 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Page 1 of 10
EASTON AREA
SCHOOL DISTRICT
No. 006
SECTION:
LOCAL BOARD PROCEDURES
TITLE:
MEETINGS
ADOPTED:
August 23, 2004
REVISED:
006. MEETINGS
Section 1. Parliamentary Authority
The Board recognizes that public schools belong to all the people, are supported by
the people, and are designed to carry out the wishes of the people for the education
of children, youth, and adults.
65 P.S. 701 et seq
All Board meetings will be conducted in an orderly and business-like manner. It is
the desire of the Board that meetings shall be formal enough for orderly procedure
but informal enough to be natural and to encourage free discussion and promote
group thinking and action. The Board desires to be cognizant of the problems,
requests, complaints, and suggestions of members of the community, but it is
necessary that the Board not allow the perusal of such material to interfere with
diligent attention to the affairs of the district. The Board shall observe Robert's Rules
of Order, Newly Revised, including group rules, in its deliberations in all cases in
which it is not inconsistent with statute, regulations of the State Board, or Board
procedures.
The Solicitor shall serve as Parliamentarian, who shall be well versed in the rules of
order and be able to advise the Board at any time.
Section 2. Quorum
SC 422
A quorum shall be five (5) Board members present at a meeting. No business shall
be transacted at a meeting without a quorum, but the Board members present at such
a meeting may adjourn to another time.
Section 3. Presiding Officer
SC 405, 426, 427,
428
The President shall preside at all Board meetings and shall start all meetings
promptly at the appointed hour. In the absence, disability or disqualification of the
President, the Vice-President shall act instead. If neither person is present, a Board
006. MEETINGS - Pg. 2
Page 2 of 10
member shall be elected President pro tempore by a plurality of those present to
preside at that meeting only. The act of any person so designated shall be legal and
binding.
Section 4. Notice
65 P.S. 703, 709
Notice of all open public Board meetings, including committee meetings and
discussion sessions, shall be given by publication of the date, place, and time of such
meetings in the newspaper(s) of general circulation designated by the Board and the
posting of such notice at the administrative offices of the Board.
65 P.S. 703, 709
a.
Notice of regular meetings shall be given by publication and posting of a
schedule showing the date, place and time of all regular meetings for the
calendar year at least three (3) days prior to the time of the first regular meeting.
65 P.S. 703, 709
b.
Notice of all special meetings shall be given by publication and posting of
notice at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the time of the meeting, except
that such notice shall be waived when a special meeting is called to deal with an
actual emergency involving a clear and present danger to life or property. The
notice shall state the purpose of the meeting.
65 P.S. 703, 709
c.
Notice of all rescheduled meetings shall be given by publication and posting of
notice at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the time of the meeting.
65 P.S. 703
d.
Notice of all recessed or reconvened meetings shall be given by posting a notice
of the place, date and time of meeting and sending copies of such notice to
interested parties.
65 P.S. 709
e.
Notice of all public meetings shall be given to any newspaper(s) circulating in
Northampton County or Bucks County and a radio or television station which so
requests. Notice of all public meetings shall be given to any individual who so
requests and provides a stamped, addressed envelope for such notification.
Notice of each regular Board meeting, along with the agenda, will be delivered to
each Board member at least four (4) days prior to each meeting, except in cases of
emergency.
SC 423
Notice of all special Board meetings shall be given to members of the Board at least
twenty-four (24) hours prior to the time stated for the meeting to convene, except in
cases of emergency. Said notice shall indicate the purpose of such special meeting.
006. MEETINGS - Pg. 3
Page 3 of 10
Section 5. Regular Meetings
65 P.S. 701 et seq
SC 421
All regular Board meetings shall be held on the second and fourth Monday of every
month at 7:30 p.m. in the Easton Area High School Library unless otherwise
designated by prior agreement at a public meeting, or upon agreement of the
President and Vice-President that the best interests of the district would be served by
moving to an alternate location.
Board meetings shall not be scheduled to conflict with regional, state, and national
meetings of the following groups:
a.
American Association of School Administrators.
b.
National School Boards Association.
c.
Pennsylvania School Boards Association.
d.
Colonial Intermediate Unit No. 20.
e.
Career Institute of Technology.
f.
Northampton County Area Community College.
g.
Easton Area Public Library.
Board Meeting Preparation –
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.
Board members shall be expected to read the information provided them, and to
contact the Superintendent to request additional information that may be deemed
necessary to assist them in their decision-making responsibilities.
