Academy of Our Lady of Peace

A Guide for Current & Prospective Members of the Board of Directors

Table of Contents

Sisters of Saint Joseph Carondelet Academy of Our Lady of Peace: Heritage, Mission, Philosophy, Vision Hallmarks of a CSJ Education What It’s Like being a Board Member at the Academy of Our Lady of Peace

What it Takes for an Effective Board to Work Membership Questions for Current and Prospective Board Members Evaluating Effective Board Service and Performance

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PEACE

A C A D E M Y O F

DRAFT 5-6-2014

SISTERS OF SAINT JOSEPH OF CARONDELET

The first Sisters of St. Joseph came from Lyon to America in 1836 in response to a request from Bishop Joseph Rosati for a small group of religious to open a school for the deaf in St. Louis. Two convents were established—one in Cahokia, which closed in 1855, the other in Carondelet, a village on the outskirts of St. Louis. Carondelet was destined to become the cradle of the American congregation.

Bishop Rosati named Mother Celestine Pommerel superior of the Carondelet community in 1840. In 1847 the first foundation outside St. Louis was made in Philadelphia, to be followed shortly by foundations in St. Paul, Minnesota and Toronto. As foundations continued to multiply, the need for centralized government was recognized. At the invitation of Mother St. John Facemaz, successor to Mother Celestine, delegates from the several branches of the Sisters of St. Joseph met in St. Louis in May 1860, to approve a plan of general government. Three provinces were established: St. Louis, Missouri; St. Paul, Minnesota; and Troy, New York, with headquarters in St. Louis. Mother St. John Facemaz was elected first superior general for a term of six years. (At this time some communities made the decision to remain under diocesan jurisdiction.)

One of Mother St. John’s first concerns was to secure papal approbation for the Constitutions of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. Shortly after her election, Mother St. John went to Rome and presented a copy of the Constitutions for approval. A decree of commendation was received in 1863. Some years later, the final approbation was received, dated May 16, 1877. This approval established the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet as a congregation of pontifical right. A fourth province was added in 1876 with provincial headquarters in Tucson, Arizona. In 1903 the provincialate was moved to Los Angeles. In the course of the years several small groups appealed to Carondelet for admission into the congregation: Sisters of St. Joseph of Muskogee, Oklahoma, 1900; Sisters of St. Joseph of Georgia, 1922; Sisters of St. Joseph of Lewiston, Idaho, 1925; Sisters of St. Joseph of Superior, Wisconsin, 1985. Foundations were established in Hawaii in 1938, in Japan in 1956, and in Peru in 1962. These have flourished and have attracted native members. The Hawaii community was given the status of a vice province in 1956; in 1978, Japan and Peru were established as vice provinces. The congregation opened a mission in Chile in 1987.

In response to the call of the Second Vatican Council, the congregation initiated a program of spiritual renewal as

recommended in the document Perfectae Caritatis. The members of the congregation began an intensive study of the gospels and the spirit of John Peter Medaille, their founder, and undertook an appraisal of the needs of late twentieth-century society. A subsequent expansion of ministries designed to respond to contemporary situations in diverse cultures and different ways of living community were effected by these studies.

We continue to respond to the needs of our time. On June 4, 2008, at the invitation of Archbishop Odama, we began a new congregational ministry project in the Archdiocese of Gulu in Northern Uganda. Our sisters accompany the Acholi people, serving in health care, catechetical direction, and education. With a 1972 Chapter recommendation that “the provinces be allowed to establish commissions to initiate lay associate membership on an experimental basis,” the congregation, faithful to the original intent of Father Medaille, formally reintroduced lay association into its reality. At present, over 600 women and men have made formal commitments either as associates, consociates, Ohana, or Familia de San Jose.

Today as Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, we strive to be responsive to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit as were our foremothers. We derive our strength and our hope from our deepening desire for Communion. Faithful to our heritage and to our gift of unifying love, we reach out in communion with creation, with the Church, with the dear neighbor, and with each other wherever the Spirit leads us.

ACADEMY OF OUR LADY OF PEACE: HERITAGE,

MISSION, PHILOSOPHY, AND VISION

The Academy of Our Lady of Peace is a Catholic secondary school for young women sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. The mission of the Academy is twofold: to assist and enable parents to fulfill their role as the primary educators and to inspire its students to grow as committed Christians who are building Christ’s kingdom of justice, love, and peace. Through a college preparatory liberal arts program, each student is challenged to become a responsible woman educated to the needs of society. Expected Schoolwide Learning Results (ESLRs) characterize OLP students as Christ-centered persons, enthusiastic learners, effective communicators and aspiring leaders

Statement of MissionThe Primitive Constitution of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet states that the Congregation is dedicated to “the practice of all the spiritual and corporal works of mercy of

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which a woman is capable and which will benefit the … dear neighbor.” Those works of mercy were brought to San Diego in 1882 when four Sisters of St. Joseph arrived on board the steamship Ancon and founded the Academy of Our Lady of Peace. The Sisters arrived at the behest of Father Antonio Dominic Ubach, who had been petitioning the Sisters since 1870 to establish a school in San Diego.

