What Makes a Good Board Member?
I ran across this list of qualities of good school board members on the Minnesota School Board Association website. It struck me that Duluth has one good one, Gary Glass. I’ve bolded three qualities which Gary excells when compared to most of his current colleagues on the Board.
Effective school board members share a number of common characteristics, but it’s important to realize they did not become effective the instant they were elected. Many qualities are acquired through experience and are important to consider:
A conviction that public education is important
The ability to make decisions
Loyalty to the democratic process
Time and energy to devote to board business, including board development opportunities
Ability to accept the will of the majority
Respect for district staff
Ability to communicate well with others
Courage
