Strengthening Christian Schools Conference
November 7 and 8, 2013
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World
Religion (Place of Christianity and churches)
Economics, health care, financial
sustainability strategies
Pensions, social security, housing, health care
Expectations, regulations, law suits
Technology, social media
Home education, charter schools, online,
Church and community support for Christian
schools
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Fight the change: Try to protect, preserve, and ensure
school will not falter
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Board to take more control by dealing with
more day-to-day issues
b
Appoint more committees to study an issue before
taking action.
c
Don’t make constituency unhappy
d
If a crisis comes, then we will react
Don’t fight the change: Get in the game:
a
Concede to changes and expectations in religion
and culture in order to stay competitive with other
organizations in this industry
b
Let’s get professional and run this organization like
a business (ensure successful finances, image, and
promotion)
Manage change by advancing toward a clear mission with
vision, unity, and accountability
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What is governance?
Traditional governance model
Carver governance model
Mission-Directed Governance model
Where are we headed?
Developing the Mission Statement
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Purpose of Policies
Management policy topics:
◦ Building and grounds
◦ Finance
◦ Employee
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Curriculum policy topics:
• Expectations of curriculum to advance mission
• How to develop curriculum
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Governance policy topics:
◦ Role of board and Association/Society
◦ Minimum criteria for board members
◦ How to get issue on board agenda
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How will board know what’s going on?
◦ Calendar and general school information: report
◦ Reports on evaluation of present programs
◦ Measure what is important
 Student learning
 School as provider of education
 Measurement report
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School advancement
◦ Leadership projects
◦ Leadership reports
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Evaluation of superintendent
How to begin adopting Mission-Directed
Governance model
The governance system is the organizational framework that:
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Defines the roles of the board, the superintendent, and the
ownership group (church/Association/Society)
Clarifies for each the role and limits of their responsibility,
authority, participation in decision-making, and their
accountability.
Provides the reins for control and assigns who is empowered to
determine the direction and operational practices
Determines the process of decision making
Develops criteria to sort which issues the organization will
consider as well as the process by which the organization can
anticipate, evaluate, discuss, and resolve those issues.
Determines whether organization focuses on mission
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A clearly written philosophy and mission
Focuses the organization’s attention and energies on advancing
the mission
Identifies, protects, and promotes the organization’s core values
Provides an orderly process for decision making by specifying
roles of authority
Provides an organizational structure that promotes stewardship,
efficiency, financial stability, and strategic planning
Includes a process for all employees to understand and
contribute to the mission
Provides criteria and the means to measure progress
Ensures accountability of all with identified responsibilities,
limits of authority, and criteria
Enjoys a confident and supportive relationship between the
board, ownership group, superintendent, and employees
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Traditional
Governance-by-policy (Carver)
Mission-Directed
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Board representatives of homogeneous community
Operates informally by assumption, tradition, and personality
Mission is a theme
Board rarely gives leadership; board is passive final filter
- Board agenda, organizational direction, and priority of
issues is determined by independent Standing
Committees, and by disruptive and distracting round table
- The organization concentrates on agenda by problem
identification (not advancement toward a mission)
- Board permits or denies recommendations
Culture of “Let’s not make a mistake; don’t make constituency
unhappy”
Board and committees make administrative decisions
Superintendent manages and carries out most decisions
No predictable, criteria-based, or purposeful accountability
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Business model of Board that directs school
head (CEO) by policies
Business standards and measurement of
success
Consumer driven
Board is autonomous
◦ Divorced from community
◦ Divorced from philosophy and mission
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Mission is a theme
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Written Mission drives all aspects of organization
Ownership group authorizes board to govern on its
behalf (Constitution)
Board is unified central authority that directs by
policies, defined roles, expectations, limitations, and
goals
Superintendent is CEO with authority over all personnel
and operations to follow board policies and implement
board direction
Superintendent oversees ad hoc committees
Measurement of student learning and school provisions
Accountability
Unity regarding where the organization is going,
priorities, and how to get there.
