DEREK KEENAN, ED.D.VICE PRESIDENT, ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

DEREK_KEENAN@ACSI.ORG

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. 24

- Serving God on the Christian School Board

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“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

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What is an attitude?

One’s disposition in thoughts, emotions, or actions that follow a particular pattern.

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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 NatureLearner’s Lifestyle

The entire school leadership, including the board, needs to model learning for the learning community for which they have responsibility.

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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.”

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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.

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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. 30

- Serving God on the Christian School Board

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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

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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.

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