No.

004

SECTION:

LOCAL BOARD PROCEDURES MEMBERSHIP March 18, 1996 March 17, 1997 November 21, 2011

OCTORARA AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT

TITLE: ADOPTED: REVISED:

004. MEMBERSHIP Section 1. Number

The Board is composed of nine (9) members, each elected for a term of four (4) years. The nine (9) members represent the District as a whole and not merely the municipality from which they are elected. The terms of those school board members finishing a term shall expire on the first Monday of December of each odd-numbered year. Section 2. Qualifications

Each member of the Board shall meet the following qualifications: SC 322 a. S/He shall be of good moral character, eighteen (18) years of age, shall have been a resident of the district for at least one (1) year prior to the date of his/her election or appointment, and shall not be a holder of any office or position of profit under any government in the School District of Octorara Area, nor shall s/he be a member of the municipal council. b. S/He shall not have been removed from any office of trust under federal, state or local laws for any malfeasance in such office. c. Except as provided by law, s/he shall not be engaged in a business transaction with the school district, be employed by the school district, or receive pay for services from the school district. d. S/He shall, before entering the duties of the office, take and subscribe to the oath or affirmation prescribed by statute. e. S/He shall file a statement of financial interests with the State Ethics Commission before taking the oath of office or entering upon his/her duties.

SC 323

SC 324

SC 321

65 P.S.404(d)

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004. MEMBERSHIP - Pg. 2

Members of the Board should endeavor to attend all meetings, discuss items presented on the agenda, suggest other items for consideration and vote upon motions and resolutions presented. Official decisions of the Board can be arrived at only at duly constituted Board meetings. Individual Board members or groups of Board members do not have independent authority to speak for the Board and should make no out-of-meeting commitments unless directed to do so on behalf of the Board. It is important that Board members be nonpartisan in dealing with school matters and not subordinate the education of children and youth to any partisan principle, group interest, or personal ambition. In addition to the foregoing, Board members should meet the following qualifications: a. They should have personal integrity, intelligence, and appreciation of the values of good education. b. They should be successful citizens willing and capable of assuming responsibility. c. They should have the ability to work with others, should have the courage of their convictions, should always vote their beliefs, and should be champions of public schools. d. They should be prepared and willing to devote a sufficiently large amount of time to the study of the problems of education in their own district, as well as the state and nation at large, so as to be able to interpret them to the electorate of this district. e. They must be willing and able to make sacrifices of their time, knowledge, and personal pleasure for the benefit of the district. The duties and obligations of an individual Board member may be enumerated as follows: a. To familiarize himself with the State school laws, regulations of the State Department of Education, Octorara Area School District policies, rules and regulations. b. To have a general knowledge of educational aims and objectives of the system. c. To work harmoniously with other Board members without trying either to dominate the Board or neglect his/her share of the work.

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004. MEMBERSHIP - Pg. 3

d. To vote and act in the Board meetings impartially for the good of the district. e. To accept the will of the majority vote in all cases and give wholehearted support to the resulting policy. f. To represent the Board and the Octorara Area Schools to the public in such a way as to promote both interest and support. g. To refer complaints to the proper school authorities and to abstain from individual counsel and action. h. To have the courage to find and commit the resources he/she considers necessary. i. To have no business interests which will conflict with activities of the Board. Section 3. Election

At the municipal election held in each odd numbered year, school Board members shall be elected in accordance with the following: One (1) member each in 1997 and every four years thereafter from Highland Township (Chester County); West Fallowfield Township (Chester County); Parkesburg Borough, South Precinct (Chester County); and Atglen Borough (Chester County). In 1999 and every four (4) years thereafter school Board members shall be elected from one (1) each from: Sadsbury Township (Lancaster County); Christiana Borough (Lancaster County); West Sadsbury Township (Chester County), Parkesburg Borough, North Precinct (Chester County), and Londonderry Township (Chester County).Starting in 2011, and every four years thereafter, three Directors shall be elected from Region 1, one Director shall be elected from Region 2, and one Director shall be elected from Region 3. Starting in 2013, and every four years thereafter, two Directors shall be elected from Region 2 and two Directors shall be elected from Region 3. Regions shall be defined as follows: Region 1 Atglen Borough, (Chester County) Christiana Borough (Lancaster County) Parkesburg (North) (Chester County) West Sadsbury Township (Chester County) Region 2 Sadsbury Township (Lancaster County) West Fallowfield Township (Chester County) Region 3 Highland Township (Chester County Londonderry Township (Chester County)

