Governance Culture (GC) Policies

Policy: GC-7

Title: Ferndale School Board Social Contract

Status: Active

Adopted: February 27, 2018

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Ferndale School Board Social Contract

We will stay true to our purpose by…

• Putting public good ahead of personal agendas, either our own or those of others.
• Understanding and respecting the role of the School Board to make policy decisions, not management decisions.
• Bringing constituents’ concerns forward for discussion, but always maintaining a lens of what’s best for students.
• Regularly revisiting and recommitting to our Strategic Commitments.
• Never forgetting that our primary purpose is to improve the lives of the young people entrusted to the School District’s care.

We will work to communicate effectively with one another by…

• Respecting different backgrounds, different teachings, and different modes of communication.
• Respecting opinions that differ from our own as well as the people who express those opinions.
• Respecting confidentiality.
• Sharing talk time so that everyone has a chance to say his or her piece.
• Actively listening and asking questions in order to understand.
• Listening with our eyes and hearts as well as with our brains and ears.

We will each carry our weight by…

• Sharing the work load, while taking into account one another’s strengths.
• Attending meetings regularly and representing the Board at events when possible.
• Notifying the Board President, Superintendent, and/or other Board members when we cannot attend a meeting.
• Sending one another supportive reminders when we suspect a meeting may have been forgotten.
• Doing our homework and coming to meetings prepared.
• Taking initiative to follow up on missed meetings.
• Taking an active role in staying informed about the business of the School District.

We will make and honor sound policy decisions by…

• Thoroughly exploring all options.
• Trying to look at as many solutions as possible for every problem before we decide on one.
• Taking time to consider who will be impacted by our decision(s) and how they will be affected.
• Whenever possible and appropriate, soliciting input from those who will be impacted by the decision.
• Whenever possible and appropriate, basing our decisions on data.
• Once they are made, actively supporting and working to implement Board decisions in a united manner no matter what our personal positions.

We will support one another by…

• Valuing other Board members as teammates who balance and complement one another.
• Always assuming positive intent.
• Speaking positively of one another to all people in all settings.
• Building on one another’s strengths.
• Encouraging one another’s hearts.
• Maintaining a commitment to “no surprises.”

We will handle disagreements by…

• Acknowledging that disagreement is not a bad thing but rather an opportunity for learning.
• When the disagreement is about a personal matter, going directly to the person to talk it out.
• When the disagreement is about a professional matter, continuing to discuss the issue in question until we have all achieved deep enough understanding to frame an acceptable compromise.
• Sometimes respectfully agreeing to disagree.

 

Adopted 02.27.2018

Revised, Renumbered and Renamed from GC-7-E to GC 7 10.30.2018; 07.30.2019

 

Monitoring Method:          Board self-assessment

Monitoring Frequency:     Annually