Hong Kong Academy

Chair of the Board of Trustees

The following principles of good practice are set forth to provide a common perspective on the responsibilities of the Chair of Hong Kong Academy's Board of Trustees. As such, it is hereby understood and agreed that it is the role and responsibility of the Chair of the Board of Trustees on the Board of Trustees of Hong Kong Academy to:

Take the lead in areas of Board leadership and management. The Director, serving as equivalent of the school's Chief Executive officer, takes the lead in curriculum, school operations, etc. As a team, the Chair and the Director model a leadership partnership in action;

Speak for the Board unless the task is delegated to someone else for a specific purpose;

To accept the responsibility of representing the Board, which is the school's ultimate authority;

Serve as the leader and manager of the Board and ensure the following:

The Board operates in a manner that is both efficient and effective;

The Board does not micromanage;

Agendas for the Board and committee meetings are developed in consultation with the Director and sent out in a timely manner;

The Board observes proper channels of communication and respects confidentiality;

Issues are researched as appropriate and considered in a thoughtful manner;

All discussions are open, purposeful, and on point;

Ensure that the annual Board self-assessment and the evaluation of the Chair take place;

For appointees to the Board the Chair participates in the process of Trustee selection and ensures that the Director also has an opportunity to participate and to review potential candidates and officers;

Ensure that incoming Trustees are welcomed and provided with an appropriate orientation to the Board and its operational procedures;

Organize the Board and the Standing Committees to ensure maximum effectiveness and efficiency;

The Chair, with the Director and Finance Committee, provides formal oversight and direction to the management of the school's finances, resource management, and business operations;

When giving up leadership of the board, the Chair involves his / her successor in ensuring a smooth transition;

Accept responsibility as disciplinarian of the Board when necessary, are willing to help counsel unproductive, disruptive, and counterproductive Trustees of the board.