200 - Statement of Guiding Principles
200 - Statement of Guiding PrinciplesThe school district is organized and known as the North Mahaska Community School District in the counties of Mahaska and Poweshiek, State of Iowa.
It is the policy of the Board of Education to organize and maintain the distinction between those activities which are appropriate to the Board of Directors as the legislative governing body of the School District, and those administrative activities which are to be performed by the Superintendent of Schools and his staff in the exercise of a delegated administrative authority. The function of the Board can be described as policy-making, appraisal and evaluation.
The Board of Education shall have the further duty of providing the financial means by which the educational program is conducted. They shall also ensure that the community be informed of the needs, purposes, values and status of the schools.
Legal Reference: Code of Iowa
May 31, 1983
Approved 7-21-2008
Reviewed __7/17/2023_
Revised __________
200.1 - Organization of the Board of Directors
200.1 - Organization of the Board of DirectorsThe North Mahaska Community School District board is authorized by and derives its organization from Iowa law. The board will consist of 5 board members. Board
members are elected by director district.
The board is organized for the purpose of setting policy and providing general direction for the school district. The board will hold its organizational meeting each year at
the first regular meeting following the canvass of votes. The retiring board will transfer materials, including the board policy manual, and responsibility to the new board.
The organizational meeting allows the outgoing board to approve minutes of its previous meetings, complete unfinished business and review the school election results.
The retiring board will adjourn and the new board will then begin. The board secretary will administer the oath of office to the newly-elected board members. The
superintendent will preside while the new board elects the president and vice-president of the new board.
NOTE: Iowa law establishes the organizational meeting at the first regular meeting following the canvass of votes. Boards are no longer required to hold their organizational meeting at a special meeting on the first Monday after the election. Because of the change, it is possible that a board's organizational meeting may be held as late as October. There is no longer the requirement that members elected at a regular election qualify within 10 days. However, members either elected at a special election or appointed to fill a vacancy must still qualify within 10 days.
Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 274.2; 275.23A; 277.23, .28, .31; 279.1, .5, .7, .8 , .33 (2007).
281 I.A.C. 12.3(2).
Cross Reference: 202 Board of Directors Members
206.1 President
206.2 Vice-President
210 Board of Directors' Meetings
Approved 7-21-2008
Reviewed _7/17/2023_
Revised
200.1R1 - Organizational Meeting Procedures
200.1R1 - Organizational Meeting ProceduresThe board will hold its organizational meeting annually at the first regular meeting following the canvass of votes. Notice of the meeting's place and time will be given by
the board secretary to each member, member-elect and the public.
The purpose of the meeting is to transfer material and responsibility from the outgoing board to the new board. At the meeting, the board will elect a president who will
hold office for one year. Once elected, the president will be entitled to vote on all matters before the board.
Meeting Procedure
The organizational meeting of the board will be held in two parts: the final meeting of the outgoing board and the organizational meeting of the new board.
1. Final Meeting of the Retiring Board
(1) Call to order.
(2) Roll call.
(3) Approval of minutes of previous meeting(s)(Consent agenda).
(4) Communications.
(5) Visitors.
(6) Unfinished business.
(a) Current claims and accounts (for the retiring board to authorize).
(b) Other items. If any member of the board feels the board should consider any unfinished business, even if only to identify it as unfinished business,
the member should address the issue at this time.
(7) Review of election results. The board secretary will present the county auditor's official report on the latest elections. Official results are recorded in the minutes.
(8) Adjournment of the retiring board.
2. Organizational Meeting of the New Board
(1) The superintendent, as president pro tem, will preside over the meeting until a new board president is elected.
(2) Call to order.
(3) Roll call.
(4) Oath of office. The board secretary will administer the oath to new members.
(5) Election of a president of the board. The president pro tem calls for nominations; nominations need not be seconded. The board will then vote on the nominations. The secretary will announce the result of the vote, and the board secretary will administer the oath of office to the newly elected president and the newly elected president will assume the chair.
