A school board vice president assumes all duties of the school board president in cases of absence or incapacitation. School board vice presidents hold board meetings and faculty agenda meetings in cooperation with the school superintendent. During school board meetings, the board vice president discusses policy changes or updates that affect school operations, including classes, student curricula, building projects, safety measures and extracurricular activities, among other pertinent items. In the president's absence, the school board vice president is also responsible to sign contracts on behalf of the school board.

Skills You'll Need

A school board vice president must be skilled at organizing events and board meetings, as well as informal collaboration with colleagues, including school faculty, the superintendent and the board president. She must have excellent written and interpersonal skills necessary in commanding attention and communicating pertinent, school-related policy issues. The school board vice president must be able to make quick decisions, exercise sound judgment and be available to assume the board president's duties on notice.

Assistant to the President

School board vice presidents are primarily responsible for assisting the board president. When the board president is absent, the school board vice president must adhere to and enforce existing school policies on safety, curriculum mandates and extracurricular events, including sports and musical or cultural performances. He must also ensure that school board members and, in some cases, faculty members are well informed on school policies and relevant changes. The school board vice president must also review and approve or decline any new school policy proposals on behalf of the president during absence or convalescence.

Special Meetings and Events

In addition to her primary functions, a school board vice president may also hold meetings designed to recognize special occasions, such as a school's performance award ceremony or an anticipated VIP guest visit from a senator or actor. School board vice presidents may also preside over developmental meetings aimed at educating board members on standard operating procedures, policy updates and basic collaborative cohesion. On occasion, the school board vice president may sign board-authorized contracts during the board president's absence.

The Prerequisites

To become a school board vice president, you must possess at least a bachelor's degree in education, secondary, elementary, or early childhood development or similar majors. Since board vice presidents gain office through public and board elections, many board vice presidents have previous experience either serving as a school board member or the head of a school interest organization like the PTA. School board vice presidents increase their electability and effectiveness with teaching experience, as it appeals to the public. School board vice presidents must also pass criminal background investigations with periodic reinvestigations.