National School Reform Faculty

Accountability Council
Current Accountability Council Members
Announced May, 2007
Appointed Members
Wendy Brannen - Educational Consultant, New York
Daniel Baron - Senior Fellow, National School Reform Faculty, Indiana
Angela Breidenstein - Trinity University, Associate Professor, Texas
Maria Elena-Rico - Helen Bernstein High School, Director, California
Thomas Fisher - Maritime and Science Technology High School, Principal, Florida
Frances Hensley* - University of Georgia, Teacher Education, Georgia
RoLesia Holman - Sojourn Education Services, Proprietor, North Carolina
Andy Kulak - Jefferson High School, Teacher, Washington
Jackie Mitchell - CES Chicago Regional Center, Consultant, Illinois
Teri Schrader - Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School, Principal, Massachusetts
David Smith - Kansas City Public Schools, District Administrator, Kansas
Diana Watson - Center for School Success, Director of Professional Development, New Hampshire
*denotes Chair of the Accountability Council

Permanent Members (by position)
Harmony Education Center Executive Director; Steve Bonchek
National School Reform Faculty Director, Steven Strull
National School Reform Faculty National Center, Heidi Vosekas

Special Members**
Lois Butler, representing Harmony Board of Directors - CES Chicago, School Change Coach, Illinois
Gene Thompson-Grove, Founding Co-director Emeritus - Brookline Public Schools, Director, Professional Development & Special Initiatives, Massachusetts
**special members serve at their discretion in collaboration with the director and chair of the council

NSRF Governance: Accountability Council Documentation

Accountability Council Purpose and Roles
The NSRF Accountability Council serves to support the work of NSRF and promote the realization of its mission to foster educational and social equity by empowering all people involved with schools to work collaboratively in reflective democratic communities that create and support powerful learning experiences for everyone.

Specifically the Accountability Council:

Serves as a Critical Friends Group to the NSRF Director(s).

Hires and replaces NSRF Director(s), which includes the dismissal of Director(s), when necessary.

Reviews periodically NSRF governance and management structure to insure that it best meets the needs of the organization.

Makes decisions by consensus, when requested.

Conducts an annual review of the Director’s (s’) work on the basis of an agreed upon set of goals.

Holds itself accountable for actions taken as a result of its deliberations and decisions.

Reports on its activities to the NSRF membership, at least annually.

Accountability Council Members

Possess passion, commitment, knowledge, and experience of NSRF work and its mission.

Demonstrate skills, knowledge, and experience leading NSRF work in a variety of local and national venues.

Demonstrate the ability to create, sustain, and expand relationships across differences of race, class, gender, geographical location, sexual orientation, age, and professional roles.

Commit to hold the Director(s), National Center staff, and one another accountable for the care and promotion of NSRF as a national organization.

Commit to participate in face-to-face and electronic conversations and meetings.

Represent a diversity of perspectives and life experiences including, but not limited to, geographic location, professional role, age, experience, race and ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation.

Accountability Council Selection and Service
There will be a total of 10 appointed members and three permanent members on the Accountability Council. The Director of NSRF*, the head of the NSRF National Center (office), and the Executive Director of Harmony Education Center will serve as permanent members of the Council. The permanent members will be full participants in the deliberations and decisions of the Council. The Director(s) of NSRF will not participate in deliberations and decisions related to her or his dismissal. In addition to the appointed and permanent members, the Founding Co-Director Emeritus will serve as a member of the Accountability Council until such time as she, in consultation with the Director(s) of NSRF and Chair of Accountability Council, elects not to do so.

Appointed members will be selected by the NSRF Director(s) with guidance from a nominating committee made up of 3-4 volunteer current Accountability Council members, the Chair of the Accountability Council, and the head of the NSRF National Center. This group will seek nominations, including self-nominations, from the current Accountability Council, Centers of Activity, National Facilitators group, and other NSRF members. From this slate of candidates the Director(s), in consultation with the Nominating Committee, will select members.

Current Accountability Council Nominating Committee
Lois Butler, IL
Ted Hall, ME
Frances Hensley, GA
Amy Schuff, OR
Steven Strull, NY
Heidi Vosekas, IN

Accountability Council Terms of Service
The new Accountability Council will serve through the Winter Meeting 2009. Following the 2009 Winter Meeting, and every year thereafter between the Winter Meeting and the Facilitators’ Meeting, 3 appointed members of the Accountability Council will be replaced using the guidelines and processes outlined above.

Accountability Council Compensation and Operation

Receives no compensation for participation in Accountability Council meetings and events

Meets, face-to-face, at least annually. Group could meet more often as necessary to carry out its responsibilities. NSRF pays expenses associated with participation in face-to-face meetings.

Maintains a public record of its deliberations and decisions.

Is led by the Chair of the Accountability Council.

Accountability Council Chair
The NSRF Director will appoint a Chair from among Council members for a term of 3 years. The Chair serves as an advisor to the Director and works with the Director to set the agenda and facilitate the Council meetings. The Chair of the Council leads all personnel discussions and decisions related to the hiring, replacement, dismissal, and annual review of the Director(s) of NSRF.

Transition
Prior to the spring 2007 National Facilitators’ Meeting, new and former members of the Accountability Council will meet together to insure a smooth transition. The new Council will meet for the first time in the fall/winter of 2007.

* Director - If there is more than one Director of NSRF, then all directors will serve as permanent members of the Accountability Council.

April 3, 2007

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