virtually all of their business as a committee of the whole. However, when the board determines that it wants a committee for some reason, the board chairman has the power, by policy or unwritten custom, to assign fellow board members to committees.

Standing Committees When boards have several standing committees, the most popular committees are budget/finance, buildings and grounds, policy, personnel, curriculum.

These committees are required to comply with the Sunshine Law. In many districts they place items on the agenda for consideration by the full board. Issues may be referred to the committees by the majority of the board or may surface for the first time in the committee meetings.

Ad Hoc Committees Virtually all districts have occasion to establish an ad hoc committee, usually consisting of three board members. It usually meets for a very specific purpose with a definite time line. The committee is subject to the Sunshine Law. Boards who act as a committee of the whole are more likely to use ad hoc committees than those with standing committees.

Examples of ad hoc committees would include activities such as planning to participate in a retreat of self evaluation, investigating various ways in which to conduct a superintendent search, or how to get community involvement on the future of the schools. Once the committee has done its work and reported to the full board, it is disbanded.

Advantages and disadvantages of standing committees School boards are designed to function as a unit while committee work tends to divide the board.

Like most things in life, there are perceived advantages and disadvantages to using standing commit-tees. This material is an attempt to balance the pros and cons.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Advantages • Allows more work to be done with no need for all members to consider each issue.

• If an administrator is a member of each committee, it helps promote trust and understanding of the complexities of issues.

• Working with administrators in committees allows board members to really find out what is going on in the system.

• Committees allow the board to explore many issues the full board would never get to.

Disadvantages • Tends to get board members involved in administrative detail and away from their role as policymakers.

• Committees lead to “freedoms of power.” Rubber stamp my committee’s recommendations and I’ll rubber stamp yours.

• Committee meetings require much time in addition to regular school board meetings.

• Committees are a way for board members to formulate policy without full debate.

• Committees lead to development of board factions and can be used purposely to exclude administrative input.

• To question a committee opinion in public is to imply distrust and suspicion of motives and methods.

• Since committee membership is determined at the discretion of the board chairman, the cards can be stacked before they are dealt.

• Boards need time together to get to know and understand each other and learn to work as a team.

How to Design a Committee 1. Select a self-starting, qualified chairman.

2. Select members with sufficient knowledge and time to serve. Keep the committee as small as practical to foster discussion.

3. Define the task of the committee in concrete terms.

4. Suggest that the committee set regular meeting dates.

5. Set time limits on the term of the committee or when the work must be finished.

6. Require interim progress reports on a regular basis.

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Tab 6 Legal Responsibilities

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES One of the enumerated duties of the board is to annually elect one (1) of its members as chairman (TCA 49-2-202). Consequently, the chairman of the board is the only member of the board recognized as an individual by Tennessee law. By statute, the board of education is recognized as a collective body and empowered to act only as a body and not as individuals. However, the chairman does have authority to act as an individual in performing his duties as prescribed by law and board policy.

For example, the chairman is designated as a member of the executive committee which is composed of the superintendent and the chairman. The duties of this committee are outlined in TCA 49-2-206. They include having the authority to serve as the purchasing agent, examine budgeted accounts, advertise for bids, and transact any other business assigned by the board.

The chairman is also authorized to call a special meeting of the board. TCA 49-2-202 requires that school boards hold regular meetings at least quarterly for the purpose of transacting public school business. Additionally, the law provides that the chairman may call special meetings when in the chairman’s judgment the interest of the public schools requires it, or when requested to do so by a majority of the board.

The chairman is also responsible to conduct dismissal hearing appeals and certify the value of surplus property if the value of the property is less than $250 and is to be disposed of without competitive bidding. The chairman must sign or have his signature affixed to public school warrants.

This chapter contains sample policies and state laws which outline the roles and responsibilities of the chairman of the board.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Tennessee School Boards Association Monitoring:

Descriptor Term:

Review: Annually, in September

Duties of Officers

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CHAIR

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The chair of the Board shall have the following duties:

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Descriptor Code:

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Issued:

1.201

To assist the director of schools in preparing meeting agendas; To preside at all meetings of the Board;1 To appoint committees authorized by the Board;1 To function as chairman of the executive committee;1 To countersign all warrants authorized by the Board and issued by the director of schools for all expenditures of the school system;1 To conduct Board hearings;2 To prepare the school budget with the director of schools;3 To authorize the use of mechanical checkwriting equipment;4 To certify the value of surplus property valued less than $250;5 and To carry out other such duties as may be assigned by the Board.

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VICE CHAIR

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The vice chair shall assume the duties of the chairman in his/her absence or function as the chair until a new chair can be elected in the event the chairman is incapacitated or the office becomes vacant.

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SECRETARY

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The director of schools, as the executive officer of the Board, shall serve as secretary to the Board. He/ she shall conduct all correspondence of the Board, keep and preserve all of its records, receive all reports acquired by the Board, and see that such reports are in proper form.6 He/she has the right to advise on any question under consideration but has no vote.

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The Board may assign the keeping of the minutes to a clerk; however, the responsibility resides with the director of schools.

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CHAIR PRO TEM

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A chair pro tem shall be elected to preside during a meeting when neither the chair nor the vice chair is present.

Legal References

Cross References

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Role of the Board 1.101 Duties of Board Members 1.202

TCA 49-2-205 TCA 49-5-512(c)(1)(2)(3) TCA 49-2-203(10)(A)(i) TCA 49-2-113 TCA 49-6-2007(d)(2) TCA 49-2-301(b)(1)(C)

Version Date: August 11, 2015

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook T.C.A. 49-2-202 – Members and Meetings

TENNESSEE LAW

(a) (1) Members of the board shall be residents and voters of the county in which they are elected and shall be citizens of recognized integrity, intelligence and ability to administer the duties of the office.

TCA 49-2-202 -- Members and Meetings (a) (1) Members of the board shall be residents and voters of the county in which they are elected and shall be citizens of recognized integrity, intelligence and ability to administer the duties of the office.

(2) No member of the county legislative body nor any other county official shall be eligible for election as a member of the county board of education.

(3)(i) Each member of the board of education who has a relative employed by the board shall declare such relationship prior to voting on any matter of business that shall have an effect upon the employment of the relative. In making the declaration, such board member shall certify that the vote that is about to be cast on the pending matter is in the best interest of the school system. Such matters shall include, but shall not be limited to, the school system annual budget, tenure considerations and personnel policies. The director of schools shall give notice to the board each time there is intent to employ a relative of a school board member. The director of schools of a county school system shall also give notice to the county school board each time there is intent to employ a relative of an elected county official. The director of schools of a city school system shall also give notice to the city school board each time there is intent to employ a relative of an elected city official. In giving such notice, the director of schools shall certify that the prospective employee is duly qualified by training and licensure to occupy the position. (ii) As used in this subdivision (a)(3), unless the context otherwise requires, “relative� means a spouse, parent, parent-in-law, child, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, or any person who resides in the same household as any of the officials referenced in subdivision (a)(3)(i). (iii) This subdivision (a)(3) shall not be construed to prohibit two (2) or more relatives from working for the LEA. If two (2) or more employees who are relatives are within the same direct line of supervision, or become within the same direct line of supervision by marriage or promotion, then the director of schools shall attempt to resolve this issue by transfer of one (1) of the employees. If the director finds that transfer is not feasible or is not in the best interest of students, then an alternate evaluation plan shall be devised for one (1) of the employees.

(4) No person shall be eligible to serve on the board unless the person is a bona fide resident of the county and has a practical education; provided, that beginning on October 1, 1990, except in counties having a population of:

Not less than

Not more than

14,940

15,000

49,400

49,500

74,500

74,600

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook TENNESSEE LAW

according to the 1980 federal census or any subsequent federal census, no person shall qualify as a candidate for a position on a county board of education until the person has filed with the county election commission proof that the candidate graduated from high school or received a GED®, evidenced by a diploma or other documentation satisfactory to the commission. Any person serving on a school board as of October 1, 1990, shall be allowed to continue to serve and to seek reelection or reappointment to one (1) additional term even though the person may not have graduated from high school or received a GED® 5) If any member ceases to reside in the county, the office of the member shall become vacant.

