Why a board, how does it work, and who fills the roles

By, Stephanie Wharton-Lynch

Often when you are searching out homeschool co-ops you have a list of questions about the program, the materials used, the dynamics of the group, and the requirements for participating, but it isn’t very often people ask about the why behind the group.
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Because of the unique dynamic of The Social Homeschooler we think that the why behind the format is as important as the rest! To understand the heart of the group creates appreciation for the part each member plays and allows you to benefit the most from what is being offered. 

Why a Board?
There are many practical reasons for having a board versus a single director/leader, one of which being the simple fact that many hands make light work! Sharing the load of running a homeschool co-op frees up more time for the board members so that they can partake in the fruits of their labors at the many offered events. 

Another reason The Social Homeschooler is run by a board is because we believe in the importance of ownership in our families’ educations, the benefits of diversity, and in the value of input from many voices as we continue to evolve the community to meet the needs of its members. Each board member brings to the table their own unique perspectives, talents, and ideas that help create a space that truly serves the community to the best of its ability.   

The Social Homeschooler being run by a board also serves a very straight forward purpose and that is the ability to transfer ownership of the group as families grow and move beyond homeschool years. The necessity for this co-op was the driving force behind its coming to be, but we don’t want everyone to have to do the undertaking of building a co-op from the ground up! It is no small task and we want to ensure that if there is a desire for this space to thrive beyond our homeschooling years that it is set for success in doing so. 

How Does it Work?
Board officers are voted into position by the current year's co-op members after submitting their names for the ballot. Board director is voted in place by current year’s board members after submitting their name and interviewing for the role. After voting takes place, newly elected board members come together to discuss the roles and tasks they would like to learn and how they would like to contribute to the board. 

This board is broken down into the following roles: 
Officer 1, Operations Liaison 
Officer 2, New member Liaison
Officer 3, Events Liaison 
Director

These board members work together to act in the interest of the co-op with things like overseeing the day to day operations, keeping the handbook and guidelines up to date and aligned with the goals and values of the community, hosting Community Conversation events and Recess dates, recruiting new members, facilitating community wide events, and visioncast for the future years of the co-op. These members are active co-op participants whose families participate in attending and hosting events as members and meet the same criteria for membership. Their participation lends itself to the additional role they have in acting as the voice of the broader group in all decision making. 

The Social Homeschool board meets together a minimum of six times a year, but often many more times than that in order to make all the magic happen for the upcoming year. Once a quarter the board hosts a town hall meeting to invite members to join in the conversation about what is happening and the ways The Social Homeschooler would like to serve the community and its members. The meeting minutes from board meetings are available upon request, as The Social Homeschooler values transparency in its operations. 

Who Fills These Roles?
There have been a handful of hardworking and passionate members who have taken these roles over the course of the first year and a half of The Social Homeschooler Co-op! Follow along over the next few weeks as each of our board members takes the time to introduce themselves. We are confident you will enjoy them and the efforts they put into making The Social Homeschooler a great place for our families to connect!