Boston Arts Academy Board of Trustees Subcommittees: Definitions and Duties

The Boston Arts Academy (BAA) governing board, the board of trustees, has created a number of standing and ad hoc subcommittees. BAA has a large board compared to most Pilot Schools due to its unique history, mission, and dual curriculum. The list, which provides committees, purposes, and chair(s) of each committee (not listed here), outlines areas of work in which governing boards may engage. 

Standing Committees

Governing Council
Purpose: The governing council serves as the executive committee of the board of trustees.

Benefit Committee
Purpose: To assist in development and fundraising for the BAA Foundation, which must raise over one million dollars annually to drive and support the efforts of the school. This committee’s primary function is to plan and oversee the Annual Gala Benefit.

Finance Committee
Purpose: To provide oversight and review of BAA finances, prioritize short- and long-term funding needs, and develop fiscal-year budgets for presentation to the board for its review and approval. 

Leadership and Development Committee
Purpose: To seek and cultivate membership for BAA board of trustees and committees. To research and interview potential future board members and to present nominations to the full board for a vote. 

Ad hoc Committees

Community Relations
Purpose: To serve in an advisory role to the BAA administration by building a network that can formulate answers to the community concerns and issues that arise. 

Facilities Purpose:
To work with consultants and community members to oversee BAA’s spatial planning and facility needs study.
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Governing Board Survey

The following survey evaluates a Pilot School governing board in areas that are working well and areas that need to be addressed in terms of membership, roles, structures, and responsibilities. The survey can by used by the governing board to determine whether it has the capacity to evaluate the principal, or whether to consult with the deputy superintendent on the evaluation. Responses should be a majority of 1’s or “This is working well and in place.”  

  1. This is working well and in place.
  2. The board has a plan in place to address this.
  3. The board has not addressed this yet.

Areas

1/comment
(X)

2/comment
(X)

3/comment
(X)

Membership

1.  Board membership is in place and meetings take place on a regular basis (monthly, for example). 

2.  The board is equally representative of the school’s staff (including administrators), families, community members, and for high schools and some middle schools, students. At least four teachers are on the board. 

3.  The board has a role in the recruitment of new board members to ensure that all seats are filled. 

4.  There are clear procedures for election of board members and for appointment of community members. 

5.  The total number of board members is no less than 10 and no greater than 25.

Roles

 

 

 

1.  The board has a process for the orientation of new members.

2.  The board has a chairperson or cochairpersons. The chairperson is not the principal alone. 

3.  Board members attend meetings regularly and are active participants. 

4.  Rotating meeting facilitator and note-taker schedules are followed.   

5.  The board regularly communicates with the school community. For example, notes, meeting dates, and agendas are shared and posted publicly.   

6.  Board members work to create partnerships and leverage resources for the school.

Structures

 

 

 

1.  The board has a written and approved set of bylaws that outline the board’s membership, election procedures, terms of office, duties, officers, and number of meetings per year. 

2.  The bylaws include clear decision-making procedures (decisions are made by consensus or by vote, for example).

3.  There is a written and approved principal evaluation process in place.

4.  An election-to-work agreement exists for staff and includes a dispute resolution procedure. 

Responsibilities

 

 

 

1.  Board members support and maintain the mission of the school.   

2.  The board approves major initiatives of the school. 

3.  The board annually evaluates the principal or consults with the respective deputy superintendent on the evaluation, and sends the evaluation to the superintendent for final approval.

4.  The board annually approves the school budget.

5.  The board annually approves the election-to-work agreement and provides the agreement to the staff. 

6.  The board conducts an annual review of the school’s progress on student engagement and performance indicators and ensures that there is a plan to address gaps by race, income, and other areas. 

Guidelines for the Principal Evaluation Process

Below are recommended guidelines that Pilot governing boards should use in developing and approving their annual principal evaluation processes.

  1. Ensurethat there is a written and approved job description for the principal. Aswell, the board should annually work with the principal to agree on a setof three or four measurable goals to be accomplished, particular to theschool year. Every governing board should keep in mind that the currentsuperintendent has two ongoing goals that can be used as a touchstone:
  • To improve student achievement for all students;
  • To narrow the achievement gap for Black, Latino, English language learner, and low-income students

The mutually agreed upon goals should be accompanied by an agreement on the support the governing board will provide to the principal in accomplishing the goals, including using the deputy superintendents as a resource.

