PTA Representative on
Board
Fred Wesson
9 November 2001
________________________________________________________________
Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2001 08:20:15 +0200
Sender: Headmasters List at International Schools <HEAD-NET@TC.UMN.EDU>
From: Fred Wesson <fwesson@aisb.ro>
Subject: PTO/PTA board vote
Dear Colleagues,
Thank you to the almost 60 of you who responded to my survey. The summary: approximately 1 in 5 international schools have the PTO/PTA representative on the board of directors as a voting member.
There were some comments from some of the schools that had a voting PTO/PTA rep that this had proven to be problematic, and there were a number of comments from others who felt that allowing the PTO/PTA rep a vote would be a big mistake.
As there are a significant number of schools who do allow a
vote to the PTO/PTA, this topic might be a good one for follow up research. I
could certainly use more than anecdotal evidence here in
If any of you knows of such research already out there somewhere, please let me know!
Cheers, Fred
Fred Wesson, Director
<fwesson@aisb.ro>
voice: 40-1-211-0102(03)
fax: 40-1-211-0104
Date: Mon, 4 Jun 2001 08:21:11 –0500
Sender: Headmasters List at International Schools <HEAD-NET@TC.UMN.EDU>
From: Elizabeth Huergo <ehuergo@MAIL.AIM-NET.MX>
Subject: Board Quickie Responses
To: HEAD-NET@TC.UMN.EDU
Dear All,
Thank you SO VERY MUCH for your responses. It sure gave me a good
picture of what is going on in Boards at American/International schools.
I received 50 responses, with the following breakdown:
27 schools do not have the PTO president on their Board at all
16 schools do have the PTO president on their Board in an ex-officio capacity
6 schools do have the PTO president on their Board with full voting
privileges
1 school is changing its Board's by-laws: the PTO President had full-voting
privileges and now will be on the Board in an ex-officio capacity
Thank God for Headnet!
Have a great summer.
Beth Huergo
Director
American Institute of
Board Recruitment
http://www.isacs.org/monographs/monographs/AIMSparents2.pdf
Many independent school board members consider placement on the Nominating
Committee somewhere on the power and
prestige chart just below relegation to the clean-up detail for the annual
auction. ISACS contends that the Committee on
Trustees (a.k.a. Nominating Committee) is the single most important of all
board committees, based on the premise that a
school's future is only secure to the extent that its board is strong. No
job is more important than the recruitment, on-going
education, and annual evaluation of the board, all orchestrated by the
Committee on Trustees.
Regarding the recruitment process, ISACS would note the following points:
Current Parents: There is sometimes an inverse relationship between
the number of current parents on a board and
both the stability and fund-raising capability of a board: i.e.,
those schools with a majority of non-current parents
on the board often seem to reap a greater harvest, without suffering
as much tumult, as those boards with a
majority of current parents. (ISACS average board membership = 45%
current parents.)
Membership on the Committee on Trustees: board chair, past chair,
vice-chair (heir apparent), head of school, plus
any other key trustees.
Profiling: The typical screening process involves identifying
strategic needs of the board and school, soliciting
nominees from the board in general and other constituents, then
discussing the natural "matches." For example, a
school beginning master planning for campus renovation or expansion
might decide an architect, engineer, and or
contractor would be a beneficial ("strategic") addition to the
board; likewise, a marketing expert for a school
focusing on expanding outreach, etc.
Pool: Since current parents are already heavily invested in the
school, they represent a large and obvious pool for
board recruitment for a portion of the board. Successful and loyal
alumni represent a second obvious pool, often
providing much of the commitment and "long view" of the most
successful boards. If day schools were to follow
the boarding school model of meeting three times per year for two
days of meetings (rather than meeting
monthly), alumni who are dispersed geographically would become a
much more important segment of the pool.
The other natural allies include past parents and grandparents (some
of whom are retired executives with time,
expertise, and resources to bring to the table). Finally, "opinion
leaders" from outside the school's immediate
family are critical strategically for most boards and schools: these
are folks who typically are connected to current
constituents and are recruited by their contacts informally before
being approached by the Committee on Trustees.
Committee Appointments: In the most efficient and effective
recruitment models, board committees do much of
the significant work of the board and include non-board members with
expertise in the area of focus of the
committee. ISACS recommends that whenever possible, schools appoint
members to board committees first, as a
"try-out" system for later appointment to the board. No matter what
expertise and resources any individual may
have, if that individual is not a "team-player," appointment to the
board will be counterproductive: thus, work at the
committee level can either inspire a larger level of enthusiasm for
the school and willingness to go to the next level
(board membership) or can gracefully screen out potential rogue
elephants.
3 Rs vs. 3 Ws: The old adage for board recruitment was the 3 Ws: to
seek those with two of the 3 Ws of Work,
Wisdom, and Wealth. The problem with the old adage was that come
capital campaign time, too many board
members thought to themselves, "Thank God I was recruited for my
work and wisdom." The new adage is that we
need the 3 Rs: those who can (beyond their specific expertise)
contribute significantly in Raising students, Raising
image, and Raising money.
Trustee "Contract": Increasingly, the Committee on Trustees finds it
useful to stipulate in advance of a nomination
the expectations of trustees. The trustee contract should specify
attendance, participation, confidentiality, and
financial support expectations. It is ISACS' experience that
potential trustees appreciate knowing especially the
financial expectations in advance (e.g., "Our average trustee annual
giving gift is $2500 per year") of accepting a
position on the board and that boards appreciate those who, once
informed in advance, are ready to contribute
significantly their time and resources for the good of the order.
Bringing the right players to the table will guarantee the long-term
success of any operation.
Author: Patrick F. Bassett, Summer, '96.