advisory board development, steve finocchio

2010 Institute for Staff Development

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NATIONAL ACADEMY FOUNDATION2010 Institute for Staff Development

July 2010

Advisory Board Development:Recruiting & Strategies for Success

Stephen FinocchioBoard Chair

Brook Farm Academy

NATIONAL ACADEMY FOUNDATION2010 Institute for Staff Development

July 2010


Stephen FinocchioBoard Chair

Brook Farm Academy


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> Welcome

> Today’s Discussion Topics

– Developing Board Infrastructure– The Importance of the School-Board Relationship– Establishing Manageable Short Term Plans and Long Range Goals– Creating Board Member Commitment– Continuous Strategic Recruiting– Developing Lasting Partnerships

> Questions, Thoughts, Comments, Observations


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What Every Board Needs in order to Operate Effectively> Understanding of its role in the constituent's process

> Correct Structure, Manageable Size, Expected Engagement

> Good Information- Are you getting it?

> Inclusive Culture– Chemistry and mutual trust– Equal voice…but also equal contribution– Climate of freedom to ask challenging questions

> The Right People

> Communication, Communication, Communication!


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Serving on an Advisory Board may be one of the more altruistic things you (or your Board

member) will ever do. No one is going to tell you that you have to do something.


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Brook Farm Business & Service Career Academy (BFA)> Brook Farm was established as part of Boston Public Schools’ small learning

communities initiative in September 2005 and became affiliated with the National Academy Foundation in September 2006.

> Brook Farm has a student population of approximately 340 students made up of predominantly Hispanic (49%) and Black (35%) students.

> For the 2009-2010 academic year, the BFA Advisory Board consisted of approximately 17 Board members (including ex-officio school representatives), and was represented by members from the following institutions (among others):– State Street Corporation– UBS Financial Services , Inc– Citizens Bank, NA– Boston Firefighters Credit Union– Third Vision Productions– Bank of America– Massachusetts Department of Labor and Workforce Development– University of Massachusetts, Boston– BNY Mellon (retired member)– New England College of Finance (retired member)


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Developing Board Infrastructure


Developing Board Infrastructure


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Board Infrastructure: Role of NAF Advisory Boards> Advocacy

> Professional expertise

> Professional development and technical assistance for teachers

> Mentoring and industry access for students

> Internship opportunities & support

> Fundraising & support

> Ongoing tracking of student progress, outcomes & success

Check out the NAF’s Advisory Board Manual for more details!


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Board Infrastructure: Critical Early Steps> Remain patient!

> Create and maintain your by-laws

– They should be reviewed at least once per year, but...– Broad enough to last for several years…details go in the appendix– Don’t go committee crazy...but do establish an Executive Committee

> Establish goals and stick to them

– Every school’s model is different: understand what population of students you will serve

– Don’t over extend the expectations of the Board– More on this later


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Board Infrastructure: Critical Early Steps> Establish a reasonable (and convenient!) meeting schedule

– Get into the habit of an Annual Planning Meeting (full day)– Meetings should be in a convenient location and time– Make a dial-in available whenever possible– Encourage most activity at the committee level (its easier to get

small groups together)– Don’t turn meetings into kum ba yah sessions: Have agendas, be

efficient, make decisions– Soldier on even when the quorum is light

> Establish a private group on the NAF Collaboration Website for your Board Members to access all critical Board information and output


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The Importance of the School-BoardRelationship


The Importance of the School-BoardRelationship


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The School/Board Relationship> Remember that you are in an advisory capacity

– Respect the priorities of the administration at the school– Align your goals with their goals, not the other way around– Understand the school’s constraints: federal, state and district– Try to stay out of the politics as much as possible

> Create an atmosphere of trust between the Board and the school

> But Establish boundaries

– All Board candidates should come through the Board process– The Administration should not dictate deliverables that the Board

cannot meet


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The School/Board Relationship> Be firm with the school regarding Board expectations

– They must communicate budgetary issues– They must communicate change going on at the school– The Headmaster/Principal must be a regular part of the process, not

just the Academy Director (and district people when necessary)

> Communicate. Communicate. Communicate.

– Your Board communication with the school should be formal– Your relationship with the Director, the Administration and teachers

should be informal and frequent


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Establishing A Manageable Short Term Plan& Long Range Goals


Establishing A Manageable Short Term Plan& Long Range Goals


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Establish A Short Term Plan (1 Year)> # 1 priority is always to Engage with the students!

– Speaking engagement at a morning assembly– Classroom visits/ matter expert course participation– Job Shadow Day, Corporate Field Trips– INTERNSHIPS, INTERNSHIPS, INTERNSHIPS

> Engage with the educators

– Build a direct relationship as early as possible– Offer to review course curriculum– Create a professional development visit for teachers


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Establish A Short Term Plan (1 Year)

> Establish a manageable short term success that can be achieved in one year

---CREATE A MENTORING PROGRAM---

> Committees should prioritize one project at a time


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Create a 3 to 5 Year Action Plan> Map Board Engagement along a student development path

> Establish Long Range Aspirational Goals

– Establish fundraising goals and how to achieve them– Develop a pathway to success for students from 9th through 12th

– Create grade level development points, certificates, and “on the spot” awards

> Measure Student Academic Achievement

– Board engagement should not occur in a vacuum– Are at-risk students being served?– Graduation & matriculation (and retention) rates, drop-out rates


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Creating Board Member Commitment


Creating Board Member Commitment


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Creating Commitment: Before They Commit…Can your potential Board Member answer the following questions?

