Spero Academy Board Committees
A board of directors needs a clearly defined structure of operations to accomplish its tasks. For the board to do its work effectively, it is not only necessary that members understand their responsibilities, but also that the board organizes itself to perform the necessary tasks effectively.
Through committees, work can be divided so that far more can be accomplished than if the entire board acted on all matters. Committees provide organizational structure and, at the same time, allow enough flexibility so the board can adapt quickly to the changing demands of the environment.
There are four primary functions that board committees serve. Committees:
- Divide up the work of Spero Academy
- Expedite the work by removing routine tasks from monthly board considerations
- Utilize the specific talents and knowledge of board members
- Permit broader participation by all board members.
While a committee's overall function is primarily advisory, it still has to make board recommendations, and in some cases, decisions.
Committee members meet apart from the entire board and work on recommendations to the board in the area assigned to them. The committee Chair reports its findings and conclusions for action by the entire board. If a committee is effective, and there is mutual respect among members of the board, then the committee's recommendations will carry considerable weight with the entire board. Board members may review and question some aspects of a committee's report; but, in general, recommendations of committees are accepted. Committees thus initiating many of the decisions are a well-functioning board.
For a committee to operate effectively, it needs:
- Specific commission so that it is aware of its responsibility and the limits of its authority
- A capable staff which can offer supplementary assistance when needed;
- An effective chairperson who:
- Understands the decision-making process
- Knows how to lead a group through that process
- Consults with the Director and/or Board Chair regarding high priority and/or urgent items of business
- Enables the committee to arrive at appropriate decisions.
- Responsible committee members who:
- Spend the time and effort necessary to be knowledgeable on the issues
- Understand how to contribute to a group's search for conclusions
- Know how to help a group evaluate the adequacy of available data
- Search for and evaluate alternative courses of action
- Make reasonable and thoughtful decisions or know when a matter requires additional input before a decision can be made.
Spero Academy currently has five committees. The functions of each committee, a member list, and meeting minutes from the current school year are available on each committee page.