SPAULDING HIGH SCHOOL UNION DISTRICT #41 CODE: BBF
POLICY MANUAL
1st READING: 10/7/02
2nd READING: 1/6/03 ADOPTED: 2/03/92,1/6/03
______________________________________________________________

SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER ETHICS

A school board member has no legal powers or authority unless acting at a school board meeting or acting for the school board after it formally grants power to act on its behalf. A school board member should perform the duties of a school board member in a manner consistent with this Code of Ethics.

1.0 Attend all regularly scheduled board meetings, insofar as
possible, and review study materials about the issues to
be considered on each agenda.

2.0 Set goals for the school system and establish policies to
direct its administration.

3.0 Maintain confidentiality of discussion conducted in
executive session and of other privileged information.

4.0 Abide by board decisions regardless of how individuals
voted.

5.0 Act only as a member of the board and do not assume
authority as an individual in school matters when the
board is not in session.

6.0 Be familiar with and observe Vermont education laws.

7.0 Listen to legal counsel and constructive criticism to
protect the board and the school system from liability.

8.0 Give school officials authority commensurate with their
responsibility, work through the properly appointed
school officials according to the school system's
organization and policies, and support school officials
in the performance of their duties.

9.0 Expect the superintendent to keep the board adequately
informed through regular written or oral reports and hold
the superintendent accountable through an annual job
performance evaluation.


CODE: BBF


10.0 Refer complaints, requests, and concerns to the super-
intendent or other appropriate staff member.

11.0 Use the chain of command and avoid making commitments or
promises that compromise the board, the administration or
the school system.


12.0 Listen to the recommendations of the superintendent and
staff before making decisions and provide advice and
counsel to the superintendent.

13.0 Recognize that a board member's responsibility is to see
that schools are well-run, but not to run them.

14.0 Retain independent judgement and refuse to surrender that
judgement to individuals or special interest groups.

15.0 Voice opinions responsibly, maintain good relations with
other board members, respect other board members' rights
and opinions, and make no disparaging remarks, in or out
of the board meeting, about other board members or school
staff. Instead, express opinions in a professional, fair
manner.

16.0 Accept the responsibility to secure facts before arriving
at conclusions.

17.0 Expect more time to be spent on educational programs and
procedures than on business details at board meetings.

18.0 Support employment of the best qualified people as school
staff and insist on regular, impartial evaluation of all
staff.

19.0 Hire no superintendent, principal, or teacher already
under contract with another school unless assurance is
first secured from the proper authority that the person
can be released from contract.

20.0 Represent the entire community and vote for what seems
best for the children and youth of the school system.




CODE: BBF


21.0 Interpret the attitudes, wishes and needs of the
community to school staff and communicate the aims,
methods and goals of the schools to the community.

22.0 Create an environment that fosters community participation and involvement.

23.0 Refrain from using board membership for political,
personal or business advancement.

24.0 Recognize conflicts of interest and avoid being placed in
a position of conflict of interest in hiring, letting
bids, approving contracts and other financial affairs of
the school system.

25.0 Be informed about educational issues by individual study
and through participating in programs providing needed
information, such as those sponsored by the Vermont and
National School Boards Associations.

26.0 Take advantage of opportunities to improve your knowledge
and to build your skills as locally elected members of
school governing boards.

27.0 Associate with board members from other schools to
discuss school problems and cooperate in the improvement
of public school conditions.

28.0 Provide assistance to new board members and make sure
adequate orientation and training opportunities are
offered them.

Page # of # Pages