November/December 2024

Cover Stories

• Taking Up the Threads of Governance

  By Theresa Kelly Gegen

  School board governance is “the process of overseeing the direction of a school district.” It’s both as simple as that, and way more than that.

• Weaving Principles with Practice

  By Theresa Kelly Gegen with IASB’s Directors of Outreach & Training

  Weave each Foundational Principle of Effective Governance with additional thoughts on each, as shared by the current Directors of Outreach & Training.

• Additional Resources for Governance Growth

  Provided by IASB

  IASB offers an array of governance resources for boards of education and individual board members.

Feature Articles

• Leading with Vision: Insights from Successful School Board Presidents

  By Kara Coglianese, Ed.D.

  For board members looking to excel in this significant role, valuable lessons can be learned from the experiences of successful school board presidents.

Regular Features

• Front Page

  By Theresa Kelly Gegen

  What does governance really mean? How do we go about it? 

• Leadership Letter: Governance Starts with Heart

  By Kimberly A. Small, J.D.

  Board governance conversations have never been more critical.

• Policy Page: Tying Board Policy to the Foundational Principles of Effective Governance

  By John Fines

  A key component of these principles is the board policy manual, which supports governance by offering clarity, consistency, and structure to the board’s governance abilities and the district’s goals.

• On Outreach & Training: Focus and Balance

  By Laura Martinez

  How do we balance the ideals of good governance with the reality of board work?