OLP’s presence in San Diego has been replete with a tradition of educational excellence. Currently, this educational excellence is fostered by a college-preparatory liberal arts curriculum which annually sees approximately 98% of the graduating class attend either a two or four year post-secondary institution. The Academy’s philosophy incorporates the ideals of developing young women in six specific areas: spiritual and moral; intellectual; aesthetic; physical; psychological; social. A challenging college preparatory liberal arts program and enrichment activities play major parts in accomplishing some of these goals, but Religious Studies and a curriculum-wide emphasis on Peace & Justice issues are considered fundamental in providing an important “education of the heart.”

The Sisters of St. Joseph and the Early Years of the AcademyThe San Diego of 1882 was a burgeoning mining town and seaport with few of the amenities with which we view the city today. Alonzo Horton held a vision of San Diego that he was working mightily to achieve, the San Diego Telephone Company opened operations in 1882 and the public library also was opened that year. There would be no modern fire department for seven more years; Kate Sessions had yet to arrive from San Francisco to teach at Russ School; no mayor was in office, rather, a Board of Trustees governed the populous of the city numbering under 3,000.Notable in 1882 for OLP, however, was the arrival of four Sisters of St. Joseph who arrived in San Diego on April 18, 1882, rented a house located at Second and G Streets for $15 per month and began preparations for their school. The new school was designated as the Academy of Our Lady of Peace by Reverend Mother Agatha Guthrie and it was opened on May 10, 1882. In attendance were twenty-eight girls and two boys.Mass was first celebrated by Father Antonio Dominic Ubach in the tiny chapel on June 13, 1882, the feast day of St. Anthony, the priest’s patron saint. Mass would be held in this chapel twice weekly for the Sisters. It was Father Ubach who had spent

twelve years in petitioning the Sisters to send a delegation from the Congregation to begin a school in San Diego. The arrival of the Sisters and the opening of the Academy were a culmination of his prayers and travels to Carondelet, Missouri to petition Reverend Mother Agatha personally. The success of the Sisters’ early school is well documented. Within two years of opening the school, the Sisters purchased property in the southwest corner of Third and A in an area known as Horton’s Addition, and in 1887, when a new school building was erected, the Academy moved to that location. Mother Valeria Bradshaw became the Superior when the Sisters moved to the new location. The Academy was situated in the present-day downtown area until the early 1920s.

New Beginnings on Oregon StreetThe expansion of San Diego prompted the Sisters to seek new property. The Sisters, under the leadership of Sister St.

Catherine, who had returned in 1923 as the Superior, began a search for property location appropriate for another move. Property in the Mission Hills area near Sunset was their first choice, but in September, 1924, property at Copley Street and Oregon Street overlooking Mission Valley became available through the Southern

Trust Company. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet then began legal proceedings to acquire the property at Collier’s Point.

Col. David Charles Collier’s role in San Diego history is impressive for he played an important role in San Diego’s 1915 Panama-California Exposition when he became the first Director General and later served as President. Those positions earned him the nickname “Father of the Panama-California Exposition.” Collier was also a former director of the San Diego Museum. On March 9, 1916, Collier sold 438-190-02 (Parcels 42-50) to the Western Insurance Company and on March 20, 1916 the property was sold to Winfred S. and Russ E. Van Druff (father and son).

The Van Druffs were both geologists, who had originally come from Pennsylvania, via Globe, Arizona, where they were involved in copper mining. The father and son then proceeded to build an estate on Lots 42 & 43, a residence “Destined to be One of San Diego’s Most Attractive Show Places.”1 It was completed on August 27, 1917. The ground and buildings of the Van Druff Estate were laid out and designed by famed

The Academy of Our Lady of Peace has been

helping generations of young leaders become

“all of which woman is capable” for

more than 131 years.

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architect Frank Phillips Allen, Jr. who also was the Construction Superintendent. Allen, born on September 28, 1881, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, achieved recognition as an architect in such locales as Chicago, San Diego, Seattle, and Portland. In 1909, Allen was given the distinction of being named as the Architect and Director and Works for the Alaska-Yukon Pacific Exposition in Seattle. Success in this capacity led Allen to become Director of Works for the Panama-California Exposition (1915) in San Diego. Allen served as the engineer on the construction of the Cabrillo (Balboa) Bridge and became associated with Carleton M. Winslow in engineering and constructing several structures in Balboa Park, most notably the Botanical Gardens Building. The Superintendent of Planting at the Van Druff residence was Guy L. Fleming, the “Father of Torrey Pines, Anza Desert, Cuyamaca, and Palomar state parks.”3 Born in Aryo, Nebraska, Fleming came to San Diego in 1909. In 1921, he began administering Torrey Pines Park for the preservation of the famous plants there. Largely through the efforts of the Torrey Pines Association (which Fleming founded), the area became a state park in 1957.

