It is the role of the School Board to provide strategic guidance for the School and to effectively oversee and review the School’s management.  Governance practices require the School to formalise and disclose the roles and responsibilities of the School Board and its Members.

9. The key roles of the school board and its members

Good governance requires the School Board to:

• Adapt to the distinctive characteristics of an academic environment and act so as to exemplify and reinforce the institution’s core values and ethos
• Oversee all aspects of the School, including its control and accountability systems, and approve the expenditure and capital budgets
• Appoint, review and remove the Principal and provide ongoing support and supervision
• Develop and maintain healthy relationships with key stakeholders and develop effective communication channels
• Ensure a strategic approach to the school’s future by setting major goals, policy frameworks and strategies
• Set the tone and the ethical standards of the school and monitor adherence to them
• Review plans and budgets established by school management
• Approve all material expenditure outside the budget
• Anticipate problems as much as possible and act to diffuse issues
• Be attentive to the matter of succession
• Establish committees where appropriate
• Review and monitor adherence to systems of risk management, governance compliance and legal compliance
• Monitor organisational performance
• Conduct an annual review of the Board’s own performance (i.e. Board Appraisal)
• Conduct an annual review of the School’s progress in meeting its objectives
• Maintain the solvency of the school.

It is often said that the Board’s most important task is the selection of the Principal.  The Principal is the public face of the School and is crucial in setting the tone, standards and personality of the School.  The relationship between the Principal and the Chair of the Board is pivotal to the success of the School.

Governance Guidelines

Across the Board

Purpose

Governance

Applying principles of good governance to schools

Legal status of schools

Primary legislation governing schools

Ancillary legislation

Funding and operating agreement

Structure of the school and delegation of powers

The key roles of the school board and its members

Legal obligations and potential liability of board members

Conflicts of interest

Charter for the school board

Constitution of the board and selection of board members

Orientation and ongoing education for board members

Retention of board members

Succession planning

The key roles of the chair

Legal obligations of the chair

The key roles of the principal

Relationship management

Performance management

Compliance and risk management

Board meetings

Establishing committees on the board

Whistle blowers

Additional resources

Appendix 1 – selection process

Appendix 2 – board skills matrix

Appendix 3 – performance management