Board/Superintendent Relationship

1. Board/Superintendent Relationship Timi Tullis and Norm Wooten AASB Staff Spring Academy 2012

2. School Board and Superintendent(A Well Oiled Machine) • Effect on Superintendent and Board • Effect on Staff • Effect on Community

3. Respect and Trust • Requires taking chance • Requires time • Requires honest relationship

4. Prerequisites for Harmony • Acknowledge separate responsibilities and avoid encroachment of responsibilities. • Board does not micromanage/Superintendent does not micropolicy. • Strive to maintain harmony for the benefit of the students. • Acknowledge honest differences of opinion, but avoid negative raw emotion such as antagonism or injured pride. • Give credit where it’s due/Admit errors when necessary.

5. Duties of Superintendent • Serve as CEO and district leader. • Carry out board policies and clearly communicate policies. • Take responsibility for all employees and their actions. • Attend all meetings of the board including special committees. • Prepare and submit a preliminary budget. • Accept responsibility for authorization of all purchases.

6. Duties of Superintendent continued • Recommend all candidates for employment. • Recruit and retain effective staff. • Provide instructional leadership through education programs and professional development. • Communicate all important matters to the board that are vital to the school system • Develop and implement an appropriate and effective evaluation system for all employees. • Develop a system for monitoring, evaluating and reporting progress toward district goals. • Develop a program to assure adequate facilities for the school system • Inform the board of progress of the school system in periodic intervals.

7. Shared Responsibilities/Communications of the Superintendent and Board President • Board meeting agenda. • Role of superintendent and president at board meetings. • Role of staff members or outside consultants during the meetings. • Dealing with emergency situations that may arise. • Dealing with special-interest groups. • Dealing with the news media.

8. Keys to a Good Working Relationship for Boards • Know your job and don’t interfere with administrative duties. • Devote the time needed to do a good job. Come prepared. • Don’t pretend to be an instant expert in school matters. • Admit what you don’t know. • Don’t jump to conclusions. • Keep your mind open to change. • Understand that the superintendent is a highly trained career person. • Don’t become a complaint department.

9. Keys to a Good Working Relationship Continued • Don’t make promises outside board meetings. • Communicate issues or disagreements in private. • Share the credit in the good times. • Know expectations of the board and the superintendent. • Be realistic in your goals. • Don’t surprise the superintendent in board meetings or at any public event. • Recognize professionalism. • Never have a “hidden agenda”.

10. Responsibilities of the Board in Board/Superintendent Relations • Show support of the superintendent throughout their term of employment. • Guard against a move for an unreasonable termination. • Guard against people who would use the superintendent for personal gain or prestige. • Be wary of factions. • Be wary and be a protection against excessive or unfair criticism. • Show appreciation for a job well done.

11. Strategies for Retaining a Successful Superintendent • Constantly demonstrate a platform of doing what is best for kids. • Maintain a competitive salary structure. • Assure that the superintendent’s job does not entail sacrifice of sanity or family. (Short term dedication versus job obsession and burnout) • Require all parties to follow the chain of command by routing all requests and information through the superintendent.

12. Superintendent Evaluation • Annual or semi-annual. • AASB model available. • Use a solid instrument that portrays objectives established. • Evaluate on goals and direction board gives.

13. Changing Superintendents • Based on evaluation of performance – Not emotion or circumstance. • Always in private – Executive Session • Honest and open communication. • Shortcomings pointed out in a civil discussion. • Period of time to correct identified shortcomings with board support. • Opportunity to improve • Replace the position if performance is still deemed unacceptable. • Opportunity for resignation. • Non-renewal or termination with legal counsel.

14. Scenarios to Discuss

15. Questions? • Thanks to all of you for your input and participation! • Special Thanks to our colleagues at the Arkansas Association of School Boards !