“The average tenure of school heads is about 5.5 years and the average length of trustee service is 3.5 years. Due to these patterns, there needs to be more ‘touchstones’ of approved and understood tools to retain mission integrety and protect the school from crisis. The strategic plan helps to ensure this. Simultaneously, we must improve governance practices to define boundaries of authority and to extend the tenure for heads, board chairs and board members.” John C. Littleford. Senior Partner, Littleford Associates. Originally a panel discussion, this session will engage attendees in sharing wisdom on board/head relationships. Specifics about clear expectations, effective communication, mutual trust , and collaborative long-term and strategic planning will be foremost among the topics covered.
Robert Littlejohn
Dr. Littlejohn is Head of School at Trinity Academy of Raleigh, North Carolina. As a Ph.D Biologist, he has authored two college biology laboratory texts and has published 26 reports of original research in the fields of Ecology, Plant Physiology, Biochemistry and Science Educational Theory. In 2006, he coauthored Wisdom and Eloquence: a Christian Paradigm for Classical Learning, published by Crossway Books, Chicago. His career spans 26 years in K-12 and higher education, during which he has served in a variety of teaching and administrative capacities, including Academic Vice President for a liberal arts college and Director for a consortium of ten colleges and universities. He was founding headmaster for New Covenant Schools in Virginia, founding executive director for the society for Classical Learning and a founding board member for the American School of Lyon, France. He is a certified facilitator for Appreciative Inquiry, an AQIP reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and a Consultant to Colleges and schools across the nation.