Governance at ISY

The International School Yangon (ISY) is a non-profit Association that is governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees of up to eleven members. All parents and guardians of current ISY students are members of this Association. Positions on the ISY Board of Trustees are either appointed or elected, with elections taking place at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in May of each year. The Board then selects from among its members a Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer and Secretary. As a non-profit Association, all tuition and other income generated by ISY is channeled back into the operation and development of the school and its facilities.

The Board of Trustees is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the school. This includes articulating long-term vision, setting broad policy, safeguarding the financial integrity of the school, and protecting the school from risk. The Board also adopts the annual budget, sets tuition and fee scales, and identifies and approves major facilities improvement projects. Finally, the Board selects, hires, supports and evaluates the ISY Director, who is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the school, the realization of the school’s mission and execution of improvement plans as directed by the Board. The Director also serves as a non-voting member of the Board of Trustees.

Standing Committees in Audit, Finance and  Governance advise and guide the Board on specific areas of focus. Each Committee is chaired by a Board member and includes among its core members the Director of the School and at least two other Board members. Depending on the nature of the topics under review, Committees may also invite parents, teachers, school administrators, and/or outside experts to participate. Committees report their findings and recommendations to the full Board of Trustees for consideration and decision. For more information, please see Standing Committee Terms of Reference below.

The ISY Board of Trustees employs a number of different channels to communicate with the wider parent community. First, all parents are encouraged to attend and observe quarterly Board meetings, and to make contributions under the standing agenda item, “Communication from Association members.” Detailed minutes of these meetings are also posted on the ISY website. In addition, the Board publishes ad-hoc announcements throughout the year through the communications office. Open presentations on topics of general interest are also held on an occasional basis, and an Annual Report is presented to the Association at the Annual General Meeting in May. Finally, the Board welcomes questions and comments from Association members and the larger community through its designated email address, isyboard@isyedu.org, which is directed to all Board members, including the Director.

Standing Committees