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First: clearly defining the purpose and target of the
ministry (Mission statement)
◦ Do your students (teachers, parents, board members) know
why they are in a Christian school and what difference that
makes? (Education on purpose)
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Second: define non-negotiables
Ownership group controls mission and
non-negotiables by constitution
Conditional to serve on the board
Third: determine which governance system will most
effectively empower the organization to advance the
mission
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Philosophy
Non-negotiables
Mission
Core Curricular Principles
Curriculum formation
Extra-curricular
School operations and relationships
Testing and measurement
Advancing
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Defines purpose of the ministry
Education on purpose!
Why do you want to exist?
Who is your organization trying to serve?
(For faith-based non-profits) What services,
products, or results are you trying to provide
for your customer?
(For faith-based schools) What educational
results is your school trying to achieve for
your students?
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Mission drives characteristics of the
organization
Needs to drive formation of comprehensive
coordinated programs
Needs to drive and focus organizational
operations, procedures, and facilities
Provides organizational culture, impact, and
expectations for guiding employee practices.
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Needs to provide basis of criteria for:
Evaluating the degree the organization is
achieving the mission
Evaluating present programs
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Provides basis for
Strategic planning
Priorities for advancement
Budget and resources (priorities, cuts,
inclusions)
The mission of Ontario Christian School is to
provide and promote a Biblically-based, quality
education that nurtures the children of
Christian parents to grow in God-centered
discipleship, equipped with vision,
understanding, discernment, and service in
order to renew all relationships and culture to
be under the authority of Jesus Christ
Recognizing God as the source of all truth,
wisdom, and knowledge, the mission of
Lansing Christian School is to partner with
Christian parents to educate children to be
followers of Jesus Christ equipped with
intellectual understanding, spiritual health,
social skills, and physical fitness in order to be
prepared to advance Christ’s kingdom by
worthily occupying their places in their
families, church, and society.
The mission of Community Christian College is
to provide a Biblically-based junior college
Christian education that nurtures students to
mature in God-centered whole-life discipleship
equipped with vision, understanding,
discernment, and service in order to bring all
relationships and culture under the authority of
Jesus Christ
The mission of Esther Educational Group, Inc.
is to promote a Biblically-based Christian
education by providing research, guidance, and
strategic planning to partnering churches,
educational and community development
organizations that nurture students to mature
in God-centered whole-life discipleship
equipped with vision, understanding,
discernment, and service in order to bring all
relationships and culture under the authority of
Jesus Christ.
The mission of NAME Church is to nurture its
members to be Biblically based loving and
obedient disciples of Jesus Christ who are
growing in worship, understanding, building
community, spreading the Gospel, and serving
in order to renew all relationships and culture
to be under the authority of Jesus Christ
The mission of Inland Christian Home is to
provide for seniors, quality, affordable, multilevel community living with personalized
participatory opportunities that promote
Christian growth with social, mental, and
physical well-being
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Determine (3?) characteristics that the school
refuses to change
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Clear unified and consistent understanding of
purpose, expectations, and operations
(policies)
Board and administrator have accurate and
necessary information (Measure/Reports)
Focus on advancing the school (Mission)
Unity of direction and priority
Accountability
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A board policy is a board directive that
states “this is what and or how the board
wants a decision to be made or a task to be
accomplished for all eternity in all
circumstances.” If there appears to be a need
to do things differently, the person carrying
out the action may seek the permission of the
board. Only the board as a whole can make
an exception or change the policy.
Policies are not a compilation of previous
board decisions lost in board minutes
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1 Little chance of developing new ideas to expand school ministry
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Agenda is based on problem identification
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If new idea
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Result
◦ Designed to protect and preserve
◦ very difficult to think long-range
◦ At beginning of year, members asked “What do we want to work on this year?”
◦ Take one or two that can be accomplished that year (so can’t really be long term.
