The Strategic Small School Board: Time, Knowledge, and Discipline

Happy New Year! As January is the time when so many people reflect upon their personal goals and practices, it can also be the time when boards lift their heads up from their work to consider how they best fulfill their roles as governors. It is easy for any group to get into a rut and is therefore important to regularly consider if your practices fully meet the needs of your organization. What better time than now?

One way to think about the efficacy of the work being done by a small school board is to think of the interaction of three factors: discipline, knowledge, and time. While I am confident that the board members on any small school board are dedicated, intelligent, and caring, I know that frequently boards become undisciplined in their practices. For example, you know that reports should be sent out a week in advance of a meeting, but committees don’t always send in minutes on time, there is always something important going on at the school that takes time and focus, and often, those reports are sent out the day before the meeting (or are passed out at the meeting!). We get into habits of practice where we know we should be doing something differently, and yet we just don’t have the push to change things. 

So think of these questions as the “push” for your board. 

Time:

1. What topics or issues do you need to be spending time on over the next 6 months; over the next year?
   
2. Have you scheduled sufficient time to accomplish the work of the board- in committees and together as a whole?
   
3. Have you scheduled time throughout the year to address all that is needed?
   
4. Do you spend sufficient time in meetings considering strategic and generative topics?
   
5. Do you spend sufficient time orienting and training board members in their work?
   
6. Do you spend sufficient time considering the skills, talents, and perspectives of your board members relative to your board and school’s needs and how to support and increase diversity?
   

Knowledge:

1. Are you knowledgeable about how best to structure and chair small school board meetings- to ensure efficacy, efficiency, respect, and inclusion?
   
2. Are you knowledgeable about how to set up an agenda to accomplish the work of a board meeting?
   
3. Are you knowledgeable about how to lead both strategic and generative board conversations?
   
4. Are you knowledgeable about how and when board members should “cross the line” into operations?
   
5. Are board members knowledgeable about your financial reports- fully understanding each aspect (budget, cash flow, balance sheet, strategic financial plan) in order to make strategic decisions?
   
6. Are board members knowledgeable about the lived mission and vision of your school?
   
7. Are you knowledgable about how to facilitate challenging conversations?
   

Discipline:

1. Are you disciplined regarding the structure and facilitation of your board and committee meetings (with an agenda, action items, etc.)?
   
2. Are you disciplined in accomplishing the work of the board over the year (with an annual calendar) and at each meeting (focusing on both strategic and operational matters)?
   
3. Are board members disciplined regarding “the line” between governance and operations, only crossing into operations when expressly requested by the Board Chair or Head of School?
   
4. Are you disciplined with your communications both before and after board and committee meetings (regarding follow-through as well as detail and clarity)?
   
5. Are board members disciplined with their personal communications and confidentiality during and after meetings?
   
6. Are you disciplined in obtaining the knowledge you need as individuals and the board as a whole (i.e. orientation, board training, etc.)?
   
7. Are you disciplined in engaging in inclusive practices that enable all board members to participate, be heard, and feel included?
   

These questions certainly aren’t exhaustive; they are intended to spark discussion and further questions. Spending the time now to consider with your board how you spend your time, what knowledge you need to acquire, and whether you are disciplined in accomplishing what you know you should, will enable you to move forward confidently into the new year with your work of governing your small school.