HEB ISD School & Family Magazine Spring 2018 | Page 18

Board Ambassador
Academy 2017-2018
It is very unusual for a school board to
invite members of the community into
their circle of trust, but for the HEB ISD
School Board, it’s an innovative way to
be different by design. Since 2010, the
HEB ISD Board of Trustees has held
a yearly Board Ambassador Academy.
Each year’s class gains a personal
understanding of how HEB ISD works
and learns about the district’s processes
and procedures. The Academy is
organized and run by the Board, but
also features District personnel as
guest speakers on specialized topics.
The 2017-2018 HEB ISD Board
Academy consists of six meetings
held throughout the school year. Each
meeting focuses on a different topic:
September – Overview of the Board of Trustees and their work
October – Review of the District’s use of Continuous Improvement
December – Detailed look into School Finance
February – Overview of Education Operations
March – Bus tour of the District
April – Review, Becoming an Advocate, and Graduation
The members of each Board Ambassador Academy represent a wide range of community interests; there
are parents of current and former students, school volunteers, local business and community leaders, and
public officials who share a desire to learn more about and advocate for HEB ISD. Some participants seek
out the program and self-nominate, but many candidates are identified by board members, district staff, or
graduates of previous Academy sessions.
The Board Ambassador Academy empowers informed and involved community members who can educate
their friends and neighbors about the true workings of HEB ISD. Academy graduates have gone on to join
and lead campus PTAs, booster clubs, student organizations, and other community groups. However, the
program’s strongest impact may be on the school board itself: five of the seven current HEB ISD Trustees
are graduates of the Board Ambassador Academy.
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