In the practice of administration, school business officials are strategic planners with exceptional people skills. They're leaders with organizational, managerial and analytical experience, who work on everything from relationship-building to risk management. The administration practice includes several different functions, including:
ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION
As a core part of the corporate secretary role, the organization and administration function are responsible for everything within the leadership arena, working with senior leadership and the board to translate their vision into reality. A school business official understands and demonstrates their ability to:
- Identify and apply various organizational leadership models.
- Motivate others, delegates, plan and allocate appropriate resources
- Assign personnel and resources.
- Problem solve, make decisions, adapt to change.
- Collect, analyze and evaluate information.
- Apply basic concepts of organizational development.
PUBLIC POLICY AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS
A key part of this role is understanding and interpreting legislation and policy that applies to education and ensuring compliance. This function is also responsible for advising the board, helping the superintendent, and engaging the community, including government, schools board and MLA's. A school business official provides leadership and direction to ensure best practices regarding the political and legislative process as it relates to local school board operations. A school business official understands and demonstrates their ability to:
- Develop, interpret, evaluate and apply policies and roles of all relevant authorities.
- Understand the role and influence of special interest groups.
- Understand and analyze the political and legislative process as it relates to local school board elections; municipal governments, provincial legislatures and other government jurisdictions.
- Understand and use the skills necessary to interpret and evaluate local school board policies and administrative procedures to ensure consistent application in the daily operation of the school authority.
LEGAL ISSUES
This function requires a robust understanding of education law and contracts, and school business officials must know when to consult with lawyers and how to apply and understand employment standards, and human rights with integrity and ethics. A school business official must possess a broad understanding and knowledge of legal issues within the educational context. A school business official understands and demonstrates the ability to:
- Identify and apply constitutional rights that apply within the education system.
- Review, analyze and apply statutory legislation.
- Review and analyze significant statutory and case law relative to financial resource; human resource, facility, property and acquisition, transportation, information management, including freedom of information and protection of privacy.
- Apply the highest values and ethical standards as they relate to the entire profession of school business administration.
- Protect all stakeholder interests with respect to responsibility and financial integrity.
- Implement a "whistle blower" policy to facilitate an atmosphere of openness and trust.
RISK MANAGEMENT
This function involves understanding risk and applying that to the education system as a whole. School business officials in this role understand everyday operations, and they provide leadership for implementing best practices related to enterprise risk management ensuring the safeguarding of assets of an organization, both capital and human resources. Risk management and contingency planning can be used to anticipate and limit those risks that may affect the activities of the jurisdiction. A school business official understands and demonstrates the ability to:
- Ensure that a comprehensive risk management program is in place that addresses safety and security of individuals, facilities, and information.
- Assess risk management programs and recommend changes consistent with school authority needs.
- Adheres to legal requirements for insurance coverage.
- Ensure that an evaluation of insurance plans is conducted, comparing existing coverage against risk assessment to ensure adequate coverage, and evaluate costs to obtain the best value and minimize loss exposure.
- Ensure that insurance plans are managed by actively monitoring and handling claims and implementing loss prevention strategies to mitigate and prevent future losses.
- Identify and apply models for the evaluation of potential risk management programs.
- Implement a process to review the performance of the school authorities/partnership's risk management program annually and recommend changes as appropriate.
- Ensure that a comprehensive OH&S program is in place as required by legislation.
- Ensure that a crisis management plan has been developed and that there are appropriate steps in place to operationalize it in the event of an emergency.
