Presentation Details

Cultivating Relationships with School Board Members: Why It Matters for Schools

This session is designed for charter school and private school leaders, governing board members, and community stakeholders. The session will underscore the importance of building informed, strategic relationships with their local district school board members. School boards play a central role in decisions that directly affect charter schools, including contract renewals, oversight matters, and broader district-charter policies. There are also decisions made by school districts that impact private schools. Yet many school board members have little direct contact with charter or private schools and often rely on district staff as their primary source of information. This presentation will explore the value of ensuring that board members know who you are—before a critical vote arises. From inviting them to visit your campus, to attending board meetings proactively, to cultivating familiarity and credibility over time, we’ll discuss how and why these relationships matter. Attendees of this session will gain insights into the dynamics of how information flows within school districts, how board perceptions are shaped, and how to make sure their school’s voice is included in those conversations. Attendees will also understand how this should be part of a broader strategy of telling your school’s story to the community before the district tells your story for you. Whether your goal is to foster mutual understanding or to ensure your school is visible when it counts, this session will offer a practical and legally grounded framework for effective engagement.

Strand & Topic: Business > School Operations
Audience: School-based Administrators > K-12

Presented by:

• Shawn Arnold, Shareholder, Arnold Law Firm
• Jim Horne, Partner, Strategos Group
• Andy Ziegler, Board President, Odyssey Charter School Board