Clarifying the role of the school board
The following guest blog post is written by Lloyd "Skip" Jenkins, president of the Plano ISD board of trustees. His e-mail address is . lloyd.jenkins@pisd.edu
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Recently, the Dallas Morning News wrote two articles about a Board training session attended by Plano ISD Trustees a couple of weeks ago. From the feedback and comments the District and its trustees have been receiving, the articles may have left negative impressions about the Board's relationship with the Superintendent, the Board's willingness to interface with its public, and our responsibilities as Trustees. I'd like to share with you a different perspective.
The Board's relationship with the Superintendent: A School Board's only employee is the Superintendent of Schools. The Board hires and manages the Superintendent by setting the goals for the District and for the Superintendent. It is the Superintendent's responsibility to create the strategies and initiatives necessary to accomplish those goals. The Board governs, and the Superintendent manages. In order for the District to be successful, the Superintendent must be successful. The Board cannot make the Superintendent successful, but I do believe it is the Board's responsibility to put the Superintendent in a position where he can be successful. That is an important distinction. It is our job to challenge him when it is appropriate and to support him when that is appropriate. The success of Plano ISD, and
Recently, the Dallas Morning News wrote two articles about a Board training session attended by Plano ISD Trustees a couple of weeks ago. From the feedback and comments the District and its trustees have been receiving, the articles may have left negative impressions about the Board's relationship with the Superintendent, the Board's willingness to interface with its public, and our responsibilities as Trustees. I'd like to share with you a different perspective.The Board's relationship with the Superintendent: A School Board's only employee is the Superintendent of Schools. The Board hires and manages the Superintendent by setting the goals for the District and for the Superintendent. It is the Superintendent's responsibility to create the strategies and initiatives necessary to accomplish those goals. The Board governs, and the Superintendent manages. In order for the District to be successful, the Superintendent must be successful. The Board cannot make the Superintendent successful, but I do believe it is the Board's responsibility to put the Superintendent in a position where he can be successful. That is an important distinction. It is our job to challenge him when it is appropriate and to support him when that is appropriate. The success of Plano ISD, and
