Series 1000 - Board of Education/Administration

1005 -VISION STATEMENT

The Durham community cherishes its children, and the Durham Public Schools are the daily expression of that care.

1100 -DUTIES OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION

 The Durham Public Schools Board of Education shall have general control and supervision of all matters pertaining to the Durham Public Schools and shall have the authority to enforce school law in the school system. In addition, certain general powers relating to judicial, legal, regulatory, research, and operational functions are vested in the Board.

1105 -DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF BOARD MEMBERS

 A member of the Board shall endeavor to attend all meetings, discuss items presented on the agenda, and vote upon motions and resolutions presented.

1110 -BOARD/SUPERINTENDENT/STAFF RELATIONS

The Durham Public Schools Board of Education believes that the development of policies and the evaluation of policy administration is the most important function of a school board, and that the execution of the policies is the function of the Superintendent and staff of the school district. The Board also believes that staff support is critical for successful school operations.

1112 - DATA DASHBOARD

The purpose of this policy is to help DPS attain and maintain excellence in all key management and operational areas. The Board establishes a Data Dashboard that is  aligned  with the Board’s management oversight responsibilities and its Academic Accountability  Policy. The Data Dashboard will consist of a limited number of indicators selected by the  Board of Education.  Data for these indicators will be gathered and analyzed by DPS staff,  under the direction of the Superintendent, and presented on a regular basis to the Board of  Education and to the public.

1111 - BOARD OVERSIGHT OF MAJOR BUSINESS SYSTEMS

 

1115 -CONSTITUENT SERVICES

Complaints against any employee which come to the attention of the Board or any Board member shall be referred by the Board members to the Superintendent for appropriate action.

1120 -CONFLICT OF INTEREST

 Each Board member has the obligation to consider any private, personal, or business interest that may significantly affect the Board member's action on a matter before the Board.

1125 -OFFICIAL SCHOOL SPOKESPERSONS

The official spokespersons of the district shall be the Chairperson of the Board, or other Board member if designated by the Board, and the Superintendent and the Superintendent's authorized designees.

1130 -BOARD MEMBER OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT

Individual Board members are expected to be familiar with state school laws, regulations of the State Department of Public Instruction, and current district policies, rules, and regulations.

1135 -NEW BOARD MEMBER ORIENTATION

The magnitude of Board membership calls for knowledge of and orientation to many areas of information and understanding.

1140 -BOARD MEMBER REIMBURSEMENT

The Durham Public Schools Board of Education shall establish annually a specific amount of money to be included in the school budget to cover Board member stipends and reimbursement of expenses incurred in the performance of duties.

1200 -OATH OF OFFICE

On the first Monday in July following the election of Board members, or the first meeting of the Board following an appointment to fill a vacancy, the members-elect shall give the following oath or affirmation.

1205 -VACANCIES ON THE BOARD

Vacancies on the Board shall be filled by the remaining members by appointing to the seat a resident from the voting district or consolidated district of the member being replaced, or at large if the seat is at large.

1210 -ELECTION OF OFFICERS

At its first meeting in July of each year, the Board shall elect by majority vote a chairperson to preside at meetings and a vice chairperson to preside at meetings in the absence of the chairperson.

1215 -CHAIRPERSON

The chairperson of the Board shall preside at Board meetings; decide questions of order; appoint temporary committees and their chairpersons, subject to Board approval; call special meetings of the Board; sign official documents on behalf of the Board; and perform all other duties prescribed by law or by action of the Board.

1220 -VICE CHAIRPERSON

The vice chairperson shall assume all the rights and responsibilities of the chairperson in the absence of the chairperson and shall perform other duties of the chairperson when so assigned by the chairperson.

1225 -SECRETARY

The Superintendent shall be secretary to the Board. The Superintendent shall have no vote. As secretary, the Superintendent shall keep and maintain accurate minutes of Board meetings.

1230 -BOARD COMMITTEES

 Standing committees of the Board shall be established as outlined in Policy 1231.

