MSAD 15 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ARTICLE 1: Offices
1. The principal office of the District and the office of the Board of School Directors is located at 14 Shaker Road, Gray, Maine.
2. Except as otherwise directed by resolution of the Board of School Directors or as the business of the District may require, all the books and records of the District shall be kept in the office of the Superintendent of Schools.
ARTICLE 2: Meetings
1. Regular meetings of the Board of School Directors shall be held on the first and third Wednesdays of each month, September 1 through June 30, with summer meeting dates to be set in advance by the Board of Directors. The time of regular meetings will be determined for the year at the last regular meeting in June. However, if such Wednesday shall be a holiday or if a meeting must be postponed, the meeting may be rescheduled at the discretion of the Chair and the Superintendent of Schools.
The first regular meeting after the election of all new directors shall be the meeting for the election of officers, with the exception of the offices of Secretary and Treasurer. The first regular meeting of the month shall be held in Gray and the second regular meeting of the month shall be held in New Gloucester unless another place is specifically designated for either meeting by vote of the Board of School Directors. Notices of all regular meetings shall be sent by the Secretary to the Directors at least five (5) days prior to the stated date. Any business of the District may be considered and acted upon at any regular meeting.
2. Special and Emergency Meetings
a. A special meeting of the Board of School Directors is called by being announced during a regular or special meeting of the Board. The meeting may be called by the Chair, by the Vice Chair in the absence of the Chair, or when requested in writing by five (5) Directors.
b. An emergency meeting of the Board of School Directors is called on 24 hours notice when delay in the action to be taken may hinder the ability of the District to operate, and if the following notice requirements are met: there is documented equal effort to contact every Board member and at least eight (8) members have been successfully notified. Successful notification includes conversation with a Board member, or documentation of receipt of written notice. Directors who know they will be out of contact should inform the Superintendent that it is not necessary to notify them.
c. Special or emergency meetings will be held at such time as the notice specifies. At a special or emergency meeting only such business of the District may be considered and acted upon as was announced in the notice for said meeting. Agendas will be distributed for a special meeting following the same procedures as for a regular meeting. For an emergency meeting, both town offices and local and regional newspapers will be verbally notified of the date, time, location, and Agenda for the meeting, and a notice will be posted in the SuperintendentÕs Office.
3. At each meeting the Board of School Directors, as far as consistent with the purposes of the meeting, the following order of business may be observed:
a. Approval of the minutes of the preceding meeting.
b. Acceptance of communications.
c. Reports of officers.
d. Reports of committees.
e. Unfinished business.
f. New business.
The Board of School Directors shall not transact any business at any meeting unless a majority of the total number of Directors is present. If the number of yes votes cast is greater than the number of no votes, a resolution will pass. If the number of no votes is greater than the number of yes votes, the resolution will not pass. In the case of a tie vote, the resolution will not pass.
1. Board members serve on 2 of the 5 subcommittees or ongoing committees, and attend school board and committee meetings on a regular basis.
2. The Board will follow the current edition of Roberts Rules of Order except as otherwise provided in the By-Laws. The edition of RobertÕs Rules to be followed for the year will be specified by the Chair when elected.
ARTICLE 3: Officers
1. The officers of the District shall be a Chair, a Vice Chair, and a Secretary and Treasurer. A recording secretary may be elected, if deemed necessary by the Board of School Directors. The annual election of officers shall take place at the first regular meeting after election of all new directors, with the exception of Secretary and Treasurer, but vacancies in any office may be filled at any regular or special meeting called for that purpose.
2. The Chair shall perform all duties commonly incident to the office and shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of School Directors may designate. Unless some other person is authorized specifically by Board of School Directors, or the provisions of the Revised Statutes of Maine are to the contrary, the Superintendent shall sign all contracts and other instruments to be executed on behalf of the District. The Chair shall have the same voting and discussion privileges as other members of the Board.