  1.  The annual evaluation should include collection of the following data
  • A self-evaluation or assessment by the principal of his/her performance in relation to the job description and annual goals.
  • Collection of other data, such as student, staff, and parent surveys; outcomes from student, staff, and parent focus groups; review of student engagement and performance data; review of the progress in meeting the annual expectations of the prior year.
    1. Thegoverning board should then analyze all collected data and synthesizefindings, producing a written document that includes commendations andrecommendations for improvement. This document should be reviewed with theprincipal, and a plan for addressing the recommendations and anyadditional support that is needed should be agreed on. Once completed, theevaluation summary should be submitted to the superintendent and theschool’s principal.
    1. Thesuperintendent shall acknowledge receipt of the annual evaluation to boththe governing board chairperson and the school’s principal.

    Role of the chairperson

    The role of the Pilot governing board chairperson is critical in the annual evaluation of the principal. It is the chairperson’s role to ensure that:

    • Thereis a written job description for the principal.
    • Thereis a written and approved policy for annual evaluation of the principal,as well as annual goals mutually agreed to with the principal.
    • Anevaluation subcommittee is formed in a timely fashion each year.
    • Theevaluation process is carried out in a timely manner and in accordancewith the board’s approved evaluation policy.
    • Theevaluation’s findings and recommendations are written up in a timelyfashion, approved by the entire board, and submitted on time to thesuperintendent.
    • The governing board’s evaluation subcommittee meets with the principal to review the findings and recommendations and to agree on next steps and future goals.
    New Mission High School Governing Board: Process for Evaluation of School Leaders

    The following evaluation process was developed by Dania Vazquez, CCE coach, with the New Mission High School governing board. The questions are aligned with the BPS “Expectations and Practices for School Leaders” and the Pilot Schools’ School Quality Review Process.   

    Overview
    1. Thegoverning board decides which members will conduct the review. Preferably,the personnel committee and the board chair will conduct the review. 
    1. Theprincipal writes a reflection.
    1. Thepersonnel committee and the board chair review the guiding questions. Eachteam member chooses an area of interest on which to interview staff,students, and community members.
    1. A dayis scheduled for board members to visit the school and conduct interviews,with an organized schedule given to staff and students in advance.Interviews should be limited to 30 minutes to allow time for board membersto capture notes and thoughts between meetings. A cross-section of staff,students, parents, and community members should be included in theinterviews. The BTU representative and the parent council representativeare also key school members to be included in this process. The groupshould meet with the principal at the end of the day and review thewritten reflections as well as pose any clarifying questions and sharesome preliminary impressions of the day.
    1. At theend of the day, the board members meet to debrief their impressions,interviews, and observations. As much as is possible, facts and opinionsneed to be sorted with supporting evidence and documentation. The boardchairperson is then responsible for writing the evaluation.
    1. Theboard chairperson should meet with the principal and share the formalwritten evaluation before sending this to the superintendent. At the subsequentboard meeting, the full board membership should also be apprised of theresult of the review.

    Guiding Questions for Evaluation of SchoolLeaders

    1.  School Mission/Philosophy
    • How isthe philosophy articulated internally in all the community; externally toothers?
    • Hasthe mission/philosophy changed this year? If so, how?
    • Doeseveryone in the community—students, parents, staff—understand thedirection of the school? How is this evident?
    • Whatparts of the mission are evident and to what degree? What parts are not?
    • Howdoes the leadership keep and model the vision?
    • Whatpartnerships have been established to support the mission?
    2.  Instructional Leadership

    Curriculum
    • What are the school’s goals for students?
    • What are the standards articulated to students, families, staff? How are thesearticulated?
    • How iseach core curriculum component being developed and implemented: math,science, literacy, social studies, foreign languages?
    • Howdoes the leadership ensure a coherent curriculum?
    • Howdoes the leadership ensure equitable and rigorous learning for allstudents?
    Assessment
    • Whatare the assessment practices and how do these support instruction?
    • How isstudent performance data used to inform practice?
    • Howare the students with special education needs supported throughinstructional practices?
    3.  Professional Development and Supervision
    • Whatare the on-site opportunities for staff?
    • Whatare the off-site opportunities for staff?
    • Howare professional development activities planned for and coordinated?
    • How dothe professional development opportunities for staff support the mission/philosophy of the school?
    • Howdoes the leadership promote effective instruction and high-quality work inall classrooms?
    • Howare new teachers oriented and supported?
    • How isthe work of staff and leadership assessed? How do staff members receivefeedback on their practice?
    4.  Families and Community Partnerships
    • Howdoes the leadership involve and work with families to improve studentoutcomes?
    • Howdoes the leadership work with community members and external partnershipsto forward the school mission and goals?
    5.   School Organization and Management
    • Howdoes the leadership organize the school day/week/year to support theachievement of teaching and learning goals?
    • Howare administrative duties and tasks handled?
    • How isthe overall scheduling of various components working?
    • Howare crisis situations addressed?
    • Howdoes the administrative team work? To forward the mission? To solveproblems?
    • Howdoes the budget support the school mission?
    6.  Leadership Practices and Governance
    • Whatare the leadership practices that establish the tone of the school?
    • Howdoes the leadership communicate with staff, families, and studentsconcerning instruction, practice, expectations, policies, and futureplanning?
    • Howare decisions made?
    • Whatgoverning bodies exist in the school and how do these work with the schoolleadership in shaping the school vision and direction?
    • Howhas the leadership worked with the governing board? What has beeneffective or not?
    • Howhas the leadership worked with district and union? What has been effectiveor not?
    Reflective Questions on Leadership
    • Whathave been the successes and challenges of this year?
    • Whatmight have you done differently this year? Why?
    • Whatwill you change for next year?
    • Whatwill you maintain/continue developing for next year?
    • Whathave you learned as a leader this year?
    • Whatsupports were most valuable for you as the school leader this year?
    • How will you nurture and sustain your work as school leader?

