School board responsibilities

Office bearers on a school board include:

• President
• Chairperson of the school board
• Executive Officer (Principal)
• Chairperson of the Finance Committee
• The Secretariat

These offices - and their duties - are outlined in Section 9.5 of the 'Manual for School Board Members'.

Being a member of a school board involves many kinds of responsibilities and relationships. It is important to check with your school about your responsibilities as a board according to the structure of your school.

Board members must know how to handle confidences, the action to take if matters are referred to them, and how they should relate to the school community. Members should be representative of the interests of all the partners in the school.

In accepting a position on the board, members indicate they believe in its ethos, have a genuine interest in the school and wish to give something in return for the benefits they might have received as a student, parent or caregiver.

Section 9.5.1 of the 'Manual for School Board' members contains good information that all board members must read in terms of their role on the board.

As a school board member of a Catholic school, you are required to:

• acknowledge that schools are a significant expression of the mission of the Catholic Church
• become more knowledgeable about the mission of Catholic education, as expressed in the school, and promote it sincerely
• familiarise yourself with school/SACCS/Catholic Education Office/Diocesan policies in relation to school operations
• recognise the need for and participate in formation and continuing education about school board responsibilities
• develop an understanding of the school’s financial management, including a capacity to interpret the school’s financial documentation
• understand you do not represent the board without explicit authorisation of the board
• give the necessary time, thought and study to the work of the school board in order to provide an effective service to the community
• complete tasks necessary for committees and reports for each school board meeting
• support the Principal in authorised functions and refrain from intruding in administrative details
• base personal decisions upon all available facts in each situation and act with honest conviction
• abide by and uphold the final decision of the board regardless of the personal stand taken on any issue
• keep in confidence all board material and the discussions and business of the board meetings
• understand that statements and documents pertaining to board matters are subject to laws relating to defamation, privacy and confidentiality
• bring to the attention of the board any direct or indirect financial or personal interest in a contract or decision being made by the board and disqualify yourself from discussion and voting on such an issue
• work with other board members in a spirit of harmony and cooperation in spite of differences of opinion that may arise during discussion
• know and respect appropriate processes relating to board business.