Board members are provided space to breathe over the summer months. They are given time to reflect and learn. For board members, let’s call this time the off-season. In order to improve and do better the next season in sports, the off-season should be treated as a time to grow mentally and develop new skills.
In education, off-season growth and development of board members has the potential to improve student achievement and affect the lives of countless others. The off-season enables learning, growth, and the opportunity to fail before it truly counts.
Summer break at a school district is an excellent time for board of education members to prepare for the upcoming school year as leaders. Questions you might ask yourself are:
- What should I be practicing in the off-season to ensure success later?
- How can my district’s board meetings over the summer months help me serve staff and students better?
Improving Your Game
For boards of education, summer is an opportunity to finalize budgets, policies, and build key relationships—activities critical to the district’s success. Consider these tasks as your board’s practice, refining your skills in anticipation of your next game. When preparing your summer meeting agendas, consider incorporating the following practices:
- Mission, Vision, and Values Review: Engage in dialogue and commitment to these core elements.
- Student Achievement Data and Progress Monitoring: Understand your district’s strengths and challenges.
- Review of Board and Superintendent Goals: Make necessary adjustments to stay ahead.
Board workshops and executive coaching from HYA offer boards of education the chance to conduct self-assessments and establish how the Board of Education and Superintendent are operating as a team.
The Need for a “Time Out”
Successful youth sports teams take time to bond, whether through a picnic in the park or an ice cream cone after a game. Similarly, take time to bond as a board and administrative team. While ensuring that appropriate guidelines are followed, consider taking time to gather outside of the Board Room.
The Center on Public Education’s research shows that boards engaging in team development and training, often with their superintendents, are more effective in supporting student achievement. This summer, don’t hesitate to take a “time out” for team-building activities.
Summer can be busy, but incorporating board development into your regular meetings can have a significant impact. Contact Linda at lindarichards@hyasearch.com to learn more about using self-assessments and enhancing your board’s effectiveness.
