Board of Trustees

Trustees determine Wesley’s mission and strategic goals, and also act as advocates for future generations of Wesley families—exercising oversight of the school’s financial health, approving the school’s annual budget, and overseeing the school’s physical assets and fundraising efforts. Most importantly, the Board hires, supports and oversees the Head of School.

The Board does not typically get involved in the day-to-day operation of the school, disciplinary or personnel issues, financial aid or admissions decisions.

Up to 23 members of the community may serve as voting members of the Board. The Head of School serves as a non-voting member. Identifying and selecting nominees is a long and careful process coordinated by the Committee on Trustees. Members are selected based on their areas of expertise and proficiency in regards to areas of importance and the needs of the School. Trustees are selected from the parent body, as well from the greater community.

Key areas of Board activity include:

Planning – Developing and monitoring Wesley’s strategic plan and the school’s progress toward meeting its goals and objectives

Finance – Stewarding the school’s financial assets and approving Wesley’s annual budget, which includes setting tuition

Collaboration - Supporting, advising and evaluating the Head of School

The Board works through its committees, which are made up primarily of Board Members, as well as parents, faculty, administrators and outside experts as desired.

There are five standing board committees: Executive Committee, Committee on Trustees, Development Committee, Finance Committee, and Community of Diversity and Inclusivity.

Current ad hoc committees are the Capital Campaign Committee, Communications Committee, Master Planning Group and the Search Committee. Committee meetings are held separately from the full Board on a monthly basis and generally work to research and develop recommendations on issues of importance to the school. Board members typically serve on one or two committees. Most committees also include at least one Wesley staff member who participates as a liaison to school administration. At the discretion of the Head of School and Board Chair, ad hoc or advisory committees can be formed as needs arise.

The Board is led by appointed Officers who make up the Executive Committee, consisting of the Board Chair, the Vice-Chair, the Secretary and the Treasurer.

The Executive Committee: consists of the Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary of the Board and shall exercise such powers and authority of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, except the power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws or taking any other action which has been specifically reserved to the Board of Trustees, as may be delegated to it by the Board.

The Committee on Trustees: selects candidates for openings on the Board; nominates trustees to serve as officers; oversees the Head of School and Board of Trustees evaluation processes; and provides orientation for new trustees.

The Development Committee: oversees the fundraising program and leads the Board in its effort to attract philanthropic support to carry out Wesley's mission. The Committee helps to foster a culture of giving at Wesley by supporting the activities of the Development Office. Members of the Development Committee lead fundraising initiatives and act as ambassadors for the School's development efforts.

The Finance Committee: develops and monitors the implementation of the long-range financial plan; oversees the development of the annual budget; reports on the overall management and supervision of the financial affairs of the school; and oversees the management of funds, the annual audit process and matters of risk management, including appropriate amounts and scope of insurance coverage. Also monitors the school's legal and ethical compliance in its financial practices.

Members of the Board include current parents, alumni parents, educators and other community leaders. Following the NAIS Principles, the Board strives for a composition that "reflects the strategic expertise, resources, and perspectives needed to achieve the mission and strategic objectives of the school." A seat on the Board is reserved for a representative of the First United Methodist Church, with whom we share the campus.

Board members are listed here.

Throughout the year, parents can expect to receive direct communications from the Chair of the Board of Trustees regarding significant school developments and pertinent news.

Messages and information from the Communications Committee of the Board of Trustees are posted regularly on the school website. Parents may contact the Board directly via email at boardoftrustees@wesleyschool.org, or by emailing any individual member of the Board.

The full Board usually meets monthly during the school year. These meetings typically include reports from the school administration and from Board committees addressing matters that require the Board's attention. Other representatives of the Wesley community are invited to meetings at the discretion of the Executive Committee to provide information to the Board as may be desired. Periodically, outside speakers make presentations on key topics such as diversity and inclusivity, fundraising techniques and current research in education.

Members of the parent community who are nominated to the Board have usually worked previously on a Board-supervised Committee, contributing their time, energy and focus. Members of the outside community who are nominated come highly recommended by members of the Wesley community and may have served on a Wesley committee. The Committee on Trustees evaluates candidates based on the skills and experience they have that match the needs of the School's strategic plan, as well as the necessary expertise for the day-to-day work of the Board, while still reflecting the School's diverse constituencies.

Trustees volunteer their time and are not compensated financially for their service to The Wesley School.

The Wesley School community includes many accomplished individuals who could potentially serve as Trustees. The Committee on Trustees of the Board determines which mix of skill sets and outside experiences may be needed for incoming board members based on the School’s strategic needs and goals. The committee also looks at the skills and experiences of departing Trustees and tries to maintain a balance of skills and perspectives from one year to another. Once the Board’s current needs are identified, the Committee on Trustees examines the alumni, parent, past parent, and grandparent population as well as educators and community leaders from outside the Wesley community to determine the right mix of time, wisdom, and skills currently needed to help steward The Wesley School.

The Committee on Trustees takes its role of presenting potential trustees to the full Board very seriously. Over the course of each school year, members of the Committee on Trustees meet with candidates to get to know them, and familiarize them with the work of the Board. The slate of new trustees is voted on by the full Board each spring. Trustees are expected to fully participate in all areas of school life and serve renewable three-year terms. The Board's bylaws allow for up to twenty-three voting members at one time.

If you are interested in being considered for membership on the Board, please contact us at: boardoftrustees@wesleyschool.org.