1231 -BOARD STANDING COMMITTEES

The Durham Public Schools Board of Education shall have standing committees to consider, and discuss policy and governance issues that may need extensive deliberations prior to presentation to the entire board.

1232 -BOARD COMMITTEE OPERATIONS

The purpose of standing or ad hoc committees appointed by the Durham Public Schools Board of Education is to facilitate the efficient and thorough discussion and transaction of business by the board.

1235 -BOARD HEARING PANELS

Hearing panels comprised of at least three Board members shall be designated on a rotating basis to consider student or employee appeals.

1300 -BOARD MEETINGS

Every meeting or assembly at any place or any time or the simultaneous communication by conference telephone or other electronic means of a majority of the members of the Board of Education for the purpose of conducting hearings, participating in deliberations, or voting upon or otherwise transacting the business of the Board shall constitute an official meeting and shall be conducted in compliance with the Open Meetings Law.

1305 -REGULAR MEETINGS

The Board of Education shall adopt a schedule of one regular meeting per month on Thursdays, showing the date, time and place of each meeting.

1310 -SPECIAL MEETINGS

The chairperson, a majority of the members, or the Superintendent may call a special meeting of the Board and immediately notify the Board secretary.

1315 -EMERGENCY MEETINGS

The chairperson, a majority of the members, or the Superintendent may call an emergency meeting because of generally unexpected circumstances that require immediate consideration by the Board.

1320 -RECESSED MEETINGS

A majority of Board members may vote to recess any properly noticed meeting of the board to a specific time and place.

1325 -CLOSED SESSIONS

The Board of Education, being the governing body of the Durham Public Schools Administrative Unit, exists solely to conduct the people's business.

1330 -PUBLIC HEARINGS

The Board of Education may schedule public hearings by majority vote.

1335 -MINUTES OF MEETINGS

The Superintendent is responsible for maintaining full and accurate minutes of all Board meetings, including closed sessions.

1345 -BOARD AGENDA

To expedite board business and to provide a framework for its orderly conduct, the superintendent, in cooperation with the board chairperson and vice chairperson, will prepare an agenda outlining the matters to be brought to board attention at meetings.

1350 -ADVANCE DELIVERY OF MEETING MATERIALS

Before actions by the Board are requested or recommended, the Board shall be provided with adequate data and back-up information to assist the Board in reaching sound and objective decisions consistent with established goals.

1355 -RULES OF ORDER

To the extent not provided for in the attached procedures and to the extent that the reference does not conflict with the spirit of these rules, the Board shall refer to Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, to answer procedural questions.

1360 -DUTY TO VOTE

Every member must vote unless excused by the remaining members. A member who wishes to be excused from voting shall so inform the chairperson, who shall take a vote of the remaining members present.

1365 -PROCEDURES FOR THE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION AT ACTION MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION

It is the policy of this Board to encourage comments from all points of view of public concern in the schools and to conduct meetings that are orderly, efficient and dignified.

1400 -POLICY DEVELOPMENT

Policies may be proposed for adoption, revision, or deletion at any Board meeting by any member of the Board or by the Superintendent.

1405 -POLICY DISSEMINATION

Policy statements of the Board shall be contained in the Board's policy manual.

1410 -POLICY REVIEW

In an effort to keep its written policies up to date so they may be used as a basis for administrative decision and Board action, the Board shall review its policies on a continuing basis.

1415 -SUSPENSION OF BOARD POLICIES

The operation of any section or sections of Board policies not established by law or contract may be temporarily suspended by a two-thirds vote of Board members present at a regular meeting of the Board.

1420 -ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION IN ABSENCE OF POLICY

In cases where action must be taken involving the operation of the Durham Public Schools and where no guidelines have been established by Board policy, the Superintendent will have the authority to act.

1500 -LEGAL COUNSEL

The Board of Education shall enter into contracts for legal services for the school system to provide both legal advice and representation in litigation, as needed.

1505 -LEGAL DEFENSE OF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER OR EMPLOYEE

The Durham Public Schools Board of Education may provide for the legal defense of a civil or criminal action brought against a Board member if a majority of the Board finds it is in the best interest of the school system to do so.