Advisory Board Structure and Management

for Fun and Profit

2008 Summer InstituteThursday, July 1010:00 – 11:15 a.m.

Presented by:Charlie Katz, Director, Advisory Board Development

National Academy Foundation

NAF background and history• 501(c)3 non-profit, based in NYC• Began with 1 AOF in Brooklyn, NY in 1982, 35

students• Added AOHT in 1986, AOIT in 1999, AOE in

2007• 510 Academies in 41 States and D.C.• Over 40 NAF Academies in California• 80,000 students enrolled annually• 100,000 alumni

NAF

National Academy Foundation (www.NAF.org)

– Key Components

• Rigorous and Relevant Curriculum

• Professional Development for Educators

• Paid Student Internships

• Local Advisory Boards

Murphy’s Law:

Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong

Defining an Effective Board• Understands the overall mission • Works together for the good of the program• Produces tangible, measurable results• Focuses on the students’ interests first• Communicates well with administration

(Director, teachers, principals, superintendent) and with each other

• Takes charge and is proactive

Role of Advisory Board• Helps define the mission of the program• Assist in the development of Academy

policies• Provide paid internships for qualified

students• Provide industry expertise to support

curriculum

Role of Advisory Board• Access to professional development

classes for teachers• Industry familiarization (fam) tours for

teachers and students• Mentoring and job shadowing

opportunities for teachers and students

Role of Advisory Board• Assist in budget development • Assist in fundraising in support of the

Academy• Assist in promotional activities• Curriculum review and development• Development of competencies for career

paths

Role of Advisory Board

• Provide awards and incentives for teachers

• Provide scholarships for students

• Assist in the development of a strategic plan

Local Advisory Board• 15-20 local business leaders, primarily (but not

exclusively) from Academy-theme industry, who meet regularly, and provide various resources for Academy

• Resources include (but are not limited to): – Classroom participation (including presentations,

coaching, judging competitions, etc.)– Mentoring, job shadowing, student conferences – Paid internships– Funding (scholarships, field trips, etc.)– Professional development for educators– Assistance with student recruitment– Advocacy

What do ABs look like?• Chair, Vice- (or Co-) Chair, Secretary, Treasurer• Monthly meetings (following Roberts’ Rules)

– Written by-laws, standing agenda, written and distributed minutes

– Role-call, reports from various members, next steps, majority voting

• Chair runs the meetings– Academy Director reports on current state of program/school– Academy student(s) report on current state of class(es)

• Committees report out:– Internships– Fundraising– Advocacy, Promotion and Public Relations– Student Recruitment, Student Activities– Board Recruitment

Measuring Success of an Effective Advisory Board

• Establish SMART goals

• Hold an annual strategic planning meeting

• Conduct an annual review of YOY goals

• Establish new goals

• Establish who, how and when

• Review periodic results to annual goals

Other Laws of Murphy:

• Anything that can go wrong for which you are prepared, won’t go wrong….

something else will

• It always rains right after you wash your car

Symptoms of a Dying Board• Doesn’t hold regular meetings• Doesn’t invest time or money in program• Doesn’t interact with the students or

teachers• Doesn’t speak up and share ideas or

concerns• Doesn’t have any short or long-term goals• Doesn’t have any leadership

Developing an EffectiveBoard’s Personality

• Develop trust and candor

• Encourage constructive dissent

• Put people in “positions of strength”

• Assume responsibility and accountability

• Evaluate performance

• Recognize the social structure

Ways to develop an Effective Social Structure

• Proactive, passionate Chairperson

• Clear understanding of purpose

• No personal or “hidden” agendas

• Open communications

• Timely and complete information

• Everyone engaged in something

• Friendly competition (golf game)

Team Performance TM

model

Team Performance TM

model

Other Laws of Murphy:

• The other line always moves faster

• The noise will always disappear when you take your car in for service

Ways to Engage Board Members

• Advisory Board Committee member• Paid internship provider / supervisor• Classroom speaker• Mentor• Job-shadow venue• Coach, judge (FBLA, BPA, SMG, Fed

