Building Better BoardsEffective Governance Practice for Finance & Risk Recorded Workshop
Recording Available Through June 30, 2023
Target Audience This workshop has been developed to support any independent school trustee interested in exploring governance best practices. Previously this workshop was recommended for those new to the role, but feedback was that it was universally valuable. All independent school board members are encouraged to attend.
Building Better Boards OverviewIn this four-workshop series, attendees will explore the role of trustee and learn from experienced board chairs, heads of school and association leadership. Each
workshop will have a specific focus and unique content around board
improvement taught through virtual presentations,
guest speakers and case studies. Trustees register for each event individually and are encouraged to attend all four.
October Workshop Description - Effective Governance Practice for Finance & RiskThis
hands-on course is designed for board members to feel more 'fluent' in the
financials of their school, from reading finance committee reports and
audited financial statements to integrating finance with strategic
planning and/or long-term planning. Board members will learn of the
intersection of finance and risk, the basics of risk management (it's not just
insurance!), and how to spot potential issues before they become a problem.
Note that participants will be required to have specific documentation from
their own school: balance sheet (at June 30, 2022), P&L (for school year
ended June 30, 2022), and cashflow forecast for the 2022-23 school year (July
1, 2022 to June 30, 2023). Participants will not share their documents, but
will consult them at intervals throughout the course, when prompted, in order
to apply what they have just learned, growing their confidence and capacity. Welcome Guest Presenter: Kevin J. Ruth, Ph.D. FRSA, Managing Director, Westlake
Global  Kevin
is Managing Director of Westlake Global, advising on governance, strategy,
risk, and operations as well as a Stanford Certified Project Manager (SCPM®)
and a Certified Merger and Acquisition Advisor (CM&AA®). In addition to 25
years in education, he has given 22 years of service as a director on
non-profit boards, with four years as a governing board member of an
independent school, is an advisor to a number of projects and organizations,
and is a frequent speaker at educational conferences and gatherings in the US
and around the world.
Kevin
is a Fellow in the UK-based Royal Society of Arts; advisory council member for Harvard Business Review; member of the Online
Executive Panel (Education) for McKinsey & Company; member of the Feedback
Forum (Marketing) for the Financial Times;
a judge for the International School Awards;
a judge for the PIE Awards(Professionals
in International Education); and past lecturer for the National Endowment for
the Humanities.In addition to teaching modern and classical languages in K-12
schools for seventeen years, he served as an associate college counselor,
department head, major and planned gifts officer, director of institutional
advancement, and assistant (deputy) head. He
then led ECIS, a global membership organization for 400+ international and
independent schools in 100 countries, for six years as Chief Executive Officer,
visiting and consulting with schools in over 40 countries. Following ECIS,
Kevin served as President of Moreland University, a fully online graduate
school of education dedicated to teacher preparation, serving over 6,000
candidates and alumni in 150+ countries, acquired by Colibri Group in 2021. He
has worked in not-for-profit and for-profit settings across the K-20 spectrum,
and has worked with public schools, charter schools, independent schools,
international schools, faith-based schools, educational membership
organizations, and universities. Kevin was also a contributor to the OECD
Learning Compass 2030 and the OECD Future of Education and Skills 2030 project. He
holds bachelor’s degrees in French and German, and a Master’s in Comparative
Literature, all from the Pennsylvania State University; a Ph.D. in Comparative
Literature from Rutgers University; and has completed executive education at
Stanford University in Advanced Project Management, and Strategic Decision
& Risk Management; as well as at University of Oxford’s Saïd Business
School in Executive Leadership. In 2021 he was honored with the Distinguished
Alumnus Award from the Department of Germanic & Slavic Languages and
Literatures at the Pennsylvania State University. A polyglot with seven
languages, he holds citizenship in the US and UK. Additional Building Better Boards Workshop Recordings: - You Are A New Trustee…Now What?
- Becoming a More Strategic Board
- Evaluation That Stimulates Growth
Thoughts from 2021-22 Attendees: "Worth the time. The variety of topics and subject matter allows you to reflect more as a Board member and explore the responsible action" "I would tell other trustees to attend the workshop no matter how long they have been on a board. As a sixth-year board member, I learned several new pieces of information and had an opportunity to network with others within NWAIS. It was incredibly worthwhile." "This is a great "101" introduction. Bring a pen and questions!" "I think it is a must for first-time trustees. And a good optional refresher for the rest of us." "It's a great way to see your job and what isn't your job, and it was done in an engaging and interesting way. I really enjoyed the workshop." Some of the “Ah-ha” Moments From Previous Attendees:- Getting a better insight into the relationship between The board and Head of school. And how important that is for the long term viability of the school.
- Good to get a sense of what other board structures, effectiveness and success has looked like.
- Problems are not unique but I was pleased to see that our school is handling things correctly. Having never been on a board before it was great for me.
- I think for me as a new board member was the clarification of my role as a board member that I take off my parent hat and think in terms of where our school will be 5,10,20 years down the line.
- Role of board relative to school head, parents, teachers and school.
- It was nice to get the perspectives of the group and how small or large independent schools have very similar problems.
- I think it was great to have our board all hear the same thing from an independent source. Lots of ah-ha's
Additional 2022-2023 NWAIS Governance Programming To ExploreBoard Chairs and Heads Partnering to Propel Schools (May 12, 2023):
This single-day workshop is specifically built around supporting the
special relationship of the Head and the Board Chair as they lead the
board and the strategic direction of the school. Attendees have a chance
to deepen their partnership as well as developing connections with
others who share their unique role in other NWAIS schools.
Registration for Access to Recording
NWAIS Attendees: $45 Non-NWAIS Attendees: $75 Recordings of This Workshop Will Be Available Through June 30, 2022Register today to receive access to workshop recording
Cancellation Policy Substitutions may be made any time prior to the conference. Written cancellations received by October 12, 2022 are eligible for a refund after a $25 cancellation fee. Cancellations received after October 12, 2022 are ineligible for any refund.
|
