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Micromanagement during a difficult time is an almost irresistible urge. We all believe it is wrong, except when we are the micromanager. When we are the micromanager, we tell ourselves, “This is the one time when it is justified.” Regardless of how much one feels it is justified, it is still uncomfortable for the person who is being micromanaged. [...]  What happens when a board member retires? To some you express your gratitude. The majority, however, are a lamentable loss. They were good folks with good ideas. They brought in other supporters. They were active volunteers. They moved mountains when most people felt like the mountain had fallen on them. [...] The obvious answer to the question “Who is on your baord?” is to show someone a list of the elected members. As the saying goes, “On paper that is true.” However, is that the way the board acts? [...] In a few weeks, new members will be joining parochial school boards all across the country. Some of the new members will go on to have a great experience, others will quit during the first year. There are many factors, which determine the outcome. How the new board member is received is one. [...] The end of the school year is here. There is a rush to complete dozens of projects. Students, teachers, and the administration all have several projects that must end in a few weeks. The opposite is true for the board. [...] Every parochial school has the potential to be operating at capacity. There are more than enough children in every neighborhood. Every community has more than enough money to scholarship the students with needs. The reality is that most Christian schools are operating below capacity. They have very little community support. Children walk past them daily [...] Periodically Christian schools struggle with financial problems. There are many reasons. A common symptom is the lack of money. However, the real reason might be donor engagement or declining enrollment. Those problems arose a few years ago but this is the first year for a budget deficit. It may appear to some on the board that the deficit is due to overspending rather than a lack of income. [...] Everybody wants an engaged board. The engaged boards are the high performance boards. How do you create an engaged board? Before we tackle that question perhaps, it would be good to define what an engaged board looks like. Every board member … [...] How do you know if the board meetings are effective? The ultimate measure is the success of the parochial school. When the students are growing and changing, enrollment is increasing, donors are more generous, and the year-end report shows a modest surplus, it is easy to conclude that the board is effective. Is there a way to evaluate effectiveness between annual reports? [...] We believe that the majority of the parochial schools across the country are struggling. By our definition, a school is struggling if enrollment has declined for the past three or more years. Fundraising is stagnate or declining. It has had an operating loss for two or more years. In short, the longevity of the school is in doubt. [...] |
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