Peak Performing Governance Teams: Creating an Effective Board/Superintendent Partnership

The underlying reason for most school superintendent turnover is a breakdown in the board-superintendent relationship. This book presents a comprehensive set of practical strategies and structures that will help ensure effective governance team practices become a permanent way of doing business in the school district. While it is written primarily for K-12 school superintendents, it is also a must-read for anyone aspiring to the role, members of a superintendent's leadership team, and school board members interesting in creating a governance team that works at an optimal level for the benefit of all children.

Dr. Timothy G. Quinn's career spans teaching and leadership at all levels of public education from K-12 through community college and university. He has served as an English teacher, assistant principal, principal, superintendent, Deputy State Superintendent of Instruction, and college president. Dr. Quinn was the founder and former president of the highly successful Michigan Leadership Institute, which is dedicated to leadership development, placement of outstanding leaders, and continuous research on the topic of leadership. As a result of the Institute's work, Tim was engaged by The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation to partner on the creation of The Broad Center for the Management of School Systems and the Broad Superintendents Academy. In these roles, Dr. Quinn has worked with hundreds of governing boards and superintendents around the country, in urban, suburban and rural districts of all sizes, as well as with boards of charter school organizations. He has facilitated board retreats and board training sessions, conducted governance team performance assessments, and has trained and coached superintendents on how to create an effective board/superintendent partnership. In addition, Tim has served on the boards of several human services and not-for-profit organizations. Tim earned a Ph.D. in educational leadership from The University of Michigan, and received honorary doctoral degrees for his statewide leadership from Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan and Grand Valley State Universities.