Board Governance Retreat

2008 Arizona Charter Schools Conference

Excellence by Design: Board Leadership Retreat
November 11, 2008
Carefree Resort and Villas in Carefree, Arizona

The 2008 Conference theme, Excellence by Design, reflects both the success of Arizona charter schools and the continual challenge to create higher quality educational opportunities for Arizona’s kids. As a charter school board member, your role in ensuring school excellence is absolutely critical. Don’t miss this interactive leadership seminar led by nationally recognized charter school board governance guru, Brian Carpenter; experienced attorneys, Deanna Rader and Ellis Carter; school finance veteran, Doug Alf; and board recruitment master, Ed Roth. With sessions designed for both new and experienced board members, you are sure to walk away with valuable information, fresh ideas, and a broader network of local leaders.

Leading Experts:

Brian Carpenter, National Charter Schools Institute

A crusader for excellence in charter school governance, Dr. Carpenter distills 20 years of experience working for boards, with boards, and on boards into insightful, practical, and often-humorous lessons to help boards and executives work together more effectively. His first book, Charter School Board University, has been read by thousands of board members. His newest book, The Seven Outs: Strategic Planning Made Easy for Charter Schools, is the only book of its kind and is endorsed by international bestselling author Richard Koch.

Deanna Rader, Fennemore Craig, P.C .

Deanna R. Rader is an attorney with the law firm of Fennemore Craig, P.C., where she practices in the area of school law, labor and employment and civil litigation. She has been advising charter schools on issues involving board governance, charter contract compliance, and Open Meeting Law compliance for several years. Ms. Rader is admitted to practice in Arizona and Nevada, and is a member of the National Council of School Attorneys and the Arizona Council of School Attorneys. Ms. Rader earned her B.S.W. degree and J.D. degree, cum laude, from Arizona State University.

Ellis Carter, Fennemore Craig, P.C.

Ellis Carter is an attorney with the law firm of Fennemore Craig. She devotes her practice to the representation of tax-exempt organizations. Ms. Carter advises a wide spectrum of tax-exempt entities including private and charter schools on a variety of tax, corporate and regulatory matters. Ms. Carter was recently selected by her peers for inclusion in the Nonprofit and Charities Law category of The Best Lawyers in America® 2008.

Edward Roth, National Charter Schools Institute

Mr. Roth brings extensive executive leadership experience as well as practical field experience in the areas of public policy, budget, management and organizational functional analysis. After retiring from state service in 1995 he was a founding board member of a Michigan charter school and served as its President while also operating a public policy consulting service. After leaving the charter school board he served with the Central Michigan University Charter School Office dealing with various charter school authorizer matters. He coordinated the development of models dealing with program review and change.

Douglas Alf, Great Hearts Academies

Douglas Alf has spent the past 8 years as Business Manager for some of Arizona’s top charter schools. His proven record of financial forecasting and fiscal integrity along with his strategic planning enables him to provide insightful budgets for these schools. Mr. Alf’s current position is Business Manager for Great Hearts Academies, a network of schools serving 6th through 12th grade students. Prior to his career in public education, Mr. Alf spent 5 years as a Corporate Controller and most recently owned and operated a successful accounting firm for 13 years. His business acumen and observation of the financial environment in Arizona, as it pertains to charter schools, is invaluable to the growth and stability of the schools he serves.

Engaging Sessions:

The Five Dysfunctions of Charter School Boards
Brian Carpenter, National Charter Schools Institute

Ever spend an hour in a board meeting talking about paint colors for new classrooms or grass cutting services? Former superintendent and charter school board member, Brian Carpenter has. And as the CEO of the National Charter Schools Institute, Brian is on a crusade to end this kind of board dysfunction in charter schools. You’ll be challenged to improve your board leadership while laughing at real examples of boards aspiring to new heights of mediocrity. As a nationally known governance consultant and author, Brian works with charter schools across the country in strengthening their governance capacity.

The Seven Outs: Strategic Planning Made Easy for Charter Schools
Brian Carpenter, National Charter Schools Institute

Are you tired of writing strategic plans that result in little more than dead trees and an unused three-ring binder? Join national charter schools expert Brian Carpenter for this workshop which is titled after his new book, The Seven Outs. Brian will walk you through an easy to remember strategic planning process that can lead your school to greater achievements. The book on which this workshop is based is the only strategic planning book written exclusively for charter schools and it answers key questions, such as what the board should do, versus what the executive should do. All participants will receive a complimentary deck of 28 cards which contain the key points of the book and the workshop. You can use the deck to review the key points again and again.

Understanding Board Financial Reports
Doug Alf, Great Hearts Academies

Have you ever asked “What do all these numbers mean? Why do we spend so much time on finances? How did we get here? What is my Business Manager saying?” This session will address these questions and many more. You will leave with a basic understanding of how your school is funded, the major expenditures, and how these impact your ability to accomplish the mission statement. The session will also help you understand what your roles and responsibilities are as a board member.

Best Practices in Charter School Board Governance
Deanna Rader and Ellis Carter, Fennemore Craig

Regardless of the charter school's organizational structure, all charter schools must have a Governing Board that is responsible for policy decisions for the school. We will look at dual board structures (and potential legal issues related to those structures), by-laws and policies that will assist in effective board governance, defining and dividing tasks among board members to enhance decision-making processes, and ensuring compliance with the charter contract, and Open Meeting Law compliance. Board members will walk away with:

An up-to-date understanding of the current regulatory environment for charter schools, including information specific to tax-exempt charter schools.
Checklist of governance best practices tailored to charter schools to implement to ensure effective oversight.
An understanding of the requirements of the Open Meeting Law.

Board Recruitment: Strategies for Identifying and Engaging Effective Board Members
Ed Roth, National Charter Schools Institute

Wish there was a Match.com™ or e-Harmony™ for finding good board members? Join Ed Roth, National Charter Schools Institute, for an interactive and dynamic session where you will learn proven strategies for identifying and interviewing potential candidates. Asking the right questions will help identify the right people to best serve your school – and more importantly your students.

Association Member: $175
Association Non-Member: $225

*Registration includes breakfast, lunch, and session materials.

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