Jim McLaughlin's Blog

This is the second of my two-part discussion of foundational stuff… I’m sure I’ll update this over time, but here is a short list of ways I stay informed (obviously, in addition to listening to the community, which I will discuss later on). 1. Research (online and good old fashion books)2. Talking to other board Read more

This is the first of a two-part discussion of some foundational material that will allow me to discuss other ideas later on… A few folks were present my first evening as a new Board member.  What was placed in front of me was a stack of books about 10 inches high of materials I needed Read more

I’ve already gotten this question enough, so I’ll post a note now and update it as I learn more. Answer: It’s fascinating, fun, scary, exhausting, frustrating, angering, confusing (already!), and I wouldn’t miss a minute. I’m very proud to serve our community in this way. Although I’ve only been in the job for a little Read more

You could easily argue that our system of schools is old, but here’s one idea that I have been introduced to, more formally, as a new board member.  Boards are policy bodies, not execution bodies, and the policies they produce need the careful consideration and buy-in of the administration to have any hope of being Read more

Hey, I know this will get harder at times, much harder I’m sure, but I don’t think I could have found a job that, at this time of my life, could have brought together so much of my personal volunteer experiences with my professional development and managerial/leadership experiences.  Being a school director draws on all Read more

Still on the honeymoon. While it is fun getting to participate in and observe board activities from this vantage point, I know the sense of euphoria will not last too long. While I hope I will always have a great relationship with my fellow board members, I’m not so naïve to think we won’t disagree. Read more