Savoy ISD trustees receive 'Team of Eight' governance training

Savoy ISD trustees met for a training session on Nov. 13, 2025, at the Savoy Administration Building. Kim Caston presented "Leading Together: Team of Eight Best Practices," outlining priorities for board governance and the superintendent evaluation process. The meeting began at 6:08 p.m. with six trustees present and one absent.

Caston outlined the Team of Eight priorities as board roles and responsibility, agreed-upon operating procedures, regular board self-assessment, and the superintendent evaluation process. She listed five core board responsibilities: ensuring creation of the vision, mission and goals; hiring and evaluating the superintendent; adopting policies; approving the annual budget; and communicating the district’s vision and successes to the community.

Caston urged trustees to use structured meeting practices to keep discussions focused, noting the president will call on the superintendent and the superintendent will direct employees (for example, principals) to speak. She advised trustees to remember the "rule of 3": "If I hear it 3 times, by 3 different people, at 3 different places, there may be something to it." The training highlighted minimizing individual members' attempts to advance personal agendas and spending board time primarily on student achievement.

Trustees also participated in a brief "One Word" exercise to summarize impressions from the session. Attendees offered single-word responses including: Lee — "Informed"; Sandy — "Excited"; Drew — "Educated"; Jeff — "Validated"; Mike — "Confident"; Joe — "Dedication." The session was instructional; no board policy changes or votes on district business were taken during the presentation.