If you had to choose...

Late one night this past weekend, at the annual CASB board of directors retreat, several board members and staffers were engaged in lively game of "Would you rather...!?"  The game is based on two actions:  A player secretly chooses one of two options in response to the question, then, it's up to the rest of the group to reach consensus/unity about which of the options they think was chosen.

Example: "Would you rather...on a scorching hot day, have a popsicle OR ice cream?"

It occurred to many of us that a board of education version of this game might be of benefit in developing great governing, making tough budgeting decisions, and sustaining quality in an era of fading resources.  The big enrichments:  Exploring each part of the question and discovering insights for your team's continuous improvement.

So, without further ado, with new contributions coming in even this morning, here is the "beta version," good for your solo or team learning over coffee, during road trips, while personally reflecting, and to kick off work sessions:

Would your governing team rather...

• be known for a core value of honesty OR learning? 
• be filled with veterans OR new board members?
• pass insurance cost increases to employees OR reduce plan benefits?
• support and develop your one employee with discipline OR ease? 
• be known as deliberative OR responsive? 
• have outdated policies OR wildly-important policies rarely used?
• gain wisdom from a few OR many? 
• have reduced unfunded state mandates OR fully funded special education?
• be challenged by constituents well aware of the state’s long-term funding issues OR satisfied with the "status quo" of long-term trends?

• increase class size OR reduce the number of electives
• be safe and maintain a current practice with average outcomes OR take a risk to have an outstanding outcome. 
• have student achievement that's "high growth, low knowledge" OR "low growth, high knowledge"
• have a boardroom filled with folks concerned about cutting athletic coaches OR cutting instructional coaches 
• receive recognition for growing in effectiveness as a governing team OR an award for being great at governing? 
• be constantly expressing the core value of respect OR effectiveness? 
• be fuzzy about the Sunshine Law OR be lax with confidentiality about executive session conversations 
• eliminate fine arts (music, art, drama) content facilitators or gifted/talented facilitators?
• cut buses OR athletics/activities? 
• seek resource-sharing partnerships with other districts OR stay in the known, go with what you have?
• be policy driven OR issues driven? 
• have your district excel with the school business model OR the profit-making business model? 
• have a few, wildly-important goals OR many, covering-all-the-bases goals?
• be a board actively discussing policy-level work OR reviewing administrative-level impact?
• and on and on...