The acquisition of the Van Druff Estate was not quickly accomplished. The acrimonious remarks and adamant opposition of an anonymous San Diegan caused a brief delay in the Sisters’ assumption of the property. After a night spent in prayer, however, the Sisters were able to obtain the property and on January 25, 1924, the San Diego Union announced the sale of the Van Druff estate to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. The property was purchased for $77,500.

At the time of its purchase the Van Druff Estate consisted of only three buildings. The Sisters realized that those buildings would be inadequate facilities for the students who attended Villa Montemar (“House by the Sea”), the Academy’s sobriquet. Plans were begun to expand the school’s capacity, and toward that end, construction began on three new buildings in 1924 and was completed in 1927.The Sisters hired San Diego architect I.E. Loveless to design the three additional buildings needed to accommodate the school population. The buildings were designed in an Italian Renaissance style in keeping with the architecture of the existing buildings. The San Diego contracting firm of Lowerison and Wolstencroft was charged with the building construction.

The first building, called Aquinas Hall, contained classroom space for both the two hundred and fifty grammar school and high school students. Its budgeted cost was $74, 000. Governed by a separate principal, the population of elementary school students exceeded high school enrollment in the early years of the Academy. The grammar school girls participated

in all the activities of the school. With the growth of the K-8 parochial school system in San Diego, the need for the grammar school gradually diminished over the years. The Class of 1966 was the last class to graduate students who started OLP as kindergarteners. The second building, St. Margaret’s Hall, was originally utilized as a dormitory for boarders and built at a cost of $50,000. When the dormitory opened, the students who roomed in St. Margaret’s paid $125 per year for a private room. Following the close of the dorm in 1973 the upper floors of the building were rarely used. The basement floor remained in use as a gymnasium. The building, renamed Qualiato in 1994 after the parents of the major donor, currently houses seven classrooms and the faculty room. The basement floor of Qualialto functions as a Dance Studio. The crown jewel of the Academy is the chapel. Site of innumerable Masses, student liturgies, alumnae weddings and baptisms of alumnae children, it was constructed for $24,000. The pews are solid mahogany and the choir loft boasts a built in pipe organ console. Artisans visited San Diego five times to measure the space under the arched ceiling for the altar. The measurements were sent to Italy where the altar was hand carved of pure Carrera marble. Relics of St. Tranqullini and St. Blas II were placed in the altar.

HALLMARKS OF A CSJ EDUCATION

The Academy has continued to expand to meet the student’s needs and the enrollment growth. This expansion of services and curriculum has been designed to fulfill student, parent, and faculty expectations. Presently, multi-media technology complements traditional learning methodology. Advanced Placement courses in eleven subjects, five Honors and five Accelerated subjects challenge the intellectually gifted. Forty-seven computers are available for student and faculty use, and daily tasks, such as attendance, are computerized, as are all course scheduling and grading reports. Moreover, a library, containing approximately 15,928 volumes offers student access to CD-ROM data and Newsbank data.

In light of the school’s intense focus on students, it is not surprising that OLP graduates routinely gain admission to some of the best colleges and universities throughout the United States. A conscious awareness of women’s learning styles, developmental needs, and professional success models informs OLP’s multi-level course offerings and advance placement opportunities in areas such as Mathematics, English, Science, Fine Arts, Foreign Languages and Social Studies. Without a doubt, the school’s approach to learning has contributed to students’ consistently above-average SAT scores in both verbal and mathematical skills. Girls’ opportunities to learn,

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socialize and mature are further enriched by other academic courses, as well as by fine arts classes, CIF sports programs, student government, theatre productions, clubs and other extracurricular activities which help nurture self-discipline, self-esteem, independence and interdependence.

OLP’s demonstrated success has earned the school accreditation from the Western Association of Schools & Colleges and the Western Catholic Education Association on an on-going basis. The accreditation teams have routinely commended OLP in a number of areas, including its commitment to peace and justice, leadership development, community service, technologically enhanced teaching methodologies, capital improvements and competitive athletics. Over its long history, the Academy and individual students have won too many awards and recognitions to list. Of many impressive achievements, it is perhaps most notable that OLP has been named a “Blue Ribbon” School of Excellence three times by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council of American Private Education (1989; 1993; 2000).

OLP functions for its students as a microcosm of the adult world, placing emphasis on a girl’s ability to have a positive impact on the people and environment that surround her. An OLP student learns the concepts of service and leadership by completing a minimum of 75 hours of community service and a senior thesis by the time she graduates. Over the past twenty-five years, OLP students have completed nearly 500,000 hours of community service for which they have also received Mayoral Awards (1986 and 2000) and several other formal acknowledgments of their dedication and hard work.

