Board members and administrators learn about ethics and Key Work of School Boards

More than 40 school board members and administrators in Northwest Arkansas received professional development on the topics of ethics and The Key Work of School Boards on May 29 (please click here to view a photo gallery of the event). Kristen Gould, staff attorney for the Arkansas School Boards Association (ASBA), led the discussion about the eight components of The Key Work of School Boards and described how all are interrelated within a systems approach. She described Key Work as a continuous cycle that focuses on student achievement and helps a school board maintain that focus through its policy development and allocation of resources. Gould emphasized the premise of Key Work is to help a district:

• develop a vision
• set standards for what students need to know and be able to do
• assess progress toward meeting the standards
• be accountable for achieving the vision
• align resources to meet the standards and achieve the vision
• build a safe and positive teaching and learning school/district climate
• collaborate with others in the process, and
• improve the work of the board continuously through self-evaluation and professional development

Gould discussed board self-evaluation and how this process can help a school board function in a more cohesive and productive manner. Horace Smith, ASBA training and development director, designed a pilot board self-evaluation tool that Gould administered to attendees. The results will help ASBA tailor the self-evaluation for presentation in the future to boards throughout the state.

A number of board members and administrators requested copies of the pilot self-evaluation. They expressed a desire to use some of the self-evaluation questions at future board meetings to initiate conversation for board improvement. One administrator wants to use the self-evaluation tool with his staff. Smith acknowledges that the pilot self-evaluation tool is a work in progress and will be revised in coming weeks, but he will, upon request, provide a copy of it now to those interested. To receive a copy of the pilot self-evaluation tool, please e-mail Smith at hsmith@arsba.org.

Copies of Gould’s PowerPoint presentations are available here:

The Key Work of School Boards/Board Self-Evaluation PowerPoint

Ethics for School Leaders PowerPoint

View a photo gallery of the event