COURSE OUTLINE
Block A Workshop - Modules 1-3:
The Why, What and How of School Boards
A
one-day interactive workshop-style session that:
a) Overviews different models of
schools and school boards, exploring the difference for the principal between
serving to a fiduciary board of a standalone schools and those within groups or
systems operating with an advisory board and a higher level fiduciary board,
CEO or other structure;
b) Examines community expectations and
charitable not-for-profit governance standards and obligations imposed on
schools, and so their boards, as registered charities;
c) Explains the legal framework for
schools and how it drives the behaviour of board members given the legal duties
and responsibilities resting on them;
d) Explores how internal board
dynamics, and resulting board/principal dynamics, plays a vital part in how
school boards tick; and
e) Pulls all of this together through the updated
interactive St Agonies Case Study and leaves the participants with a group
exercise to complete in teams after the workshop – reviewing and comparing
different school systems of which the participants are a part and how it
impacts on the principal’s role.
Block A Online Tutorial:
This is a follow up one-hour web-based tutorial
held 4 weeks after the completion of Block A to review and discuss the outcomes
of the team activity that follows Block A. Participants submit the completed
written group exercise to the facilitator prior to the tutorial.
Block
B Workshop - Modules 4-6: Getting Under the Bonnet: Technical Skills for Heads
A
one-day interactive workshop-style session that continues the St Agonies Case
Study and uses it to explore and provide entry level skills development and
establishment of a skills development plan for each participant in relation to:
f)
the financial skills necessary for a school principal to develop to
enable them to develop a strong relationship with the finance function of the
school through supporting the CFO/Business Manager and to interact in a
meaningful way with the school board and its finance committee and chair;
g) the persuasive writing skills
needed for the important matter of reporting to boards and developing business
cases and papers for key board decisions, whilst developing an understanding of
what can/should be changed by the school principal and what can/should not in
existing reporting and business case templates;
h) the all-important matter of
building a healthy relationship between the board chair and the principal
(‘friendly but not friends’) including finishing with an interactive panel
discussion of 2-3 pairs of chairs and principals;
i)
leaves the participants with:
•
a
group exercise to complete in teams after the workshop – refining the outline
of a business case for a St Agonies major building program; and
•
an
individual exercise to complete in teams after the workshop – developing an
individual development plan for further honing the skills acquired and explored
during the Block A and Block B workshops.
Block B Online Tutorial:
This is a follow up one-hour web-based tutorial
held 4 weeks after the completion of Block B to review and discuss the outcomes
of the team activity that follows Block A. Participants submit the completed
written group exercise and individual development plans to the facilitator
prior to the tutorial.