(6) All board members shall be properly trained during their service on the board of education. The minimum requirements for this training shall be established by the state board of education and shall include an annual session for all board members. (b) All members of the local board of education shall take oath to discharge faithfully the duties of the office. (c) It is the duty of the board of education to: (1) Hold regular meetings at least quarterly for the purpose of transacting public school business; provided, that the chair may call special meetings whenever in the chair’s judgment the interest of the public schools requires it, or when requested to do so by a majority of the board. The chair or the chair’s designee shall give reasonable notice of the time and location of all meetings to the president of the local education association or the president’s designee; and (2) Elect one (1) of its members as chair annually. (d) The compensation of members of the county board shall be fixed by the county legislative body for their services when attending regular and special meetings and discharging the duties imposed by this title; provided, that the county trustee shall pay no voucher issued to members unless the voucher has been approved by the county mayor; and provided, further, that no member of any board shall receive less than four dollars ($4.00) per day for the member’s services. (e)(1) When a vacancy occurs, the unexpired term shall be filled at the next regular meeting of the county legislative body or at a special meeting of the county legislative body.

(2) Vacancies shall be declared to exist, on account of death, resignation or removal from the county.

(3) A temporary absence of a county board member to serve in the military shall not constitute a vacancy in office and such absence shall not be subject to the requirements of § 8-48-205(5). (f) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the board of education for each LEA that operates one (1) or more high schools may annually select, prior to commencement of the new school year, no less than four (4) high school students to serve as advisory, nonvoting members of the board. One half (½) of the students so selected shall be enrolled in the college preparatory track and one half (½) of the students so selected shall be enrolled in the technology track. The students shall serve without compensation but may, at the discretion of the board, be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred while engaged in board business. (g) A majority of all of the members constituting the board, and not merely a majority of the quorum, shall be required to transact all business coming before the board in regular or special meetings.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook TENNESSEE LAW

TCA 49-2-205 -- Powers and Duties of Chairman It is the duty of the chairman of the local board of education to: (1) Preside at all meetings of the board; (2) Appoint committees authorized by the board; (3) Serve as chairman of the executive committee; and (4) Countersign all warrants authorized by the board of education and issued by the superintendent for all expenditures of the school system.

TCA 49-2-206 -- Executive Committee (a)

The chairperson of the board of education and superintendent constitute the executive committee of the board of education.

(b)

The duties of the executive committee shall be to:

(1) Meet at the office of the superintendent as often as necessary to perform the duties required; (2) Advertise for bids and let contracts authorized by the board of education; (3) Serve as the purchasing agent for the board, provided, that this shall not apply to counties having a purchasing board nor to counties having a purchasing agent created by a private or local act; (4) Examine all accounts authorized by the board and see that the budget approved by the legislative body is not exceeded; (5) Submit at each regular meeting of the board for approval a full report of all business transacted since the last regular meeting, which report shall be recorded as a part of the minutes of the board of education; and (6) Transact any other business assigned to the committee by the board.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook TENNESSEE LAW

TCA 49-2-203 -- Powers and Duties (a)

It is the duty of the local board of education to:

(2)

Manage and control all public schools established or that may be established under its jurisdiction;

(3)

Purchase all supplies, furniture, fixtures and material of every kind through the executive committee;

(10) (A)(i) Require the superintendent and chairperson of the local board to prepare a budget on forms furnished by the commissioner of education, and when the budget has been approved by the local board, to submit it to the appropriate local legislative body.

(11) Prepare, or have prepared, a copy of the minutes of each meeting of the board of education, and to mail a copy of such minutes, no more than thirty (30) days after the board meeting or at the time they are mailed to or other wise provided to members of the board, if such is earlier, to the president of each local education association. Any subsequent corrections, modifications or changes shall be distributed in the same manner; (16) Develop and implement an evaluation plan to be used annually for the director of schools. The plan shall include, but shall not be limited to, sections regarding job performance, student achievement, relationships with staff and personnel, relationships with board members, and relationships with the community. (c) (1) (A) Notwithstanding title 8, chapter 44, part 1, a local board of education may conduct a scheduled board meeting by electronic means as long as the member can be visually identified by the chair, including, but not limited to, telephone, videoconferencing or other web-based media, if a member is absent because the member is required to be out of the county in which the LEA is located for the member’s work, the member is dealing with a family emergency as determined by the LEA, or because of the member’s military service. Only members who are out of the county for work, family emergency or military service may attend and participate in the meeting electronically.

(B) No board meeting shall be conducted with electronic participation unless a quorum of members is physically present at the location of the meeting.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook TENNESSEE LAW

TCA 49-2-203 -- Powers and Duties Cont’d (C) A board member wishing to participate in a scheduled board meeting electronically who is or will be out of the county because of work shall give at least five (5) days notice prior to the scheduled board meeting of the member’s intention to participate electronically.

(D) No board member shall participate electronically in board meetings more than two (2) times per year; except, that this limitation shall not apply to a board member who is out of the county due to military service.

(E) The local board of education shall develop a policy for conducting such meetings.

TCA 49-2-113 -- Mechanical Signing of Warrants A board of education, with the permission of its chair, is hereby empowered to authorize, with the consent of the commissioner of education and the comptroller of the treasury, the use of mechanical signing equipment approved by the commissioner and comptroller of the treasury, to affix the signature of the chair of the board of education and of the superintendent of schools to the original of a public school warrant; provided, that a clear duplicate of such warrant is on file in the office of the superintendent, together with the proper supporting papers to justify the issuance of the warrant.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook TENNESSEE LAW

TCA 49-6-2007 -- Sale or Transfer of Surplus Property. (a) It is the expressed legislative intent that surplus property in local school systems acquired by taxpayers’ dollars, instead of being destroyed, should be sold or transferred to a local government, as provided in § 49-6-2006. (b) All local school systems that receive any state funds shall sell all surplus property within ninety (90) days of its being declared surplus, to the highest bidder after advertising in a newspaper of general circulation at least seven (7) days prior to the sale. The property may be sold by Internet auction, which may be through a web site maintained by the LEA or the local government. Advertisements for the sale shall be in accordance with § 49-6-2006(c) (2). (c) As used in this section, “surplus property” is that personal property no longer having an intended use by the system or no longer capable of being used because of its condition. (d)(1) Surplus personal property in local school systems that has no value or has a value less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) may be disposed of without the necessity of bids as required by this section.

(2) In order for disposal without bids, the principal of the school with the surplus personal property, the director of schools of the local school system and the chair of the local board of education must all agree in written form that the property is of no value or is of a value less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250). (e) This section shall not apply to property leased or sold pursuant to § 49-2-203(b)(10). (f) Notwithstanding any provision of this section or other law to the contrary, an LEA may donate computers that have been removed from inventory in its schools to low-income families in the school district. The memory hard drives of all computers to be donated under this subsection (f) shall have been sanitized. The department of education shall provide guidance to LEAs as to the donation of such computers, including, but not limited to, setting standards for determining whether a family qualifies for the donation of a computer.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook TENNESSEE LAW

TCA 49-5-106 -- Temporary Permits (a) (1) Whenever any director of schools and the chair of the respective board of education certify to the commissioner of education that the school system is unable to secure a qualified teacher with a valid license for the type and kind of school in which a vacancy exists, the commissioner may grant, on behalf of the state board of education, under conditions prescribed in its rules and regulations, a permit to teach in the unfilled position to a person recommended by the director of the respective local school district and approved by the commissioner, which permit shall be valid only until June 30 following the date of issuance.

(2) The permit may be renewed by the commissioner on conditions prescribed by the state board of education in its rules and regulations, upon the recommendation of the director of schools of the local school district and when the director and the chair of the respective board of education certify that the school system is unable to secure a qualified teacher with a valid license for the type and kind of school in which a vacancy exists. (b)

A local school district board of education may contract with a teacher holding a permit, but not holding a valid license, only for such period of time for which the respective board of education is unable to secure a qualified teacher with a valid license for the type and kind of school.

(c)

It is the intent of the general assembly to urge local boards of education and their respective directors of schools to make every effort to staff kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) teaching positions with personnel fully licensed and endorsed for those grades.

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Tab 7 The Chairman and the Staff

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

THE CHAIRMAN AND THE STAFF Personnel Practices The employees of the school system play a critical role in the success of a school. The board chairman must be aware of personnel practices which enhance or diminish the performance of the school system. Policies should be developed which specify board goals and procedures in the areas of selection and development of personnel. Below are some questions/processes which should be addressed through policies or procedures: 1. What are the types of personnel classification?

