School Governance

Board of Directors

The BCS School Board looks for new members to serve on the School Board and School Board committees annually in June. The BCS School Board is a ‘board of local jurisdiction’, which means that the board functions as a managerial board, responsible for decisions related to budgeting, facilities, technology, curriculum and assessment, marketing, enrollment management, and maintaining our Catholic culture and identity.

The School Board meets on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 4:00pm, with board committees and ad hoc committees typically meeting once or twice a month. All board members are asked to be on at least one board committee. The committees of the board are:

• Finance Committee – Members have a strong background in finance/business and work with the BCS Business Manager, Administration Office employees, administrators, and committee members to plan and support every aspect of budget development, setting tuition, and scholarship disbursement. A member with a CPA or very strong accounting background is especially needed.
• Mission and Catholic Identity Committee – Members have a strong commitment to the Catholic faith and work with priests, campus ministry, administrators, and committee members to plan and engage in activities that support our identity as a Catholic school system.
• Strategic Enrollment/Marketing Committee – Members have a strong background in marketing and public relations and work with BCS administrators, admissions specialists, and committee members to plan and engage in activities promoting BCS, increasing enrollment, and supporting retention.
• Education Committee – Members have a strong background in education and data interpretation and work with the BCS Education Director, administrators, staff, and committee members to develop curriculum, analyze assessment data, and improve student performance and classroom instruction.
• Technology Committee – Members have a strong background in technology and work with the BCS Technology Director, administrators, staff, and committee members to plan technology adaptation and implementation.
• Facilities Committee – Members have a strong background in facilities management and construction, and work with BCS administrators, staff, and committee members to assist in managing and prioritizing short- and long-term facilities needs.

Serving on the BCS School Board is a large time commitment, but it is also an opportunity to make an impact and help ensure the future of BCS. Download the BCS School Board Application. Email bcs@billingscatholicschools.org or call the BCS Administration Office at 406.252.0997 if you have questions or need additional information.

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.

BCS School Board Application

The mission of the Billings Catholic Schools School Board is to guide and support the mission of  Billings Catholic Schools. BCS School Board terms are three years, with the option of serving up to two consecutive terms. BCS School Board members may also be asked to serve as a member of a BCS Board Committee, which may include technology, finance, marketing, facilities, or another future task force or committee. The time commitment required of BCS School Board members includes one board meeting per month, possible monthly committee meetings, and attendance or participation in one to two school events per quarter. Applications for the 2023-24 school year close on Friday, March 31.

BCS Directors

• Danielle Watson, Director of Education and Curriculum
• Bruce St. Clair, Director of Information Technology

BCS Foundation Staff & Board