BCS School Board Executive Summary

Mission of the School Board

The Billings Catholic Schools School Board will guide and support the mission of the Billings Catholic Schools.

Board Time Commitment:

  • One Board Meeting per month: 60-90 minutes
  • Committee meeting(s): 60-90 minutes/committee meeting(s)
  • Document Review: 30-60 minutes prior to meetings
    • Attendance/Participation in 1-2 school events/quarter: athletic/academic events, volunteer opportunities, All-System Masses, Mayfair, Art-gala, drama performances, band concerts, etc.

Responsibilities:

The BCS School Board is a board of limited jurisdiction, meaning it is constituted by the bishop to govern the education program, subject to certain decisions that are reserved to the bishop or other administrator. The BCS School Board has responsibility in the following areas:

  • Planning – establishing mission, goals, vision/direction, future planning
  • Policy Development – policies that give general direction for administrative action, not those that govern day-to-day operations
  • Financial – developing plans/means to finance the education programs including tuition and fundraising; allocate resources according to a budget; monitor financial plans
  • Public Relations – communicating with various publics about the programs and listing to their needs and concerns, recruiting students, and promoting the education programs
  • Evaluation – determining whether the school’s and board’s goals are being met – not evaluating individual staff members, administrators, or students – and determining the board’s own effectiveness

Subcommittees of the Board:

Most of the work of the board occurs in subcommittees which then report to the general board at the monthly meeting. If any board member is interested in the specifics of the work done within the different committees, they are welcome to attend the subcommittee meetings to raise questions or become more involved in the work of that subcommittee. Listed below are the standing subcommittees of the School Board.

  1. Finance – Provide financial oversight of the system alongside the BCS business office.
  2. Technology – Responsible for updating and maintaining a technology management plan, inventory, and replacement schedule.
  3. Facilities – Responsible for maintaining, evaluating, and updating a 5-year facilities management plan and assisting in the allocation of Dorothy Porter Maintenance funding.
  4. Mission & Catholic Identity – Assists administrators in maintaining the Catholicity of the system, programming, and formation of staff and students.
  5. Nominations/Governance – Responsible for new board member recruitment and orientation, along with ongoing board formation and evaluation of board effectiveness.
  6. Marketing & Strategic Enrollment – Assist in the development and implementation of a marketing plan and with recruiting students to the school program.