Davidson County school board receives governance training, urged to clarify roles, ethics and protocols

DAVIDSON COUNTY, N.C. — At a Feb. 18 retreat, the Davidson County Board of Education heard a governance training from Ramona Powers and Amber Horton of the North Carolina School Boards Association focused on unity of purpose, the board’s role versus the superintendent’s authority, ethics and practical protocols for handling complaints, vendor contacts and school visits.

Powers opened the session by telling members, “Excellence in the classroom begins with excellence in the boardroom,” and led the board through a “governance clock” that she said defines the board’s duties: adopt vision and policy, allow the superintendent to implement and operate the district, receive progress reports and then evaluate outcomes.

The training underscored the district’s adopted mission — read aloud during the retreat — “to create a rigorous and relevant learning environment built on strong personal relationships that empowers all students for future success,” and framed board actions around that mission. Powers told members, “School board members govern from the balcony so students can dance on the floor,” a…