Skip to content
Content starts here

Policy Categories Archives: Section B: School Board Governance and Operations

Section B contains policies on the School Board – how it is appointed or elected; how it is organized; how it conducts meetings, and how the board operates. This section includes bylaws and policies establishing the board’s internal operating procedures.

Policy Development

CSD File: BG
CANDIA SCHOOL DISTRICT
POLICY DEVELOPMENT

Recognizing that formal guidelines are necessary to ensure that the school system responds to its stated mission and operates in an effective, efficient and consistent manner, a set of written policy statements shall be formulated and maintained. The Candia School Board considers policy development its chief function, along with appraisal of the results achieved through its policies. It is through the development and adoption of written policies that the Board will exercise its leadership in the operation of the school district; it is through study and evaluation of reports concerning execution of its written policies that the Board will exercise its control over school operations. In the formulation of its written policies, the Board in its discretion may request opinions of citizens, students, and staff members.

Changes in needs, conditions, purposes, and objectives will require revisions, deletions, and additions to the policies of present and future Boards. Thus, policy development is an ongoing process.

Policies shall be in the form of Board principles that define the desire and intent of the Board, consistent with educational needs of the community. They should indicate what is wanted and in a form which is concise but sufficiently explicit to guide administrative actions.

Execution of adopted policies is delegated to the Superintendent, who shall implement the policies through the development of administrative regulations and procedures.

Adopted: April 13, 1977
Adopted: October 7, 1999
Reviewed: April 5, 2018

Policy Development System

CSD File: BGA
CANDIA SCHOOL DISTRICT
POLICY DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM

The Board endorses for use in this District the policy development, codification, and dissemination system of the National School Boards Association (EPS/NSBA).

This system, as modified to meet local needs, is to serve as a general guideline for such tasks as policy research, the drafting of preliminary policy proposals, reviewing policy drafts with concerned groups, presenting new and revised policies to the Board for consideration and action, policy dissemination, policy evaluation, and the maintenance of a continuously and easy-to-use policy manual.

System Maintenance
A member of the SAU staff is to be designated and delegated by the Superintendent with the responsibility to maintain the Board’s policy reference files, to draft policy proposals as instructed by the Board and/or Superintendent, to maintain the Board policy manual, and to serve as liaison between the Board, the New Hampshire School Boards Association, State Board of Education, and other sources of policy research information.

Adopted: March 21, 1984
Revised: July 8, 1986
Adopted: October 7, 1999
Reviewed: April 5, 2018

Policy Adoption

CSD File: BGB
CANDIA SCHOOL DISTRICT
POLICY ADOPTION

Adoption of new policies or changing existing policies is the sole responsibility of the Candia School Board. Policies will be adopted and/or amended only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Board when such action has been scheduled on the agenda of a regular or special meeting.

Except for policy actions to be taken on emergency measures, the adoption of Board policies should follow this sequence, which will take place at least at two regular or special meetings of the Board:
1. Announcement and publication of proposed new or revised policies as an item of information.
2. Opportunity offered to concerned groups or individuals to react to policy proposals.
3. Discussion and final action by the Board on policy proposals.

The final vote to adopt or not to adopt should follow by at least two weeks from the meeting at which policy proposals are first placed on the agenda.
1. Prior to enactment, all policy proposals shall be titled and coded as appropriate to subject and in conformance with the codification system used in the Board policy manual.
2. Insofar as possible, each policy statement shall be limited to one subject.
3. Policies and amendments adopted by the Board shall be attached to and made a part of the minutes of the meeting at which they are adopted and shall also be included in the policy manual of the District marked with the date of adoption and/or amendment.
4. Policies and amendments to policies shall be effective immediately upon adoption unless a specific effective date is provided in the adopted resolution.

Emergency Procedure
On matters of unusual urgency, the Board may waiver the two-week limitation and take immediate action to adopt new or revise existing polices. When such immediate action is necessary, the Superintendent shall inform concerned groups or individuals about the reasons for this necessity.

Adopted: October 7, 1999
Revised: April 5, 2018

Policy Review And Evaluation/Manual Accuracy Check

CSD File: BGC
CANDIA SCHOOL DISTRICT
POLICY REVIEW AND EVALUATION/MANUAL ACCURACY CHECK

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

The Superintendent is given the continuing responsibility of calling to the Board’s attention all policies that are out-of-date or appear to need revision. The Superintendent shall also call to the Board’s attention procedures which are non-compliant with policies and make recommendations to insure compliance.

Adopted: March 21, 1984
Adopted: October 7, 1999
Reviewed: April 5, 2018

Policy Dissemination

CSD File: BGE
CANDIA SCHOOL DISTRICT
POLICY DISSEMINATION

The policy manual is a public document. The Superintendent is directed to establish and maintain an orderly plan for preserving and making accessible the policies adopted by the Board and the administrative rules and regulations needed to put them into effect.

Accessibility is to extend at least to all employees of the school system, to members of the Board, and to persons in the community insofar as conveniently possible. Manuals are on the school district website and are available for inspection by the public at any time.

All policy manuals shall remain the property of the School Board and shall be considered as “on loan” to anyone, or any organization, in whose possession they might be at any time. They are subject to recall at any time deemed necessary by the administrative head of the School District. The Superintendent is responsible for ensuring timely updates of all manuals.

Legal Reference:
RSA 91-A:4, Minutes and Records Available for Public Inspection

Adopted: October 7, 1999
Revised: April 5, 2018

Waiver Of Policies

CSD File: BGF
CANDIA SCHOOL DISTRICT
WAIVER OF POLICIES

The policies of the Board are subject to waiver only upon a majority vote of the entire Board membership present at a meeting in the call for which the proposed waiver has been described in writing, or upon a unanimous vote of the entire Board membership when no such written notice has been given.

Adopted: October 7, 1999
Reviewed: April 5, 2018

Board-Employee Communications

CSD File: BHC
CANDIA SCHOOL DISTRICT
BOARD-EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATIONS

The Board desires to maintain open channels of communication between itself and the employee. The basic line of communication will, however, be through the Superintendent of Schools.

Staff Communications to the Board
All official communications or reports to the Board or any Board committee from Principals, supervisors, teachers, or other employee members shall be submitted through the Superintendent. Staff members are also reminded that Board meetings are public meetings. As such, they provide an excellent opportunity to observe at first hand the Board’s deliberations on problems of employee concern.

Board Communications to Staff

All official communications, policies, and directives of employee interest and concern will be communicated to employee members through the Superintendent, and the Superintendent will employ all such media as are appropriate to keep employees fully informed of the Board’s problems, concerns, and actions.

Visits to School
Individual board members interested in visiting the school will make arrangements for such through the Principal. Such visits shall be regarded as informal expressions of interest in school affairs and not as “inspections” or visits for supervisory or administrative purposes. Official visits by board members will be carried on only under Board authorization and with the full knowledge of the Superintendent and Principals.

Social Interaction
Staff and board members share a keen interest in the school and in education generally, and it is to be expected that when they meet at social affairs and other functions, they will informally discuss such matters as educational trends, issues, and innovations and general School District problems. However, employee members are reminded that individual board members have no special authority except when they are convened at a legal meeting of the Board or vested with special authority by Board action. Therefore, discussions of personalities or personnel grievances by either party will be considered unethical conduct.

Adopted: October 7, 1999
Reviewed: April 5, 2018