DEREK KEENAN, ED.D. VICE PRESIDENT, ACADEMIC AFFAIRS A’s, C’s, and F’s for the Christian School Board

Five Attitudes The Administrator and the Board are NOT in COMPETITION but COOPERATION  “The key relationship in the Christian school is between the administrator and the board.” - Lowrie, p Serving God on the Christian School Board 2

“People who become board members bring personal motives with them to the board. They want for example, to find friends, develop skills, pick up specific information, win approval, attain prestige, or engage in activities the board sponsors.” - Alvin Zander - Making Boards Effective 3

What is an attitude? One’s disposition in thoughts, emotions, or actions that follow a particular pattern. 4

Humble Spirit  Perhaps nothing is so damaging, in a quiet, subtle, and seductive way than a board member whose rise to responsibility in that position has a parallel rise of pride and ego. Submissive Nature Learner’s Lifestyle  The entire school leadership, including the board, needs to model learning for the learning community for which they have responsibility. 5

Leader’s Approach  “The ‘time horizon’ for the board is more distant at the governing level than anywhere else in the organization.” - John Carver, p. 9 - Boards that Make a Difference A Giver’s Mindset  The ability to relinquish a personal agenda is the great gift of a school leader or Board member. Thoughts, ideas, plans, and dreams are “treasures.” 6

Five Core Values Commitment  Value #1 – To serve one another with the scope of a biblical leadership relationship. Communication  Value #2 – To always be open, honest, and straightforward in all dialog. Cooperation  Value #3 – To provide full, mutual assistance to one another in our respective roles, and to extend support to the utmost degree in every situation. 7

Counsel  Value #4 – To utilize counsel as a means of determining what is the wise course of action in every significant matter. Courage  Value #5 – To mutually support one another to make courageous decisions  “An administrator is strengthened when the board walks with him and supports courageous decisions.” - Lowrie, p Serving God on the Christian School Board 8

Five Functions Fire and Hire  The most important job of the school board is to hire appropriate leadership for the school  The second most important job for the board is to let the administrator run it. Finalize Policy  Policy areas should begin with concise statements covering the largest component area or issue. Fiduciary Responsibility 9

Future Planning  For the school to buy into the plan, to the point of “selling” it to others they must be involved in developing the plan. Finding  Assessment is the mother of improvement. Sense of being mentored not disciplined. 10