Compass Board Member

OVERVIEW

Compass Charter School welcomes dedicated and mission-aligned individuals to serve on our Board of Trustees. We recruit two types of board members: voting members, who hold full governance authority and fiduciary responsibility, and nonvoting family/parent members, who bring the family perspective to board deliberations. All prospective board members, regardless of type, go through a structured process designed to ensure strong fit, transparency, and compliance with New York State Education Department (NYSED) requirements.

SHARED EXPECTATIONS FOR ALL BOARD MEMBERS

All board members, voting and nonvoting, are expected to:

Attend and actively participate in all regularly scheduled board meetings.

Uphold Compass's mission, values, and commitment to progressive, sustainability-focused education.

Maintain confidentiality of executive session discussions.

Disclose any conflicts of interest promptly and recuse when appropriate.

Complete any required board training.

Act in the best interest of Compass students and the school community as a whole.

PART I: VOTING MEMBERS

Voting members of the Board of Trustees hold full governance authority and are subject to NYSED approval prior to appointment. The process below applies to all prospective voting trustees.

Step 1: Nomination

Any current member of the Board of Trustees may nominate a prospective voting member.

Nominations are submitted to the Board Chair for initial review.

The nominating board member is expected to have sufficient knowledge of the candidate's qualifications and be prepared to speak to their fit for the role.

After reviewing applications, the Executive Committee identifies and advances candidates for further consideration, seeking to build a board that reflects a diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to strengthen the school's governance and mission.

Step 2: Application

The prospective member completes an application

The application includes a resume, curriculum vitae or summary of relevant professional background, and a personal statement describing their interest in and connection to Compass's mission,

The Board Chair or designee reviews the completed application for completeness before advancing the candidate.

Step 3: Vetting

The candidate meets with at least two current board members and the School Leader (Executive Director).

These conversations are intended to assess alignment with Compass's mission and values, relevant skills and expertise, and commitment to the responsibilities of board service.

The Board Development Working Group coordinates scheduling and compiles feedback from all vetting conversations.

Step 4: Board Vote

The Board Development Working Group presents the candidate to the full board.

The board votes to select the prospective member for a two-year term, pending NYSED approval.

Per NYSED requirements, the board resolution must incorporate specific voted language as outlined in the NYSED Board of Trustees addition template. The resolution is adopted upon NYSED's approval.

Step 5: NYSED Approval

Prior to appointment, the board must submit the candidate's information to NYSED for review and approval. This is required for all Regents-authorized charter schools.

The candidate must complete a Background Information Form, signed Statement of Assurance, and Disclosure of Financial Interest form.

The candidate must provide a resume and documentation of their highest level of education (diploma and official transcript, or a notarized letter if unavailable).

The board is responsible for conducting a criminal history record check via fingerprinting and verifying the accuracy of any credentials presented.

Required materials are submitted through the NYSED Application Business Portal. NYSED will review within 45 business days and issue written approval, a request for additional information, or rejection.

The board resolution appointing the new member is adopted upon receipt of NYSED approval.

Note: Fingerprint clearance documents should not be uploaded to NYSED directly. See the NYSED fingerprint guidance memo for detailed instructions.