OACS News Service
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OACS directors visit member school boards The purpose of the board visits is to enhance communication between the organization and its members — the schools and school boards the OACS serves. “The importance of doing the board visits was establishing a personal contact with all of the boards around the province,” says executive director Hugo Marcus, adding they listened to the issues and concerns of board members to help position the OACS to best serve schools in the future. The visits are also an opportunity for the OACS to review its services with the boards and reinforce its role as a service organization, as well as introduce new staff members and discuss some of the changes at the OACS. Marcus and Ray Hendriks, director of advancement, visited many of the elementary schools while Gary VanArragon, director of secondary services, and secondary programs co-ordinator Leo VanArragon visited the high-school boards. Marcus and Hendriks say they were encouraged by the board visits. “I was encouraged once again how passionate boards are about Christian education in their own communities, that was absolutely a delight for me,” says Hendriks. “Boards feel deeply about their mission and vision and they take seriously the furthering of the work of the schools as we face a new decade.” He says he enjoyed seeing the growing cultural diversity in the school boards and people appreciated the visits, which often went longer than the intended 45 minutes. “I was impressed and encouraged by the passion and commitment that continues to exist at the board level for Christian education,” says Marcus. “When we visited school boards we found boards who were committed, conscientious and competent and just as on fire for Christian education as they always have been in the past,” he says, noting people who are serving “are deeply committed to the cause of Christian education.” Several common observations of issues schools are facing resulted from the board visits. Some boards are struggling with student enrolment and recruitment issues, while board member and volunteer recruitment is increasingly difficult. There is a need to bring board members of specific positions together, says Hendriks, and the OACS is studying how that will be done. Schools are committed to continual improvement and are struggling with their school identity for the future. The director visits may help through advising schools on different directions, says Hendriks. “The thing that was affirmed for us is the need to keep a personal connection with the schools and so there’s a commitment to continue to visit schools and boards,” says Hendriks. Comments on how the OACS could improve its services included expanding communication opportunities, creating electronically accessible policies and guidelines, developing fundraising best practices manual and guidelines, generating opportunities to work as regional school groups and continuing personal school visits. The OACS will be considering ways to integrate these items into its action plans over the next few months. The OACS intends to complete this round of board visits by March 1. If you have feedback on this article please contact jennifer(at)axiomnews.ca, or call the newsroom at 800-294-0051. |
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