BC-1
Policy Type: Board Culture
Board Purpose
The Board
of trustees of
The
Board’s purpose is to assure that the district achieves the results described
in the Board’s Results policies and that it operates according to the values
expressed in the Board’s Operational Expectations and Parameters policies.
Adopted:
Monitoring Method: Board self-assessment
Monitoring Frequency: Annually in _______
The Board will govern lawfully with
primary emphasis on Results for students; encourage full exploration of diverse
viewpoints; focus on governance matters rather than administrative issues;
observe clear separation of Board and CEO roles; make all official decisions by
formal vote of the Board; and govern with long-term vision.
1.
The Board will function as a single unit. The opinions and
personal strengths of individual members will be used to the Board’s best
advantage, but the Board faithfully will make decisions as a group, by formal
vote.
2.
The Board is responsible for its own governing performance.
The Board will assure that its members are provided with training and
professional support necessary for quality governance, skills and knowledge. As
a means to assure continuous improvement, the Board regularly and
systematically will monitor all policies in this section, and will assess the
quality of each meeting by debriefing the meeting following its conclusion.
3.
To ensure that the board’s business meetings are conducted
with maximum effectiveness and efficiency, members will:
a. come
to meetings adequately prepared, including full review of written material and
receive any clarification from CEO prior to meeting.
b.
speak only when recognized
c.
not interrupt
each other
d.
not engage in
side conversations
e.
not repeat what
has already been said
f.
not “play to the
audience” or monopolize the discussion
g.
support the
president’s efforts to facilitate an orderly meeting
h. communicate openly and actively in discussion and dialog to avoid surprises
i. encourage equal participation of all members
j. practice respectful body language
k. demonstrate respect for others’ point of view
4. The
Board will use a consent agenda as a means to expedite the disposition of
routine matters and to dispose of other items of business it chooses not to
discuss. All administrative matters delegated to the CEO that are required to
be approved by the Board will be acted upon by the Board via the consent
agenda. An item may be removed from the consent agenda upon request of a member
of the Board.
Policy Type: Board Culture BC-2
5. After
the first full cycle of monitoring, the monitoring of Operational Expectations and Parameters policies will be
included on the agenda for separate discussion only if CEO reports indicate
non-compliance, if a majority of the Board has questions about CEO compliance
or reasonable interpretation, or if policy content is to be debated. Otherwise, OE/P
monitoring reports will be included in the consent agenda.
6. The Board will direct the district
through policy. The Board’s major policy focus will be on the results expected
to be achieved by students, rather than on the strategic choices made by the
CEO and staff to achieve those results.
7. The Board commits itself to continuous
improvement. In pursuit of this objective, continuous Board development will
include orientation of candidates for the Board and new members
of the Board about the Board’s governance culture and processes
for conducting Board business. In addition, the Board will avail itself of
whatever training it determines necessary for excellent Board performance.
8. The Board is committed to govern as a
single unit. Therefore, no officer, individual, or committee of the Board will
be permitted to limit the Board’s performance or prevent the Board from
fulfilling its commitments.
9. The Board, by majority vote, may revise
or amend its policies at any time. However,
as a customary practice, a proposed policy revision will be discussed at one
session of the Board prior to being approved at a subsequent Board meeting.
Adopted:
Monitoring Method: Board self-assessment
Monitoring Frequency: Annually in _______
BC-3
Policy
Type: Board Culture
Board Job Description
The
Board’s job is to represent, lead and serve the owners and to lead the district
by establishing expectations for organizational results, expectations for
quality operational performance, and monitoring actual performance against
those expectations.
The Board will:
1. Ensure that the Results are the dominant focus of district performance.
2. Advocate for the district and the students
it serves.
3. Initiate and maintain constructive two-way
dialogue with students, staff, parents and the citizens as a means to engage
all stakeholders in the work of the Board and the district.