In order to enable students to thrive physically, intellectually, spiritually and morally, OLP teachers supervise a wide variety of academic study options and co-curricular activities, including honor societies, sports, the arts, and more. The purpose is to help individual girls realize their unique strengths and talents, and to foster bonds between students sharing common interests. Enrichment activities teach girls social, creative, and physical skills outside of their regular lessons. Based on the fundamental work of teachers, and with the support of counselors, parents, and friends, confident and motivated young women are produced in an atmosphere of encouragement.

Increasing diversity is only one of several important ways in which OLP has adapted to the rapidly changing world, reflecting a range of racial and cultural backgrounds in its student body. The practical awareness of the necessity to keep up with modern times, and with the physical, intellectual, and psychological needs of today’s students, has fueled a tremendous amount of the institution’s growth and development

over the past quarter-century. Pursuant to the passage of Title IX of the Education Amendments in 1972 which mandated equal opportunities in college and university sports programs, the Academy has expanded its sports programs in order to respond to the talents of those students who excel in athletic endeavors. The expansion of girls’ sports has been marked by the Academy’s active participation in CIF sports. Currently, the Academy fields eighteen varsity and junior varsity teams in seven sports. Approximately 350 girls participate each year in CIF sports. Of that number, ninety-three students earned OLP Scholar-Athlete awards for maintaining a 3.5 grade point average during the season they competed. Sports have brought the excitement of competition and the satisfaction of accomplishment to countless OLP athletes. Since its completion, the Holy Family Event Center has played a large part in heightening the enjoyment of athletics at OLP. There are far too many accomplishments in athletics to list, but notable achievements include those of the varsity basketball team which won its first Harbor League and CIF Division III County Basketball Championships in 1990, the varsity swim team which won the Western League for the fourth year in a row in 2006, and the OLP/ Saints Varsity Cheerleaders, who claimed the Top Team Trophy at the NCA camp at UCLA for ten years straight between 1997 and 2006.

A Legacy of Friendships and TraditionDespite the incredible growth and development that has occurred at the Academy of Our Lady Peace over the past twenty-five years, traditions and friendships remain at the core of the OLP experience. Friendships thrive in the day-to-day lives of students in peer counseling and big-sister-little-sister programs, on sports teams, in theatre productions and in clubs where students share common interests. The wide range of outlets for positive interaction among girls includes Campus Ministry and the Carondelet Circle, a program in which select girls act as ambassadors to the OLP community and “behind the scenes” in daily school life. The spirit of friendship is further expressed and felt beyond the level of students; it can be found in the generous giving and support of the OLP community and through the ongoing activities of teachers, the Alumnae Association, and the Board of Directors.

Uniting the OLP community and the San Diego community are many varied and long-held traditions such as Spring Sing, Candlelight Procession, the Annual Auction & Dinner Dance, Miss OLP, Father-Daughter Dance, Grandparents’ Day, the Easter Social, Parish Day, Commencement Exercises & 50th Reunion Class, Golf Tournament and many others. The Alumnae Association, now over a hundred years old itself, has a vital role in preserving many of these beloved traditions through

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their sponsorship and active fundraising efforts. Nurturing friendships and right relationships forms a large part of the important work done by the Association for the benefit of OLP. Their mission is modeled after the mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in invoking the call to live as women of peace. One way by which they promote this ideal is through the Alumna of the Year Award that recognizes the outstanding contributions of a former student to the community at large.

A growing portion of the OLP community is not only united through friendship and tradition, but also through family. Over the past 125 years, the school has become a tradition for families across the San Diego and Tijuana regions; generations of grandmothers, mothers, daughters and sisters have now passed through the school. A sense of what could be called an “extended-family” has also emerged at OLP with some teachers having been at the school long enough to have taught the mothers of current students and several former students having later returned to OLP to become teachers there themselves. It is not uncommon, furthermore, for the daughters of teachers to attend the school.

The Academy of Our Lady of Peace not only strives to provide its student body with the best Catholic education possible, but also encourages them to make a difference by becoming agents for positive change in both their daily lives and in society. For 125 years, OLP has grown alongside the San Diego community. In the past twenty-five years, the school has renewed its commitment to providing an education that addresses all facets of girls’ development. The Academy has boldly risen to meet the twenty-first century needs of its students, and continues to be a relevant force by promoting universal peace, justice, sisterhood, and friendship. The vision and goals of the past 125 years have remained the same: leadership, service and tradition. Graduates of the Academy have routinely been leaders in their communities, the Church, and their families. Graduates are women of service, striving to be the Gospel presence in their communities. Graduates of the Academy value and cherish the traditions of their school years. The girl who enters OLP graduates as a woman for others, manifesting herself as one who is a counter-cultural presence in the world, a woman who stands for peace, justice and who desires to share her time and talents with those have received less than she.

