|
Governance School Board Most
of us know how chaotic home life can be. Johnny
needs to be at the orthodontist at 2:00 and at
soccer practice at
4:00. Sally needs to be picked up at
school at 3:00. George (the father) has
just announced the boss is coming for dinner at 6:00 and has requested
a
dessert that has a two-hour preparation time. UPS
is knocking at the front door, the exterminator is
waiting for a
check, and the phone is ringing. Now
imagine multiplying this chaos by 34,000 students and about four
thousand
adults -- the size of our school district. How
can 38,000 people be headed in the same direction, how
can everyone
be treated fairly, how can the bills get paid? In
an effort to provide a degree of organization and reduce chaos, it is
the
responsibility of the Paradise Valley Schools Governing Board to set
the
purpose and expectations of the district. Moreover,
the governing board must be accountable to the
public that
pays for its schools and that accountability comes through elections
every four
years and through open, public meetings were decisions are made. Thus, it is the responsibility of school
boards to enact policies to carry out the vision of the school district. According to the National School Boards
Association, “policies are statements that set forth the purposes and
prescribe
in general terms the organization and program of a school system.” Policies are applicable over time and
provide stability and continuity to the district. This
allows for smooth transitions as board members and/or
superintendents change. Additionally,
policies help clarify relationships in order to prevent boards from
getting
caught up in administrivia. While it
might be easier and safer for the governing board to discuss the color
of brick
for the new high school than its educational program, policies enable
boards to
lead rather than manage. Policies
provide school administrators with direction but are not so restrictive
as to
inhibit freedom of execution. For
example, in the Paradise Valley United School District policy manual,
it
states:
The
Governing Board recognizes that regular school attendance is essential to the student’s full academic,
social, and personal development. Although
regular school attendance is ultimately the
responsibility of
the student and his/her family, it is the professional responsibility
of
teachers and administrators to implement realistic rules and
regulations
designed to foster consistent school attendance and self-discipline. One
can readily see that teachers and administrators are charged with
development,
implementation, and execution of attendance regulations, not the
Governing
Board. Policies
also serve to facilitate fair and uniform treatment.
History is packed with incidents of unjust treatment of
others. Suspension and expulsion
policies that afforded students and parents due process were not
enacted across
America until the early 1970s; children with disabilities were denied a
free
and appropriate education until the mid 1970s; and policies concerning
harassment, bullying and hazing weren’t enacted until the mid 1990s. And
while it is the duty of the governing board to set policy, policies are
usually
made in the following fashion: The
State legislature or federal government might instruct school districts
to
draft policy concerning testing. Or the
school district itself might recognize a need for policy concerning
participation in extracurricular activities. Now
the administration would gather facts and
recommendations, perhaps
consult with school attorneys, and draft a policy for governing board
review. After a series of public
readings of the proposed policy, the board would take action to adopt
the
policy. The policy then would be
disseminated and enforced. Over time,
the policy would also be evaluated and perhaps returned to the board
for
revision if necessary. In
Paradise Valley schools, policies are grouped in eight (8) categories,
including:
These
are fairly common groupings of board policy across the country, and
many school
districts publish their policies on their web sites. According
to a Connecticut school board member, “written and organized policies
liberate
the board from the shackles of disorderly procedure, and enable the
board to
exercise more control, not less.” Policies
serve to bring a degree of organization and a
limit to
chaos. And by the way, I’m drafting a
policy on dessert preparation. When
it’s done, I’ll share it.
After
more than 30
years in education and having spent a good part of that experience
studying
leadership and its affects on organizations, I have come to the view
that there
are three main roles to the job of the superintendent of schools. The
first role is
that the superintendent must work with the Governing Board. The nature
of each
individual relationship as well as the smooth functioning of the Board
as a
whole is extremely important to the district. This requires a great
deal of
communication as well as patience and understanding as Board members
deal with
their difficult position. Training the members in the legal and fiscal
issues
of the school district and Board member roles is most important when
they are
young in terms of their experience on the Board. Getting the Board to
understand and accept its role as the policy maker and body that
determines the
long-range direction of the district is an important role for the
superintendent.
I have enjoyed this part of the job because of the quality of people
that we
have on our Board. The
second role of
the superintendent is to be seen by the public as the educational
leader of the
community. This requires the superintendent to attend community
functions as
well as serve on community boards. Speaking up publicly in the media
through
guest columns and being accessible to reporters is part of this role.
This is
generally a part of the job with which most superintendents have the
least
experience. As teachers and school administrators, they have been
involved with
their own world and rarely get the opportunity to speak in circles
outside of
the school. I have enjoyed working with the North Phoenix Chamber of
Commerce,
the Palomino Coalition, and the Paradise Valley Community College. Being
the leader of
the school district is the third role and the one with which most
administrators feel comfortable. Having come through the ranks of
school
organizations, superintendents understand their role as the chief
executive
officer. The great difference, however, is in the size of the
organization and
the scope of the responsibilities. I view this role as not only a
decision
maker, but as the person that guides the district in a consistent
manner
regarding its agreed upon mission. This involves the encouraging of
school
administrators and other leaders through meetings, conversations, and
motivational speeches. It also includes the support of the employees
who are
working hard to educate our students. Having
served as a
principal for 15 years, my vision of the how the district works is
similar
to how a school operates. We must make sure the fiscal and operational
management of the district is sound. Then, leaders must set the vision
and promote
the general improvement of the learning environment. My credo has been
that we
succeed in educational institutions by treating students with respect,
teachers
as professional colleagues, and parents as partners. This is the reason
we have
been emphasizing student centered learning environments and including
parents
as well as teachers in decisions at all levels. The
ultimate role
of the superintendent is to see that all parts of the organization are
working
well and moving in the best direction for student achievement.
Many parents are
aware that each school has a
“school council” but may wonder where these groups fit in the big
picture of
“Who really runs the school district?” School councils
(formerly called “site councils”)
started in 1994 when the legislature wanted to “ensure that individuals
who are
affected by the outcome of a decision at the school site share in the
decision
making process” (Arizona Revised
Statutes Section 15-351(A)). This law goes on
to require that each school have a
site council that includes parents (who cannot be district employees),
teachers, non- certified employees, community members, students (at the
high
school level) and the principal of the school. The district’s governing
board
(elected by the voters) may delegate to the schools councils whatever
responsibilities it deems appropriate. School council meetings are open
to the
public. The Paradise
Valley governing board wants school
council members to work together to arrive at decisions that are
effective for
the site, and focused on helping students in general and the
organization as a
whole. The principal is directed to identify topics appropriate for
council
consideration and must approve all decisions reached. The decisions
must follow
board policy. In
order to help
School Councils work effectively and insure all voices are heard, the
district
provides training in team building, reaching consensus and establishing
meaningful and authentic issues. Reaching
consensus means that all members of the council
give general
agreement or approval on an issue. If
consensus cannot be reached, the governing board expects the principal
who is
the leader of the building to make the decision. School
Councils are
more important than ever now that the District’s long-range plan is
being
implemented. They are helping to bring that plan to reality at each
site. If
you are interested in ongoing school improvement, this could be an
ideal place
for you to serve. New members of the
School Council are chosen at a parent meeting in the spring. Contact
your
child’s principal or PTA President for information on how to be
considered for
this work. You will learn a great deal about your child’s school and be
able to
contribute to decisions that are good for all kids. (Information
for
this article provided by Karen Gasket, EdD, Assistant Superintendent
for
Human
Resources) Copyright
2005-2006 United Parent Council of PVUSD #69. All rights reserved.
|