Process called "Team Review" is designed to help develop and maintain better working relationships among board members and between the board and superintendent. Every three or four months, board members and the superintendent complete questionnaire concerning such matters as communication, trust, and decision making, followed by a discussion.…

Peacekeeping strategies for school-board meetings include developing a code of conduct that spells out guidelines for behavior and then enforcing it; bringing in a neutral observer to help board members work through what is really worrying them; and concentrating on policy. (MLF)

Findings from "Getting There from Here," a yearlong study of effective school leadership in 10 districts in 5 states, identify some of the problems that get in the way of effective school leadership. Offers nine practices that boards and superintendents can use to work together to achieve district goals. (MLF)

Board members should avoid 10 common errors: losing patience, behaving badly, challenging the board after a vote, acting like inspectors, micromanaging school administrators, springing surprise questions at meetings, putting politics before children, representing special interests, violating executive session, and putting the board before family…

Surveyed all Virginia school board chairmen and superintendents on local governance issues. Discusses both groups' perceptions of board members' orientation to their role as elected representatives, their personal attitude toward the electoral process, their assessment of interest-group involvement in district decision making, their feelings…

How constituents and teachers perceive school board members often influences boards' accomplishments and efficiency. Guidelines for keeping board members' public image bright concern visibility, accessibility, and credibility. Some strategies for communication include a personal newsletter, e-mail, and making friends with the press. (MLF)

Effective superintendents recognize three key management precepts and their hidden rules. Administrators should avoid mixing emotion and logic, attending to detractors' emotional needs before presenting a differing viewpoint. They should be graceful under pressure, expect the unexpected, and build coalitions gradually, mindful of all community…

The actions of chief executive officers (CEOs) in all fields are coming under intensified scrutiny for a number of reasons. Individuals in positions of high responsibility are increasingly faced with demands for accountability--both corporate and personal--that are relatively new to the great majority of these men and women. They are, in many…

Few chief executive positions rival today's academic presidency in the complexity, unpredictability, and stress-producing nature of the job. This article describes how board members can sustain the well-being of those who hold down today's demanding academic presidencies. Initiatives boards can consider include: (1) appropriate personal staff; (2)…

This article focuses on the relationship between principals and school governing bodies in South Africa. Although there are several different groups represented on the governing body, this article relates mainly to the role and function of the parental representatives. The parents have a majority on the governing bodies and therefore have an…

This article discusses how all four facets of administrative ecology help dispel the claims about the "impossibility" of the superintendency. These are personal ecology, professional ecology, organizational ecology, and community ecology. Using today's superintendency as an administrative platform, current literature describes a preponderance of…

Findings of a study that examined eight South Carolina school-improvement councils (SICs) that were identified as effective are presented in this report. The sample included SICs from two high schools, two middle schools, and four elementary schools that had indicated in a previous survey that they had basic organizational structures, effective…

This report presents results of a national survey of college president assessment policies and practices and describes a "typical" presidential assessment process constructed from the most frequent survey responses. Respondents included 1,348 presidents and 535 board chairs. The typical assessment process lasted about a month; information was…

This report presents results of a national survey of college and university governing board assessment policies and practices, and describes a "typical" board assessment process constructed from the most frequent survey responses. The survey included 1,348 presidents and 571 board chairs. The typical assessment includes the following: the board…

Business and industry have been shaken by the explosion of new technology, and scientific and technological advances will continue to have a profound impact on the labor market. Vocational education plays a key role in preparing citizens for jobs. This manual encourages greater use of advisory committees in vocational education programs. Advisory…