The educational opportunities for women in San Diego have been enhanced by the 125 years of OLP’s presence. The Academy has graduated over 6700 young women in the past twelve and one-half decades. It is with gratitude and humility that the OLP committee celebrates its anniversary: Gratitude

for the opportunity to influence and form young women from throughout Mexico and Southern California and humility that this opportunity has been afforded to the faculty, both Religious and lay, who have staffed the Academy since 1882. The Academy looks forward to even greater successes in the future. The educational benchmark for all who are a part of the Academy of Our Lady of Peace has remained the same since May 10, 1882: “ All of which women is capable and which will… benefit the dear neighbor.”

WHAT IT’S LIKE BEING A BOARD MEMBER AT THE

ACADEMY OF OUR LADY OF PEACE

The “job description” of a Board member is taken from the Bylaws of the Academy of Our Lady of Peace Corporation. Subject to the provisions of the California Nonprofit Religious Corporation Law and any limitations in the articles of incorporation and bylaws relating to the actions requiring the approval of the Members of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet, the business and affairs of the corporation shall be governed, and all corporate powers shall be exercised by, or under the direction of a governing board. The Board of Directors exercises the following specific powers:1. To propose changes in the school philosophy and mission;2. To propose changes in the articles of incorporation or bylaws;3. To propose the sale, lease or encumbrance of school property;4. To propose a merger or dissolution of the school corporation;5. To set up procedures for Board operation and evaluation;6. To nominate candidates for membership on the Board;7. To mandate programs for maintaining Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet chrism and mission;8. To set and monitor planning goals for the Academy;9. To evaluate the performance of the Head of School;10. To propose the appointment of a Head of School to the Members of the corporation;11. To set, monitor, change or discontinue policies, procedures, and programs in light of the school’s mission and philosophy;12. To set salary schedules, benefit packages, tuition, fees, financial assistance policies and capital and operating budgets;13. To review and approve all financial reports;14. To adopt a program of board liability and indemnification;15. To establish and publish a process for hearing grievances and decide upon grievance appeals;16. To approve plans for physical plant improvements.The Academy of Our Lady of Peace is a membership corporation. This means that the Sisters of Saint Joseph Carondelet possess certain powers reserved solely for them, including:17. To establish the mission, general philosophical guidelines and policies under which the corporation will be sponsored and

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function;18. To amend the articles of incorporation and bylaws;19. To approve any sale, lease or encumbrance on any property belonging to the corporation;20. To approve any merger or dissolution of the corporation;21. To elect and remove without cause the corporation’s officers and Board members;22. To approve the Head of School

Board members’ responsibilities include developing an understanding of the Academy’s mission and statement of philosophy. At the Academy, the mission statement tells who we are as a school community, why we exist and where we want to go as an institution. Our philosophical statement explains the meaning of our mission; it explains how we expect to achieve it.

As a team, Board Members are charged with governing the school from the perspective of the school’s mission and philosophy statements; they make and approve policies from that same mission-philosophy-vision orientation. Generally, the job description for a Board member is this: set goals and policies. But there is more expected from members of the Board, for example:

Meet the Needs of Those You ServeThe purpose of the board is to hold in trust the school’s mission for the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet and to govern the school in such a way that it continues to serve those for which the mission is intended. In other words, your board service can be summed up by the answers to this question: What do you and your board colleagues do to assure that the school’s mission is serving those for whom it is intended?

Know the Difference Between Setting Policy and ManagingBoard Members must always avoid :micro-managing” the school; rather, they should adhere to their role of visioning, governing, planning and setting policy. One way to keep your role in focus is this: when an issue is being discussed, ask if you are discussing the what of an issue. If so, this is your proper role. If you are discussing the how to (implementation) of an issue, you are assuming the duty of the school’s administration, you are micro-managing.

Make Policies to Govern the SchoolThe most important part of your role is to make policies that ensure the school is administered legally, ethically, efficiently and effectively. Board policies (rooted in mission) serve as a guide for the Academy’s Head of School whose responsibility it is to know that they are being implemented.

Maintain ConfidentialityThere are many topics reported and discussed at board meetings that are confidential. For the board to function for the good of the school, and for individual board members to feel what they discuss and what opinions they offer are valued, a sense of trust and confidentiality among board members is essential. Rule of thumb: what goes on in the board room stays there.

Ensure the School is Financially SoundAs the board set policies and plans for growth and development, it must make sure that there is adequate funding to achieve the school’s vision. Board Members are responsible for the school’s financial bottom line. By monitoring finances, the Board determines that funds are being spent effectively to deliver school programs and services. The Board accomplishes this in the following ways:• Setting financial policies that reflect mission, chrism, and

philosophy• Developing and recommending approval of annual budget;• Delegating the expenditures of Board approved funds to

the administration;• Monitoring the financial accuracy of budget projections,

outcomes, solvency and income to meet future expenses.