3. The Vice Chair shall perform the duties and have the powers of the Chair during the absence or disability of the Chair. The Vice Chair shall perform all the duties commonly incident to the office, and shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of School Directors may authorize. In the absence of the Chair and Vice Chair the Secretary shall open the meeting and preside over the election of a temporary chair for that meeting.
4. The Superintendent of Schools of the District shall be the Secretary and Treasurer. The Superintendent shall attend all the meetings of the Board of School Directors and of the District, and shall have and exercise, under the supervision of the Board of School Directors, all the powers and duties commonly incident to the office of Secretary and Treasurer.
The Superintendent shall keep or cause to be kept accurate records of all votes and proceedings of the Board of School Directors at regular and special meetings in a minutes book which shall be open to the inspection of any member of the Board of School Directors. In the absence of the Secretary and Treasurer from any meeting of the Board of School Directors a temporary officer may be appointed.
The vote on adoption of every resolution shall be recorded by the yeas and nays, show of hands, roll call, or by ballot, if so requested by any member of the Board of School Directors; and the results of the vote shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting by number voting yes, no and abstaining. Roll call votes shall be recorded in the minutes by names.
The Superintendent shall keep or cause to be kept accurate records of all votes and proceedings at any District budget meeting or referendum vote called and held at the direction of the Board of School Directors.
The Superintendent shall, with the assistance of the Board of School Directors, prepare the District Budget, to be approved by the Board of School Directors.
The Superintendent shall keep the official seal of the District in safe custody and shall have the duty to affix or cause to be affixed, such seal to all papers authorized to be executed by the Board of School Directors and requiring such seal. The Superintendent shall have the authority to cause copies to be made of all minutes and other records and documents of the Board of School Directors or of the District and to give certificates under the official seal of the District to the effect that such copies and all persons dealing with the District may rely upon such certificates.
The Superintendent shall have the custody of all the money, funds, valuable papers and documents of the District. The Superintendent shall deposit all the funds of the District in such bank or banks, trust company or trust companies, or with such firm or firms doing a banking business, as the Board of School Directors may designate.
The Superintendent may, on behalf of the District, endorse for deposit or collection all checks, notes or other obligations payable to the District or to its order and may accept drafts on behalf thereof. The Superintendent shall keep accurate books of account of all official transactions, which books shall be the property of the District and together with all other of its property in the superintendentÕs possession, shall be subject at all times to inspection and control of the Board of School Directors. All receipts and vouchers for payment made to the District and all checks, drafts, notes or other official obligations for the payment of money by the District, except as the Revised Statutes of Maine require other and additional signatures, shall be signed by the Superintendent.
The Superintendent shall not pay out any sums of money except on vouchers presented and certified by the Superintendent of Schools and approved in writing by endorsement thereon by members of the Finance Committee of the Board of School Directors as outlined in the fiscal management policies. The Secretary and Treasurer shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of School Directors may designate from time to time.
5. The Superintendent shall be selected by the Board of School Directors in accordance with the provisions of the Revised Statutes of Maine. The Superintendent shall give bond in such sum as the Board of School Directors shall determine, but said bond premium shall be paid by the District. The Superintendent shall have and perform such duties as shall be from time to time prescribed by the Revised Statutes of Maine, and shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of School Directors may from time to time designate or legally delegate .
ARTICLE 4: Official Seal
1. The official seal of the District shall consist of the embossed impression of a circular metallic disk, containing in the outer rim the words, ÒSchool Administrative District No. 15Ó and on the inside thereof the figures and word, Ò1960 - MaineÓ.
ARTICLE 5: Committees
A. There are five standing committees:
Policy, Finance, Personnel, District Improvement, Facilities
1. A standing committee is a committee made up of Board members.
2. Each standing committee shall:
a. Consist of three to five Board Members.
b. Elect its own chair.
c. Be appointed by the Chair of the Board with care taken to have broad representation. (Per state regulations, Finance Committee is elected.)
d. Have an annual term commencing at the first regular meeting in July.
e. Have temporary members appointed by the Chair to fill the unexpired term of a member that resigns or vacates their position.
f. Set their own date, time and place for meetings, which will be duly advertised.
g. Make regular reports to the Board of Directors.