◦ Little opportunity to brainstorm and plan what the school can do to advance its
mission in times of change. (Not concentrating on how to advance the ministry and
develop opportunity, even if no problem)
◦ Usually must be able to be implemented in eight months
◦ If objection (risky, philosophical, would be political objections by parents, or faculty)
then postponed (killed)
◦ Approval if no objection, not if it advances the mission
◦ Approval of new ideas limited to Building, technology
◦ Committee really in charge, not board:
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Board becomes rubber stamp as issue is public and unless grave concerns, board must
approve. So real power is committee.
No accountability (Who responsible if education so poor that students can’t read?)
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Helps the organization to be well organized and managed, and
brings consistency
Board, administrator, employees can predict what is expected.
a
superintendent and others know what to do in the
designated circumstances and prevents impulse decision in
reaction to events
b
This allows for the superintendent to take immediate
action, rather than wait until committee or board meeting
c
This avoids politics of people depending on who is on
board or who is employee or donor (Board plays favorites.
Board doesn’t like me)
Good policies prevent problems and misunderstandings
Good policies protect the superintendent and organization
a
from the public (media and lawsuits)
b
from second guessing by board member.
Good policies bring accountability. The more precise the policy,
the more clear is the accountability.
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School management
• Directs superintendent on expectations of routine
management issues
• Eliminate most board standing committees
• Establish written policies
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Student learning
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Governance
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Superintendent will produce more detailed
“Administrative policies” for employees and families
that are designed to carry out board policies
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Health, safety, cleanliness
Technology
Records keeping
Maintenance
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Family qualifications (religious, financial)
Student qualifications (academic, behavioral?)
Require parent to attend school philosophy
presentation
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Qualifications and conditions for employment
(Christian, certified, send eligible children to
school)
Hiring policies and reasons may not hire
Termination
Employee classifications
Salaries and benefits
Employee evaluation
Grievance procedure
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Financial records
Insurance
Investments
Process of budget formation
Tuition schedule
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Volunteers
Counseling
◦ Academic
◦ Relationship
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Student discipline
Auxiliary supporting organizations
Development and fund-raising
Relationships with churches, government,
and community
Promotion
The mission of Ontario Christian School is to
provide and promote a Biblically-based, quality
education that nurtures the children of
Christian parents to grow in God-centered
discipleship, equipped with vision,
understanding, discernment, and service in
order to renew all relationships and culture to
be under the authority of Jesus Christ
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Board responsible for student learning; not left to individual teacher
Do your students (teachers, parents, board members) know why they are
in a Christian school and what difference that makes? (Education on
purpose)
Academic subjects meet Core Curricular Principles
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Vision
Understanding
Discernment
Service
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Each academic department develops statement of philosophy and central
components of how it advances the school’s mission
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Curricular mapping (Whole school scope and sequence)
Ontario Christian School
Curriculum Development Model
The mission of Ontario Christian School is to provide and promote a Biblically based quality education that nurtures the
children of Christian parents to grow in God-centered discipleship, equipped with vision, understanding, discernment, and
service in order to renew all relationships and culture to be under the authority of Jesus Christ.
Vision, Wisdom,
Discernment, Service
Reformed/
Presbyterian
Theology
School
Philosophy
Mission
Goals for
Student
Learning
Textbooks, Field Trips, etc.
Curricular
Strands
Department
Philosophy
and Goals
Core Curricular Principles
Academic Discipleship
Leadership Community Living
Service-Learning Technology
Scope and
Sequence,
Objectives
of Courses
Lesson Plans
and
Teaching
Strategies
Resources
Testing
Curriclum
Mapping
ITBS, SAT, ACT, CCP, etc.