FundraisingBecause Board Members are important volunteers whose role, commitment, responsibility and dedication represent the life blood of the institution, they command respect for speaking the needs of the Academy. As a Board Member, you will be asked to assist with raising money, opening “doors” for the Head of School, and to make an annual gift to the Academy.

Monitor and Maintain the Strategic PlanThe Board Members role is to ensure that the school’s future is secure by planning for its continued growth and development. The school’s Strategic Plan is the board’s most important governing tool for shaping the vision, goals and objectives of the Academy. When you accept an appointment to board service, you accept the responsibility of looking out for the school’s short- and long-term interests. To this end, you have a responsibility to be knowledgeable of the Academy’s strategic plan. Why a strategic plan?• A strategic plan focuses on mission. It represents an

organizational effort which creates a sense of teamwork and vision for the Academy’s future.

• Strategic planning is collaborative. By collaboratively planning the Academy’s future, the board identifies problems before they occur and evaluates the school’s

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growth and development. Collaborative planning processes enable the board and administration to work as a team.

• Strategic planning provides continuity from one board to the next.

Understand the Head of SchoolThe board and the Head of School form a closely knit team. The Head of School is responsible for the overall vision, leadership and management of the school; she is the board’s chief executive officer whom board members deal with directly. This is effectively accomplished by providing direction to the Head of School and then stepping aside. Let the Head of School be the chief administrator! You should ask for and expect feedback from the Head of School or from her staff in the form of regular progress reports on any phase of your responsibilities; vision, mission, philosophy, planning and oversight in the areas of finances, fundraising, planning, enrollment, school programs, facilities, emergencies, and all unforeseen events that will affect the Academy.

Evaluate the Head of SchoolThere are two advantages for evaluating the chief administrator: First, it improves the board’s working relationship with the Head of School since evaluations provide the opportunity to fix problem areas and informs her what she does correctly. Second, evaluations ensure that the board and the Head of School are working towards the same goals.

Respect the Chain of CommandSometime during your term, a staff member will inevitably approach you with a job-related compliant or concern. When this happens, listen to what is being said and remind the staff person that formal communications must go through the proper channels. There is good reason for this; for example:• School employees know and understand that the Head of

School is the executive link between the board and all of the school employees

• When board members get involved in staff affairs, it sends confusing messages to others as to who is responsible for what and accountable to whom.

WHAT IT TAKES FOR AN EFFECTIVE BOARD

TO WORK

Key to effective board relations are the leadership skills provided by the board chair and the Head of School. No picture of the board team would be complete without these two important players. Just as the Head of School is the conduit between the board and school, the board chair is a conduit between his/

her board colleagues and the Head of School. It is the Head of School’s job to keep the board chair informed about changes and developments impacting the Academy. The leadership qualities of the board chair and the Head of School enhance the performance of the individual board members; they assure that the school’s mission will be met for all those served by it. The following responsibilities promote board members effectiveness:

Understand Ethical and Legal Responsibilities• Understand that individual board members have no

authority apart from the full board. A board member may not act on behalf of the board without being authorized by the full board to do so.

• Understand your responsibility to be aware of board policies, local, state and federal laws which apply to schools and all applicable CSJ policies

• Monitor board policies to make sure they are in compliance with law

• Understand your personal, legal and ethical responsibilities associated with school governance

Avoid Conflicts of InterestResponsible boards approach the problem of conflicts of interest openly. This is a concern because even the appearance of putting personal interests ahead of the Academy will seriously damage a board member’s personal credibility and that of the board. New members appointed to the board sign a statement acknowledging they understand what constitutes a conflict of interest.

Participate on Board CommitteesThe “hands on” nature of board committee work usually enhances the enjoyment of board service. Board committees speak to the board, not for the board. They do not set board policy; committees recommend policies to the board for review and adoption. Board committees are “structural tools” to assist the board’s member and governance responsibilities. By virtue of their specialized focus, board committees are of immense help in educating board members to make wise recommendations for board discussion and action. Committees serve as sounding boards for giving advice to staff persons who are charged with managing areas of the committee’s responsibilities.

Promote Positive Board and Staff RelationshipsA chain of command exists for the smooth operation of the Academy where roles, performance and accountability are well defined. There are three effective ways board members can build positive relationships:

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• Board meetings. For many board meetings, staff is invited to give reports and presentations. Some administrators attend board meetings on a regular basis. These practices are designed to keep board members informed and knowledgeable in addition to building and maintaining positive relationships with staff.

• Board committees. Each board member is expected to serve on a committee of the board. There are five standing committees: Executive, Mission/Succession, Building/Technology, Finance, and Development. All committees have a staff liaison assigned to them for purpose of providing the committee resource and staffing opportunities. Depending on the purpose of the committee, faculty, staff, parents, students and other community volunteers may hold memberships.

• Socials or other school activities. Staff supporting board committees attend board socials that occur during the year. These and other practices such as campus visits help build positive relationships and a sense of team spirit among board members and staff. Board members who choose to attend school activities have additional opportunities to interact with teachers, staff, students, parents and alumni of the Academy community.

