Doctoral RESEARCH
DISSERTATION
Catholic Elementary School Success: Governance Lessons from a Qualitative Study of Five Advisory Boards in the Archdiocese of Baltimore
Permanent Link - http://hdl.handle.net/11603/22465
ABSTRACT
Catholic schools have had a remarkable impact on education in the U.S., especially serving minority students in vulnerable communities. Unfortunately, there has been a significant decline in Catholic school enrollment beginning in the 1960s. In addition, the number of Catholic schools has steadily declined since the 1970s.
This qualitative multi-site case study explores the lived experiences of Catholic elementary school principals and board chairs in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and reveals the impact of their perceptions of roles and responsibilities on school governance and success. Analysis of individual interviews, a survey, and observations revealed: (1) school boards provide useful advice and support to principals; (2) while formal roles are clear, boards can struggle with identifying a compelling purpose; (3) differences exist between common perceptions of a board’s governance role and the reality of decision-making; and (4) the most valued board interactions are described in terms of a coaching skills/approach to leadership. Implications of these findings are critical to ensuring that the Catholic elementary school boards of the future have the leadership models, tools, and training needed to make sound decisions crucial to the success and viability of the schools.
HOOD COLLEGE DOL HIGHLIGHTS:
NAVIGATING NONPROFIT BOARDS
In this newsletter, Doctoral Alumnus Christopher Currens shares his insights about navigating nonprot boards. Chris is an executive coach who works with government, corporate, and nonprot leaders, helping to improve lives, relationships, and organizational performance. As Founder/Principal of Currens & Associates, he also provides nonprot organizations with leadership development training and consulting services.
METRO DC CHAPTER, ASSOCIATION FOR TALENT DEVELOPMENT (ATD) PODCAST
In this episode of Beltway Broadcast, your Metro DC Chapter of ATD hosts Dr. Nisha Manikoth, Dr. Christopher Currens, and Dr. Bridget Plitt from Hood College. With two degree offerings, the Doctorate in Business Administration and the Doctorate in Organizational Leadership, the Hood doctoral experience is unique in its approach with a cohort-based format and personalized faculty support that provides an immersive learning experience. In this podcast, you will hear from two alumni of the Doctoral Program in Organizational Leadership about their experiences and how the doctorate helped them personally and professionally.
The video version will be posted here: https://www.youtube.com/@dcatd/videos
The audio version will be posted here: https://beltwaybroadcast.podbean.com
NCEA PODCAST
This study (Catholic Elementary School Success: Governance Lessons from a Qualitative Study of Five Advisory Boards in the Archdiocese of Baltimore) explored the perceptions of school governance roles held by Catholic elementary school principals and board chairs. It found that boards can struggle with identifying a compelling purpose, differences exist between a board’s governance role and the reality of decision-making, and the most valued board interactions are described in terms of a coaching approach to leadership.
This recorded “podcast” was accepted to the 2022 annual conference of the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA). The discussion focused on the challenges faced by boards and approaches to strengthening board governance through the strategic use of coaching and coaching skills.
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/gB79MA0H3sAaW7RDFgv9KXrVNXbiMR_boU7n2xecHtFnYq0hDQV-IgRA_JOMEpBH.2YS4LMdjTcXWVvzT?startTime=1647035765000 [ passcode: L!.cr!9? ]