Evaluation
of
Curriculum
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Discipleship curriculum strands
• Leadership training and tools for change (eg,
Robert’s Rules of Order) (on student transcript)
• Service-learning
• Living in community (conflict resolution, student
discipline)
• Training in technology (including one-on-one
laptops)
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Course examples
• Christian leadership
• Social justice
• Business enterprise
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Full-time school
Personalized education (home education
options and online options)
Dual enrollment credit with colleges
International student program
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Clubs, organizations
◦ Kiwanis Key Club
◦ Mock Trial
◦ International Club
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Athletics
Experiences and field trips
Partnering with public elementary school
Service days
Discipleship mentoring with church and home
Parent/student discussion at dinner
Partner with international school
Policies that state how board defines its own
organization, powers, limitations, and processes
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Board always operates as board-as-a-whole, with no
authority as individual board members
Limited board standing committees (defined by
policy) for ensuring superintendent on task and
conforming to policies. Committees are not for
decision-making
List Board member qualifications and requirements
Policies regarding board/superintendent relationship
Policies defining Board/staff relationships
Policies as to how board members get something on
board agenda (not round table)
302.7.1
302.7.2
302.7.3
302.7.4
302.7.5
All board members must have a clear testimony of personal faith in Jesus
Christ as their only Savior and Lord and shall personally believe, adhere to,
and support the infallible and inerrant Word of God and is personally committed to
Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord
Is actively involved in and regularly attends a local church that adheres to all articles of
the Apostles’, Athanasian, and Nicene Creeds.
All board members shall exhibit a lifestyle consistent with that confession, and
is not participating in practices that would be considered illegal, or considered
by the Lansing Christian School as immoral or inconsistent with a positive
Christian lifestyle such as cohabitating without marriage or in a homosexual
relationship.
Subscribes and promotes the mission, purposes, and programs that cause
Lansing Christian School to continue to pursue a Biblical world-view
Is a member of the Association of Lansing Christian School unless granted an
exception by the Board.
302.7.6
Enrolls all children who qualify, to attend Lansing Christian. The School Board
may approve an exception to this policy under special situations.
302.7.7 Gives signed agreement to the Lansing Christian School Board Member Code
of Commitment and Ethics.
302.7.8 Does not have a conflict of interest with members of the school as an
employee or a near relative of an employee or near relative or a board member
302.7.8.1 A near relative is defined as having a connection between persons by blood,
marriage, adoption, domestic partnership, or other close personal relationship
including cohabitation.
302.7.9 Is not an employee of Lansing Christian School (except in a part-time
supplemental role such an occasional substitute teacher or coach.
302.7.10 Is not a near relative of a board member with whom there would be
overlapping term of service.
302.4.7
The annual agenda will include opportunities
for board members to submit suggestions for
items to be included on the annual board
agenda.
302.4.7.1
The Executive Committee is to consider
board member suggestions for the board
agenda and to prepare a tentative agenda
for the following year’s meetings. The chair
will determine the agenda for any particular
meeting, including emergency issues.
302.4.7.2
Any board member desiring to recommend
any additional matter for board discussion
will advise the chair of such matter at least
ten (10) days prior to the scheduled board
meeting.
Needed information
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What’s going on?
Present program evaluation
Measured benchmarks
• Student learning
• School learning community
Superintendent submits monthly:
General Information Report
405.2.1 General calendar of current and anticipated events
405.2.2 Issues of interest regarding general organizational
planning, for example, program development, staff
workshops, budget, hiring employees, student
recruitment efforts, and development efforts
405.2.3 Let the board be aware of relevant trends and
anticipation of significant additional or changes in
organizational programs or personnel
405.2.4 Whether the superintendent or board has been out
of compliance with any board policy
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What programs does the school have, why,
and are they producing the right results?
Board determines which programs it would
like the superintendent to report on
Superintendent may have suggestions as well
Superintendent presents evaluation of existing programs
The Program Evaluation Report includes
 purpose for the report and brief purpose and history of the
program
 germane board policies
 What is purpose of the program and how is it advancing the
mission
 evaluation of the program
◦ with appropriate results of strengths and weaknesses
◦ What is the relationship between results and programs? Costs?
Participants?
