Board Protocols

Bassett Unified School District Protocols: Board and Superintendent Operating Procedures

• Keep learning and achievement for all students as the primary focus.
• Value, support, and advocate for public education.
• Operate openly with trust and integrity.
• Govern in a dignified and professional manner, treating everyone with civility, dignity, and respect, while honoring the right to disagree with each other.
• Define and respect the difference between administration and policy-making and respect the roles of each.
• Keep confidential matters confidential.  Uphold the legal requirement for confidentiality on all matters arising from Board Meeting Executive Sessions; will keep all conversations taking place in Closed Session absolutely confidential.

Areas of Responsibility:

• Govern within Board-adopted policies and procedures.
• Ensure opportunities for the diverse range of views in the community to inform Board deliberations.
• Attend regularly scheduled Board meetings unless a situation occurs that makes attendance impossible; cooperate in scheduling special meetings and/or work sessions for planning and training purposes.
• Understand the distinctions between Board and staff roles, and refrain from performing management functions that are the responsibility of the Superintendent and staff.
• Acknowledge that individual request for reports and projects will be directed only to the Superintendent.
• Understand the Superintendent’s role to make personnel recommendations and changes in consultation with the Board.
• Understand the Board as a collective body must provide clear signals to its professional staff through its Superintendent.
• Take collective responsibility for the Board’s performance.
• Cast a vote on all matters except when a conflict of interest arises.
• As time permits, visit school sites and attend school functions, but avoid interrupting instruction  or interrupting employees at work.
• Represent the District, when possible, by attending community functions.

 The Superintendent will:

• Understand the distinction between Board and staff roles and respect the role of the Board as the representative of the community.
• Make personnel recommendations and changes in consultation with the Board.
• Inform the Board prior to critical information becoming public; apprise all Board members in a timely manner of any major incident or when they may be called on to answer or explain.
• Provide information requested by one Board member to every Board member.
• Distribute the Board agenda in a timely fashion and with enough time for Board study, and clarify information prior to scheduled meetings.
• Never bring a matter to a public meeting that is a surprise to a Board member or cabinet member.
• Treat all Board members professionally.
• Visit school campuses regularly.
• Represent the school District by being visible in the community.

Communication:

• Communicate a common vision.
• Communicate directly with the Superintendent whenever a question or concern is raised by a staff member, student, parent, or community member.
• Contact the Superintendent whenever contacted by the media regarding an incident, event, or agenda item.
• Communicate directly with the Superintendent prior to Board meetings to address questions and/or concerns about agenda items; honor the “no surprises” rule with the Superintendent and fellow board members.
• Communicate one-on-one with the Superintendent when an individual concern arises; will not allow a matter to fester. 

The Superintendent will:

• Communicate with Board members promptly and effectively.
• Inform the Board prior to critical information becoming public; apprise all Board members in a timely manner of any major incident or when they may be called on to answer or explain.
• Distribute information fully and equally to all Board members.
• Provide information requested by one Board member to every Board member.
• Provide requests for additional information through a Board update, special report, Board agenda items, or as a Board workshop.
• Communicate with individual Board members to determine if concerns exist prior to a possible problem developing, and respect the right to disagree with each other.
• Keep the Board informed regarding issues and/or situations that could possibly concern parents, students, staff or community.
• Bring to the attention of the Board matters that affect relationships. 

Constructive Discussion with Respect for Ones Differing Position:

• Act with dignity, and understand the implication of demeanor and behavior.
• Recognize and respect difference of perspective and style on the Board and among staff, students, parents, and the community.
• Support the decisions of the majority vote after honoring the right of individual members to express opposing viewpoints and vote their convictions. 

 The Superintendent will:

• Provide requests for additional information through a Board update, special report, Board agenda items, or as a Board workshop.
• Treat all Board members professionally.
• Communicate with individual Board members to determine if concerns exist prior to a possible problem developing, and respect the right to disagree with each other.

Decision-Making:

• Understand authority rests with the Board as a whole and not with individuals.  Recognize decisions are made only at properly scheduled meetings.
• As an individual Board member, not make or appear to make a decision that appropriately should be made by the entire Board.

 The Superintendent will:

• Provide data to the Board members so data-driven decisions can be made.
• Present major decisions initially as a discussion item, then place it on the next Board agenda for action.

Leadership:

• Work with all members of the Board and the Superintendent to become a team devoted to students; be dedicated to making all members of the team successful.
• Participate in professional development and commit the time and energy necessary to be an informed and effective leader.

The Superintendent will:

• Work toward creating a team with the Board dedicated to students.
• Communicate the vision of the District.
• Recognize that the Board/Superintendent governance relationship requires support by the District’s management team.
• Accept leadership responsibility and be accountable for implementing the vision, goals, and policies of the District.
• Bring to the attention of the Board matters that affect relationships.
• Visit school campuses regularly.
• Represent the school District by being visible in the community.
• Model the value of life-long learning.

Periodic Evaluation:

Board Members will:

• Objectively evaluate the Superintendent’s performance and provide appropriate feedback.
• Periodically evaluate its own effectiveness; review its protocols at least every two years.

 The Superintendent will: