Board of Trustees:

Role of the Board

Guided by the School’s mission statement and its philosophy, the Friends School Board of Trustees guarantees that the School is fulfilling its double role as an educational institution and as a Quaker institution. Article I.B. of the By-Laws of Friends School of Baltimore describes the “powers of the Board”:

The Board of Trustees shall be responsible for the appointment of the Head, for the determination of the overall policies of the institution, for the safekeeping and management of its assets, for fundraising and development, for the approval of its budget and for general oversight of the faculty and administrative staff and the educational program.

The role of the Board is distinct from the role of the Head. To the Head falls the responsibility to be the primary educational leader of the School and to carry out in the daily running of the School the School policies. To the Board falls the responsibility to oversee the Head, to make policy, and to monitor such broad issues as strategic and long-range planning, good stewardship of plant, finances, and endowment, and the relevance and caliber of the educational program. The Board meets at least six times during the school year. The Board is required to use Quaker process and otherwise conduct itself in conformity with the customs and practices of the Religious Society of Friends. The Board is to make sure each trustee carries out the responsibilities of board members as set forth in the By-Laws.

Responsibilities of the Board

The fundamental responsibility of a trustee is to protect and advance the interests of the School and its various constituencies in ways consistent with the School’s mission and with all applicable law. Friends School board members meet four sets of expectations:

Diligence: Trustees understand the School’s history, its Quaker orientation, and its educational mission. They cheerfully take part in the work of trustees, and they become actively involved in Board and committee deliberations. They are obliged to respect absolutely—and forever—the confidentiality of Board discussions and decisions.

Loyalty: Trustees show an undivided and unselfish loyalty to the School. They disclose any potential conflict of interest between their duty to the School and their own self-interest. They fully and publicly support the Head of School and all Board decisions. They advocate the School among their own family and friends and in the wider community.

Compliance: Trustees understand what it means to perform their duties in accordance with applicable laws and in accordance with the terms of the School’s charter and by-laws. They honor the values of Friends School. They never act unilaterally. They resist becoming involved in administrative or curricular issues. The never impose a personal agenda on the Head or the Board or use their position as trustee to advance their own interests.

Advancement: Trustees offer their financial support to the Annual Fund, capital campaigns and planned giving, and they volunteer time and effort to the Development Office as the School solicits gifts from other donors.