• Superintendent • Classified Employees • Non-tenured Teachers

• Tenured Teachers • Retired Teachers • Substitute Teachers

2. How is an application processed by the central office? Which applicants are interviewed?

3. What materials are required to be submitted with the application?

4. Are job vacancies posted? When? Where?

5. How and by whom are references checked?

6. How are applicants notified of employment decisions?

7. Are orientation programs designed for new employees? Who participates?

8. What is the principal’s involvement in personnel decisions?

9. How are tenure recommendations determined?

10. What recognition programs are used?

11. Which model is used for the evaluations of teachers and principals?

REMEMBER THIS: A school system’s performance and reputation may be severely damaged by a board which micromanages personnel matters. The board must establish proper personnel policies, ensure implementation, and then step back and not interfere with the process.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Superintendents Though you participate in the relationship your board has with its superintendent, the dynamics of that relationship can be quite different from the relationship you as an individual have with the superintendent.

Remember as an individual board member you have no legal authority outside of the board room.

Your authority exists only as a member of a collective policy-making body. Unlike the relationship the board has with the superintendent, the relationship you will have with the superintendent can’t help but be personal.

One question remains: “What kind of personal relationship will you have with the superintendent?”

Your Perspective You must first decide just how personal and friendly a relationship you want with your superintendent. There are mixed feelings about whether board members should be friendly or even social with their superintendent.

Some board members are adamant about their reasons for not having a very personal relationship. One reason is to maintain appearances. One Montana board member explains: “It’s nice to be personal friends with the superintendent, but it causes lots of chatter gossip. When the superintendent and board chairman are buddy-buddy for instance, it looks like they are running everything. They normally have to spend a lot of time together so they need to avoid looking like a twosome.”

Other board members try to maintain their distance from the superintendent for objectivity’s sake. They feel there is a better chance of making decisions based on facts, not feelings.

There are many board members and superintendents who feel good about being friends on both a professional and personal level. One superintendent put it this way: “Fortunate superintendents are able to form genuine friendships with individuals of the board. Genuine friendships can survive stress and disagreement.’’ A high degree of mutual trust and confidence between individuals is critical in several respects. First, it provides a cushion of human relationship at times when a stressful situation threatens disintegration such as a 3 a.m. marathon mediation session. Second, it diminishes the likelihood of surprises in critical situations and provides opportunities for necessary face saving. Finally, small talk and humor among friends can be valuable ingredients of compromise.

Trust and Communication Assessing your attitude about the merits of being friends with the superintendent is your first step in forming your relationship with him/her. Talking to the superintendent about what he would like in a relationship is your second. Request a private meeting with the superintendent to

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook discuss expectations of each other and to begin to develop a clear line of communication. Trust and communication will lead to both a friendly and professional working relationship, and they will prevent many of the problems that occasionally arise.

Roles of the Board and the Superintendent A local board of education only has one employee: the superintendent. The superintendent is responsible for the hiring, firing, and management of every other employee. If the board selected the appropriate superintendent, it should be extremely comfortable with this distinction and with handing the reigns over to him/her.

As chairman, it’s important to ensure that your board understands and respects the roles that the board and superintendent have. The board should focus on the overall governance of the system as well as the development of goals and policies. Once developed, the board should allow the superintendent to implement these items with as much flexibility as possible. The board should regularly visit goals and policies to ensure efficiency, compliance, and results, but the day-to-day operations should be carried out exclusively by the superintendent and his/her staff. Micromanagement often leads school systems to mismanagement and a complete breakdown.

Classified Employees Classified employees, or support staff, are those employees in positions which do not require a license issued by the State Department of Education, e.g. office assistants, custodians, food services employees.

These employees are vital to the success of your school system, and most boards would love to have the funds to hire additional classified employees.

While school principals are very involved with the decisions regarding the hiring of building level support staff, the superintendent is ultimately responsible for the hiring of all employees. Under the law, classified employees are hired “at the will” of the superintendent. Their employment may be terminated according to local board policy which may or may not require notice or a due process hearing. As chairman, review your policy, make sure your board is comfortable with the process, and ensure your superintendent has adequate flexibility with managing schools.

Teacher Evaluations State law requires teachers and principals to be evaluated annually. The general guidelines of the evaluations are to identify and support instruction that will lead to high levels of student achievement and to inform human capital decisions, e.g. professional development plans, hiring, assignment, and tenure.

The process will involve a five-tiered system where teachers will receive grades of significantly below expectations, below expectations, meeting expectations, above expectations, or significantly above expectations. How an individual teacher’s overall evaluation is scored, however, will depend on the data available through the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS).

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

Teachers with Direct TVAAS Data If a teacher has direct effect data for his/her subject for the students in his/her classroom, 50% of the evaluation is tied to student achievement data. Of this 50% piece, 35% represents the TVAAS data while the other 15% is some other measure of student achievement, e.g. ACT scores or graduation rates. This 15% piece will be selected by the teacher and his/her evaluator (if no agreement, evaluator decides). The remaining 50%is determined through qualitative measures such as teacher observations, personal conferences and review of prior evaluations and work.

Teachers with direct data have a couple options with influencing overall scores on evaluations. 1) Principals and teachers in the top three quintiles for student growth may elect to use their growth scores for fifty percent of their evaluation in lieu of selecting another achievement measure for the fifteen percent.

2) If allowed to do so by his/her school system, teachers whose data reflects performance levels above expectations or significantly above expectations may elect to have 100% of their evaluations be based on this data.

Teachers without Direct TVAAS Data The majority of teachers across the state do not have data that is directly attributable to their subjects and students. Beginning in 2015-2016 for these educators, 30% of the evaluation is tied to student achievement data. Of this 30% piece, 15% represents the TVAAS data (from some grade and subject) while the other 15% is some other measure of student achievement. This 15% piece will be selected by the teacher and his/her evaluator. The remaining 70% is determined through qualitative measures such as teacher observations, personal conferences and review of prior evaluations and work.

The Process Teachers must serve a probationary status of at least five years. Following these five years, a teacher’s evaluations will determine whether or not he/she is eligible for tenure. To be eligible for tenure, a teacher must have received scores in the top two tiers (above expectations or significantly above expectations) during the past two years.

If a teacher does not receive these top marks, he/she may continue to be employed by a school system on a year-to-year basis. At any time, if a teacher scores in the top two tiers for consecutive years, he/ she becomes eligible for tenure. With the law, a teacher could potentially go through his/her career while never becoming eligible for or being granted tenure.

Once a teacher becomes eligible for tenure, the director of schools must recommend him/her for tenure or non-renew his/her contract. However, if a school board votes to not grant tenure, then similar to the old process, the teacher may no longer be employed within that system.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook Once tenure is obtained, the evaluations are still quite significant, and a teacher must continue to perform well. If a tenured teacher receives two consecutive evaluations in the bottom two tiers (below expectations or significantly below expectations), he/she automatically reverts back to the probationary status.

This reverted teacher may obtain tenure again if he/she again earns consecutive evaluations in the top two tiers. With these changes, you could potentially have an educator moving from tenured status to probationary status every couple years.

Dismissals Non-tenured teachers may be non-renewed at the end of any school year with or without cause. Tenure, however, guarantees certain protections and processes prior to being dismissed. A tenured teacher (as well as a non-tenured teacher mid-year) may only be dismissed for incompetence, inefficiency, neglect of duty, unprofessional conduct, or insubordination. A school system may deem a teacher “inefficient” as a result of poor evaluations.

Under the law, the initial hearing will be conducted before an impartial hearing officer who is selected by the director of schools from a list approved by the local board of education. This officer must have no history of employment with the board or director, no relationship with any board member, and no relationship with the teacher or representatives of the teacher.

This first step by impartial hearing officers prevents local boards from having to conduct the lengthy, fact-finding proceedings. After a hearing officer renders a decision, the non-prevailing party may appeal to the local board of education. While no new evidence may be presented, the board will have a record of the proceeding before the hearing officer and either the affected employee or the director may appear and argue why the decision should be modified or reversed. The board may uphold the decision, send the matter back to the hearing officer with instructions to retrieve additional evidence, revise the penalty, or reverse the decision.

Upon the local board’s issuing a decision, the non-prevailing party may still appeal to the local chancery court and exhaust all judicial options.

Initiating Collaborative Conferencing

Between October 1st and November 1st of each year, 15% of educators in a school system may request, in writing, to engage in collaborative conferencing. Upon receiving the requests, the local school board will appoint board members and an equal number of teachers to serve on a special question committee.

The purpose of this committee is to hold a poll to determine if a majority of educators desire to participate in collaborative conferencing.

