Roles

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Roles Responsibilities of the AISZ School
BoardInformation SessionApril 21, 2009
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Overview

• AISZ Mission, Vision and Belief Statements
• School Board Responsibilities
• Individual School Board Member Roles
• Fiduciary Responsibility
• Developing and Reviewing Policy
• Developing a Shared Vision Planning
  Strategically
• Developing an Effective Board
• Relating to Stakeholders

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AISZ Mission Vision
MISSION The American International School of
Zagreb is a culturally diverse learning community
that provides students with an intellectually
stimulating program in a nurturing environment.
We place students at the center of education, and
encourage them to be creative individuals,
critical thinkers, life-long learners, and
socially responsible world citizens. VISION The
American International School of Zagreb will
become the premier school in Croatia developing
leaders for an interdependent world, one child at
a time.
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AISZ Belief Statements

• We believe that each student is unique and has
  the potential, ability, and right to learn.
• We believe that students have different learning
  styles and learn best with differentiated
  instruction.
• We believe that students need and deserve a safe
  and healthy learning environment.
• We believe that integrity and trust within the
  school community are the basis for an effective
  partnership of students, family, staff, and
  administration, leading to quality education.
• We believe that promoting respect, tolerance and
  appreciation for diversity helps develop
  responsible world citizens.
• We believe that a holistic approach to education
  develops respect for self and others, and
  prepares students for a changing world.
• We believe that opportunities for enrichment and
  growth for students and staff are necessary to
  maintain high standards and expectations.
• We believe that encouraging curiosity, creativity
  and critical thinking builds a foundation for
  life-long learning.

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School Board Responsibilities
The board is the guardian of the school's
mission. It is the board's responsibility to
ensure that the mission is relevant and vital to
the community it serves and to monitor the
success of the school in fulfilling its
mission. 1. Determine the schools mission and
purpose It is the boards responsibility to
create and review a statement of mission and
vision that articulates schools goals, means,
and primary constituents served. 2. Select the
head of school Boards must reach consensus on
the head of school responsibilities and undertake
a careful search to find the most qualified
individual for the position. 3. Provide proper
financial oversight The board must approve the
annual budget and ensure that proper financial
controls are in place.
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Responsibilities (Continued)
4. Ensure adequate resources One of the boards
foremost responsibilities is to provide adequate
resources for the organization to achieve its
mission. 5. Ensure legal and ethical integrity
and maintain accountability The board is
ultimately responsible for ensuring adherence to
legal standards and ethical norms. 6. Ensure
effective organizational planning Boards
participate in an overall planning process and
assist in implementing and monitoring the plans
goals. 7. Recruit and orient new board members
All boards have a responsibility to articulate
prerequisites for candidates, orient new members,
and periodically and comprehensively evaluate it
own performance.
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Responsibilities (Continued)
8. Enhance the organizations public standing
The board should clearly articulate the schools
mission, accomplishments, and goals to the public
and garner support from the community. 9.
Determine, monitor, and strengthen the
organizations programs and services The boards
responsibility is to determine which programs are
consistent with the Schools mission and to
monitor their effectiveness. 10. Support the
chief executive The board should ensure that the
head of school (director) has the moral and
professional support needed to further the goals
of the organization.
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The Board reflects, but does not represent,
constituencies.

• Many international schools reserve places on the
  board for members from specific organizations or
  sectors
• Once on board, members must look beyond an
  immediate constituency to what is best for all
  segments of school population, as defined by
  mission of school
• Board and head must be in complete alignment on,
  and publicly accountable for, words and actions

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The school Director is a partner with the Board,
not an employee.

• While it is true that Directors are directly
  employed by board (the only person in the school
  who is directly employed by board), they are
  concurrently partners with board
• This not-so-subtle difference defines the
  relationship that is to result
• Boards and Directors need to establish a climate
  of trust to encourage candid conversations
  whenever a matter of board policy vs.
  administrative procedure arises

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Board Members Are

• trust holders
• This implies a very different role than
  directing the operation
• primarily future-focused and strategic
• Their role is not to manage their childrens
  school today
• Peter Druckers mantra always applies
• Leaders do the right thing managers do things
  right

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The Overlap of Formal and Informal Relationships

• While Board members do not become involved in
  specific operational issues, they may naturally
  wish to share opinions with the Director
• Key is to share opinions ---- not get involved
• While many international schools exist in
  cultures that have differing standards about
  confidentiality, Board members should not expect
  that everyone can or should know everything
• Ask if a given person needs to know something

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Board members take care to separate the interests
of school from specific needs of a particular
child or constituency

• The small, close nature of many international
  school communities makes this especially
  difficult
• A related issue is the difficulty of maintaining
  confidentiality of board meetings
• As a result, boards need to take special care to
  maintain perspective and confidentiality

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Each board member, not just the treasurer and
finance committee, has fiduciary responsibility
for financial management.

• Many international schools are weak in this area,
  often deferring to treasurer
• AISZ Board members actively participate in board
  financial discussions
• ( Fiduciary defines the highest standard of
  loyalty and trust to make decisions for the
  school)

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The Finance Committee

• Works with administration and staff to
• Prepare the annual operating budget
• Prepare the capital budget
• Update the long-term financial plan
• Monitor investment of the schools reserves
• Oversee the well-being of all physical assets
• Ensure an annual Audit takes place
• Promotes development/fund raising/advancement

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Developing and Reviewing Policy

• Policy A broad statement of purpose or
  limitation
• Policies are intended to
• focus energies and resources
• delineate appropriate ways and means of
  interacting with host-country authorities
• delegate authority
• provide a framework in which decisions can be
  made and work can be carried out
• ensure consistency of actions, especially in
  difficult and stressful situations
• define the ways in which school wishes to work
  and board wishes to govern

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Board and Administration Roles in Shaping Policy

• The board sets policy and the administration
  implements policy. While generally true
• Difficult problems arise when individual board
  members interfere with implementation of any
  policy, especially when students, parents,
  administrators, and faculty are involved
• As a broad definition, boards define what is
  wanted, why it is wanted, and to what extent
• Administrators then define who will do it, when
  and where

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Developing a Shared Vision Planning
Strategically Helps Us To

• control future
• maximize resources
• develop and sustain a shared direction
• prepare for capital campaigns
• stay motivated to accomplish goals
• strengthen quality and accountability
• improve public relations

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Developing an Effective Board

• Orientation of new members
• Periodically and comprehensively evaluate its own
  performance
• Attend meetings regularly
• Communicate openly and effectively

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The Importance of Communication

• The first rule no surprises!
• Disciplining board members a job for the chair
• The board chair works closely with the Director

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Relating to Stakeholders

• Fellow Board Members
• The Director
• Administrators
• Faculty
• Parents
• Students

• Alumni
• Host-Country Govt.
• Companies
• Embassies
• Donators
• Friends

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As a Board member, you interact with
stakeholders in formal and informal ways

• Each relationship is different
• Each brings its own set of rewards and potential
  problems
• Lack of clarity can lead to negative situations
• If you think that being a Board member can
  complicate your school relationships, you are
  right!

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Standards of Conductfor Board Members

• Duty of Care - to make good decisions with
  reasonable care
• Duty of Loyalty - faithfulness to the school,
  always putting it first
• Duty of Obedience or Service - being true to
  schools mission
• Duty to Avoid Conflicts of Interest