Orientation for Potential New School Board Members

1. Orientation for Potential New School Board Members Ball-Chatham School District …Excellence in Education!

2. Candidate Orientation • You are encouraged to attend school board meetings • Generally third Monday of month • February 12th special school board meeting to discuss employment of superintendent (Closed Session), no action taken • February 20th regular school board meeting • March 19th regular school board meeting • March 26th regular school board meeting for evaluation of personnel • April 16th regular school board meeting • April 17th election • May 14th regular school board meeting for transportation and facilities, newly elected school board members will be seated at this meeting and the board will elect officers and reorganize • May 21st regular school board meeting

3. Candidate Orientation • You are encouraged to do the following • Schedule a meeting with the superintendent and district level administrators • Tour the school facilities and talk to building principals • Resources you may want to use • Your School Board and You (IASB) • Directory of School Personnel • Past board agendas and minutes on the district web site • http://www.chathamschools.org/

4. School Board Election • Election is April 17th • BCEA usually schedules a “Candidate Forum” • You are provided a copy of Chapters Three and Four from the Illinois School Law Survey

5. Being a new school board member • Comments by School Board President Rick Carr • What are the pleasures and pains? • What are the demands on time and personal privacy? • What are the rewards? • What are the pitfalls and how can they be avoided by the board member?

6. School Board Meeting • School board schedules regular monthly meeting • Six additional meetings are scheduled to discuss specific topics • August for Board-Administrator Retreat • September for Community Relations • November for Curriculum • January for School Board Retreat • March for Personnel • May for Transportation and Facilities

7. School Board Meeting Procedure • Agenda prepared by Superintendent • Principals or Directors often present agenda item • Board members can suggest items to President or Superintendent • Board often receives information on agenda items in Superintendent’s weekly Interim Report • Parliamentary Procedures followed • New policy for visitor comments at school board meetings • Closed session at end of meeting when needed

8. Board Policy • Policy manual can be found on-line at http://www.chathamschools.org/boardpolicy.htm

9. Resources • Illinois Association of School Boards • Web site information at http://www.iasb.com/files/rookies.htm • Workshops for new school board members • The Basics of School District Governance at Springfield Hilton, June 14-16, 2007

10. Role of the School Board • The School Board should: • Govern the School District • Continue to shape with the community a mutual understanding of the purposes of the school district • Communicate the goals and monitor the performance of the district • Select the superintendent • Oversee basic legal and ethical standards and responsibilities • Analyze its own performance

11. Role of the Superintendent • The Superintendent should: • Serve as Chief Executive Officer • Recommend applicants for appointment to the school staff and promote a strong staff development program • Interpret needs and make recommendations to improve education • Implement board decisions and policies • Manage the fiscal and administrative operations of the school district

12. General Operating Procedures for Board Members • Board only takes action as a whole • Individual board member has no legal powers • Communicate through Superintendent - two way! • interpret values and desires of community to Superintendent • be positive about schools • encourage citizens to deal with administration with concerns • do not commit to groups who want preferential treatment • Use proper chain of command for complaints

13. Code of Conduct • Represent all constituents • Avoid conflict of interest • No legal authority as an individual • Do not take private action • Abide by the decision of the majority • Encourage and respect free expression • Be knowledgeable about local, state, and national education issues

14. continued • The school board acts as a hearing board for • student suspensions and expulsions • employee dismissals • All votes are recorded • Newspaper reporters • Superintendent meets with reporters on the day of regular school board meetings • Generally the Board President is the official spokesperson for the board but board members may be asked individual questions by reporters • Consent agenda format

15. Public School Governance in Illinois • Federal – State – Local • Federal examples are NCLB, Special Education Laws • State examples are school funding, Illinois School Code, Illinois Administrative Code, certification • Local examples include student tracking, class rank, gifted, grading scale • It is very important to stay informed of both federal and state legislation and its impact on public education

16. Successes of district • Outstanding teachers, administrators and support staff • Very good student test scores • Financially sound school district • First year of four year teacher contract • Up to date, comprehensive curriculum and teaching methods • High quality facilities

17. Curriculum • Elementary • All Pre-K is located at Ball Elementary • Just finished extensive staff development for reading instruction • K-5 teachers have chosen new math series and staff development will begin this spring • New initiative is starting for 21st century classrooms that include LCD projectors, interactive whiteboards, and student response remotes • Accelerated program is in its second year at fourth and fifth grade