Order Of Business -
The order of business for regular meetings shall be as follows, unless altered by the
President:
Call to order
Pledge of Allegiance
Roll Call
006. MEETINGS - Pg. 4
Page 4 of 10
Adoption of agenda
Approval of minutes
Presentations/Recognitions
Public Comment Re: Agenda Items
Representative Comment
Financial Matters
Unfinished Business
Reports (Solicitor, Superintendent, Board Officers)
Executive Session Reports
Discussion Items
New Business
Public Comment Re: Non-Agenda Items
Acknowledgement of Correspondence
Reports (Board Committees - 4th Monday)
Adjournment
Section 6. Special Meetings
65 P.S. 701 et seq
Special meetings shall be public and may be called for special or general purposes.
SC 423, 426
Special meetings shall be called by the President whenever deemed necessary or
upon the request, in writing to the President, of three (3) or more members of the
Board. No business shall be transacted at any special meeting except that named in
the call for such special meeting, provided that special meetings may be called for
general purposes. Upon the President's failure or refusal to call a special meeting,
such meeting may be called at any time by a majority of the Board members.
Special meetings shall be held in the Easton Area High School Library unless
otherwise designated by prior agreement at a public meeting, or upon agreement of
the President and Vice-President that the best interests of the district would be
served by moving to an alternate location.
The order of business for special meetings shall be as follows unless altered by the
President:
Call to Order
Pledge of Allegiance
Roll Call
Reading of Purpose of Meeting
Approval of Agenda
Public Comment
Transaction of business for which meeting was called
Adjournment
006. MEETINGS - Pg. 5
Page 5 of 10
Section 7. Hearing of The Public
Pol. 903
65 P.S. 701 et seq
A member of the public present at a Board meeting may address the Board in
accordance with law and Board policy and procedures.
Section 8. Board Meeting News Coverage
The district believes that one (1) of the paramount responsibilities of the Board is to
keep the public informed of its actions. Consequently, local news media
representatives shall be welcome to attend all regular, special, and reorganization
meetings of the Board.
Media representatives may obtain in advance a copy of the Board agenda for regular
meetings.
Section 9. Voting
All motions shall require for adoption a majority vote of those Board members
present and voting, except as provided by statute or Board procedures.
All votes on motions and resolutions shall be by voice vote unless an oral roll call
vote is requested by the President or another Board member.
a.
The following actions require the recorded affirmative votes of two-thirds of the
full number of Board members:
SC 609
1.
Transfer of budgeted funds.
SC 687
2.
Transfer of any unencumbered balance, or portion thereof, from one
appropriation to another, or from one spending agency to another.
SC 634
3.
Incur a temporary debt or borrow money upon such obligation.
SC 687
4.
Incur a temporary debt to meet an emergency or catastrophe.
SC 324
5.
Elect to a teaching position a person who has served as a Board member
and who has resigned.
SC 707
6.
Convey land or buildings to the municipality co-terminus with the school
district.
SC 803
7.
Adopt or change textbooks without the recommendation of the
Superintendent.
006. MEETINGS - Pg. 6
Page 6 of 10
SC 1129
8.
Dismiss, after a hearing, a tenured professional employee.
Pol. 003
9.
Adopt, amend, or repeal a Board procedure or policy.
SC 508
b.
The following actions require the recorded affirmative votes of a majority of the
full number of Board members:
1.
Fixing the length of school term.
Pol. 108
2.
Adopting textbooks recommended by the Superintendent.
SC 1071, 1076
3.
Appointing the district Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent(s).
4.
Appointing teachers and principals.
Pol. 604
5.
Adopting the annual budget.
Pol. 005, 606
6.
Appointing tax collectors and other appointees.
Pol. 605
7.
Levying and assessing taxes.
8.
Purchasing, selling, or condemning land.
9.
Locating new buildings or changing the location of old ones.
Pol. 107
10.
Adopting planned instruction.
11.
Establishing additional schools or departments.
SC 621
12.
Designating depositories for school funds.
13.
Expending district funds.
Pol. 610
14.
Entering into contracts of any kind, including contracts for the purchase of
fuel or any supplies where the amount involved exceeds $100 (including
items subject to $10,000 bid requirements).
15.
Fixing salaries or compensation of officers, teachers, or other appointees of
the Board.
SC 224
16.
Combining or reorganizing into a larger school district.
