School board governance

School Boards govern through Policy Governance or Coherent Governance.  The Coherent Governance framework manages by providing clarity to the roles of the superintendent and the board.  Coherent Governance has a clear vision for the district and expects the superintendent to manage the day to day operations for the district.  In the Coherent Governance framework, the superintendent assumes responsibility for employing, empowering, and developing the employees in the district.  

I had the opportunity recently to attend school board meetings in the neighboring communities of baraboo and Reedsburg. Both were very similar in their format and style, although the meeting in Baraboo had quite a bit more levity throughout the meeting. For example, it seemed as if there was greater rapport among the members of the board there, where members in Reedsburg were more formal throughout.

As a superintendent, within a Coherent Governance framework, I will provide leadership to the staff in working towards the district vision.   I will provide leadership and be responsible for establishing the expectations for district staff.  The principals and all staff will be responsible for developing the goals and action plans that are aligned with the district’s vision.  Professional development will be provided for staff that addresses the needs in the district based on data that is collected in the district.