The poll will consist of two questions. First, educators will decide if they wish to participate in the process. If “yes”, the next question will allow them to select whether they would like a representative

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook of a professional association to represent them or an unaffiliated educator. If “no,” the next question will allow them to select a preferred professional association to represent them in the event a majority of educators choose “yes” in question one. For this second question, an educator may also select unaffiliated or none of the above. A majority of the educators in the school system must vote “yes” to the first question in order to initiate collaborative conferencing.

If a majority chooses to participate, the local school board will appoint between 7-11 persons to serve as management personnel and represent the board in this new process. The board’s team may consist of board members, central office staff, supervisors, principals, or assistant principals. The educators must be represented by the same number of persons. The results of the poll shall proportionally determine how these representatives are chosen.

For example, if a professional association was selected by 50% of voters, then half of the panelists will be appointed by that association. If 50% selected unaffiliated, then the special question committee will meet together and appoint these representatives. To have a seat at the table, each group (whether a professional association or unaffiliated) must receive at least 15% of the votes.

The educators appointed to this panel will serve for three years. In the event of a vacancy, the original appointing body will name the replacement. Prior to the expiration of the terms of the representatives, a new poll will be conducted to determine if a majority of educators desire to continue the process of collaborative conferencing.

Conducting Collaborative Conferencing

Once initiated, the board’s team and the professional employee representatives will meet and discuss the following terms and conditions of employment: • • • • • • •

Salaries and wages, Grievance procedures, Insurance, Fringe benefits, Working conditions, Leave, and Payroll deductions.

No other terms may be discussed through collaborative conferencing.

In passing this law, the General Assembly explicitly prohibited the following items from the process: • • • •

Differentiated pay plans or incentive compensation programs, Expenditures of federal, state, local or private grants, Evaluations of professional employees, Staffing decisions and state board of education or local board of education policies relating to in6

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook novative educational programs, innovative high school programs, virtual education programs, and other programs for innovative schools or school districts that may be enacted, • Personnel decisions, such as transfers, assignments and filling vacancies, and none of these decisions may be based on seniority or length of service, and • Payroll deductions for political activities.

As a result of meeting and conferring on the required items, and if the parties reach agreement, they shall enter a memorandum of understanding (MOU) which must not exceed three years in duration.

The MOU is binding, and it will cover any or all of the subjects of collaborative conferencing in which the parties agree.

While this structure has been created, the law is very clear in that it does not require collaborative conferencing, agreement on any terms and conditions of employment, or a memorandum of understanding.

Absent an MOU, the local board of education has the authority to address such terms through board policy.

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Tab 8 The Chairman and Policy

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

THE CHAIRMAN AND POLICY Leadership Through Policy Policy permeates and dominates all aspects of school board responsibility. Therefore, it presents the most powerful lever for the exercise of leadership. Leadership through policy offers the opportunity to think big and to lead others into thinking big. There are three reasons policy is a hallmark of governance: 1. Leverage and efficiency. By taking hold of the most fundamental elements of the school system, the board can affect many issues with less effort. However noble their intentions, boards have only so much time available, often measured in hours per year.

2. Expertise. Board members do not ordinarily have all the skills required to operate a school system. Governing by policy does not require any of the special expertise that professional educators must possess and it can often be done better without them.

3. Fundamentals. When all the decisions that a board has made are sifted and sorted, only those written policies will be of enduring importance. Boards that govern by dealing directly with policy are much more likely to address the most important issues.

To the extent a board wishes to provide strategic leadership, it must clarify policies and expect staff activities to give them life. Making policies explicit and consistent while keeping a spotlight on the policies adopted by the board never allows the governing focus to waiver from constant attention to policies and the school system’s fidelity to them.

By attending to policy content, a board can gain far more control over what matters in the school system and be at less risk of getting lost in the details. By focusing on policy, the board shows that it understands that it is not responsible for managing, but it fully accepts the responsibility for governing.

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Why the Chairman Should Lead the Board to Govern Through Policy Wouldn’t it be simpler if boards didn’t have to worry about policy and just make decisions that seemed right at the moment? Why go to all the trouble of determining philosophy on a subject, and possibly arguing with other board members just to get some words on the record that could then restrict the board? Governing by the seat of your pants is not a good idea. Sooner or later, if your board is operating outside policy constraints, events will converge to place a ticking bomb in the middle of the boardroom table. Here are five reasons why you want to defuse that bomb before it arrives.

Policy provides guidance and direction for the administration. As a board, you are a lawmaking body, and the laws that you pass are your policies. You were elected to decide the direction the district will take. You hired the superintendent to see that your goals for the children of your district are carried out. He/she cannot know what you want done without some coherent guidance, and your policies point the way for the administration to proceed. The superintendent then implements your guidance with administrative procedures. These procedures will fill in the blanks with the specifics to ensure that the board’s guidance is properly executed.

Policy shows the board operates from a philosophical basis. A serious, deliberative body makes careful decisions based on well-considered philosophical tenets, not the faddish idea of the moment or whim of tonight’s board majority. The policy adoption process should be careful and cautious. After you have defined the need for policy in a certain area, you gather all the facts from those in the district who have them. You then discuss the policy with the board and adopt it when you have reached consensus. Your responsibility for policy continues beyond adoption to seeing that everyone affected by it receives it and ensuring that the superintendent carries it out. When, or if, experience teaches you that the policy needs modification, you begin the process all over again.

The nature of the process forces the board to proceed thoughtfully and with cool heads.

Policy shows the board is fair, reasonable and evenhanded, not arbitrary and capricious. Suppose the board received a petition from a parent in the district asking that a child be exempted from physical education class because he was practicing for Olympic trials as a speed skater and as a result had plenty of exercise. He was also afraid of being injured in physical education class. The board thought that was pretty reasonable and promptly exempted him. Next month, another parent petitions the board for an exemption for their child for some other sport, and for reasons of its own, the board denies the petition. The second parent accuses the board of acting in bad faith; the community is in an uproar; the board loses credibility. (Depending on the issue, the board could even find itself in court.) None of that would have happened with a carefully crafted policy, stating that exemptions from physical education will or will not be considered. If they will, these would be the reasons and circumstances that would make exemption acceptable. The matter would have been resolved before it became an issue.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook Policy makes it easier for the board to obey the law and informs the public. It is well known that in many cases the board’s discretion about a policy has been removed by code or statute. The law says that “the board shall adopt policy” on a number of topics. How about all those other instances when the law just says the board must do something and doesn’t say anything about a policy?

Why is policy still a good idea? Education law in the state is extensive and complicated. Although information and advice from the superintendent and board attorney are helpful, it is very difficult for a board to know everything the law directs it to do. Adoption of a policy on a topic informs the board of their legal obligations, and it informs the public that the board is aware of their legal obligations and will honor them. Adopting a policy tells your community that you are not only deliberative, you are law abiding.

Policy helps the board operate efficiently by making a single decision (policy) that applies across time, situations and individuals. One of the greatest advantages to having a policy manual that reflects the board’s take on a variety of subjects is shorter board meetings. When the board is presented with a problem, the first question raised should be “what is our policy on that?” Because your board has a copy of the policy manual at every meeting, you turn to it and discover what has been your considered decision about this problem. “This is our policy on that.” End of problem.

Policy is not going to solve all your problems all the time, but unless you begin with policy, your board is going to find itself in the middle of some potentially explosive situations.

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The Chairman’s Responsibility for Policy As the school board’s elected leader, the chairman has great impact in determining the extent to which the board governs through policy. The following is a summary of these responsibilities.

1. Be certain that the board has adopted all legally required policies.

2. Be proactive in policy development. Get your board to explore new initiatives as policy issues rather than just general discussion or routine business items.

3. On your annual agenda, schedule a section of the policy manual to be reviewed and revised during a particular month.

4. Be certain that policies are readily available to all staff and the public. Consider placing them on your school district website.

5. Designate a staff liaison for policy revision. This person should be responsible for drafting policies for the board and for maintaining the official policy manual.

6. Ensure that the board has adopted a policy that clearly sets forth its procedures for policy adoption, review, and revision.

7. As chairman of the board, don’t condone failure to follow policy. React quickly and decisively.

Involve the board if necessary.

8. Make certain that board meeting times are used for general discussion with implications for policy rather than for specifics, e.g., primarily uses for school facilities as opposed to which organizations may use facilities.

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Policy and the School Board Chairman As the school board’s elected leader, you have a great impact in determining the extent to which the board governs through policy. Consider each of the following recommendations and decide whether your board would benefit from their implementation.

