Approved October 29, 2008
The Island School Board of Trustees holds the community of the school in trust and in doing so, adheres to the following principles of governance.
- Guardian of the School’s Mission: The Board serves as the guardian of the school’s mission and values for future generations, and ensures that all policies and initiatives further the mission.
- Strategic Plan: The Board is responsible for developing, communicating and implementing a 3- to 5-year strategic plan for the future direction of the school that is consistent with its mission and sets priorities for the allocation of resources. Annually, as part of the goal-setting process, the Board reviews progress against the strategic plan and makes course corrections, as necessary, based on changing circumstances.
- Head of School: The Board is responsible for hiring the Head of School, providing the necessary support to ensure that the Head can effectively manage the school’s operations, and formally evaluating the Head’s performance to ensure that the mission and values of the School are being fulfilled and that the expectations of the Board are being met.
- Board Participation: Board members are committed to attending monthly Board meetings, speaking with one voice once decisions are made, and participating in committees. To facilitate its effectiveness, the Board encourages the continued professional development of its members.
- Finances: The Board is responsible for preserving the financial integrity of the school by approving and tracking the annual operating budget, and developing a long-term capital and endowment strategy that will ensure the school thrives for future generations.
- Ethics: The Board has a fiduciary responsibility to put the interest of the school first and to ensure that its decisions maintain the integrity of the school’s mission. The Board fulfills this responsibility by adhering to and demanding that each Board member acts with the highest moral and ethical standards, and by following the NAIS Principles of Good Practice (PCP) for Independent School Trustees (see Principles of Good Practice for Independent School Trustees) and for a Board of Trustees (see Principles of Good Practice for Board).
- Ambassadors: The Board members act as the school’s primary ambassadors in the school and broader community by representing its values, recruiting new families, and networking on its behalf.