Trustee Job Description

The New Foundations Charter School Board of Trustees (BoT) is the school governing body.  The BoT is composed of dedicated professionals from various fields and backgrounds.  They selflessly serve our school and community to better the experience of our students through engagement, oversight, and leadership.  We are looking to add 2 Trustees to the Board for the 2025-2026 school year.

What is the process for being named a Trustee? Submit your application no later than 4/25/25.  The CEO and Nominating Committee will review all applications in May, hold interviews in June and July, and officially extend an invitation to join the Board in August. 

What is the time commitment for a Trustee? Trustees are expected to attend every Board meeting, typically held every second Tuesday of every other month.  For the 25-26 school year, the meetings are: August 12, October 14, December 9, February 10, April 14, and June 9.  Most meetings are held virtually while at least 1 meeting is held in person.  Meetings begin at 5:00PM and typically last until 7:30PM.  It is expected you spend some time (about an hour) reading the Board packet prior to the meeting so that you are prepared for the meeting.

All new Trustees are required to complete mandatory training.  This training is 5 hours long, can be completed online, and be split over multiple days.

In addition, you will be a member of a subcommittee - Discipline, Audit, Personnel, Finance, and Nominating.  These committees meet about 1-2 times per year. 

Occasionally, there will be a need for an emergency Board meeting to take action on a time-sensitive matter. 

What does a Trustee do? The Board of Trustees is simply another name for School Board.  Our Trustees are the members of the School Board that is the governing body only for New Foundations Charter School.  A Trustee works with the CEO and School Leadership to ensure NFCS is the best place to teach and learn in Philadelphia.

What is the compensation for the position? This is an unpaid position.  There is no compensation. 

How long will I be a Trustee? Trustees serve 3-year terms; however, you can serve more than 1 term. 

How many Trustees are there? There are currently 7 Trustees.  There must always be a minimum of 6 and maximum of 9 Trustees.

What qualities / experience do I need to be a Trustee? Trustees must be residents of Pennsylvania.  Trustees bring a variety of experiences to the role.  We have trustees with expertise in education, business, and compliance.  Trustees have strong communication skills and know how to work on a team.  Trustees have an understanding of how charter schools and charter law work.  Most importantly, Trustees are invested in the success of New Foundations Charter School and will always put the school community first when making any decision.

How do I apply? Click here to go to the application

I think I am interested but have questions before applying.  Who can I contact? Contact Christopher Zagacki, CEO, at czagacki@newfoundations.org or Rebecca Slutsky, Director of Community Engagement and Communications at rslutsky@newfoundations.org.