1. Adopt a policy which includes a statement similar to the following: “Citizens and groups in the community are encouraged to assist the board in policy development by proposing policy or amendments to current policy. Such proposals should be in writing and should include the policy language proposed and the rationale for the proposal. If the board needs additional information on the proposed policy change, it may invite persons who have submitted written policy proposals to address the board when the board considers the policy.”

2. Do not consider issues (or include them on the board’s agenda) which have already been settled in policy unless the board is considering or the superintendent is recommending changing its policy.

3. As policy issues arise at board meetings, assign the development of a policy draft on the issue to the superintendent and schedule a date for the consideration of the policy draft.

4. Ask your superintendent to carefully review your policies and recommend deleting items which should be administrative procedures. These should be incorporated by the superintendent into an administrative procedures manual.

5. Schedule a time each month to review a portion of your policy manual.

6. Be certain that the board has a policy which makes meeting management efficient and effective, including adoption of an agenda, consent agenda, timed agenda and annual agenda.

7. If your board allows public input, it should limit input to agenda items and limit the time for each speaker, limit repetition by other speakers, require delegations to have a spokesman, limit complaints to those who have exhausted administrative remedies and warn delegations that the board usually will not act upon requests at the meeting at which the request is made.

8. Require policy citations as appropriate on school board agenda items.

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Tab 9 The Chairman and Promotion

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook

THE CHAIRMAN AND PROMOTION Introduction Public schools deal with two of your community’s most important resources: its money and its children. As a result, schools are news. Big news.

Sometimes schools are not the source of good news. Things go wrong, and the media and public want to know about it. On the other hand, schools have positive news that needs to be shared. Successful programs, meaningful community involvement, good management and planning are often taken for granted.

While it would be nice if the media focused more on the positive, the reality is that schools are a public institution, and the news media perceives its role as that of a watchdog for the public interest.

Your challenge as a Board Chairman is to deal sensibly and effectively with the media when the news is bad and to develop techniques and relationships that improve the chances of receiving more coverage when good news occurs.

School Public Relations is defined as “a planned and systematic management function to help improve the programs and services of an educational organization. It relies on a two-way communications process involving both internal and external publics, with a goal of stimulating a better understanding of the role, objectives, accomplishments and needs of the organization.

Educational public programs assist in interpreting public attitudes, identify and help shape policies and procedures in the public interest, and carry on involvement and information activities which earn public understanding and support.” (The National School Public Relations Association).

Public relations is more than communication. Public Relations is about your relationship with students, staff, parents, community members, and business leaders. It is about communicating the board’s concerns and actions to the public and the public’s concerns to the board. Essentially, promotion is community leadership.

Public relations or promotion is a 4-step process that can help you maintain those critical relationships between the school district and your publics: • Research - Determining where the district stands with its publics, and what other districts have done in the past to deal with your current situation.

• Analyze/Plan - Develop goals, objectives, strategies (timelines, responsibilities, resources).

• Communicate/Implement - Carry out the plan.

• Evaluate - Did the desired outcome occur? Why or why not?

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The Importance of Public Relations Public Relations involves numerous areas: community relations, media relations, staff relations, government relations, crisis communications and issues management. People form opinions of an organization regardless of whether or not that organization tries to communicate their intent.

If school systems don’t speak up for themselves, others will. The public opinion that develops as a result could get out of control and become irreversible.

It makes sense for the board chairman to push his or her board to get involved in communicating your own system’s intent with a given activity in order to influence public opinion.

Today’s educational system is much more complex than it was a few decades ago and faces obstacles that were once unheard of. For example, a 24 hour news cycle, increased competition, demographics and rampant cynicism. Education is an issue that absorbs many public anxieties about values, cultures, race, crime, taxes and jobs.

While schools have improved their educational services to better respond to an increasing demand of complex student needs, the perceptions lag behind the reality. As a Board Chairman, it is your job to help change public opinion and communicate how your system is managing its resources and educating children.

Our Publics Publics is plural because different groups of people have varying interests in the school system, and there is no single way of reaching everyone at the same time. When it comes to promotion and communications, it is helpful to think of grouping people into categories based on their needs and interests so that your system’s messages can be tailored to them.

Internal Publics External Publics Groups directly associated with the school system:

Groups outside of the school system who have indirect relationships with the district:

- Students - Media

- Parents & the PTO - Businesses/Business Leaders

- Board members - Civic Groups - Administrators - Religious Groups

- Principals - Elected Officials - Teachers - Government Agencies - Paraprofessionals - Neighborhood Groups - Secretaries - Prospective Residents

- Support personnel - Non-parents

- Bus drivers

- Maintenance workers

- Cafeteria workers

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Communication Tips A good public relations plan requires two way communication between the organization and its publics. It must provide a way to access, mobilize, manage, and coordinate both normal and adverse situations. The educational communications plan must employ sufficient communications paths and operational capabilities among all participants to facilitate functional school system communications.

Encourage open communication and build support. As you increase awareness of programs and initiatives look for opportunities to establish a sense of ownership and partnership with stakeholders.

Finally, receive feedback from the community because this will tell you what your communications plan is missing.

• Know your audience (Who you need to reach); • Know what message you want to convey; • Keep the message simple for better understanding; • Make your schools open and receptive to the public; • Take time to listen; • Provide opportunities for the system to convey goals, achievements, activity plans, and operations information; • Recognize the achievements and contributions of staff, students, parents and the community; • Recognize the need for privacy in certain situations; and, • Develop a communications plan.

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The Chairman’s Responsibility The board has the responsibility of providing leadership to the community. In turn, the chairman has the responsibility of leading the board. School boards are expected to have a vision of what the schools and the school system would look like if everything were perfect. To develop that vision, the board must understand the needs of its schools, and garner the public support needed to meet those needs and carry out their vision. While there are a number of ways to create support for the board’s vision, one of the most effective is through advocacy efforts targeting local, state and federal representatives, staff, parents, students and the community.

Government Relations

If the board wants to have an impact on policy decisions made throughout all levels of government, then they must make advocacy a top priority. School board members must be advocates of children, and they must advocate public education, lifelong learning, equality in education, and parental involvement. Boards must be a catalyst for community discussion and action on issues that affect education, such as academic success, economic conditions and technological advances. By doing so, the board can build public support for the public schools they govern.

Education advocacy is a year-round job. You cannot wait until there is a crisis before taking action. To win in the advocacy game, you need to work throughout the year to develop and nurture relationships with your local, state and national representatives. Generally, that requires passing an advocacy policy or action plan for your school district that states explicitly your district’s commitment to advocacy for education. A plan is only as good as its implementation so the board must follow up with regular advocacy actions.

The policy must include a directive to get involved in advocacy at the state and national levels. It will set up an advocacy committee with a point person to join nationwide and statewide advocacy networks – such as NSBA’s Federal Relations Network (FRN) and TSBA’s Tennessee Legislative Network (TLN)– and to give regular advocacy briefings at board meetings. The board will agree on who has authority to sign letters and use board letterhead. The media contact person on advocacy issues is also selected. Regular advocacy actions include taking positions on education issues and communicating them to your publics. It also includes notifying your local, state and federal representatives of the position your board has taken. As board chairman, you have the responsibility of making sure your board takes an active role in the legislative process and advocates on a daily basis.

Advocacy Action Plan • Review the background information on the issues and send letters, emails, and/or phone calls to your government representatives on those that are most important to your school district.

Select the issues if importance to your school district and communicate your position.

• Meet with your elected officials during the recess sessions. This is a great time to set up a meeting to discuss critical issues facing your school system.

• Contact your local media outlets to let others in your community know about any events with elected officials and how state and federal education issues impact your school district and 4

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook local community.

• Arrange a time for elected officials to visit the schools in your district. This may be a request you make in a letter, email, phone call, or while meeting with your members in August or September or at the TSBA Day on the Hill.

(Source:TSBA Advocacy Guide, 2014)

• Through participation in advocacy programs and events, including those sponsored by TSBA, your board can help set legislative agendas by examining the school system’s needs and setting legislative priorities. As board chairman, you should take the following actions: • Select or have the board elect a legislative representative for each level of government. At the state level, TSBA sponsors the Tennessee Legislative Network (TLN). At the federal level, TSBA participates in the National School Boards Association’s Federal Relations Network (FRN). Members of these networks receive updates throughout the legislative sessions highlighting pertinent education legislation and requesting action on a number of school-related bills. As board chairman, you should schedule a time during each board meeting for your legislative representative to report on recent legislative activity.

