A Practical Guide To Effective School Board Meetings

Now superintendents can turn board meetings into productive, results-getting events that help them focus on teaching and learning to achieve district goals.

The go-to resource for school board members’ greatest challenges! This invaluable guide addresses the top challenges experienced by nearly every school board, and shows how professional learning can support positive change throughout a school system. Effective for individual study or group learning, this resource helps board members to: Learn from case studies focused on 12 critical board-level decisions, including hiring a new superintendent, resource allocation, compensation planning, and more Know when, where, and how to use professional learning to improve individual and districtwide performance Benefit from best practices and tools developed to support effective decisions and successful implementation of major initiatives

This manual, published by the Illinois Association of School Boards, was designed to be used as a teaching tool and reference source for overseeing effective school maintenance. Section 1 describes the basics of good school maintenance, including managing the program, using computers, controlling energy costs, ensuring safe practices, designing buildings for efficient maintenance, and being informed about environmental issues. Section 2 details guidelines for operating cleaning and general building services, such as custodial operations, area cleaning programs, and equipment and supplies. A custodian's glossary is included. The third section provides guidelines for building maintenance, specifically, caring for the exterior and roof. Procedures for maintaining school grounds are detailed in the fourth section. The fifth section describes the maintenance of mechanical equipment, including heating and air conditioning systems, sanitary systems and fixtures, sewage treatment plants, and electrical systems. A management tools appendix contains a list of environmental resources; sections on cleaning and general building services, grounds maintenance, and mechanical equipment; and annual inspection checklists. (LMI)

This guide to effective school board service is a "how-to" manual for school board members. The objective of the book is to condense the time board members need to become more effective school leaders, but it also contains information and advice intended to be helpful to experienced board members. Consisting of 17 chapters, the book is based on personal interviews with and surveys of school board members and school administrators. Included are many checklists, helpful hints, and illustrations designed for easy reading and understanding. The 17 chapters discuss getting on board, learning boardsmanship, board meetings, exercising board leadership, the board as decision maker, and boards and superintendents. Also covered are the board and the district staff, school boards and collective bargaining, the fundamentals of school finance, curriculum, and other matters (including transportation, food services, insurance, declining enrollment, use of facilities, and student discipline). The last three chapters discuss communication techniques, politics and the political process, and a board member's personal life (including time management, stress, and the benefits of board membership). (Author/JM)

Meetings are the glue that holds early childhood organizations together. Whether it's a weekly staff meeting, a monthly parent meeting, or an annual board meeting, administrators rely on meetings as the primary vehicle for communicating information, identifying and solving problems, and making new decisions and modifying old one. There is no avoiding it, skill in facilitating meetings is essential for effective program management. This book is filled with practical tips and techniques to help early childhood directors lead more engaging and productive meetings. Making the Most of Meetings will help you craft a well-designed agenda; engage participants in lively, substantive discussions; increase interpersonal understanding; solve problems in a collegial way; build a more productive work team; and increase shared commitment to your center's goals.

The Essential School Board Book highlights effective practices that are common to high-functioning boards around the country--boards that are working successfully with their superintendents and communities to improve teaching and learning.

You don't need a tweed jacket to be a researcher—in thousands of schools across North America, practising teachers conduct studies on best practices, alternative approaches, and effective learning strategies. Classroom teachers have experiences and opportunities unavailable to researchers in a university setting, and action research—site-based, teacher-conducted research—can have a valuable impact on the educational community. Yet many teachers don't see their work as real research, and many other teachers have great ideas for research projects but don't know where to begin. For these teachers, Engaging in Action Research demystifies the world of educational research and provides support, guidance, and encouragement. From creating a research plan to reporting findings, this book provides step-by-step instructions to help teachers conduct research projects in the classroom, using strategies that work. Get ready to investigate, analyze, and share!