> Do you understand the mission and goals of the Advisory Board?

> Do you know how you can contribute to that mission and those goals?

> Do you understand the needs of the school, its teachers and students?

> Why is now the right time for you to join this Advisory Board?

> Can you commit adequate time?

> Are you ready to engage for 2-3 years or more?

> Do you feel you will fit with the culture of the Board?


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Creating Commitment: Provide the Full Picture> NAF’s Mission: The mission of the National Academy Foundation is to sustain a national network of

career academies to support the development of America’s youth toward personal and professional success in high school, in higher education, and throughout their careers.

> NAF Academy Features– A Small Learning Community: A typical Academy takes the form of a personalized, small learning

community within a larger high school. In BFA’s case, Brook Farm resides in the larger West Roxbury Education complex.

– College Preparatory Curriculum with a Career Theme: The Academy focuses on providing students with the skills and experience necessary to attain entry-level jobs in the career field, as well as academic preparation for post-secondary education.

– Partnerships with Employers, Communities, and Higher Education: NAF Academies function as dynamic partnerships and collaborations between schools, teachers, administrators, business volunteers, and an active Advisory Board led by industry professionals.

> National Academy Foundation> NAF Collaboration Network> NAF Collaboration Groups (must be logged into NAF Collaboration Website)> NAF Videos (must be logged into NAF Collaboration website)

Do not assume potential Board Members have a full understanding of the mission and affiliations of the Advisory Board. Do not assume they have time to research it. Serve it to them!


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Creating Commitment: Expectations of Board Members

> The Commitment is Real!- This works out to approximately 1 to 1.5 hrs per week

> Other commitments might include: acting as Committee Chair, being a matter expert for a particular course, hosting a teacher for a day at your company, hosting students for a career tour or job shadow day at your company, working with your company, business associates or friends to provide internships to students

> The SKY’S THE LIMIT!!

Commitment Hrs

Annual Planning Meeting 8 Advisory Board Meetings (5 @ 1-2HRS) 6 Committee Assignment (1 HR per month, 10 months) 10 Off- Line Committee Work 4-10 Supporting Development Work 4-10 Supporting Fundraising Work 4-10 School Visit/Speaking Event 4-6 Pilot Mentoring Program (1 HR per month + miscellaneous time and support) 10-15

TOTAL Estimated Annual Commitment: 50-75


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Creating Commitment: A Roadmap for Board MembersSign up for the NAF Collaboration Network

Join the BFAAB Work Group on NAF Collaboration Network

Join a committee and work with the chair to establish a monthly meeting schedule

Schedule time to speak at a morning assembly and visit a classroom

Work with the Academy Director and become a mentor (teacher or student)

Donate and work with your organizations to support the Academy


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Continuous Strategic Recruiting


Continuous Strategic Recruiting


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Strategic Recruiting: Sourcing Board Members> GOALS…then People

> Seek 3 Kinds of Board Members

– Connectors: People that can open doors around town– Leaders: People that will chair committees and lead the charge– Doers: The “worker bees”- young professionals that will roll up

their sleeves and carry out the mission

> Don’t get desperate!

– A small, hardworking Board is better than a large uninterested one – Be strategic: Accept new members that can fill the roles you need


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Strategic Recruiting: Sourcing Board Members

> Maximise the use of non-board “Friends” to your advantage

– This goes back to Board Structure: Consider adding a board Layer with titles such as: “Friends of the School”, “Overseers”, “Trustees”

> Don’t burn bridges with departing board members! Ever!

– Encourage less effective Board members to pass their position on to someone else in their organization that has more time


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> Young Professional Leadership Programs (#1 in my book!)

– UMASS Boston Emerging Leaders Program (Greater Boston)– The Partnership (Boston)– The Boston Club (part of the InterOrganization Network (ION))– Emerging Leaders Executive Development Program (Columbia U.)– National Hispana Leadership Institute (ALL-IN Program)– Bush Foundation Leadership Program (Minn, N & S Dakota)– Rockwood Leadership Institute– Boston Future Leaders Program- Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce– LEAD San Diego– Leadership Philadelphia– Etc, Etc, Etc


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> Young Professional Networking Groups– United Way Emerging Leaders Networks (National)– Orlando Young Professional Network

> Minority Owned Businesses, Professional Groups & Societies– Association of Latino Professionals in Finance & Accounting (ALPFA)– Next Street Financial (Boston Area)– Hispanic-American Chamber of Commerce (HACC- Boston)

> Community Outreach Groups– Hispanic Office of Planning & Evaluation (HOPE- Mass)– Corporate Foundation Departments- often have internal non-profit fairs


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> Non-Profit Board Development Organizations– Board Source– The Board Bank: United Way– BridgeStar– The Foundation Center

> Community Foundations and other Foundations

> Mayor’s Office/Governor’s Office– Department of Labor and Workforce Development


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Developing Lasting Partnerships


Developing Lasting Partnerships


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Lasting PartnershipsCreate a Student Development Path that involves partners year after year


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Questions, Thoughts, Comments, Observations


Questions, Thoughts, Comments, Observations

advisory board development, steve finocchio

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