Board & Governance
One of a charter school board’s core duties is supporting the school’s executive leader. However, the kind of support leaders need is not static; it shifts as their career progresses. New leaders may require mentorship, clear expectations, and structured feedback, while mid-career leaders may benefit from thought partnership, leadership stretch opportunities, and sustainability strategies. Seasoned leaders often need support in succession planning and legacy work.
In this session, participants will explore how boards can tailor their support strategies across a leader’s career stages. Drawing insights from both the governance and leadership perspectives, participants will identify what effective support looks like, practice applying scenarios, and walk away with actionable strategies for strengthening leader-board relationships throughout a leader’s tenure.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify the evolving needs of school leaders at early, mid, and late stages of their careers
- Differentiate board support strategies that align with each stage of leadership
- Apply practical tools and discussion prompts to strengthen board-leader relationships
- Recognize the role boards play in sustaining leader effectiveness and retention over time
- Draft one next step for their board
Having worked in Colorado charter schools since 2004 as a teacher, coach and school leader, Kia brings League members an array of knowledge and real-world experience. Utilizing School Quality Reviews, professional development training, and customized coaching, she focuses on coordinating and providing training to charter school teachers and leaders in the areas of data and accountability, teacher effectiveness, and leadership practices. In addition, she partners with charter schools through multi-year contracts to develop and implement improvement strategies that ensure student achievement along with the growth and development of teachers and leaders.
Explains Kia, “As a teacher, I was grateful for the autonomy charter schools possess. It provided me the opportunity to meet the individual needs of my students in whichever way I saw fit. The trust given to teachers, who know their students best, helped me to feel empowered in teaching my students in the most effective way. When I was a school leader, I appreciated the fact that I could design our school based on the wants and needs of our community. We worked closely with parents who had a voice in how our school was run. Charter schools can be a true gathering place or hub for their community as staff and families all work together towards a common goal, improving the lives of their students.”
Prior to joining the League, Kia was a founding teacher at Imagine Charter School in Firestone where she worked for 10 years in a variety of roles, including elementary principal. She also created and ran her own business for several years, a character-based, after-school theater program, at various charter schools in Colorado. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education from Mercyhurst University and her Master’s Degree in education leadership from the University of Northern Colorado. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and daughters, baking sweet treats and tackling DIY projects around the house.