Challenge)• Speaker at Student Conference

Benefits of Being Involved

What’s In It For Me? (WIIFMs)– Altruistic Factors– Financial Factors– Higher employee recruiting opportunities

(ability to:)• Identify and groom future entry-level workers• Reduce recruiting costs• Retain local talent in the geographic area

Benefits of Being InvolvedWhat’s In It For Me? (WIIFMs) (Continued)

– Lower training costs1

– Lower employee turnover1

– Higher morale in current workers1

– Greater ability to work in teams1

– Greater work ethic– Greater employee productivity– Increased positive public relations news– Greater exposure in the markets served by the company

1Shaping Postsecondary Transitions, Orr, Hughes and Karp, Institute on Education and the Economy, Teachers College, Columbia University, (IEE BRIEF April 2003)

Other Laws of Murphy:

• Bread always lands jelly side down

• The distance to your departure gate is always inversely proportional to the time you have to make your flight

Three Structural Concepts

• 501(c)3

• Regionalizing the Board

• Succession and Sustainability

501(c)3 Advantages/Disadvantages

• Doesn’t co-mingle with school system funds• Easier access to the money• Essential if you are funding across school

districts• Budget oversight much easier• Foundations may require it for funding• Complicated legal procedure / costs• Legal, tax and auditing responsibilities

Regionalizing the Board

• When does it make sense

• Advantages and disadvantages

• Combining local Boards

Structuring a Regional Advisory Board

• Regional Executive (Steering) Committee• Internships, Fundraising, Promotion/PR, Student

Conference

– Local Advisory Boards• Instructional support• Mentoring• Job shadowing• Local fundraising• Competitions and coaching

Structuring a Regional Advisory Board

RegionalExecutive (Steering)

Committee

Local AdvisoryBoard

Local AdvisoryBoard

Local AdvisoryBoard

Steering Committee(Representatives from each

Local Advisory Board, all NAF national partners,

District personnel)

District Program Office

HS 3HS 2 HS 1

• Advisory Board oversight• Strategy and growth• Sustainability• Internships• Fundraising and program support• Media, promotion, recruitment and public relations• Student conference• Professional development for educators

Local Advisory Boards:

Members:

Responsibilities:

Academy Advisory BoardStructure, Oversight and Implementation

• Principal• Director• Local business leaders, higher ed, teachers, student, parent, etc.

• Principal• Director

• Local business leaders, higher ed,

teachers, student, parent, etc.

• Principal• Director• Local business

leaders, higher ed, teachers, student, parent, etc.

• Overall AOE program management• Supporting, coordinating and connecting all Academies• Data management, collection, reporting• Budget management•Year of Planning (YOP) progress

• Curriculum training

• Student selection process

• Local Advisory Board development

• Local student enrichment activities (classroom speakers, job shadowing, mentors, field trips, etc.)

• Student readiness and outcomes

• Supplemental Teacher/Counselor development and training

• Local business, parent, and community support

Succession and Sustainability

• Managing member turnover

• Board cohesion

• Team building

• Esprit de corps

Succession and Sustainability• Make Board recruitment an on-going practice• Have Staggering Chair and Co-Chair• Develop one or two annual outings with just the AB

members to get to know one-another• Keep the mission of the AB in front of members at

each meeting and outing• Develop ways of honoring and thanking AB members • Be prepared for constant change and schedule

strategic planning meetings to regroup annually• ALWAYS connect business people with kids!

Wrap up – Q and A

• You got questions, we got answers!

Additional Resources

• For more information- Charlie Katz (charlie@naf.org)- Regional Manager- ABLC member- www.naf.org, then click on…

- NAF Network Members - Enter Here- Academy Development link- Advisory Board Development

- View Support Materials- Watch Videos

Last Laws of Murphy:

• Anything dropped in the bathroom will land in the toilet

• Gravity never works in your favor