006. MEETINGS - Pg. 7
Page 7 of 10
17.
Entering into contracts with and making appropriations to the intermediate
unit for the district's proportionate share of the cost of services provided or
to be provided by the intermediate unit.
SC 514, 1080
18.
Dismissing, after a hearing, a nontenured employee.
SC 212
19.
Adopting a corporate seal for the district.
SC 702
20.
Determining the location and amount of any real estate required by the
school district for school purposes.
SC 708
21.
Vacating and abandoning property to which the Board has title.
SC 1503
22.
Determining the holidays, other than those provided by statute, to be
observed by special exercises and those on which the schools shall be
closed for the whole day.
Pol. 004
23. Removing a school director.
Pol. 004
24. Declaring that a vacancy exists on the Board by reason of the failure or
neglect of a school director to qualify.
Pol. 005
25. Removing an officer of the Board.
Pol. 005
26. Removing an appointee of the Board.
Section 10. Minutes
65 P.S. 706
SC 518
The Board shall cause to be made, and shall retain as a permanent record of the
district, minutes of all open Board meetings. Said minutes shall be comprehensible
and complete and shall show:
a.
The date, place, and time of the meeting.
b.
The names of Board members present.
c.
The presiding officer.
d.
The substance of all official actions.
e.
Actions taken.
65 P.S. 705
f.
Recorded votes and a record by individual members of all roll call votes taken.
006. MEETINGS - Pg. 8
Page 8 of 10
g.
The names of all citizens who appeared officially and the subject of their
testimony.
SC 433
Copies of the minutes of a meeting shall be sent to the members of the Board before
the meeting at which they are to be approved. Corrections in the minutes may be
made at the meeting at which they are to be approved. Permanent minutes shall be
signed by the Board Secretary upon approval.
Notations and any tape or audiovisual recordings shall not be the official record of
an open public Board meeting and should be destroyed once they have served their
purpose.
Section 11. Adjournment
Pol. 006
65 P.S. 703, 709
The Board may at any time recess or adjourn to an adjourned meeting at a specified
date and place, upon the majority vote of those present. The adjourned meeting shall
take up its business at the point in the agenda where the motion to adjourn was acted
upon. Notice of the rescheduled meeting shall be given as provided in Board policy.
Section 12. Executive Session
65 P.S. 707, 708
The Board may hold an executive session, which is not an open meeting, before,
during, or after an open meeting, or at some other time. The presiding officer shall
announce the reason for holding the executive session; the announcement can be
made at the open meeting prior to or after the executive session.
The Board may discuss the following matters in executive session:
a.
Personnel matters.
b.
Negotiations or arbitration.
c.
Purchase or lease of real estate.
d.
Conference with legal counsel regarding litigation in existence or
anticipated.
e.
Legally protected confidential matters.
Official actions based on discussions held in executive session shall be taken at a
public meeting.
006. MEETINGS - Pg. 9
Page 9 of 10
Section 13. Work Sessions
65 P.S. 701 et seq
The Board may meet as a Committee of the Whole in an open meeting to vote on or
to discuss issues. Public notice of such meetings shall be made.
A meeting of the Committee of the Whole, not regularly scheduled, may be called at
any time by the President; the President shall call such a meeting when requested to
do so by Board members. Public notice of the meeting shall be made in accordance
with Pol. 006, 4.b.
65 P.S. 703, 709
The Board Secretary shall provide notice of a meeting of the Committee of the
Whole as per the notice provisions of Board procedures.
Section 14. Committee Meetings
65 P.S. 703, 709
Committee meetings may be called at any time by the committee chairperson, with
proper public notice, or when requested to do so by members of the committee.
65 P.S. 701 et seq
A majority of the total membership of a committee shall constitute a quorum.
Unless held as an executive session, committee meetings shall be open to the public,
other Board members, and the Superintendent.
A majority of the committee or the chairperson may invite Board employees,
consultants or other persons who have special knowledge of the area under
investigation.
School Code
212, 224, 324, 405,
408, 421, 422, 423,
426, 427, 428, 433,
508, 514, 518, 609,
621, 634, 665, 671,
687, 702, 707, 708,
803, 1071, 1075,
1076, 1077, 1080,
1111, 1129, 1503
PA Statute
65 P.S.
701 et seq
006. MEETINGS - Pg. 10
Page 10 of 10
Board Policy
003, 004, 005, 006,
107, 108, 604, 605,
610, 903