Be a Team Builder and Team PlayerIf board members themselves model positive relationships and team building, so will the rest of the Academy community. Here are nine ways you and your board colleagues become team builders and team players:• Work toward genuine consensus on issues brought before

the board;• Appreciate administrators as key players; request their

advice and active participation for the resolution of board/board committee issues;

• Listen to your board colleagues so you can adjust your concerns with theirs;

• Explain your position on issues so your colleagues understand your insights;

• Strive to know your board colleagues on a personal and/or social basis and look for ways to interact with them outside the board room;

• Let your board colleagues know when you agree or disagree with them; demonstrate your concerns about their issue;

• Keep disagreements on one issue from carrying over to other issues;

• Help new board members feel comfortable from their very first board meeting;

• Leave disagreements at the board table when the meeting is adjourned.

Be Prepared to Participate Effectively in MeetingsIt is customary to inform the Head of School or board chair if you are unable to attend a board meeting, in the case of board committee meetings. It is further customary to inform committee staff liaison or chair if you are unable to attend. Here are three tips to enhance your participation:• Review your board and board committee meeting

background packet. Within a week before a scheduled board/board committee meeting, you will usually receive an agenda packet containing materials relating to the agenda. The intent of sending these materials to you in advance is to provide you time to prepare.

• Review previous meeting minutes. Do this in advance of the meeting because it is assumed board/board committee members have read them. Bring any errors or discrepancies to the attention of the board/board committee chair before the minutes are approved.

• Obtain any clarifications before the meeting. If the agenda or some meeting material is unclear, call the board/board committee chair or staff liaison for clarification.

Help Promote Effective, Well Run MeetingsThe following is a summary of what you should expect to do at board/board committee meetings:• Approve the minutes. Minutes of the previous meeting are

official, legal records. If they are not accurate, refuse to approve them. When asked by the chairperson if there are any corrections, speak up at this point if something in the minutes needs changing.

• Listen to reports. During board/board committee meetings, you will listen to reports from the chair, staff or other designated to address the group. To save time, the individual giving a report usually summarizes its main points and answers questions. In most cases, a written report will be included in your meeting background packet. Reports often contain recommendations for board/board committee action.

• Discuss issues. The most effective process by which the board can make decisions is for all sides of issues to be heard and debated; same for board committees when an item is to be recommended to the full board for final action. This means you have an obligation to make known your views, opinions and suggestions, for the resolution of the issues.

• Make motions. The proper way for board/board committees members to bring business before the group is to make a motion or a formal request for action. To make a motion, inform the chairperson, “I move that…” and state the action you want the board to take. Once seconded and restarted by the chairperson, the motion is “on the table”

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to be discussed.• Vote. Once a motion has been discussed, the chairperson

will call for a vote. Your participation is very important and you should always vote unless there is a conflict of interest. Not to vote for any other reason is negligent.

Enhance and Boost the Academy’s ImageCommunity support is the lifeblood of the Academy of Our Lady of Peace. Positive perceptions of the local church and civic communities are vital to the mission. As a Board member, you play a key role in promoting the Academy’s image, you are charged to do so by virtue of your Board membership. Here are five suggestions to help you promote the Academy:• Be involved with community and groups “tooting your own

horn” about the Academy.• Offer to give presentation about the Academy with the

Head of School and other administrators.• Let people know how much you care for the Academy.• Serve on boards of other organizations.• Stay informed about the Academy so you can explain it to

others.

Raising Funds in the Name of the Board and AcademyBoard members are fundraising naturals. Why? Because Board members are leaders and they possess the respect of the community. Second, the nature of board service requires members to donate their time, talents, and treasures to the mission of the Academy. When people see the spirit of your generosity, they assume the Academy is worth supporting.

Help Identify and Recruit Board CandidatesThe best way to maintain and improve the quality of the Board is through the caliber of the people recruited to join it. Board members have the duty to be on the alert for individuals who would make good board candidates. They should seek out candidates who are familiar with the Academy and support the mission, possess leadership skills and who are generally influential in the broader school, church, and/or civic communities. The Board needs experienced and successful friends and fundraisers who are skilled in governance. Qualified alumni make excellent candidates. If you know a person whom you would like to suggest as a candidate, inform the Board chair, a member of the mission committee, or the Head of School. Here are several ways you can help attract and recruit prospective Board members:• Replace yourself! When the time comes, make it a personal

goal of your board service to recommend a board candidate to replace your position on the Board with someone equally qualified as yourself. As one Board chair once instructed: “It should be the responsibility of every Board member to

create a ‘clone’ for board membership by the time he/she leaves the Board.”

• Invitation to attend board/board committee meetings. Invite prospective board members to tour the school, meet administrators or attend a meeting or two. Candidates may learn more about the board and decide if they are ready for membership when presented with these opportunities.

