Inside the Boardroom: Empowering Educators & Enriching Lives

The Colorado Association of School Boards (CASB) has designated January as School Board Recognition Month, offering an opportunity to highlight the profound contributions of these unsung volunteers

By Kim Daly , Contributing Writer

In 2022, Global Village Academy Douglas County was at a crossroads with its facility. The school made a significant decision to purchase the property it had been leasing, and the hardest work was still to come. Chris Lee, President of the school’s Board of Directors, reflects. “It required numerous critical decisions, such as selecting a team to facilitate the municipal bond issuance, choosing the right investor, and ensuring the bond terms didn’t negatively impact the school’s financial stability.”?

The board worked tirelessly, he says, but ultimately the purchase provided financial stability, allowing the school to pursue long-term objectives, including building and grade-level expansions as well as increased amenities for students.

A Critical Role

Lee’s experience exemplifies the critical role that charter school board members play in ensuring the success of their schools. These volunteers dedicate anywhere from five to twenty hours or more per month to support a high-quality public school environment where students can reach their highest potential.?

Similar to traditional nonprofit organizations (NPOs), charter school boards operate within a distinct framework that demands a commitment to governance, not micromanagement. Bryan Owens, Vice President of the Board at the Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning in Colorado Springs, says one reason he joined was to foster a more cooperative spirit between governance and administration. He shares that a board’s job is threefold: to act as custodians of the mission and vision, approve the budget in alignment with that vision, and serve as hiring managers for the CEO.?

However, he adds, “I found that the charter really adds a fourth category: maintainer of the policies and relationship with the district. Charters have a relationship up the chain that most NPOs do not have and the board needs to keep that relationship healthy and positive as well.”

Building Bridges?

Charter school boards also serve as a bridge between their schools and the broader community. Maren Bicknell, who serves on the Board at Animas High School in Durango, emphasizes the importance of asking questions and championing accountability. "Request data. Question how decisions align with the school’s mission and long-term goals. As a charter school board member, you have a responsibility to ensure all stakeholders — students, teachers, parents, taxpayers — are considered in decisions."

Bicknell’s work highlights the proactive role boards play in shaping their schools' futures. At Animas, she helped establish an Advancement Committee to enhance fundraising, enrollment management, and marketing efforts. "Charter schools often have unique educational models requiring additional resources beyond standard funding," she explains. "By creating a strategic plan, we’ve supported the school’s efforts to fully execute its mission and vision."

One tangible result of these efforts was the creation of Osprey Blocks — three-week long, credit-bearing courses designed to connect classroom learning to real-world experiences. This initiative, which required buy-in from staff and community members, demonstrates the potential of a well-functioning board.

Challenges and Successes

Like any nonprofit, serving on a charter school board comes with challenges. Members navigate complex issues ranging from maintaining regulatory compliance to fostering a positive school culture. During the pandemic, boards faced unprecedented decisions. "No matter what decision was made, it wasn’t possible to please everyone," Lee says. "We had to focus on what was best for the school as a whole."

At Flagstaff Academy Charter School in Longmont, the Board's efforts to update the school’s dress code policy illustrate how even seemingly small decisions can have a significant community impact. Says Vice President Andy Hockman, "The previous policy was outdated and needed to allow for more student freedom of expression while simplifying enforcement for staff," he shares. "Over several months, we gathered feedback from parents, students, teachers, and staff, ultimately passing a new policy that has been well received."

Elly Osmera, a former board member at the project-based PAGOSA PEAK OPEN SCHOOL , dedicated one year to writing a grant for the Colorado Health Foundation. After collaborating bi-weekly with teachers, administration, and the larger community, the school not only has a new playground, she says, but one where “everyone feels welcome when they enter.”

Success stories like these highlight the board’s capacity to effect positive change through collaboration and careful planning. As Hockman explains, "To be effective, you need to build meaningful relationships and work together to support the school’s goals."

A Pathway to Community Engagement

For many board members, the decision to serve stems from a desire to make a meaningful impact. Sabeen Sattar, a member of the board at Wildflower Montessori Public Schools of Colorado , joined to bring both a new parental and cultural perspective. Working on the School Accountability Committee (SAC), she helped establish a solid foundation for engaging parents and building community, allowing the the administration to “stay focused on the things that are most important: the students,” she says.

Sattar advises new board members to reflect on their motivations. "Find your ‘why?’ Why do you want to join the board, and what do you bring to the table?” The board needs certain skill sets, she says, and being an active participant requires time and commitment to help the school fulfill its mission and vision.

Bicknell spent the majority of her career as a teacher and school administrator. Although she’s transitioned out of the day-to-day work of education, she shares, “ServingservingServing as a board member of a public charter school allows me to continue to contribute to the field of education in a meaningful way while also continuing to champion school choice.”??

For Lee, his board service also fills a void. “My work, while impactful and important, isn't the kind of work that makes a meaningful difference in the world. I really wanted a way to use my professional skills to make a truly meaningful impact, something I could be proud of.”

Embracing Responsibility and Shared Goals

Board members come from diverse backgrounds but unite around a shared goal: ensuring their schools’ — and ultimately students’ — success. Many have no prior board or educational experience. To succeed, they must take the time to learn, ask questions,, and be willing to make tough decisions. For board members who are also parents, this means making decisions based not on what is necessarily best for their own student(s), but for the good of the entire school, says Lee. Whether they are overseeing major financial decisions, fostering relationships with their authorizer, or creating long-term strategic plans, their work creates lasting and meaningful impactsimpactimpacts on both educators and young minds.

“Serving on a charter school board is challenging,” admits Hockman. “You must balance the needs and expectations of parents, students, staff, and the administration. It requires a significant time commitment and investment.” To be effective, he says, you must navigate these complexities while building meaningful relationships and supporting the school’s goals.

These efforts — achieved entirely by volunteers??—??ensure that Colorado’s public charter schools remain vibrant, innovative spaces where students can thrive.

Kim is a charter school parent and contributing member to the Colorado League of Charter Schools team. She is passionate about storytelling and appreciates the opportunity to share the incredible work being done at public charter schools across #Colorado.

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