Community Partners in Governance

The last few years have seen significant shifts in the tenor of Board of Education elections and governance practices throughout our state and nation. Whether reading from headlines, or hearing from other Superintendents, many leaders are working with board members who may operate with politically influenced agendas, community distrust in district decisions, and volatile meetings that may not fully represent the actual teaching and learning work of the school district and leaders.

As school system leaders, we often find ourselves struggling with our limited role in the election process and desire for stability in relationships with the Board of Education and the community at large. My district (Springfield) has, thankfully, not had the level of discord seen in many of the communities, but we are cognizant that our relationships with the community and at the Board table are critical assets that must be constantly developed and protected. This year, the Board leadership worked in partnership with the administrative team to provide critical opportunities for transparency to our community, support access to board members and the Superintendent outside of the “board meeting,” and develop a manual to support new board members as they join a thoughtful and committed group of citizen leaders to lead the district towards our vision and mission.

Developing a Chain of Communication

Throughout last summer, we worked to develop a Chain of Communication guidance document that did more than show the structure of the organization, but also indicated the types of questions and the process that could be followed. We began with the big three in public interests, academics, athletics, and special education. By moving from a “Chain of Command” to a “Chain of Communication” we shifted the way we discuss answering questions and supporting our community’s understanding of how the district operates. This document was presented at a Board meeting, was subsequently mentioned during public comment sessions, and is included as a link in the monthly newsletter.

Providing Opportunities for Access

Another piece of feedback that we received was the public’s interest in having access to the Board and Superintendent. Similar feedback was shared by staff, and throughout the school year, board members joined me in a series of lunch-and-learn "chats" with staff, and informal "office hours" held at a local community center. These informational events allowed us to share information regarding changes in the district, including a significant realignment of schools.They supported the relationship-building that encourages respectful dialogue across the district and community. As a leader, they provided me with a variety of perspectives and experiences that informed how we communicated with the district at large, an invaluable learning experience.

Similar to the communication campaign for our successful referendum in the Spring of 2023, as we rolled out a significant realignment to our schools, we created a website and multiple points where the public could interact with the Superintendent and Board Members during the process. Creating a specific email address also allowed for questions specific to the realignment to be answered and monitored.

Developing a Governance Manual 

On the last day of the 2023 Workshop, I had the opportunity to attend a session offered by the NJSBA on developing governance manuals.  As I looked through the model samples, it was clear that in partnership with the Board of Education, such a manual could set the tone for our future work. Through this process, we thoughtfully engaged in dialogue about our partnership, specified standards for the culture of the Board, and developed a manual to set our community’s expectations for the work of the Board Members. Our manual was finalized in February of this year and presented at a board meeting. It is available on our website, and we are committed to a reflective process for review every year as we welcome new members.

As we close out the 2023-2024 school year, I am proud of the deliberate work that has occurred with my Board of Education as true partners in leading our district. Often, when we discuss leadership we talk about the legacy of the work that continues, and in working with the Board as partners, this becomes their legacy as well.  Along the way, we hope it sets a standard for thoughtful discourse and deliberative leadership for future district leaders and our community as a whole.