     
    Surveys of Principal Performance: Harbor School
    		  
     

    As part of its principal evaluation, the Harbor School governing board conducts surveys of staff, students, and families. Below is an excerpt of questions from the surveys developed by the governing board with Dawn Lewis, CCE coach. Responses include “usually,” “sometimes,” “rarely,” “don’t know,” or “doesn’t apply,” and room for comments accompanies each question and the overall surveys. 

    Staff Survey
    1. Exercises authority in a fair and consistent manner.
    2. Provides for meaningful staff involvement in school decisions.
    3. Maintains high standards for academic achievement.
    4. Maintains high standards for student behavior.
    5. Welcomes feedback from staff and families.
    6. Supervision and evaluation of staff is clearly outlined and implemented.
    7. Ensures that staff meetings are meaningful.
    8. Respects and adheres to negotiated contracts.
    9. Professional development for staff is relevant, meaningful, and well planned.
    10. I feel comfortable talking to the principal about a variety of issues or concerns.
    Student Survey
    1. Has clear and high expectations for keeping the school orderly and safe for students.
    2. Has clear and high expectations for academic achievement for every student.
    3. Involves students in some decisions at the school.
    4. Recognizes achievements and accomplishments of students.
    5. Is able to listen and be attentive to students’ concerns and needs.
    Parent Survey
    1. Is fair and consistent in making decisions.
    2. Has developed caring, supportive relationships with parents and families.
    3. Listens to parents’ and families’ suggestions and concerns.
    4. In what ways do you think the principal has been most successful in her/his position?
    5. In what ways could the principal improve in her/his position?
    		 
       
     
    		 
     
    Headmaster Evaluation Process: TechBoston Academy
    		  
     

    The TBA governing board developed the following headmaster evaluation process, including a timeline and tasks, with its CCE coach, Amy Bayer. 

    Between June and the end of September:

    • Set up governing board Headmaster Evaluation Committee to conduct the process.
    • With the headmaster, examine and, if needed, revise the headmaster job description.
    • With the headmaster, agree on a set of qualitative and quantitative goals grounded in the BPS’ “six essentials” described in the “Expectations and Practices for School Leaders,” as well as three or four personal goals offered by the headmaster that either emerged out of the previous year’s evaluation or represent areas of desired future growth.
    • With the headmaster, agree on a set of measurements and methods to track progress toward these goals. The data collection should include feedback from faculty, parents, students, and BPS personnel as well as numerical data such as attendance, MCAS scores, faculty turnover, etc.

    In October/November:

    • Discuss all of the above with the full governing board and advisory committee.
    • Talk with the cluster deputy superintendent to coordinate evaluative efforts.

    In December or January:

    • Evaluation committee conducts an initial data collection and site visit.
      • Spends a day at the school interviewing a representative cross-section of faculty, staff, parents, and students.
      • Headmaster creates an advance list of who will be interviewed in each 30-minute segment.
      • Debrief and then discuss with headmaster.
        • Conduct a staff and parent survey.
        • Review the tentative survey findings with the headmaster.
        • Report on that discussion to the governing board and advisory committee.
        • If significant performance issues have arisen, the appropriate deputy superintendent will be consulted.

    In April or May:

    • Headmaster writes a self-evaluation based on the goals.
    • Evaluation committee collects and examines the full year’s worth of data.
    • A draft evaluation is written by the evaluation committee and discussed with the headmaster.
    • A final draft is written by the evaluation committee, with the headmaster having the option of writing a personal statement, and then discussed with the entire governing board and advisory committee.

