MEET OUR BOARD
WORKING FOR THE PRESENT, PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
WHO WE ARE
The Grace International School Board of Trustees (BOT) is the governing board of GIS and is made up of representatives of GIS Owner Organizations (Founders, Founder Associates, and Owner Associates). The Chief Governance Officer (CGO), commonly referred to as the Board Chair, is the head of the BOT and is re-elected each school year from among the current BOT members.
The BOT meets face-to-face five times throughout the school year, focusing on larger issues such as policy, evaluation, and planning for the future of Grace International School on behalf of its owners. They help make sure that the school is living up to its commitment to Christ, biblical principles, excellence in academics, students’ faith journey, called staff, cultivating the GIS community, and enabling international Christian workers to remain aboard as stated in its mission and vision. These commitments flow from a deep love of the Lord Jesus and subsequent desire to honor and please Him. The school is guided by the biblical command that we should love the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our strength, and with all our mind; and our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:36–40, Mark 12:29–31, Luke 10:27).
ROLES AND OPERATION
The BOT uses the Carver Policy Governance (PG) model which focuses on the Board’s efforts on three main tasks:
01
To develop and maintain a relationship with the owners of the school for input and accountability
02
To develop policies for the Superintendent and for the Board
03
To produce assurance of the Superintendent’s performance
The BOT is the “informed agent” that operates on behalf of the owners. There is a clear line of authority that starts with the owners and is handed down to the Board which subsequently delegates authority to the Superintendent. Where most Boards are strongly involved in management and administrative issues, the GIS Board makes a clear distinction between management and governance.
GUIDELINES FOR GRIEVANCES
Most issues and concerns would fall under the authority of the Superintendent. These would include a specific issue regarding a person or action in the school (staff, student, administrator). The Superintendent has a policy in place outlined in the PSMO for parents to bring concerns. If your concern is unresolved at the management level, policies and procedures that allow grievances or whistle-blowing concerns to be brought to the board can be found here.