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Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is responsible for the legal operation of the school, budgeting and fiscal management, long-term strategic planning, resource allocation, and fundraising. The Board holds the Administration and Faculty responsible for accomplishing the school mission and goals. The Board consists of parent representatives, community members at large, and our Administrative Director. The aim for the Board is to unite people who have a strong interest in helping the school develop and whose skills complement one another in order to provide the leadership needed for the school to prosper. Board meetings occur approximately bi-monthly. In between meetings the following committees meet regularly to accomplish the work of the Board: Governance, Finance, Human Resources, Building and Grounds, Development, Waldorf Principles and Marketing. Current board members are the following:

Chloe Rogers, our Administrative Director, is an ex officio member of the board. She keeps the board informed on overall school issues, concerns, and needs; and vice-versa she informs the staff with news from the board. She is Building & Grounds committee chair and serves on several other committees. Before Bayou Village School, she taught for many years in other school settings. Her son Jacob and daughter Berkeley are both students at Bayou Village School.

Marietta Clewing is mom to two Bayou Village School students, Mathilda and Vinzent. She and her siblings are all German Waldorf graduates and now all their children are attending Waldorf schools in different parts of Europe. Marietta is helping develop our long-term vision and plans for the school. Marietta is a physician who holds leadership positions in the Internal Medicine Residency program and the Texas A&M medical student program at Houston Methodist Hospital.

Tonya Eitel

Elena Magallanes’s family joined Bayou Village School in Fall 2012. She formally joined the board in the Summer of 2021. Elena holds a BS in Physics Engineering from Monterrey Institute of Technology (ITESM) in Monterrey, Mexico. For the past 20 years, she has worked for PROS Inc. in different positions from Consultant to Support Engineer. Elena was born in Monterrey, MX and moved to Houston in Jan 2001. She enjoys knitting, baking and Girl Scouting in her free time. She is currently part of Class 11 in the Applied Arts Certification program from Fibers Arts Craft Studio in Sunbridge Campus, hoping to be a full Waldorf Handwork Certified teacher in Summer 2023. Elena and her husband Rafael have a son, Adrian,  who graduated from 5th grade at Bayou Village School in May 2020. 

Board FAQs

​Who are our current Board members?
Marietta Clewing - President
Tonya Eitel-Mize - Treasurer
Elena Magallanes - Secretary
Chloe Rogers - Member at large, Admin

How many open Board positions?
We are looking to add two-three members in the fall and possibly more by the end of school year. We think 8-10 members is a healthy target. Our bylaws say that we have 3-11 members.
 
Who can be on the board?
We would like a healthy mix of parents, staff, and members of the greater community who have interest and appropriate skills.
 
How long is the Board term and when are elections? Who votes?
The Board terms are 3 years. A member may serve 4 consecutive terms. The Board is self selecting through a recruitment process based on skills and needs.
 
How are we recruiting new Board members?
              We have a new recruitment process including these steps:

1. Identifying needs (skills and resources)
2. Identifying and vetting Candidates
3. Inviting Candidate into a Conversation and visit
4. Inviting Candidate to apply and interview
5. Inviting Candidate to join
6. Onboarding and Training
7. Announcing to the community

How can the Parents community support the Board and school leadership in Board recruitment efforts?
              Most board members are individuals who are connected to the school community, who support the school’s mission and who have valuable skills needed by the board. This includes members from the greater community and parents. If they are parents, it is helpful for them to have experience working on a school committee or in the BFC (Bayou Family Community). The BFC can use their connections in the community to help identify potential candidates outside the school, and in supporting the volunteer efforts and engagement of parents.
 
What qualities we consider valuable when recruiting new Board members?

• Interest and Willingness to learn about Waldorf education (ex: Waldorf alumni, Parent or grandparents of a Waldorf student, teachers)
• Commitment and dedication to our school and the community
• Experience on a board or in effective groups working from collaboration and consensus
• Specific skills (legal, financial, development)
• Being a team player
• Willing to work on behalf of the whole school rather than personal interests

 
Can Board member profiles/photos be updated on the website?
 Work in Progress
 
Will Admin update the school community when board elections are taking place?
The school does not elect board members. Members are selected through the recruitment process outlined above.
 
Are there monthly Board updates in the community newsletter?
Yes, we provide regular updates through the Board corner in the school newsletter, and will make available notes from Board meetings to the BFC.
 
How can I express my interest in joining the board and positions available?
The board encourages community members who are interested in the work of the board to contact the board through our email address bvsboard@bayouvillageschool.org. The board will regularly inform the community of needed skills.