The Geneva Community Unit School District (CUSD) 304 Board of Education has been recognized for its exceptional governance practices by the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB). Geneva CUSD 304 was one of only 40 school district boards out of 850 in Illinois to earn the School Board Governance Recognition honor for effective governance behaviors and commitment toward obtaining the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively lead the district.
IASB’s School Board Governance Recognition program acknowledges local boards of education that practice good governance behaviors as outlined by IASB's Foundational Principles of Effective Governance. The focus of Governance Recognition is on full board development and participation. Boards that meet the requirements are recognized for the two-year honorary distinction.
“It’s not a surprise that the Geneva 304 board earned this honor,” said Superintendent Andy Barrett, Ed.D. “Our Board of Education works consistently to improve their governance and leadership skills for our district, the students, and the entire school community. Our board members and our full board consistently seek new learning opportunities to advance their governance knowledge and learn from the successes of their peers in other districts.
“The Board engages with the community on issues of importance, and they do an outstanding job of monitoring the district’s performance to ensure that we are meeting the goals that align with our mission, vision, and values,” said Barrett.
Two of the more significant recent accomplishments of the board were the successful hiring of a new superintendent and the updating and modernization of the district’s mission and goals.
The School Board Governance Recognition program aims to showcase how good governance creates a positive impact for students, staff, and the entire district community. It provides an opportunity for districts to tell their stories about programs and projects that are improving outcomes in their local school districts. It offers board members a chance to highlight how continuous learning, both by individual board members and the full board team, results in improved governance for the Board of Education and positive outcomes for the district.
“This board has shown its commitment to the district, and ultimately the students, by continually improving their leadership skills and knowledge,” said Board President Larry Cabeen. “To be a successful board and provide a high-quality educational experience for our students, it requires a lot of time and effort and a commitment to continual learning.”
“There is a misconception that the work of the school board starts and stops at our regular board meetings. A majority of our work actually happens outside the meetings; studying the issues, communicating with the community, advocating on behalf of our district, and learning the intricacies of school finance, just to name a few,” reiterated Cabeen. “Serving on the school board is a lot of work, but it’s worth it to see our students achieve success and go on to do great things in their lives and for their communities.”
Board Vice-President Jackie Forbes said, “Being a part of such an effective and highly efficient board has been one of the honors of my life, and I am very pleased with my part in the selection of 304 for this award.”
The Illinois Association of School Boards is a voluntary organization of local boards of education dedicated to strengthening public schools through local citizen control. More information about the IASB School Board Governance Recognition program can be found on the Illinois Association of School Board website.