Board Officer Institute

Once a trustee takes on the role of a board officer, they soon realize they need a skillset to match their added responsibilities, which is why TASB offers a unique remote coaching program to help trustees elevate their leadership skills. 

Board Officer Institute is a six-week program that is offered twice a year. The next online session kicks off Oct. 2. The program is designed to serve board officers who want to gain the skills to ensure board meetings are civil and productive. The course is remote and also offers participants one-on-one coaching.  

Ginger Friesenhahn, a director on the TASB Board and a trustee at East Central ISD in San Antonio, completed the course as part of the Spring 2024 cohort. She credits the program for being supportive of trustees and helping them better navigate their leadership roles. 

"I can't say enough good things about the Board Officer Institute,” she said. “I benefited tremendously from this amazing program. Esperanza (Orosco) is such a fantastic instructor — she really helps you prepare for being a board officer, whether you're just starting or currently serving in an officer role on the school board. Her guidance has been invaluable [to me] in understanding and excelling in my role as a trustee." 

Board officers and trustees who aspire to take on an officer role are encouraged to participate in this engaging online course. 

Over the six weeks, trustees will learn to: 

• Understand the roles of school board officers 
• Run an effective meeting 
• Foster a positive, respectful atmosphere and address conflict constructively 
• Understand how the board and superintendent should collaborate to develop goals 
• Understand the logistics of conducting the superintendent evaluation 

 Participants will also receive up to 14 hours of credit for completing all weekly sessions and three one-hour sessions of one-on-one coaching. 

Learning and Live Webinars

Each week, a new online learning module will be added to the Online Learning Center so trustees can explore the weekly topics through brief online materials. After completing the course materials, the class meets for a live webinar with Orosco, the program’s remote coach. Participants will discuss questions related to the weekly topic and get additional resources and insights. 

One-on-One Coaching

The course also includes three one-hour one-on-one coaching sessions. Trustees can use this time to address specific concerns or needs and explore topics that were covered in the course. After the three sessions, trustees can receive more coaching for an additional fee. 

Weekly Topics

Board officers who register for the upcoming BOI session will explore the following topics: 

• Week 1: Board Officer Roles and Responsibilities   
• Week 2: Overview of Robert’s Rules of Order 
• Week 3: Running an Effective Meeting 
• Week 4: Managing Conflict 
• Week 5: Goal Setting 
• Week 6: Superintendent Evaluation  

The course is $200 and can be found under the “featured courses” in the Online Learning Center. 

To learn more about BOI, contact Esperanza Orosco at esperanza.orosco@tasb.org or 512-787-2540. For other questions contact Board Development Services on 800-580-8272, ext. 2453 or email board.dev@tasb.org. 

This article was originally published in Feb. 2024 and has been updated.