Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is responsible for setting, safeguarding and advancing the school’s mission – MPA’s core purpose.   The Board also engages in strategic planning for the school.  We are responsible for setting the long term direction of MPA, and often focus on how decisions will effect MPA 10-20 years from now.  Day-to-day operations, issues, and concerns are the responsibility of and are handled by school administrators, faculty, and staff. 

The Head of School is the Board’s only employee, and the Board is responsible for hiring, evaluating, monitoring performance and determining the terms of employment of the Head of School.  No faculty, staff or other administrators are hired, supervised or evaluated by the Board.

The MPA Board also is responsible for the financial health and stability of the school.  We oversee development of the annual operating budget and long-range capital projects.  Large capital expenditures are subject to Board approval.  The Board also approves the school’s overall operating budget, but does not review the details of department budgets which are subject to administrative review and approval. 

As a self-perpetuating board, the MPA Board is responsible for identifying and recruiting new members who have a broad variety of personal, educational and experiential skills to serve the school as trustees and to serve on Board committees.  There are currently five Board committees: 

• the Executive Committee - made up of Board officers who advise and support the Head of School and handle board matters that may arise between regular meetings;
• the Finance Committee - made up of trustees with experience in finance, accounting, and investments who, in consultation with the administration, review and make recommendations regarding the financial operation of the school, including operating and capital budgets, tuition levels, financial aid, endowment, investments, major contracts, audit procedures,  capital improvements, and building reserves;
• the Governance Committee - whose members are responsible for the over-all governance of the Board, including selecting and training new trustees, ensuring the effectiveness of Board committees and task forces, and identifying future Board leaders;
• the Development Committee - whose members include persons with development, fundraising, and strategic planning experience and whose role is to support both the short and long term financial health of the school through the development and implementation of policies and programs designed to increase MPA financial resources and educate the community of the importance giving to MPA; and
• the Academic Committee - whose role is to work with the administration to ensure that MPA’s academic programs are in keeping with the school’s mission and advance that mission.

 

The Board of Trustees meets periodically during the school year.  Much of the Board’s work is done in its committees.  Some committees meet monthly while others meet less frequently.  When a special project arises, a task force is created for that specific purpose.  Task forces may include school administrators, faculty, and other members of the MPA community, in addition to trustees.  Some examples of previous task forces include Academic, Tuition, Faculty Salary Structure, and Strategic Planning.  When the project is completed, the task force ends.

The members of the MPA Board of Trustees are a group of dedicated people who volunteer their time to serve MPA.  We are primarily parents of current MPA students, parents of MPA alumni, and MPA alumni.  In addition, a member of the faculty, a member of the Parents Association, a member of the Alumni Association, and the current US student council president also serve as trustees.  Although these trustees are called representative trustees,  their role is to provide valuable faculty, parent, alumni, and student perspectives on the Board, not to advocate for specific interests of the group they represent.   The Head of School is a non-voting member of the Board.  The primary duty of all trustees is to the school and its mission, and all must put their personal agendas aside when doing Board work.

The Governance Committee is responsible for identifying new trustee candidates.  Nominations are received from current trustees, parents, faculty and administrators.  The Governance Committee maintains an on-going list of qualified and interested trustee candidates for consideration.  Areas of desired experience include:  finance, accounting, investment, banking, business, education, law, governance, strategic planning, development, marketing, community service, and leadership.  If you know of someone (including yourself) who would be interested in serving on the MPA Board of Trustees, please contact any member of the Governance Committee or any trustee with your suggestion.  Laurie Foss, assistant to the Head of School, also has nomination forms in her office or can send them to you by email.

The names and contact information for all current members of the MPA Board of Trustees are available on the website and in the MPA directory.  Please feel free to contact any trustee if you have questions or concerns about board matters.

Tamra Anderson (Alumni Parent) Beth Averbeck (Parent) Nancy Beck (Alumni Parent) Robin Brooksbank - Chair (Parent) Kofi Bruce (Parent) Jenean Cordon (Alumni Parent) Mike Downs (Head of School) Nancy Etzwiler (Parent) Allan Flinn ‘93 (Alumni) Jennifer Gatti (Parents Assocation Representative) Howard Green (Parent) Alix Honda (Student Representative) Elizabeth Jansen LeMire - Vice Chair (Parent)

Chris Jesmer (Parent) Ted Lyle - Treasurer (Alumni Parent) Michael D. Miller Karla Myers (Alumni Parent & Current Parent) Ford Nicholson (Parent) Kim Otness (Parent) Christopher Parish ‘95 (Alumni) Brent Peacock - Secretary (Parent) Mandy AbdoSheahan ‘92 (Alumni Rep) Pam Sutton (Faculty Representative) Lori Tapani (Parent) Edward (Trey) Titcomb III ‘93 (Alumni)

New Trustee Orientation - Monday, September 12, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)

Board Meeting - Monday, September 26, 4:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Board Retreat and Meeting - Monday, November 7, 12 - 8:00 p.m.

Board Meeting - Monday, January 23, 2012, 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Board Meeting - Monday, March 5, 2012, 4:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Board Meeting - Monday, May 21, 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.