• Develop and submit resolutions to TSBA. Each year TSBA’s legislative agenda is based on resolutions and position statements adopted by the Delegate Assembly at the annual convention. Local boards can have their legislative priorities studied, addressed and adopted by the association by submitting resolutions for consideration.

• Ensure that your board is represented at legislative functions, especially those directly involving education issues. For example: county commission/city council meetings; TSBA’s “Day on the Hill;” NSBA’s Advocacy Institute; etc.

Staff

The start of a new school year should be an exciting time, but from the moment the first student walks through the doors, the clock is ticking. And your staff knows it.

How your staff responds to the classroom challenges they face - and how your board communicates to help them deal with those challenges - will ultimately determine how your schools perform. Are you doing what’s necessary?

The board chairman should ensure that the board recognizes and uses the expertise of its employees. An organization’s image is primarily determined by its staff members – what they say, think, feel and do. That is why advocacy starts in the school building and why it is important for all staff members to know their advocacy roles.

Employee-first communications is extremely important to your future success. Leaders at all levels need to set up systems and structures that allow for ongoing feedback from employees.

You also need to make a concerted and coordinated effort to ensure that employees know what is going on, why and how it will effect them. This requires a systematic effort as well.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook Staff members will resent not having enough information but will feel empowered, self-confident and part of the team when they have accurate and up-to-date news. The following are some suggestions that can assist the board chairman in encouraging promotion through the development of positive relationships with staff: • Implement staff appreciation days and recognize outstanding employees for their hard work.

• Encourage staff input on items before the board.

• After each board meeting, send out a report notifying the staff of board action.

• Include a wide range of staff in strategic planning, budget development, policy development and major curricular changes.

We need to recognize that leading schools and districts is complex, difficult work. Effective employee communication requires three key strategies: engagement, transparency, and a commitment to getting to staff first with the good news and the bad. The staff must feel ownership in the system and that they belong.

Engagement requires a host of tactical applications, from regular surveys and employee advisory groups, to more shared planning and decision-making at all levels.

Being clear on when input is being received and considered, and when employees will have final decision-making authority saves heartache and confusion later. If employees are not focusing on the right issues, or are afraid to give honest feedback, then a leadership and management problem exists.

As board chairman you must ask yourself: “what information or experiences do employees lack or need? What process flaw has allowed meetings to turn into gripe sessions? Are employees saying something by word or deed that the board needs to listen to?”

Transparency is another key internal communication strategy. It requires a systematic approach.

Transparent leaders discuss issues and share information openly and honestly with employees, and do not take constructive criticism personally or lightly.

This requires a great deal of employee trust, which may not always be reciprocated at first.

Changing cultural dynamics takes time, and while trust is difficult to earn, it is easier to lose. As board chairman and leader of your board you can demonstrate respect for employees when you communicate with them frequently and set the expection for other board members to do the same.

Admitting and owning mistakes quickly and publicly is the best way to defuse criticism and critics.

Real change must follow, though, or leaders risk increasing cynicism. Employees figure out pretty quickly whether true commitment follows from the board follows when you admit a mistake.

(Source:American School Board Journal, Nora Carr, Chief of staff North Carolina’s Guilford County Schools, 2011)

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Parents and Family

Parent and family support is vital to the success of a school. As much as children need their parents’ love and support, our schools can use their nurturing as well. Parents should feel connected to their child’s school, and it’s the responsibility of everyone in the school system to make sure it happens.

The school board may help by voicing its support of a strong parent partnership program and by urging an “open-door” policy at all schools to warmly welcome the on-site involvement of parents.

There is no alternative to high expectations. If we want children to achieve at even higher levels, we must also expect more from their parents and families. This means we must agree on what the standards for family engagement are and know what meeting those standards looks like. Using the most recent research and working with national experts, PTA maintains a list of national standards.

These standards identify what parents, schools, school boards and communities can do together to support student success. As board chairman it is your responsibility to lead the board in setting a goal to achieve the following standards:

Standard 1 -

Welcoming All Families into the School Community. Families are active participants in the life of the school, and they need to feel welcomed, valued, and connected to each other, to school staff, and to what students are learning and doing in class.

Standard 2 -

Communicating Effectively. Families, school board members and school staff must engage in regular, twoway, meaningful communication about student learning.

Standard 3 -

Supporting Student Success. Families and school staff continuously collaborate to support students’ learning and healthy development both at home and at school, and have regular opportunities to strengthen their knowledge and skills to do so effectively.

Standard 4 -

Speaking Up for Every Child. Families are continuously empowered to be advocates for their own and other children to ensure that students are treated fairly and have access to learning opportunities that will support their success.

Standard 5 -

Sharing Power. Families and school staff are equal partners in decisions that affect children and families and together inform, influence, and create policies, practices, and programs.

Standard 6 -

Collaborating with Community. Families and school staff collaborate with community members to connect students, families, and staff to expanded learning opportunities, community services, and civic participation.

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Students

No stakeholder group is more important to the positive perception of your schools than students. The more positive things that students say about their school, the more positive the community will be about the school system. As board chairman, how can you lead your board to help students feel good about themselves and about being at school?

• Recognize student achievement at each meeting. Emphasize all areas of achievement, not just test scores.

• Form student councils at all grade levels, and invite them to give input at board meetings. Consider adding a student advisory member to the board.

• Have students complete weekly or monthly evaluations where they assess their progress in different areas and set goals for themselves.

• Ensure every child has an opportunity to participate in at least one quality extra-curricular program.

• Talk with students. Having honest conversations with students can be the quickest way to improve school climate and learn how successful your communication plan is.

The Community

Share your ideas with members of the community. Community engagement is essential in generating public support for any initiative and it gives you the opportunity to gather constructive feedback that will help to inform your plans. Most school boards and school district staff members agree that public opinion can make or break schools and school districts.

As the board chairman it is your responsibility to understand your community’s competing values and what the community wants for your schools.

Engage the community when dealing with issues that have a broad impact. You should frame the issue in terms that are attractive and meaningful enough to get people to the meeting. Once you have the community’s input, you must keep the conversation going. Asking community members to discuss issues only when you want something will make them distrustful. You also must engage the staff members and students in your district.

You must always remember that community engagement extends beyond the board room.

Local school board members engage the community as individuals every day in their personal lives, serving as a unique set of eyes and ears attuned to the schools and the public alike. Take advantage of this, and use their feedback to determine how successful your communication plan has been.

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Strategies: Building Parental Support Review the list below and identify three things that your board could do to generate parental involvement.

To gain parental support and involvement in the schools, to have parents serves as ambassadors of the school system and to instill confidence in the education quality their children receive, the school board should implement some of the following: —— Provide orientation booklet/kit or post online for new students and their parents.

—— Publish a school newsletter or e-newsletter with district news including student honors and scholarships.

—— Publish a school calendar with important school/district dates.

—— Publish a student handbook and/or make one available online with curriculum and behavior guides for students and parents.

—— Provide students with school bus schedules, school zone maps and maps of safe walking routes to school.

—— Encourage the use of parent advisory committees.

—— Encourage schools to have a website with current school events, deadlines and facts.

—— Provide evening office hours periodically for parents who can’t call the school during the day.

—— Send congratulatory letters to parents, graduates and honor roll students.

—— Include recognition of outstanding students at board meetings and send special invitations to their parents.

—— Offer evening computer classes for parent/child instruction.

—— Encourage principals to hold a monthly coffee or lunch for groups of parents to talk with them informally about school programs and to tour school facilities.

—— Host seminars/workshops for parents (college financial aid, pre-school preparation, special education, family dynamics, high school transition, parenting, college/career day).

—— Sponsor speakers for PTA meetings.

—— Host Grandparents’ Day. —— Reach out to parents of Pre-K students through letters or e-mails to get them involved with the district.

—— Videotape school programs and make them available through the district website. Have copies

available to working parents who have difficulty attending special programs.

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Strategies: What School Board Members Can do to Boost Public Support As a school board member, you are highly visible. Your actions are constantly compared to what you say.

People believe what they see more than what they hear. People look to you for leadership and direction.

The following are some ideas on what you can do to generate the public’s support: —— Create a shared vision of high standards with teachers, parents, students, business leaders and community members.

—— Set tightly focused goals and rigorously monitor the district’s progress toward meeting these goals.

—— Use data to monitor and evaluate progress, ensure resources are allocated where they can make the most difference, and constantly strive to improve instruction and learning for every child.

—— Focus on policy, not administration.

