November 8, 2012
Greetings, SRI Community –
The School Reform Initiative is excited to announce our third annual election for the position of SRI Board Member. We will elect three new members, each of whom will serve for three years.
In 2010, SRI’s Board of Directors resolved that SRI would conduct a national election each year, during which time affiliates of the SRI community would be invited to stand for election to the SRI Board. The plan was for SRI’s Board to be a completely elected body by January 2013. With the completion of this year’s election, SRI will have realized this goal (see below for current Board members).
What can you do?
1) Think about colleagues whom you believe would be outstanding board members, and talk to them about standing for election. Perhaps that someone is you! See below for the SRI Board Member job description.
2) Send the names of those you would like to be considered (including yourself) to Sue Ellen Wortzel, co-chair of the Nominating Committee, at suewortzel@talica.org by 8pm EST on December 5, 2012.
The Nominating Committee (see below for members) will contact nominees to explain the nomination process and to answer questions. They will send a final slate of candidates to the SRI Board by December 7, and the Board will open a national election to be held (electronically) between December 10, 2012 and January 5, 2013. To stand for election or to be eligible to vote in the upcoming election, you need to be an Affiliate of SRI.
The new SRI Board Members will be introduced at the Winter Meeting in San Antonio, January 17-19, 2013.
SRI is committed to having a diverse national board. We believe that by actively and deliberately searching for candidates from various backgrounds and experiences, we will continue to grow and learn from one another. While we do not believe that any one person can represent an entire group, we do think that creating a board with members from varied histories will have a profound influence on the work we do together for years to come. In addition, an organization that is fiercely committed to educational equity can only be well governed by a diverse board, especially if we are to remain true to our mission of creating transformational learning communities fiercely committed to educational equity and excellence.
This is an exciting and important time in our organization’s history. We are looking for courageous participants to lead us into a new era, knowing that our success as an organization will require all of us to take part in the process.
Speak to your friends and colleagues. Encourage them to nominate themselves or others, and to vote when the time comes!
With great excitement,
Sue Ellen Wortzel suewortzel@talica.org
Gene Thompson-Grove gthompsongrove@schoolreforminitiative.org, genetg@gmail.com
Addye Hawkins addie.hwkns@yahoo.com
Casey Roberts caseyrob83@gmail.com
Jean Jacques Credi twojcme@gmail.com
Current SRI Board members, with their terms of service, include:
Tarrey Banks (Indianapolis) – January 2012-2015 (elected)
Angela Breidenstein (San Antonio) – August 2009-Janaury 2013 (founding Board Member)
Wendy Brannen (NYC) – August 2009-January 2013 (founding Board Member)
Kevin Fahey (Boston) – January 2012-2015 (elected)
Debbi Laidley (Los Angeles) – January 2011-2014 (elected)
Ileana Liberatore (San Antonio) – January 2011-2014 (elected)
Mark Otto (NYC) – January 2012-2015 (elected)
Teri Schrader (NYC) – Chair of the Board – 2009-2015 (founding Board Member)
Gillian Smith (NYC) – January 2011-2014 (elected)
The board is also comprised of several non-elected, ex-officio members, including Kari Thierer (SRI’s Organizational Director, Lacey, WA), Heidi Vosekas (SRI’s National Coordinator, Denver, CO), and Frances Hensley (Founding Board Member, Athens, GA), who is the immediate Past Chair of the Board. Gene Thompson-Grove (Founding Board Member, Boston) holds a special, voting board seat in recognition and honor as an original founder of our work.
Many thanks to Wendy Brannen and Angela Breidenstein, who will be stepping down from the Board, for stepping up to be founding Board Members of SRI, as well as to past founding Board Members:
Diana Watson (NH) – August 2009-January 2011
Daniel Baron (Bloomington, IN) – August 2009-January 2012
Steven Strull (NYC) – August 2009-January 2012
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School Reform Initiative Board member job description:
- Act as a steward for the SRI mission
- Serve the SRI organization faithfully
- Be fully (and personally) committed to educational equity
Commit
- Serve for three years.
- Be available and prepared for Board work – regular email communications, a monthly conference call, and two face‐to‐face meetings each year.
Network
- Reach out to others in the organization – both to get input and to communicate. For example, attend national or regional conferences and gatherings to represent the work of SRI.
- Connect SRI to the work of other like‐minded organizations, so that we are better grounded in the realities of the people with whom we are working. For example, connect to CES, the Rural Trust, COSEBOC, Project Zero, National Equity Project, etc.
Lead
- Take leadership of some significant work or project within SRI. For example, help to guide finances, build a business plan, evaluate the director, update the Resource Book, plan a Winter Meeting, act as a liaison with our funders, or write grants.
- Serve on work groups and committees as a Board liaison, such the Organizational Development work group, Facilitator Selection work group, and more.
- Contribute personally to any annual fund, membership drive, etc. SRI might undertake.
Learn
- Be willing to expand one’s knowledge base and skill set ‐ especially in terms of organizational development ‐ and to apply it to the work of the Board.
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