Board of Education

  Welcome to our Board of Education meeting. Enclosed please find information regarding public participation at a Board Meeting.  If you would like to speak at a meeting please fill out the comment card and return it to the Superintendent or Board President, prior to the start of the meeting.

PUBLIC  PARTICIPATION  PROTOCOL

The Board of Education of the St. Charles Community School District has adopted the following policy, establishing rules for public participation at school board meetings.

  a.   The public participation portion of the meeting shall be limited to one-half hour normally.  An exception will be made so that no one's right to address the Board will be denied.

  b.   Each person shall be allowed to speak for up to five minutes, except where the number of speakers exceeds the time limit.  In those instances, either the Board President may reduce the five-minute limit to a three-minute limit for each speaker or the President will waive the one-half hour time limit and establish a longer period.

  c.   Each person wishing to address the Board may be asked to identify himself/herself by name and address.  If the person is representing an organization or group, the person should indicate whether the comments or presentation represents the official view of the organization or group or are his/her own comments.

  d.   If a delegation is present to address the Board, the delegation may be asked to select up to five representatives to speak on its behalf, for a total of not more than 15 minutes. This request, however, does not mean that any person wishing to address the Board will be denied that opportunity.

  e.   Any written statements should be given to the Board Secretary so that copies may be made available to all Board members.  All written statements and documents presented to the Board by an individual or group during the meeting are considered public documents.

 f.  Individuals addressing the Board should take into consideration the rules of common courtesy.  The public participation portion of the meeting c annot be used to make personal attacks against a Board member, District employee, or student that are totally unrelated to the administration of the District.  If the comments constitute a complaint against a Board member or employee, the Board member or employee has a right to request a closed session of the Board. A person who states a complaint against a Board member, employee, or student of the District that is related directly to their job performance, duties, or the administration of the District during public comment will, as provided in these bylaws, be permitted to make the initial allegation.  Thereafter, the affected Board member, employee, or student may request that further discussion and/or deliberation occur in a closed session pursuant to the Open Meetings Act.

g.   Board members are not obligated to answer questions or make statements or commitments in response to issues raised by the public.  In general, such issues will be referred to the Superintendent for investigation, study, and recommendation or designated as future agenda items for Board consideration.

  Handling Complaints

Complaints shall first be considered through proper channels before being considered by the Board. The Board shall not hear complaints at an open meeting about named District personnel unless the named person requests the Board to hear the complaint at an open session.

  Board Goals and Objectives

The board shall establish programs and procedures which shall best produce the educational achievement needed by district's students and to do so within the financial limitations of the district.  The board will function as a legislative body in formulating and adopting policy, by selecting an executive officer to implement policy and by evaluating the results.  Further, the board shall carry out its functions openly, while seeking the involvement and contributions of the public, students and staff in its decision-making processes.

  In accordance with these principles, the board through its operations, shall seek to achieve the following goals:

  1.   To function in a nonpartisan, broadly representative manner and to emphasize that every board member should represent open mindedly the entire district;

2.   To concentrate the board's collective effort on its policy making and planning responsibilities, and to formulate board policies that best serve the educational interests of each student;

3.   To provide the superintendent with sufficient and adequate guidelines for implementing board policies;

4.   To maintain effective communication with the school community, the staff, and students; and

5.   To conduct board business openly, soliciting and encouraging broad-based involvement in the board's decision making processes by public, students, and staff..