Pub. 2 2012-2013 Issue 1

7 The Board’s independence from management was com- promised, often by the presence of family members on the Board and/or employed in the school. 8 The Board had inadequate policies governing school man- agement or it made no attempt to ensure compliance with its policies. Topic 3: Relationship with and performance of the Director LEADING QUESTIONS: Does the Board feel they have a clear understanding of the Director’s performance? How would you explain to a stakeholder the relationship between the Board and the Director? Are the Board and Director in agreement as to what the Director’s performance is based upon? THOUGHTS: Board Wiser #10, Performance of the Director is to determine how well the Board’s stated mission and vision are being executed. Given that the school leader is the chief executive, the evaluation looks at how well the school is performing. As such, a formal evaluation should include five areas: 1 How well the school leader is achieving the outcomes in the charter 2 How well the school leader is handling school finances and minimizing risks 3 How well the school leader is cooperating with the school’s authorizer 4 How well the school leader is complying with various statu- tory and regulatory obligations, as well as written Board policies 5 How well the school leader is meeting the needs of the majority of faculty, parents, and students. ACTIVITY: Turn to the person next to you, and in less than 3minutes, explain the relationship between the Board and the Director. Kim Dohrer is an Education Specialist for Academica West and has been involved in all aspects of charter schools, from the charter application process to school-level assessment analysis. Kim’s experience includes teaching mathemat- ics, K-12 counseling, English as a Second Language, reading, family literacy, adult education and administration. Kim graduated with a B.S. in Public Administration from the University of Arizona and received her Masters of Arts in Counseling from Wichita State University. Special thanks to Brian Carpenter, the author of BoardWiser Plus™ Virtual Board Professional Development Program, for his dedication and support of the charter school movement specifically his emphasis on board governance training which has made a great impact on the professional development of charter school boards throughout the state.