—— Have trusting, collaborative relationships with the superintendent and fellow board members.

—— Model the behavior you want students and staff to emulate, especially during times of conflict.

—— Know your facts, and be proactive in sharing them.

—— Develop your elevator speech about your school system, why you serve, and why others should care about your local public schools.

—— Tell 10 success stories for every criticism you hear or share.

—— Bring someone new with you every time you attend a school program or district event.

—— Build relationships with opinion leaders in your community, and have them on speed dial and in your email distribution list.

—— Make sure you district is represented on other key community boards, groups, commissions and committees.

—— Work with your local economic development teams to make sure public schools are represented fairly and on par with private or charter school options.

—— Don’t guess. If you don’t know something, or have not heard about something, don’t express shock and dismay, or assume the worst is true.

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The Chairman’s Responsibility for Media Relations When you became chairman, you became more important to your district, community and the reporters of that community. To them, you are a news maker, a resource person, a “quote person” and — too often — a stranger. As a public official, you have to prove to reporters that you are a trustworthy, fair source. No matter how busy you are, you cannot afford to overlook the following responsibilities for dealing with the media.

1. Lead the board in developing a plan and related policies for working effectively with the media. Identify messages your board would like to communicate to the community.

2. Be certain that every board member participates in training sessions on working with the media.

3. Schedule activities at board meetings to celebrate success. The media probably won’t report all the results but they will likely report some.

4. Make an effort to meet regularly with the reporters who cover your district. This might mean visiting their offices, getting together for lunch, chatting with them at community meetings or having a media briefing.

Getting organized Establishing good media relations not only depends on good relationships between people, it also depends on your being organized so you can respond to the media’s needs and provide timely, accurate information. School systems cannot assume that the media will come to them for news the board may consider important. Positive media coverage requires a proactive school board approach.

• Provide each media representative with a basic information packet about your district for background use. The packet might contain a one-page fact sheet covering enrollment, budget highlights, number of employees (by groups), time and date of school board meetings, square mileage of district, etc.; a map of the district; a mini-directory that provides names, addresses and phone numbers (office) of the superintendent and school board members. It’s also important to include a list of all schools and departments, including the site address, phone number and name of the administrator in charge.

• Establish a relationship with your media outlet’s managers and editors and learn what they might be interesting in reporting.

• Consult with school district staff to establish a list of story ideas related the system’s programs, achievements, and issues.

• Meet their deadlines because timing is crucial in the media.

• Have the following on file about the reporters that cover your district: name, address, phone number, name of reporter or assignment desk editor, deadlines, coverage area and special 11

TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook topics of interest.

• Be certain that your school district has identified a media liaison (contact person) and that this person is kept informed and has the authority to provide the reporter with the appropriate sources of information. The suggestion is for the board chairman to serve as the primary media liaison.

• Spend some time to learn how the media in your community operate.

• Add the media representatives to your special mailing lists for district newsletters (staff and community), special purpose brochures, school board agendas and minutes and special reports.

The differences between information and communication underscore the differences between managers and leaders. Managers push; leaders pull. Managers try to light a fire under people; leaders stoke the fire within. Managers focus on facts; leaders focus on feelings. Management is intellectual; leadership is emotional. Managers inform; leaders communicate. As board chairman it is your responsibility to both manage and lead your school board and school system towards effective communication.

It is important that all board members, especially the board chairman, follow the chain of command in the media - start with the reporter. Always remember that your role is that of the school board chairman representing the district, not as an individual with personal issues.

When you are asked to respond to a reporter . . .

Even if you have a public information specialist on your staff, you and the superintendent are still the primary district spokespersons and should respond to the media’s inquiries in a timely and accurate manner.

When the media calls you for a comment, the reporter wants to talk to YOU... NOW. A common complaint reporters have about school board members is their easy accessibility when they want a story to be told, and their inaccessibility when the news is not so good. It is in your best interest in the long run to establish a consistent policy of forthright responsiveness to all media inquiries.

• If you are unavailable when a reporter calls, be sure whoever answers the phone asks for the reporter’s deadline. If you are in a meeting that is expected to run past the deadline, the coworker should ask the reporter what the inquiry is about, and ask if someone else could provide the information. If not, you may want to consider instructing your co-worker to interrupt your meeting. The more insistent the reporter is about talking with you, the more important it probably is that you talk to him/her.

• When giving a reporter an impromptu statement on the phone, jot down what you said. This will provide for consistency of response in the event another reporter calls on the same subject and could be helpful in the event you are seriously misquoted. Ask the reporter if they would

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook be willing to email the question and allow you to respond via email. This will allow you time to prepare your information and respond accurately.

• If an issue heats up, acknowledge the very real possibility that a reporter will call and ask you about it. Go over in your mind the kind of questions you might be asked and determine the kind of messages you want to communicate. (This process can be helpful with lots of other people too, including parents.)

• Avoid saying “no comment,” unless you want the reporter to report that you would not answer his/her question or interpret why you are not answering his/her questions.

• If you are backed into a corner and are faced with a question you can’t or don’t want to answer, tell the reporter you are not ready to answer that question and provide a reason. A helpful response to a question on a personnel matter may be “I want to answer that question, but I’m concerned because some of the information may be confidential (by board policy or law).”

• Never say something you expect to be “off the record.” While some reporters may keep the information confidential and use it only for their background knowledge, there is the possibility that something you say “off the record” could be very newsworthy and could appear in the media because the reporter has taken your tip and found someone who would confirm it “on the record.” The reporter might say, “The board chairman told me that the district is planning to ask for a bond issue. Could you give me some details of your planning?” A staff member asked this information might happily comply with the inquiry unaware that the chairman’s comment was “off the record” because, as an example, the decision had not yet been made by the school board.

• Don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know, I’ll call you back in 15 minutes” when you are unsure of your facts. Check your facts and call back... in 15 minutes or less!

• If a reporter interrupts you before you have finished answering a question, pause, let the reporter finish and then continue your answer. Don’t get into a shouting match, but don’t let the interviewer tell you when you have finished your answer. However, if the reporter keeps interrupting, there may be a reason.

• If a reporter asks several questions at once, say something like “You’ve asked several questions here. Where would you like me to begin?”

• Don’t repeat the reporter’s terms unless you want to be quoted on them.

• If a radio reporter calls you, assume the conversation is being taped. Keep your answers short and to the point.

• Never—absolutely never—lie to a reporter. Honesty will help build trust between you and the media.

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Getting the News Media to Publish Positive News News releases, fact sheets, tip sheets and media advisories are all part of your arsenal to get the good news about your district to the media. Generally, districts that have public information specialists issue more news releases and media advisories and tend to get more coverage because the specialist is trained to perform this function.

But districts that do not have public relations personnel can also get their share of positive coverage by trying some different approaches. The truth is that there are literally dozens of topics that could provide positive coverage for your district if they were presented in a manner that makes them interesting to the reporter and the public.

1. Use the telephone or e-mail. When you have a good feature…like a graduate with 12 years of perfect attendance, a new before-and-after day care program or a new education program…pick up the phone or computer and tell the reporters covering your district about it. Don’t get frustrated or offended if they don’t use your story suggestion. Keep offering ideas and building that personal relationship. Eventually, there will be a slow news day and your story idea will be used.

2. Take advantage of the news opportunities at your school board meeting. By making sure the media has full and complete back-up information, is aware of board meetings at which major issues or new programs will be discussed (especially if the reporter doesn’t regularly attend meetings) and you make yourself available for questions immediately following the meeting, you can improve the media’s coverage of your school board. Some reporters will call ahead to see what you think the major items are on the agenda. This is your chance to paint what could be a controversial topic in a positive light. First impressions for a reporter often prevail, so don’t miss the opportunity to explain your position first. By talking with a reporter beforehand, you have the chance to get them to focus on what you think are the topics of interest, not necessarily what they find the most controversial.

3. Look for alternative media outlets. A story about senior citizen volunteer opportunities might receive good play in the senior citizens’ center newspaper; the new business education curriculum might make interesting reading for the chamber of commerce; and the city’s newsletter might love to carry an article on “youth in government” day.

4. Tip off reporters about stories that explain how your school is preparing children for the future.

Be on the lookout for opportunities to tie your program into a current event, such as going green, while your students are building solar windmills to conserve energy.

5. Write a guest editorial on the board’s visions and goals. And remember what Thomas Jefferson said: “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” If you think your editorial will be printed, submit the same article as a “Letter to the Editor.”

