Board of Education Operating Principles
April 11, 2007
Educational Advocacy
We believe that the educational success of our students is our highest priority.
Leadership Team Members Pledge:
- High levels of support for programs within the district, which are aimed at increasing learning opportunities for ALL students.
- To adopt policy centered on providing the best educational opportunities a child can receive.
- That ALL children will receive a high-quality education to enable them to achieve their maximum potential.
- That individual team members will support the decisions of the board team.
- That each team member will seek and communicate support for the progress being made in education in this district.
Team Focus
We believe that our greatest ability to meet district objectives is to function as a leadership team with the interests of students as our highest priority.
Leadership team members pledge:
- To value and encourage other member’s opinions and input provided it is communicated in an open and honest manner consistent with the district missions.
- To understand that each board team member has the freedom, opportunity and responsibility to express his or her own beliefs about quality education. Sharing such beliefs within the team will promote honesty and integrity and will be accepted as such by other board team members. Board team members recognize and appreciate the diverse backgrounds and experiences of other board team members.
- To understand that the Board of Education is responsible for doing what is in the best interests of ALL kids.
Leadership Team Development
We believe that the future of the district rests in the hands of the capable, committed and knowledgeable adults charged with the responsibility for establishing policy and governance to provide a quality educational experience for ALL.
Leadership Team Members Pledge To:
- Be well informed on all issues (local, state, national) concerning our school system.
- Commit the appropriate amount of time necessary to fulfill their board team role, which will include participating in annual goal –setting to ensure our continued growth and education as team members.
- Provide leadership and an example that life-long learning of ALL people in our district is essential.
Positive Relationships
Leadership Team Members recognize that it is essential to develop and maintain healthy and positive working relationships.
Leadership Team Members Pledge:
- To listen with an open mind and demonstrate flexibility and creativity in seeking solutions with a sense of purpose, optimism and humor in working together.
- To strive to see the good in others.
- To refrain from speaking negatively about another team member.
- To look for and recognize the positive contributions of each team member.
- To seek ways to turn obstacles into opportunities.
- To maintain a sense of hope, optimism and humor in working together.
- To seek ways to foster interpersonal understanding.
Open Communication
Leadership Team Members believe that effective communication requires high levels of trust.
Team Members Pledge to:
- Establish and maintain open channels of formal and informal communication amongst the team. Communication will occur through a variety of avenues including:
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- Regular updates from the superintendent via e-mail
- Telephone contact when conditions warrant
- Small group meetings when called for
- Distribution of committee agendas and minutes to all team members.
- Offer praise to district employees on a personal basis.
- Maintain confidentiality of executive session discussions (i.e., personnel, litigation, real estate acquisition). Sharing of such information with unauthorized persons at any time is completely unacceptable and carries with it the possibility of public censure.
- Deal with conflicts among team members in the following manner:
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- If the superintendent needs to communicate concerns about another board team member, he/she will first discuss the matter with the person involved and include the board chair or their designee to reach mutual resolution. If the conflict involves the superintendent, the board chair or their designee will conduct the meeting to develop a mutual resolution.
- Work as a team by conducting themselves in accordance with district expectations which include, but are not limited to, the following:
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- Personal requests for information will be channeled through the superintendent’s office and disseminated to all team members.
- The superintendent will be the recipient of appropriate information regarding issues needing investigation (i.e., names of peoples making complaints, specific instances regarding the complaints, etc)
Handling Concerns
The team will handle public concerns in tactful, orderly and effective ways.
Team members pledge to perform the following:
- Listen to the individual’s concern
- Explain that the board and administrative team have established a process for handling concerns.
- Ask if he or she has discussed the issue with the employee immediately responsible.
- Express appreciation to the individual for expressing their concern.
- Affirm the desire to reach a solution.
- Encourage the person to follow the established process.
- Assure the person that the superintendent will be informed of a significant complaint. However, reaffirm that the chain of command procedure must be followed.
- Ask the person to report back on the progress or resolution of the concern, it appropriate.
Team Decision-Making
The team will use the following guidelines for decision-making:
- Read and study all necessary documentation prior to a discussion.
- Strive, through discussion, to reach a consensus prior to a vote.
- Support the decision and its effective implementation
Planning, Goal Setting and Accountability
The team will strive to ensure accountability through a methodological and orderly process by:
- Committing to a comprehensive planning process leading to mutually acceptable goals with supporting indicators for accountability.
- Committing to a comprehensive goal-setting process that will form the basis for specific actions and results within the district.
- Committing to at least one annual retreat to review the previous year’s goals, modify existing goals, and develop new goals.
- Being vigilant toward community educational planning with respect to working with other school districts, community agencies as well as business and industrial partners.
Meeting Format
All meetings will be conducted in an open and orderly fashion.
The team believes that:
- The superintendent, board president and vice president will develop school board meeting agendas cooperatively. Individual board members may request items be placed on the agenda subject to the approval of the board president.
- Board meeting agendas are open and publicized to encourage meaningful dialogue.
- Potentially controversial issues will be thoroughly addressed with supporting documentation before any decision-making occurs.
- Executive sessions will be used ONLY as necessary and consistent with state regulations. (Personnel, litigation and real estate acquisitions)
- The board welcomes input from the public during the scheduled forum of each meeting. The board will only respond according to procedure, which may include referral to a board committee. The board president will adhere to consistent allocation of time for each speaker during the public forum.
- Each board meeting during the academic year will have a portion of the meeting devoted to a segment on student success in the district.
- Committee agendas will be sent to all members of the board. Non-committee members wishing to attend specific committee meetings will make their requests through the superintendent.
