Sadly, but unsurprisingly, I have never heard a teacher, parent or student in any school say “Our Board Chair is my superhero”.
It’s a pity because the research is very clear – there is no more important factor in the success of a school than the Board’s and its Chair’s performance, which may explain why staff and parents have such high expectations of the Chair of a School Board.
The role of the Board Chair varies from school to school according to the requirements and constraints of the school’s constitution. However, a sound job description for a Board Chair should read something like this:
The Chair of the Board will have general oversight of the operation of the Board of Governors and will have general charge of overseeing the execution of the Mission of the School and of the policies and programs adopted by the Board of Governors. Subject to the Board of Governors, the Chair of the Board will speak for the Board. The Chair of the Board will be an officer of the School and a member of the Board Executive Committee. The Chair of the Board will provide advice, guidance and support to the Head of School and work closely with the Head of School to identify issues, agendas and priorities for Board consideration and action. The Chair of the Board will provide oversight and direction to the School’s finances and resource management. The Chair of the Board will set the agenda for the Board meetings and preside over all meetings of the Board of Governors. Subject to the Board of Governors, the Chair of the Board may agree upon and execute all legal documents, bonds, contracts and other obligations in the name of the School, and will see that all orders and resolutions of the Board of Governors are carried into effect. The Chair of the Board will also have the usual powers and duties pertaining to the office, together with such other powers and duties as may be assigned by the Board of Governors, resolutions of the Board and/or the Board Charter.
In many ways, this formal description of the role and powers of the Board Chair doesn’t really do full justice to the role. The Chair must be knowledgeable about the school – not every tiny operational detail, but its mission, vision, values, and collective purpose as well as its programs, services, constituents, resources, and of course, its challenges. The Chair also needs to have a clear understanding of the school’s place in the larger framework of the community it seeks to serve and the still larger sphere of local and national peer organisations. A good board chair will listen to others, lead by example, and be a wise, calming voice in times of turmoil and crisis.
A good board chair is communicative, especially in maintaining frequent and regular contact with the Head of School (generally at least weekly). The Board Chair functions as an effective ‘go-between’ between the Board and the Head, including looking out for the welfare of the Head of School. Indeed, the Chair’s relationship with the Head of School is widely regarded as the single most important relationship in a school.
Most Board Chairs and Heads never struggle to find things to talk about, but a good starting point for a checklist might look something like this:
The board chair is somewhat like the conductor of a fine orchestra, ensuring that the disparate and diverse elements of the board (its members) are playing the same tune at the same time towards the same end point. Although some board chairs have full control over the composition of the board’s membership, most do not, and thus conducting the orchestra first requires the Chair to get to know the members of the orchestra and earn their respect. This process requires diplomatic and empathetic leadership, ideally arranging scheduled conversations from time to time over a coffee (or less ideally, catching up with a board member for a quick chat when the board meeting adjourns for a 5-minute toilet break).
Conversations between the Board Chair and other members of the Board might fruitfully cover points such as:
In addition to informal ‘catch up’ conversations, it is important that all board members, including the Chair, are regularly and independently evaluated, and if required, counselled and admonished – while also feeling appreciated and valued of course.
Overall, I think the most important advice I can offer a School Board Chair would be to lead with integrity, listen with intent, and never lose sight of the students. Your role is much more than running meetings or managing policies. It is about setting the tone for school-wide collaboration, ensuring every voice is heard, and keeping the board focused on what truly matters most, which is the success and well-being of the students. It isn’t always easy, but I encourage Board Chairs to remain neutral but decisive, build strong relationships with your Principal and fellow board members, and remember that transparency builds trust. Finally, and perhaps inevitably, embrace the chaos, because in school governance, there is no such thing as a dull moment.
In the grand symphony of the ‘school governance orchestra’, the Chair of the board is not merely waving a baton; the Chair is conducting a full and sometimes discordant orchestra of opinions, policies, and the occasional off-key controversy. Blending diplomacy with energetic decisiveness like the true superhero shown at the top of this article, Board Chairs navigate the fine balance between visionary leadership and not-so-glamorous budget spreadsheets, all the time striving to maintain a calm voice and a straight face during particularly passionate board discussions. It is a role that demands patience, resilience, diplomacy, experience, and above all a deep love for young people and their educational formation. We know this because no-one would ever agree to join a school board on the basis of the quality of the coffee or take-away meals that are usually served at meetings.
So, to all the School Board Chairs who are reading this – may your meetings be productive, may your board-related e-mails be few, may your personal relationships survive your board service, and may your idealism and sense of humour remain firmly intact.
- Dr Stephen Codrington
Footnote: one final comment should be made regarding the title of the role. Throughout this article I have used the word “Chair”, which for some people equates to an item of furniture. Many traditionalists prefer “Chairman”, which was used for centuries for both men and women. In recent decades, however, the word “Chairman” has increasingly been viewed as antiquated and sexist, leading to the rise of neologisms such as “Chairperson”, and less frequently, “Chairwoman”. The term “Chairman” dates back to the mid-1600s, at which time the “man” component of the title was known to derive not from the masculine gender but from the Old English word “mangere”, meaning “one who manages things” (as in manage a meeting or a shop). The “chair” component of “chairman” therefore pointed to authority, so “Chairman” meant “the person who manages authority” – nothing to do with gender. Despite the historical inaccuracy of linking “Chairman” with masculinity, I’m happy to stay with the term “Chair” for the very practical reason that it has now become, for better or worse, the most commonly used title.
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