School Board Governance: An
Introduction
Authority:
The Board of Education is constituted, authorized, and governed by the statutes
of the State of New Jersey, Title 18A. The Board of Education shall exercise
its rule-making authority by adopting bylaws and policies for the organization
and operation of the school district.
Executive Authority:
The Board of Education shall exercise its executive power in part by the appointment
of a Superintendent as Chief School Administrator, who shall enforce the
statutes of the State of New Jersey, rules of the State Board of Education, and
policies of this Board.
Responsibilities:
The Board shall perform all acts and do all things, consistent with law
and the rules of the State Board, necessary for the proper conduct, equipment
and maintenance of the public schools of the district. Boards operate through policy to be effective and efficient, and to avoid
appearing to be arbitrary, capricious, or unreasonable. All district policies
are public documents.
Members of the Board
of Education are elected by voters in the Chesterfield, Mansfield, North
Hanover, and Springfield communities. Members are elected to three-year terms
and normally three seats are up for election each spring. The nine-member Board
is committed to the District Mission:
The mission of the district, in partnership with home and community, is to
provide a safe environment in which to prepare all students to achieve the Core
Curriculum Content Standards at all grade levels and become creative,
independent, life-long learners, critical thinkers, problem solvers, and
responsible citizens in a rapidly changing and diverse global community.
Board Meetings:
There are typically two Board meetings a month. The first meeting of the Board is a work session and the second meeting is the regular meeting. The work session provides the Board an opportunity to discuss each agenda item and request additional information on specific items. Official Board action is usually not taken during the work session. The Board's regular meeting consists of a 'consent agenda' where agenda items which have been previously discussed at the work session are voted on in a single resolution at the end of the meeting. Both of these meetings are open to the public. Please click on the Board Meeting Dates" link to the right to review the scheduled Board meetings for the 2011 - 2012 school year.
The Board also meets in committees on an 'as needed' basis. The purpose of the committee meetings is to examine a specific topic and report back to the full Board at the next Public meeting. Please click on the "Board Committee" link to the right to review the committee structure in place for the 2011-2012 school year.
Both meetings provide opportunity for community members to observe the workings of the Board. During the public meeting, the public is invited to address the Board during two public comment sections in the agenda. Each participant is asked to give his/her name and address prior to making a statement.
Code of Ethics for School Board Members:
The members of the
Board of Education recognize that they hold authority not as individuals but as
members of the Board. In order to make a clear public statement of its
philosophy of service to the pupils of the district, the Board follows a code
of ethics:
- I will uphold and
enforce all laws, state board rules and regulations, and court orders
pertaining to schools. Desired changes should be brought about only through
legal and ethical procedures.
- I will make decisions
in terms of the educational welfare of children and will seek to develop and
maintain public schools which meet the individual needs of all children
regardless of their ability, race, creed, sex or social standing.
- I will confine my
board action to policy making, planning and appraisal and I will help to frame
policies and plans only after the board has consulted those who will be
affected by them.
- I will carry out my
responsibility, not to administer the schools, but, together with my fellow
board members, to see that they are well run.
- I will recognize that
authority rests with the board of education and will make no personal promises
nor take any private action which may compromise the board.
- I will refuse to
surrender my independent judgment to special interest or partisan political
groups or to use the schools for personal gain or for the gain of friends.
- I will hold
confidential all matters pertaining to the schools, which, if disclosed, would
needlessly injure individuals or the schools. But in all other matters, I will
provide accurate information and, in concert with my fellow board members,
interpret to the staff the aspirations of the community for its schools.
- I will vote to appoint
the best qualified personnel available after consideration of the
recommendation of the chief school administrator.
- I will support and
protect school personnel in proper performance of their duties.
- I will refer all
complaints to the chief school administrator and will act on such complaints at
public meetings only after failure of an administrative solution.
|
|