3. The duties and responsibilities of the committees are as follows:
a. Facilities Committee
* Evaluate and monitor physical plant conditions of all buildings in the District
* Develop comprehensive long-range maintenance plans
* Conduct capital improvement planning which will consider options, cost impacts, and priorities
* Evaluate and monitor facility use within the District, considering student enrollments and program needs
* Oversee and coordinate all activities associated with building projects
* Give reports at Board meetings, as needed, and a final written report in June
b. Finance Committee
* Review fiscal management policies to determine changes needed
* Review District audit before it goes to the full Board
* Review warrants on a biweekly basis and meet other requirements of the fiscal management policies
* Oversee the budget development process
* Give reports at Board meetings, as needed, and a final written report in June
c. Policy Committee
* Develop an annual plan on policy revision and development that is consistent with the District vision and Board goals.
* Research and write new policies and periodically update existing policies
* Make recommendations concerning the advisability of policy adoption
* Write and recommend the necessary procedures that explain policies when appropriate
* Review/rewrite bylaws or resolutions when requested by a Board member at a Board meeting
* Explain the reason and rationale for proposed changes to policies, procedures, bylaws, or resolutions
* Act as liaison on matters pertaining to the policy manual
* Assure that policies and other manuals are compatible
* Give reports at Board meetings, as needed, and a final written report in June
d. District Improvement
* Develop an annual plan on school improvement of programs, consistent with District vision and Board goals
* Maintain a continuing review of school programs and report to the Board as appropriate
* Assist in evaluating programs and program needs along with staff and Superintendent
* Review proposals for program development from administration
* Review proposals for staffing changes from administration
* Give reports at Board meetings, as needed, and a final written report in June
e. Personnel Committee
* Negotiate contracts with employee bargaining units subject to Board approval
* Approve work agreements for positions not covered by a bargaining unit (other than the Superintendent) within the parameters set by the Board
* Oversee matters pertaining to personnel contracts and benefits
* Oversee the evaluation of the Superintendent, to be completed annually by the first meeting in June.
* Give reports at Board meetings, as needed, and a final written report in June
* Oversee matters pertaining to personnel not covered by existing contracts or current policy
B. Temporary Committees:
1. May be established by the Board of Directors to complete an assigned task, as accepted by a majority of the school board with specific time lines and charge;
2. Shall be appointed by the Chair of the Board;
3. Shall elect its own chair, who shall be a member of the Board of Directors;
4. Shall elect its own vice-chair.
5. May appoint an advisory committee to assist the committee in its deliberations;
6. Shall be dissolved upon the completion of the task; and,
7. Each committee may vote to include ad hoc non-voting participant.
C. Other Committees: (such as PATHS, Technology)
Committees that are on-going in nature shall be governed by the guidelines under which they were established.
ARTICLE 6: Amendments
Except as otherwise provided by law, these by-laws may be amended, added to, altered, or repealed in whole or in part, by the Board of School Directors, provided that notice of the proposed amendment, addition, alteration, or repeal is given in the notice or call of any such meeting. If it is proposed to amend, add to, alter or repeal, the notice shall state the Article and paragraph to be amended and shall show the proposed amendment, alteration or repeal. The fact that the notice contains a particular wording or manner of amendment, alteration or repeal, shall not prohibit the Board of School Directors from amending, adding to, altering or repealing these by-laws in a different manner, provided they do not attempt to add to, amend, alter or repeal a by-law for which no notice has, in fact, been given.
Cross References: Fiscal Management Policies:
DCA Capital Reserve Fund
DIE Spending Control/Transfers Policy
DJA Purchasing Authority
DJB Purchasing Procedures
DJC Petty Cash
DKC Payment of Bills