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Foundational Principles of Effective Governance As the corporate entity charged by law with governing a school district, each school board sits in trust for its entire community. The obligation to govern effectively imposes some fundamental duties on the Board: The Board Clarifies the District Purpose As its primary task, the Board continually defines, re-defines and articulates district expectations to answer the recurring question – who gets what benefits for how much? The Board Connects with the Community The School Board engages in ongoing two-way conversation with the entire community. The purpose of the conversation is to enable the Board to hear and understand the community’s educational aspirations and desires, to serve effectively as an advocate for district improvement and to inform the community of the district’s performance. The Board Employs a Superintendent The Board employs and evaluates one person – the Superintendent – and holds that person accountable for the performance of the school district. The Board delegates authority to the Superintendent for employing and evaluating district staff. The Board Delegates Authority The Board delegates authority to the Superintendent to manage the district and provide leadership for the staff. Such authority is communicated through written policies that designate Board expectations and define operational limits. The Board Monitors Performance The Board constantly monitors progress toward district expectations and compliance with written Board policies. The Board Takes Responsibility for Itself The Board, collectively and individually, takes full responsibility for Board activity and behavior. Board deliberations and actions are limited to Board work, not staff work.
The Wyoming School Boards Association has adopted the Foundational Principles of Effective Governance as a model for effective governance. The following specific training activities are available for board members and superintendents to attain the above principles.
Boardsmanship, Leadership and Performance What is the role of the Board and the Superintendent? Research tells us that there are no encompassing answers as to "who has authority for what." The real need in each district is for the Board and Superintendent to decide what each is to do and establish procedures which lead to the performance of those duties. Through the use of video and other media, the Board and Superintendent have the opportunity to view and discuss "real life" situations in conducting meetings, dealing with the media, dealing with complaints, executive sessions, employment and dismissal practices, and developing and following policies. The Roles, Relationships and Responsibilities workshop is designed to help school board members and superintendents in what they "should" be doing in their individual governance roles. Leadership Governance The Leadership Governance workshop takes the Boardsmanship, Leadership and Performance workshop to the next level, not what boards/superintendents "should" do, but what they "will" do. The workshop provides information on a recent study "School Boards Make A Difference" conducted by the Iowa Association of School Boards. It focuses the Board’s attention on creating realistic expectations, delineating clear roles and responsibilities, increasing accountability for results, basing leadership on policy rather than administrative detail, making decisions collaboratively, governing proactively rather than reactively, and continual learning for boards, staff, students and community. If a district decides that it is interested in Leadership Governance, WSBA trainers will lead the board and superintendent through the development of governance policy statements, district mission statement, district vision, and district student expectations. Problem Solving – Short and Long Range Planning Does your Board:
If you answered "yes" to one or more of the above questions, your board may need this training workshop. The workshop is designed to assists boards and superintendents in developing problem solving skills which leads to consistency in decision making. A model for a systematic way to deal with problems is the ultimate outcome of this training. Board and Superintendent Assessments WSBA will assist the district in an assessment to determine how well the Board and Superintendent are meeting the ten identified areas of roles, relationships and responsibilities. Board Chairman Workshops In January, after board elections, WSBA provides Board Chairman Workshops to train newly elected board chairman to better understand their role as the leader of the board. New Board Member Workshops Each odd numbered year WSBA provides New Board Member Workshops at different sites around the state to assist newly elected board members in their role as a school board member. Annual Conference In November, WSBA holds its annual conference. The conference is designed for board members, administrators and business managers to meet and confer with their counterparts from around the state and to get new ideas as to what is happening educationally around the State of Wyoming. Keynote general assembly speakers are brought in to bring a broader perspective of roles of board members and happenings around the country. Annual Delegate Assembly The Annual Delegate Assembly provides member districts the opportunity to have input into the legislative activities of the Association. Other Training That Meets the Needs of the District WSBA will tailor make any presentation that will meet the specific needs of a district.
The Wyoming School Boards Association believes that whole-board trainings are more productive than area workshops as they can be customized to meet the individual district’s needs. Other advantages include: Individualized handouts, practical suggestions and guidelines addressing local issues and availability of follow-up activities. For more information or scheduling training for your district Contact: WSBA at 307-634-1112 or email wsba@wsba-wy.org
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