Superintendent's Update
January 7 , 2021
School Director Recognition Month - January 2021
In honor of school boards’ commitment to our students, schools, and communities, January is once again designated School Director Recognition Month.
Pennsylvania public schools educate nearly 2 million students and approximately 5000 students are in Centennial School District. The nine members of our local school board are a key part of the district’s administrative work as the governance and policy-making body, making informed decisions that shape our schools and provide a pathway to success for every student.
On average, school directors, who are unpaid, devote up to 10 hours or more per month to the challenging and complex responsibilities of the board business, including adopting the policy, voting on budgets, evaluating school security issues, and reviewing hiring decisions. The impact of the coronavirus pandemic has added an additional challenge to school boards, as they determine how best to provide for the needs of students and their families, and staff in this new environment.
The Centennial School Board along with our Superintendent also has taken the step of adopting and signing the PSBA Principles for Governance and Leadership – a framework of action steps designed to increase our boards’ effectiveness. According to research by education research firm CRA, school board actions have a direct effect on student achievement. Therefore, it is crucial that boards engage in actions that increase their effectiveness, for the betterment of the students they serve.
Go to https://www.psba.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Principles_gov_leadership-2018.pdf to see the Principles and to https://www.psba.org/about/governance/principles/school-entities-adopted-principles-governance-leadership/ to see a list of Pennsylvania public school boards that have adopted them.
Did You Know?
PSBA: What exactly do school boards do?
The job of the school board is governance. The board’s role is like that of a passenger in a taxicab. The board tells the driver (superintendent) where they collectively decide they want the district to go, and it is up to the driver to decide how to get there. School directors do not have the authority to act individually; they only have authority as a collective body. As a result, boards accomplish more when they act as a team on behalf of public education in their communities. Most of what boards do fall into six overarching categories.
School Boards:
- Establish a vision and goals for the school district.
- Hire and annually evaluate the superintendent and assistant superintendent.
- Set policies that define the expectations for the consistent day-to-day operations of the district.
- Adopt a district budget that reflects the community’s educational values balanced with the ability of the local taxpayers.
- Fulfill key work of monitoring and evaluating student achievement.
- Approve the planned instruction (curriculum) describing WHAT will be taught.
School Board members do not:
- Evaluate teachers, coaches, or other staff members, except for the superintendent and assistant superintendent.
- Direct or get involved in HOW planned instruction (curriculum) is taught.
- Influence the administration’s personnel recommendations or engage in nepotism.
- Conduct investigations, interviews, or question students or staff about an incident.
- Get involved with student or staff discipline issues, except in board hearings.
- Allow student, community, or staff concerns to be brought directly to the board rather than through the chain of command with the board as the last step.
PSBA: The Team of 10
Centennial School District, please take a moment when you have a chance to say....
Dr. Dana T. Bedden, CAA
Website: https://www.centennialsd.org/
Location: 48 Swan Way, Warminster, PA, USA
Phone: 215-441-6000
Twitter: @Dr_Bedden