• Where issues of confidentiality are not a concern, share meeting agenda materials with board/board committee prospects. Meeting background packets paint an accurate picture of what board/board committee service entails.

• Invite prospective candidates to serve on one of the Academy’s events. These are excellent opportunities to become familiar and involved with the Academy.

• Recommend a candidate to serve out an unexpired board/board committee term. This opportunity provides a first-hand experience of service before making a longer commitment.

• Share this guide with prospective board candidates. This booklet describes what is expected of board members at the Academy of Our Lady of Peace. Share it with prospective candidates. Invite them to meet the Board Chair or Head of School to discuss their potential commitment to board service.

MEMBERSHIP QUESTIONS FOR CURRENT AND/OR

PROSPECTIVE BOARD MEMBERS

During the course of deciding whether or not to accept reappointment or a new appointment to the Board, the following questions are proposed to help your discerning process:

Do I understand the mission of the Academy?Policies and activities flowing from the mission of the Academy should be evident to you. Visits to the school and knowing faculty and staff personnel and Board members are helpful to arrive at this understanding. If the people and the mission of the Academy touch you in some special way, or if they resonate with a particular passion you have, then this may be a positive sign for board membership or the continuation of your board service. Can you give your best efforts to ensure the continued success of the Academy’s mission?

Do I understand what is expected of board service?This booklet describes the duties of board service and expectations of board membership. Within the context of seeking reappointment or new appointment to the board, the following questions may help you decide to continue your discernment process: Is the board’s purpose understood, well defined and in focus for you? Do/can you and your board colleagues work

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as a unit – supporting, respecting and integrating the talents of each other and with those of the staff? Are you aware of the challenges facing the board at this time? Do you know the difference between governing and micro-managing?

Leadership: board, chair, Head of School and other key volunteers?Are you aware of the professional reputation of these people? Do you feel they reflect values the Academy professes so you can work as a team with them? If you do not know nor respect these individuals, chance is your enjoyment of continued board service, or new appointment to it will be difficult to sustain over the term of your office.

What is the financial condition of the Academy?Request a copy of the last audit and ask pointed questions which will satisfy what you need to know. During the course of your board service, you will be expected to contribute to the Academy’s continued financial stability through your time, talents and treasures you bring to your board service. Can you do this, or continue to do this for the duration of your term of office?

How much time will my board service require?Are you able to commit or continue to commit the time required for your board service? For example, when asked to attend special meetings and events, do you feel that (for the most part) you will participate? Do you have time to prepare for board/board committee meetings?

Am I expected to be a donor?Yes, because it is a privilege to be a Board member! Ask about this expectation prior to committing or recommitting to your board service. How do you feel about assisting the board chair and Head of School with fundraising? These are difficult questions that often test a board member’s overall commitment to the Academy’s vision, mission, its people and community.

What are my motivations for desiring to serve on the board?Once you have talked to the Academy’s leadership, studied the contents of this booklet and become familiar with other aspects of the Academy, your motivations for continued service or new board service may be fairly evident for you. How will your new appointment or reappointment to board service help you to personally grow as an individual? Will your board service be enjoyable for you and worth the time of your dedication? Do you have the support from those with whom you live to serve as a member of the board?

EVALUATING EFFECTIVE BOARD SERVICE

The following list of questions, when answered affirmatively, suggest that you are effectively fulfilling (and probably enjoying) your board service. In the case of board candidates in the process of discerning the pros and cons of board membership, the following questions may be good indicators of enjoyable, effective and fulfilling board membership and service:

• Do/will I keep focused on mission and philosophy statements?

• Do/will I contribute an annual gift to the Academy and participate in fundraising?

• Do/will I confine observations and concerns to policy?• Do I understand that I may not act without full board

authorization?• Do/will I talk positively about the Academy, my board

colleagues, faculty, staff and students?• Do/will I periodically review bylaws, board policies and my

board job description?• Do I understand my legal and ethical duties as a board

member?• Do/will I actively participate in board and board committee

meetings?• Do/will I fulfill my part in assisting with the evaluation of

the Board and Head of School?• Do/will I help with my share in recruiting prospective board

/board committee members?• Do/will I foster open communications throughout all levels

of the board?• Do/will I participate in board skill development activities

when presented with the opportunity?• Do I understand that communications with staff are

channeled through the Head of School’s office?• Do/will I contribute openly and freely in board/board

committee discussions?• Do/will I share any concerns about my responsibilities with

the board chair and/or Head of School?• Do/will I prepare for board/board committee meetings and

assignments?• Do/will I attend board and board committee meetings on a

regular basis?• Do/will I enjoy my service on the board?

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O U R L A D Y O F

F O U N D E D 1 8 8 2

PEACE

A C A D E M Y O F

Academy of Our Lady of Peace 4860 Oregon St., San Diego, CA 92116

www.aolp.org | 619-297-2266