(6) Election of the vice-president. The president of the board will call for nominations; the nominations need not be seconded. The board will then vote on the nominations. The president will announce the results and administer the oath of office to the vice-president.
Other items of business at the organizational meeting may include:
(7) Board resolution of appreciation recognizing the public service rendered by retiring board members.
(8) Determination of dates, times, and places for regular meetings of the board.
(9) Board resolution to define the operating rules and practices that will be followed by the new board.
(10) Board resolution to authorize the interim payment of bills pursuant to policy 705.3.
(11) Communications.
(12) Visitors.
(13) Superintendent's report.
(14) Adjournment.
Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 274.2; 275.23A; 277.23, .28, .31; 279.1, .5, .7, .8 (2007).
281 I.A.C 12.3(2).
Cross Reference: 202 Board of Directors Members
206.1 President
206.2 Vice-President
210 Board of Directors' Meetings
Approved 7-21-2008
Reviewed
Revised
200.2 - Powers of the Board of Directors
200.2 - Powers of the Board of DirectorsThe board of the North Mahaska Community School District, acting on behalf of the school district, will have jurisdiction over school matters within the territory of the
school district.
The board is empowered to make policy for its own governance, for employees, for students and for school district facilities. The board is also empowered to enforce its
policies. The board may, through its quasi-judicial power, conduct hearings and rule on issues and disputes confronting the school district.
The board has these powers and all other powers expressly granted to it in federal and state law as well as the powers that can be reasonably implied from the express
powers.
Legal Reference: Board of Directors of Ind. School Dist. of Waterloo v. Green, 259 Iowa 1260, 147 N.W.2d 854 (1967).
Iowa Code §§ 28E; 274.1-.2; 279.8 (2007).
281 I.A.C. 12.1(2).
1990 Op. Att'y Gen. 66.
Cross Reference: 209 Board of Directors' Management Procedures
Approved 7-21-2008
Reviewed _7/17/2023_
Revised
200.3 - Responsibilities of the Board of Directors
200.3 - Responsibilities of the Board of DirectorsThe board is authorized to govern the school district which it oversees. The board is entrusted with public funds and is responsible for overseeing the improvement of student outcomes, including student academic achievement and skill proficiency. As the governing board of the school district, the board has four duties to perform: legislative duty, executive duty, evaluative duty and quasi-judicial duty.
As a representative of the citizens of the school district community, the board is responsible for legislating policy for the school district. As a policy making body, the board has jurisdiction to enact policy with the force and effect of law for the management and operation of the school district.
It is the responsibility of the board, under the board's executive duty, to select its chief executive officer, the superintendent, to operate the school district on the board's behalf. The board delegates to the superintendent its authority to carry out board policy, to formulate and carry out rules and regulations and to handle the administrative details in a manner which supports and is consistent with board policy.
The board has a responsibility to review the education program's performance under its evaluative duty. The board regularly reviews the education program and ancillary services. The review includes a careful study and examination of the facts, conditions and circumstances surrounding the amount of funds received or expended and the education program's ability to achieve the board's educational philosophy and goals for the school district.
The board fulfills its quasi-judicial duties in serving as a neutral arbiter for hearings related to student suspension or expulsion proceedings and certain employment termination hearings and appeals. This important power was granted by the Iowa legislature and cannot be delegated. To preserve the board’s neutrality to hear and decide upon these matters, the board does not investigate or become involved in student disciplinary matters or employment matters that may come before it and would require the board to serve in its quasi-judicial role.
Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 274.1; 279.1, .8, .20; 280.12 (2007).
281 I.A.C. 12.3(2).
Cross Reference: 101 Educational Philosophy of the School District
103 Long-Range Needs Assessment
209 Board of Directors' Management Procedures
600 Goals and Objectives of the Education Program
Approved 7-21-2008
Reviewed 7/17/2023
Revised 6-20-2022