◦ Is there a need to explore whether there are there better ways? (Not just
identify present problems)
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recommendation for changes in the program or for board
policies.
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Anecdotal (Single story or pattern)
Interesting stories used for school newsletter
Small number can be out of balance
Often political as “who” is important
Concentrates on problems and complaints
Incident done when person satisfied
Little accountability as very difficult to give praise
Measure
Better grasp whether big or little situation
More objective and impersonal
Better grasp of strengths and weaknesses
Can target goals for improvement (Priorities)
Can determine when improved
Better advance even if not a problem (prevention)
Allows accountability (praise as well as correction)
Provides public relations opportunities with positive data
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Measure impact on student learning
• Academic progress
• Core Curricular Principles
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Measure indicators of learning community
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Admissions and composition of school
Student discipline
Programs for students with learning differences
Before and After-school care
Food and nutrition
Crisis management plan
Superintendent
Measurement Report:
The superintendent is to submit a written
report at a time designated by the board on the
results to each of the benchmarks and
standards identified in board policies
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Board has information
◦ General school information
◦ Measurement reports
◦ Program evaluation reports
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Use information to advance the school toward
the mission
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Clear mission as target
Confidence in operations so board not directly
involved in daily decisions
Board has the right and complete information
Unity of vision and priorities with agreement
before assignment and implementation
Develop a long-range strategic plan
Board agreed upon steps
Plan budget with resources of people, finances,
and time
Hold accountable for advancing
The board determines with the superintendent 3 – 6
Leadership Projects the superintendent is to
accomplish during the next year.
 The superintendent may recommend items to be
included on the list.
 these are projects meant to advance the organization
toward the mission and strategic plan
 This list can include items that may take several years
to complete
This discussion is normally placed on the board agenda
after the measurement reports have been submitted by
the superintendent and reviewed by the board
At the time designated by board policy, the
superintendent submits to the board a written
summary on the progress or completion of
each of the Leadership Projects
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Leads with vision and entrepreneurship
Team and community builder
Organization and management
Program evaluation
Meet board measured standards
Advances goals and priorities
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At the time designated by board policy, the superintendent submits his or her own
written evaluation on the completion or progress on the Leadership Projects,
additional projects or circumstances, a listing of Program Evaluation Reports
previously submitted, and compliance to policies and limitations
The first component is maintaining sound management of the employees,
residents, and constituents, operations, finances, and facilities, as assessed by
board policies regarding measurement standards
The second component is the quality, number, and results of Program Evaluation
Reports.
The third component is the progress or completion of Leadership Projects
determined by the board.
The fourth component is, if determined by the board, considering observations
regarding the superintendent ‘s performance by employees, resident’s or other
constituents.
The fifth component may be board assessment of superintendent performance
and compliance by directly inspecting reports, documents, activities or
circumstances or indirectly by appointing an independent auditor, inspector,
judge or certifying organization that reports directly to the board.
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A Encourage your superintendent
◦ May include money, but consid3er other
encouragements
◦ Think of spouse and children
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B
Acknowledge hidden stress
◦ alone as always in role
◦ reluctant to share too much or take a strong stand
(not dodging, but experience says private
conversations will become public and circumstances
may change, don’t get burned)
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C Working toward improvement
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Board agrees on approach to begin process
a
Agree to focus on mission
b
Agree on role of board
c
Agree on role of superintendent
d
Agree to operate by policies
Begin developing Board Policy Handbook
a
Agree on Mission Statement
b
Develop Measurement policies
Agree on board agenda
a
Format and content
b
Arrange board agenda time to develop agenda
issues and Program Evaluation Reports for next six
months
c
Eliminate round table
Begin superintendent Program Evaluation Reports
Begin identifying Leadership Projects
Form written policies for Board Policy Handbook
a
former committee for categories
b
board operations
Mission-Directed Governance: Leading the
Christian School with Vision, Unity, and
Accountability
By Leonard Stob