Tips for School Board Members

This Tips book is about the human relations side of being a board member. In order to be effective as a school board member, you need the public, especially the parents, to support what you are doing. This Tips booklet contains the wisdom of the ages insofar as effective communication, attitude, and human relation skills are concerned related to dealing effectively with people, especially those who feel so strongly about any decision you make. Anything that affects a child will be monitored very carefully by the parents. If they feel offended or not listened to, they will rebel, consequently making your job very uncomfortable. While being a part of a board of education is a wonderful and satisfying avocation, it is also one that can be filled with challenges and frustrations. Almost every decision a board makes offends someone, even if the vast majority agrees. Mastering and implementing the tips will make your decisions more palatable to your community. I have no doubt that all boards of education have the greatest of intentions. They have an incredible responsibility to the children of the towns they represent. They put in an inordinate amount of time and energy into what they are charged to do. Having the support of the parents and teachers makes their jobs much easier and allows them to be more effective. Teamwork--between board members and residents--makes a difference, and board members can see that that happens. From my many years of public/private school and corporate training and board activity, I have found the following tips to be relevant for almost all situations dealing with adversarial issues and problems that invariably arise when dealing with the futures of children. Mastering the tips in this little book will greatly facilitate you in dealing with the parents. Highlight those tips you want to keep in the forefront of your mind. Enjoy your board experience. You will receive tremendous satisfaction from knowing you are in a position to make a difference in your community. New unique educational ideas and the individual perspectives of your peers, administrators, teachers, and parents, will provide you with the gift of never-ending fond memories.