The Board of Trustees is responsible for setting broad school policy, maintaining Stuart’s long term financial stability and for hiring and evaluating the Head of School. The Board is also entrusted with ensuring that Stuart remains faithful to the Goals and Criteria and to its mission as a Sacred Heart School.

Trustees, as a Board and individually, have fiduciary obligations to the school. While carrying out their responsibilities, Trustees must exercise the duties of care, loyalty and obedience. Confidentiality, disclosure of conflicts and support for board decisions are also required.

Trustees are required to think strategically about the future of the School. They do not become involved in administrative, personnel, or curricular issues.

Each trustee serves on one or more committees based on expertise and board needs. The Board may also use ad hoc task forces to consider particular issues. Certain committees and task forces can include administrators and other non-trustees. The seven standing committees of the Board are as follows:

• Audit
• Buildings and Grounds
• Development
• Enrollment and Marketing
• Finance
• Formation to Mission
• Trustees

By laws require the Board to have no fewer than 18 and no more than thirty members, three of whom are members of the Society of the Sacred Heart. The president of the Alumnae Association also serves as a trustee. Trustees can serve two, three year terms.

As is customary with Independent Schools, the Board elects its future members. The Committee on Trustees works hard to insure that the composition of the Board fits with Stuart’s long-term institutional mission and objectives. Trustees are asked to identify, evaluate, and recruit members.

Important criteria for consideration are a commitment to, and understanding of, Sacred Heart education, diversity of talent and background, and a willingness to serve manifest in involvement, generosity and hard work. The Board also respects the tenets of good independent school governance and seeks an appropriate mix of current and past parents, alumnae and community and civic leaders.