Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

College

College of Education and International Services

Program

Educational Leadership PhD

First Advisor

Janet Ledesma

Second Advisor

Karla Basurto-Gutierrez

Third Advisor

James R. Jeffery

Abstract

Problem

There is limited understanding of how school board chairs within the Canadian Seventh-day Adventist education system perceive and carry out their leadership and governance roles. The role of the board chair is complex, involving oversight of the organization, adherence to denominational policies, and alignment with the school’s academic and spiritual missions. Although effective governance is vital for school success, there remains a lack of clarity about how board chairs interpret their roles, fulfill their responsibilities, and navigate the unique demands of faith-based school leadership. This gap in understanding restricts the system’s ability to provide appropriate training, support, and clear policy guidance. Therefore, it is important to explore how Seventh-day Adventist school board chairs describe their lived experiences of governance to better support effective leadership and decision-making.

Purpose

This study aims to explore how school board chairpersons within the Canadian Seventh-day Adventist educational system describe their lived governance experiences, focusing on how they interpret and fulfill their roles in school leadership and oversight. It also seeks to identify the factors that board chairs find most influential in effectively managing their governance duties and to assess the extent to which spirituality influences and shapes their leadership approaches in this faith-based educational setting.

Method

This study employs a qualitative phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of volunteer board chairs serving in Seventh-day Adventist schools across Canada. Data is collected through in-depth interviews with open-ended questions to capture participants' perspectives and experiences. The sample includes volunteer board chairs, defined here as individuals who serve without financial benefit or hold the chair position by virtue of another office. A purposive sampling method is used to select participants from various school backgrounds, including elementary and secondary schools of different sizes, aiming for broad national representation. Of the 41 Seventh- day Adventist schools in Canada, 31 meet the inclusion criteria, with 20 chairs participating in the study.

Findings

This study identified five key themes shaping the governance experiences of Seventh-day Adventist school board chairs in Canada: training and preparation, leadership skills and knowledge, relationships within governance, the impact of COVID-19, and spirituality. Participants described their preparation as mostly informal, based on experience, with limited formal training. They also emphasized that effective leadership requires both procedural competence and strong relationship skills, with governance heavily reliant on relationships with principals, conference leadership, fellow board members, and that pastoral support was seen as very important but inconsistent. The COVID-19 pandemic led to the adoption of adaptive, flexible governance practices, especially through increased use of virtual meetings. Spirituality was recognized as a fundamental influence, shaping decision-making, relationships, and alignment with the mission of Adventist education.

Subject Area

School board presidents--Canada; School management and organization--Canada; Seventh-day Adventists--Education--Canada

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