18. Curriculum • Middle School • Continuation of the Middle School Approach • Exemplary student test scores, some of the best in the state • New initiatives on student bullying and emphasis on proper student behavior via a “boot camp” start to school year • Reduction of tracks • Many more students enrolled in honors classes • New Language Arts series selected last year and implemented this year • New math series being selected this year

19. Curriculum • High School • Professional Learning Community • Reduction in tracks • Goal to have vast majority of students in college preparatory classes • Freshmen Orientation Program • Freshmen Intervention Program • Focused study halls • College counselor • Students must “Meet” state standards on PSAE to graduate • New on-line grade reporting program • New English textbooks purchased last year • New math textbooks being selected this year • Math, Science and English curriculum aligned to ACT standards

20. School Finances • Education Fund • Operations & Maintenance Fund • Bond & Interest Fund • Life Safety Fund • Transportation Fund • Illinois Municipal Retirement/Social Security Fund • Working Cash Fund • Tort Immunity Fund • Special Education Fund • Financial Watch List Figure

21. Sources of Revenue • Federal – 3% • Title Grants • Medicaid • State – 35% • General State Aid • Special Education • Reading and Early Childhood Grant • Local – 62% • Property Taxes • Earnings on Investments • Student lunch purchases • Textbook fees

22. Sources of Expenditures • Salaries and fringe benefits • Special education (SASED) • Insurance • Capital projects • Paying bonds for school construction • Buying buses • Paying IMRF costs

23. Budget Highlights • $34M budget • Overall budget surplus has been increasing for past 10 years • District’s finances are audited yearly • Board approves budget in September • Superintendent gives board and public regular updates on current budget and future projections • Per student spending is relatively low compared to other unit school districts

24. Budget Highlights • District’s assessed valuation continues to rise • Many new homes but many without students • Much new commercial development • State pays general state aid based on EAV/Pupil thus state funding is decreasing • Student enrollment is growing slowly

25. Projected Enrollment

26. Building Highlights • District has been spending considerable dollars on maintenance and improvements • Five year plan to spend $3M • High School is running out of space • This year 2 of 7 class periods every room is used • May need new elementary school soon • Only nine classrooms left and used five additional classrooms this year

27. 2007 Capital Projects

28. Estimated Budget Projections

29. Closed Session • Legal reasons to enter closed sessions • Appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees • Collective negotiating matters • Selection of school board member • Evidence or testimony • Purchase or lease property • Emergency security procedures • Student disciplinary cases • Special education placement • Talk about litigation • Board self evaluation • Discussion of closed session minutes

30. Confidentiality • Definition • What does it really mean?

31. Collective Bargaining • One of the most difficult processes for school board members • Superintendent’s Cabinet consists of representatives from each building that meet monthly with superintendent to discuss issues of concern. • Employee Relations Committee

32. Where To Go For Help • Present and past school board members • Superintendent • Interim Reports • Agenda descriptors • District Office staff • Principals • Illinois Association of School Boards • Annual conference • Quarterly meetings • Conferences • Monthly publications • School district policy manual

33. Strategies for Addressing Parent/Community Complaints • Listen intently, ask clarifying questions, and reframe or restate the concern to promote understanding. • Inquire whom the person has talked to in the district about their concern. • Explain the chain of command; teacher, principal, director, superintendent; and remind the person that using the chain of command results in a quicker, more efficient response. • Help identify the persons best suited to solve the problem. • Encourage the person bringing the complaint to contact the appropriate person in the district. • Thank him or her for letting you know of the concern. • Encourage the person to let you know when the problem is resolved.

34. Unanswered Questions • How do I deal with other school board members? • How do I deal with an administration recommendation I do not agree with? • How do I address agenda items that I oppose?

35. Ball-Chatham School DistrictFinancial Condition

36. Possible Capital Projects • Possible GHS 300 student addition • Possible new school • What will be the configuration of grade levels? • Continue to revise short and long range building maintenance items • $1M budgeted for summer of 2007

37. Other Issues • Possible committee to provide input on mission, vision, values and goals • Possible committee to look at identifying school building needs that may lead to a referendum • Discuss Board’s role in setting school district policy • Discuss Board’s role in working with employment groups

38. Time for Your Questions