Dear GHS community,
Welcome to the 2011-2012 school year! The GHS Academy Board of Directors would like to share with you some of the accomplishments of last year, as well as preview some of our priorities and plans for the upcoming months.
LAST YEAR IN REVIEW: The 2010-2011 school year was a year of transition, but one during which a strong institutional foundation was laid. The Board worked diligently to establish a strong structure, reinforced with policies and procedures, which we believe will anchor the school in years to come:
New Principal: In June of 2010, the Board hired Jean K. Losey as Interim Principal; we worked closely with her over all of last year to support her in her new role; and after a formal review of performance, we converted her position to Principal by extending her contract through the 2011-2012 school year. We are fortunate to have such a caring and dedicated educator to lead GHS into the future!
Improved Communication: After receiving feedback from parents and staff, the Board established three key procedures to improve communication with our community:
Corporate Records Book: In Fall of 2010, the Board re-instituted the policy of making the Corporate Records Book available in the front office for inspection. The book contains a copy of the Bylaws, Articles of Incorporation, Board Minutes from all regular session meetings, as well as an application for Board service.
Communication Policy: In Fall of 2010, the Board adopted its Communication Policy, which outlines a variety of ways our community can make their input known to the Board. This includes a formal procedure for ensuring issues are resolved in a timely and systematic manner. To review this policy, please see the GHS website under "About GHS" -- "Board of Trustees" -- "Communication with the Board."
Website "Updates from the GHS Board of Directors:" In January of 2011, the Board created this addition to the GHS website, "Updates from the GHS Board of Directors." The purpose is to establish and maintain a formal venue where the Board will regularly post updates on their most significant activities. At the beginning of each trimester, please expect to see a summary of our recent projects, as well as a list of priorities for the upcoming months.
Sound Business Practices: As recommended by NAIS, last year the Board undertook and completed review of all major corporate documents, policies and procedures. This was a systematic and lengthy project, but the corporate documents have been revised and updated as needed, and a procedure for periodic review has been established for the future. The purpose is to ensure the school's operations remain in compliance with applicable laws and prudent business practices.
Financial Oversight: The Board has responsibility for oversight of the financial health of the school. This past year, the Board formalized its long-standing oversight practices by formally articulating a policy that includes: a rigorous budgeting process; monthly review by Board of detailed Financial Reports prepared by the Finance Manager in accordance with GAAP; year-end review by an independent CPA of annual financials; and review by Board of timely filed tax documents.
Fundraising: The Board also has responsibility for driving fundraising. After an unexpected drop in enrollment in the summer of 2010, GHS began last year with a gap of almost $150,000. Thanks to sound business management and the gifts of our generous community, GHS closed the gap and appears to be on track to show a profit for FY 2010-2011. Please note the final number is subject to close of all financial matters through June 30, as well as review by an independent CPA. The final numbers will be reported at this year's Annual Meeting & Celebration of School on September 27th. It is also noteworthy that GHS increased our donor base over last year. Our culture of giving continues to grow, and we look forward to further expanding our tremendous potential this coming year! Thank you!
System of Benchmarking: Over last year, the Board crafted -- and ultimately adopted --a policy outlining a system of benchmarking, whereby the Board and administration are able to quantify the success of GHS and benchmark growth from year-to-year. The current system has five components: (a) Survey Program; (b) Standardized Testing Results; (c) Alumni Tracking; (d) Formal Exit Interview Process; and (e) Strategic Plan. While we are still in the early stages of collecting data, we are developing trend lines, which we look forward to sharing with you in the Annual Meeting & Celebration of School on September 27th.
THIS COMING SCHOOL YEAR: We are happy to announce that the GHS Academy Board of Directors will begin this year with a full membership of nine seated Directors. This year's membership has been chosen in order to bring to the boardroom a wide range of experience, skills and expertise; a representation across a broad spectrum of grade levels; and individuals with an exceptional commitment to the long-term success of GHS. This year's members and their contact information is listed in the sections below.
This year, the Board has three immediate priorities:
(1)
Annual Meeting & Celebration of School: The Board hopes to see our entire community present at our Annual Meeting & Celebration of School on the evening of September 27th. We will be celebrating the character and accomplishments of our community; laying out a comprehensive picture of the state of our school, based largely on the benchmarking data that the board and the administration has been collecting; and sharing our vision for the upcoming year. We hope you will all be there!
(2)
CAIS Accreditation: This year, GHS is applying for dual accreditation from WASC/CAIS. This fall, the Board is diligently contributing to the GHS Self-Study, which will be submitted in December. We look forward to hosting the review team in February during their campus visit.
(3)
Annual Strategic Planning: The Board is looking forward to this year's Strategic Planning process! The Board will begin its preliminary review of the school's mission and vision and other key strategic directives in September. We will then be scheduling the community-wide, all-day session in which all community constituencies are represented and have an opportunity to shape GHS' strategic direction for the upcoming years. The process will culminate in a new Strategic Plan being formalized, adopted and posted by the end of October.
Then, the Strategic Plan will drive and inform all major school activities for the upcoming year. One of the Board's key goals is to develop a system of assigning ownership of each directive, as well as a process for monitoring progress and driving goals to completion. We look forward to this being one of our most exciting years for positive growth and progress! If you are interested in participating in this process, please contact the Board President, Carol Davies, or the Principal, Jean Losey.
Thank you for taking the time to review the "Updates from the GHS Board." We hope you have found it informative, and we invite you to contact directors with any questions or feedback. We look forward to a fabulous and exciting school year!
Very truly yours,
GHS Academy Board of Directors
