By Trisha Windham, Director of Public Policy & Education
Great schools need great leadership. We all know this – those of us that work in the realm of education hear it every day. That ‘great leadership’ includes the teacher at the front of the class, the principal of the school, the administrators at the district, and the superintendent that oversees it all. But, it also includes another incredibly important group: the school district’s board of trustees.
School board members have three crucial responsibilities: to set the district’s budget and tax rate, to hire and hold the superintendent accountable, and to set the vision and goals for the district. They provide the governance under which every staff member and student in the district must operate. And, they are ‘entrusted’ with our children and our school districts to make decisions on our behalf as the community and as taxpayers. As a result, it’s vital that these elected officials are of the highest quality of leadership.
Districts all across Texas are governed by bodies of these elected officials. Most are just everyday people that have a passion for education and an intense desire to help children. Many have some sort of skill that is helpful to them during service, such as accounting, human resources, or a legal background. Others have personal experience in the schools and have seen first-hand what is working and what still needs to be done. One thing they all have in common, though, is that they started out just like you: wondering how to get involved, and if they could really make a difference in their district and their community.
Come find out how you can have an enormous impact on your school district. On October 18th, the Dallas Regional Chamber is hosting its inaugural breakfast, What it Takes: Lessons on Becoming a Trustee. This breakfast is for anyone who might ever consider running, if you know someone that might make a great school board member, or even if you just want to learn more about what kind of qualities to look for from your own trustees. Moderated by a man that knows a thing or two about high-quality leadership, Michael Sorrell, President of Paul Quinn College, and presenting speakers Jack Lowe, former Dallas ISD Board President and Chairman of TDIndustries, as well as Russell Langley, Principal of Element Strategies and an experienced finance director and campaign manager.
The event is October 18, 2012, from 7:30-9:00 a.m. at the Tower Club in Dallas. Breakfast and parking are provided. Click here to register. Come and find a way to impact kids’ lives and strengthen your community. You won’t regret it.