4. Develop written governing policies that
address:
a. Results: The intended outcomes for the students served
by the district;
b. Operational Expectations and Parameters: Statements of the Board’s values about
operational matters delegated to the CEO, including both actions and conditions
to be accomplished and those prohibited;
c. Board
Culture: Definition of the
Board’s own work, the processes it will employ and conditions within which it
will accomplish that work;
d. Board/CEO
Relationship: The role
relationship of the CEO and the Board, including the specified authority of the
CEO and the process for monitoring district and CEO performance.
5. Ensure effective CEO performance through
monitoring of Results and Operational Expectations and Parameters
policies.
6. Ensure effective Board performance through
evaluation of Board actions and processes.
7. Appoint an independent auditor to conduct
an annual external review of the district’s financial condition and report
directly to the Board.
BC-3
Adopted:
Monitoring Method: Board self-assessment
Monitoring Frequency: Annually in _________
Policy Type: Board Culture
Officers’ Roles
The officers of the Board are those listed in this policy. Their
duties are those assigned by this policy, and others required by law.
President
The
President provides leadership to the Board, ensures the faithful execution of
the Board’s processes, exercises interpretive responsibilities with integrity,
reflecting the spirit and intent of the Board in its deliberations, and
normally serves as the Board’s official spokesperson.
The
President has the following specific authority and duties:
1. Monitor Board actions to assure that they are
consistent with the Board’s own rules and policies and with other obligations
imposed by agencies whose authority supersedes the Board’s own authority;
a. Conduct and monitor Board meeting
deliberations to assure that Board discussion and attention are focused on
Board issues, as defined in Board policy (see BC-3);
b. Assure that Board meeting discussions are
productive, efficient and orderly;
c.
Chair Board meetings using the authority normally vested in
the Chair as described in Robert’s Rules
of Order;
d.
Lead timely board meeting debriefings and periodic self-assessments to
ensure
continuous process improvement.
2. Make all interpretive decisions of Board
policies in the Board Culture
and Board/CEO Relationship sections,
using reasonable judgment. The President is not authorized to:
a. make any interpretive decisions about
policies created by the Board in the Results
and Operational
Expectations and Parameters policy areas. Interpretation of these
policies is the responsibility of the CEO;
b. exercise any authority as an individual to
supervise or direct the CEO.
3. Compile and facilitate the Board’s
summative evaluation of the CEO.
4. Represent the Board as its official
spokesperson about issues decided by the
Board and other matters related to
official Board concerns.
BC-4
5. Execute all documents authorized by the
Board, except as otherwise provided by law.
6. Appoint members of all Board committees.
7. On behalf of the Board, and in concert
with the CEO, develop proposed Board
meeting
agendas consistent with the Board’s annual calendar.
Adopted:
Monitoring Method: Board self-assessment
Monitoring Frequency: Annually in __________
BC-5
Policy Type: Board Culture
Board Committees
The Board
may create committees to assist with Board work. If committees are established,
they will be used exclusively to support the work of the Board as described in
Policy BC-3, and will never be created or used to assist the CEO in any
operational area.
1. Board committee and other such entities by
whatever name created by the Board, are intended to support the Board’s work,
not to direct, advise, assist or oversee the staff.
Committees customarily will prepare recommendations for Board consideration.
Board committees will have no authority over staff, and may exercise demands on
staff time and district resources only to the extent authorized in this policy.
2. Board committees may not speak or act for
the Board unless specifically authorized. The roles and authority of all Board
committees are carefully stated in this policy to assure that committees fully
understand their responsibilities and extent of authority, and to assure that
committee work will not usurp or conflict with the Board’s own authority or
conflict with authority delegated to the CEO.
3. All Board committees are considered to be
ad hoc, or temporary. The date for their termination is listed for each
committee. Committees may be renewed or reauthorized upon their expiration, but
unless the Board acts to renew the committee’s existence, it shall cease to
exist upon the date specified.
4. Board committees may or may not include
board members.
5. All Board committees are listed below.
BC-5
Board committees:
A. Name:
a. Purpose/Charge:
1)
2)
b. Membership:
1)
2)
c.Reporting Schedule:
d.
Term:
e.
Authority Over Resources:
B. Name:
a. Purpose/Charge:
1)
2)
b.
Membership:
1)
2)
c.
Reporting Schedule:
d.
Term:
e.