    In May or June:

    • The final evaluation is sent to the appropriate deputy superintendent.
    • The following year’s governing board Headmaster Evaluation Committee is appointed.
    		  
       
     
    		 
     
    Headmaster Evaluation Executive Summary: TechBoston Academy
    		 
     

    The following document is the evaluation summary and contract request/recommendation from the TechBoston Academy (TBA) headmaster evaluation in 2006. Subsequent evaluation sections (not included here) describe the evaluation process—which included staff, student, and parent surveys—TBA school goals, and in-depth analysis of each area of evaluation.

    In the context of Boston’s Public Schools, TBA is an outstanding performer. Attendance averages 94%, compared with the systemwide average of 82%. The [annual] dropout rate is 1%, compared with the systemwide average of 8%. MCAS results are particularly impressive, with 100% of the senior and junior class having passed. The percentage of graduating students going on to a two- or four-year college is 91%. In addition, the staff turnover rate is exceptionally low, with 90% of the faculty renewing their contracts.

    Some of this can be attributed to the “start-up effect” of being a new school with all the enthusiasm and visionary zeal that implies. The biggest test will be, of course, how the school performs five years from now when it has passed adolescence and moved into early adulthood. But there are lots of other new schools that haven’t done as well, which suggests that there is something—or several things—special happening at TBA.

    One of those special things is the headmaster, Mary Skipper. While the following evaluation points out areas that could be improved, overall our evaluation found Ms. Skipper to be an extraordinary leader with a powerful vision, a deep and inspirational bond with students and staff (and some parents), endless energy, and the entrepreneurial talent to effectively attract and deploy resources. As one student wrote, “She always pushes us to do our best, and makes sure that each and every one of us succeeds. And if somebody falls behind, she has ways of getting help for that student.” Or as a staff member wrote, “Mary is a dynamic leader who inspires her staff on a daily basis. Her passion and commitment for the school, teachers, and students command the same level of passion and commitment from others. It is clear that she cares deeply about our community, and this makes TBA a wonderful community to work and learn in.” Or as a parent wrote, “I don’t think she can get any better than what she is. She is a good headmaster and she should keep doing it.”

    The governing board of TBA, speaking for the entire community, considers itself incredibly fortunate to have Ms. Skipper at the head of our school. Given the several transitions that the BPS will be going through over the next several years, we request and recommend that she be made permanent and that her contract be renewed for the maximum three (3) years.

    		  
       
     
    		 
     
    Q & A with a TechBoston Academy Parent and Governing Board Member
    		  
     

    Florence Scott, parent of a 12th-grade student at TechBoston Academy, explains her experiences as a member of the governing board. 

    Q: What is the perspective you bring to the TBA board?

    A:Being on the TBA Board has been an education. My contribution on the board is to be present and available when needed and give my opinion…. I believe that all parents at TBA want to help, if they are asked. Hopefully, TBA will incorporate quarterly Saturdays for parents to volunteer at the school and for fundraising events. 

    As a parent of a TBA student, my daughter has grown into a loving, respectful young woman who cares about her school and peers. I really appreciate all the work the teachers at TBA invested into her education. I appreciate the leadership of the administration team. I truly appreciate the love and care that is given to the students at this school. My daughter comes home and tells me about her day and what she has learned. She doesn't come home talking about drama, who [is] selling drugs or who skips school or who had a fight. She comes home talking about her subjects, the highlight of the day, and her classmates and teachers. 

    Q: What successes and challenges has the board experienced?

    A:The board has faced incorporating and putting in place the principal evaluation, and setting up a calendar to address student achievement and the school mission and goals. Safety was also a factor that needed to be addressed. The board will address the library situation in order to create a more structured and fair environment for all three schools [in the Dorchester Education Complex]. The board has also had the challenge of recruiting individuals to be on the TBA board…. The board also conducted a survey for the staff and parents at TBA to find out what was working and what needed to be improved. When these items are presented, I am sure they will be addressed in a positive manner for the enhancement of TBA.

    Q: What key decisions have you been part of? What do you want to be part of in the future?

    A:One key decision was when the board voted to ask the superintendent to extend Ms. Skipper’s contract to three years at TBA. TBA needed to have the consistent leadership of Ms. Skipper in order to move to the next level of technology education. As far as the future, I would like to be a part of the interviewing process for any of the incoming staff.
    		  
       
     
    		 
     
    TechBoston Academy Governing Board “Issues Schedule”
    		  
     

    The following schedule was created by the TBA governing board with Amy Bayer, CCE coach. It shows the regular annual cycle of issues that need to be addressed by the board

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