Newspapers almost always print all letters to the Editor, unless they are tasteless or offensive.

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Your Rights While you have many responsibilities for gaining and maintaining good media relations, you also have some rights.

1. You have the right to ask a reporter what an interview is about, how long it will last, the angle of the story and why you were selected. Often the answers to these questions can better prepare you for the interview or point to a better source for the reporter.

2. You also have the right to request a copy of a report, proposal or news story the reporter is asking you to comment on if you haven’t seen it.

3. You have the right to refuse a reporter’s request for information if you are not permitted by law to give it or you do not have directory information authorization from a child’s parent or guardian. You have the right to (and should) politely refuse to comment on items under litigation or in negotiations.

4. You have the right to tell your story. Even if you are interrupted, you have the right to finish your sentence. You also have the right (and should) to try and provide the reporter with background information – preferably in writing.

5. You have the right to think about your answers. If a reporter calls you unexpectedly and you are unprepared to respond, find out when the reporter’s deadline is and tell the reporter you will call him or her back in time. And be sure you do! Taking just a minute to collect your thoughts might prevent you from providing inaccurate, damaging information.

6. You have the right to ask several reporters converging on you at the same time to wait for a few minutes so you can give them all a statement simultaneously.

7. You have the right to emphasize a point and to repeat it, if necessary.

8. You have the right, politely and positively, to bring inaccuracies to a reporter’s attention.

(Source: PR Pipeline)

We’ve talked about disseminating good news, but first you must garner the information.

• Ask each site to designate a “reporter.” Give them some training (perhaps led by a reporter from your local newspaper) on what the media needs in terms of format, style and content.

• If you have a public relations person on your staff, help this person to be more effective by: 1.

Making sure your building administrators know to whom news and information should be channeled.

2.

Emphasizing that the public relations person does not have a crystal ball (and neither does the media) and depends on the information that is provided.

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook 3.

Letting your staff know that the PR person’s priority is to provide news that the public must know and should know.

4.

Encourage staff members at all levels to fill out a fact sheet or story idea forms.

Keeping media relations positive . . .

There are some things we say and do that make us unpopular with the media. Here are some tips to keep your media relations positive: • Be sure to let the media know if a scheduled event has been cancelled or the location has changed.

• Don’t presume to tell a reporter what is or is not newsworthy. This decision is made by the reporter and his/her editor.

• Don’t ask a reporter when an article will be in the newspaper or a story aired because “I don’t get your paper” or “I don’t watch (listen to) your station.” It’s also good advice not to ask for clippings or tear sheets of a story after it appears.

• Keep your cool. It’s easy to get emotionally involved in a school issue, but it doesn’t help you when you’re dealing with the media. Count to 10, take some deep breaths and remember it’s not you personally who is being attacked, it’s the district’s position on an issue that is being scrutinized.

• Save your battles for the “really big ones.” Remember the words of an old sage who said he made it a practice never to fight with someone “who bought ink by the barrels and paper by the ton.”

• You do have the right (and responsibility) to complain when the media is inaccurate. Take your complaint to the reporter first and point out the factual mistake. If the factual errors continue, contact the reporter’s supervisor or editor, but be sure you have the documentation to support your claim.

• Don’t be afraid to admit mistakes when you make them. If something goes wrong, admit it and tell the media what you’re doing about it. Don’t try to cover it up because it won’t stay covered up for long, and you will be on the defensive. It’s always better to be on the proactive side when there’s bad news to be told.

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The Chairman’s Responsibility for Social Media A large amount of evidence and studies find that the spread of social media can provide businesses instant, low-cost access to millions of consumers for delivery of their messages. So why is social media important to you as a board chairman? Social media defines the activities that integrate technology, social interaction and the sharing of words, images, video and audio. In other words, social media is a conversation that takes place online. It’s a conversation that many people are joining everyday and even every second! If your district does not have a social media presence, then you are missing a opportunity to communicate your vision.

Social media is people talking with people, which is nothing new, really. People are connecting with each other and creating communities on their own. People are sharing their passions, their outrage, their products and their messages. The fact is that new technologies have given people the power to tune out messaging and marketing and tune in to relevance and dialogue. School systems have a great advantage because they happen to have two primary resources that can easily create dialogue for a variety of individuals across your community, state and nation.

Social media can help organizations connect with existing communities and create new ones. You are no longer in the business of creating value. You are in the business of creating importance. People don’t get their coffee from Starbucks because of “value”. People get their coffee from Starbucks because getting their coffee from Starbucks is important to them - pride, image, exclusivity, passion, uniqueness of quality and sharing a common passion. The example of Starbucks can easily translate to the value your community’s stakeholders find in your school system.

As board chairman, you have the responsibility of ensuring your district’s message and vision is being communicated to your community. Create your strategy and stand for something in the social media world, but don’t forget to listen.

Where to Start Many districts already have a social media presence, but there are still some who fail to take advantage of all the different platforms that are available. With so many different options it can be difficult to determining what outlet to use or what group to target. The answer to these questions will come from the development of a social media strategy.

As for any media outlet communications strategy, you must also ask yourself what resources you have, what expertise do you have, what topics should you target, what results do you want and what actions do you want your social media audience to take.

You may not have a social media plan, but you certainly use media. Look at the media channels you currently use as a system and ask yourself these questions: • What tone do these channels convey?

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook • Who are my intended targets?

• Am I reaching my intended targets?

• Do these channels reflect our mission?

• What overall message does our school system brand communicate?

• What’s missing?

• Where do these channels fall short?

• Are there people we should target but aren’t?

• Online, are we passive participants or actively engaged?

Asking questions reminds you who you are and who you want to be. It also indicates how social media can be used to complement your overall mission. The conversation has already started. Research before joining in.

Best Practices As elected officials - at least in most places - school board members tend to have more freedom in terms of social networking. With this freedom also comes responsibility. The development of school board member social media usage guidelines and procedures might be worth creating. The public officials golden rule is: Don’t blog, tweet, or post anything your wouldn’t want splashed across the front page of the daily newspaper.

Analyze your image. When you have a social media account you should always be aware of what your social media profiles say about you and your district. Profile photos, photos, wall posts, activities, interests, political leanings and religious views could be publicly viewable and fair game for the media.

You want to communicate your vision and goals for your district so take the time to ensure that your strategy is accurately reflected in your social media outlets.

Consider your content. Posts are widely accessible, easily shared and long lasting. Something posted half-hazardly or by mistake will most likely remain on the internet for a very long time. Ensure that what is posted is a positive reflection of the district. You must also know your audience when you are considering the content you want posted. Ask yourself “who will be reading this?” If the audience is parents, then approach your message from a parental point of view.

Perception is Always reality. As you may already know, there can be a difference between what is reported and the reality of any given situation. There are numerous cases where a board member or

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TSBA New Board Chairman Handbook administrator has said they were taken out of context, or what they said was not portrayed in the correct light. This is why any story communicated through social media must accurately reflect the district’s position or vision. Doing so will help you avoid a headache in the long run.

Represent your district proudly. Use social media to highlight the positive things happening in your district. Showcase community involvement in your schools and promote district events. Save board business for school board meetings. You do not want to have a debate on Twitter or Facebook. Also, consider the effects of advocating for polarizing issues online. While your district may support a certain position, some things are better communicated in person.

Here are some quick tips provided by the National School Boards Association: • Board ethics and conflict of interest policies apply to social media outlets. Don’t use social media to leak closed session materials and/or information that is protected by law.

• Keep the tone conversational and informal, but use proper grammar and show the same sensitivity regarding word choice you would in other venues. If this is difficult for you, have someone follow behind you as a proofreader before you hit send.

• Social media is a commitment. If you don’t want to keep sites updated, it’s better not to start them in the first place. Helpful content management programs, such as Hoot Suite, that can update all social media sites simultaneously help.

• Snarky doesn’t play well if you’re not a teenager; keep your communications professional.

• Connect your site to the official district website, other district social media outlets, etc.

• Be transparent - let people know who you are and what you stand for. Don’t hide behind the anonymity afforded by social media.

Social media is a great platform to communicate your message, but as with every other form of communication, there are pitfalls. Having a social media strategy that is incorporated into your district’s overall communication and promotion strategy will give you the ability to communicate your vision and goals to the entire community.

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Strategies: Using the Social Media to Build Public Support List below at least one idea for using the media as a tool to publicize positive information about your schools to the public.

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This is a publication of the Tennessee School Boards Association Š 525 Brick Church Park Drive Nashville, TN 37207 www.tsba.net