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004. MEMBERSHIP - Pg. 4 Parkesburg (South) (Chester County)

Section 4.

Vacancies

In case any vacancy shall occur on the Board of the Octorara Area by reason of death, resignation, removal from the district, or otherwise, the remaining members of the Board shall by majority vote thereof, fill such vacancy within thirty (30) days. The person selected to fill such vacancy shall hold office, if the term continues so long, until the first Monday of December after the first municipal election occurring more than sixty (60) days after his/her appointment. At such election, an eligible person shall be elected for the remainder of the unexpired term. If by reason of a tie vote, or otherwise, such vacancy shall not have been filled by the Board within thirty (30) days after such vacancy shall have occurred, the Court of Common Pleas of Chester County, upon the petition of ten (10) or more resident taxpayers, shall fill such vacancy by appointment of a suitable person.

When any member of the Board enlists or is inducted into the Armed Forces of the United States in time of war, a temporary vacancy shall be declared, which shall be filled by the remaining members of the Board or the Court, as the case may be, until the return of such member, or until the expiration of the term for which elected, whichever is the shorter period. In consideration of persons to fill vacancies, the Board may accept suggestions from taxpayers or citizen groups; or may solicit applications from eligible aspirants, but it is understood that the Board will make the final selection, in conformance with existing statutes. If at any time vacancies exist or occur in the membership of all the members of the Board, the Court of Common Pleas of Chester County shall after ten (10) days from the time such vacancies exist or occur, appoint a board of properly qualified persons who shall serve, if the terms continue so long, until the first Monday in December after the first municipal election occurring more than sixty (60) days after their appointment, at which election a board of school directors shall be elected for the remainder of the respective unexpired term. Section 5. Removal

Whenever a school director shall cease to be a resident of the School District of Octorara Area, his/her membership on the Board shall cease forthwith. The removal of a school director who resigns shall become effective upon the

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004. MEMBERSHIP - Pg. 5 presentation of the resignation to the Board President and upon such date specified therein. SC 315, 319 A school director who neglects or refuses to attend two (2) successive regular meetings of the Board, unless detained by sickness or prevented by necessary absence from the district, or if in attendance at any meeting neglects or refuses to act in his/her official capacity as a school director, may be removed from his/her office on the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining members of the Board. If a person elected or appointed as a school director, having been notified, shall refuse or neglect to qualify as such director, the remaining members may, within ten (10) days following the beginning of his/ her term of office, declare said office vacant on the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining members of the Board.

SC 319

Section 6. SC 516.1

Expenses

School directors, a nonmember Secretary of the Board, and Board solicitor(s) shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses actually incurred as delegates to any State convention or association of school directors held within the Commonwealth, or for necessary expenses actually incurred in attendance authorized by the Board at any other meeting held within the Commonwealth or at an educational convention outof-state. All such expenses shall be itemized and made available for public inspection at the next succeeding meeting of the Board. No member shall be reimbursed for more than two (2) such out-of state meetings in one (1) school year. Such expenses shall be reimbursed only upon presentation of an itemized, verified statement, except that advance payments may be made upon presentation of estimated expenses to be incurred. The Board, with the official approval of its members, may affiliate with any local, district, regional, State or national organization whose purposes and activities are, in the judgment of the Board, appropriate to and related to its duties or functions. Membership fees for such affiliation may be paid from funds of the district. Section 7. Orientation

The Board believes that the preparation of each school director for the performance of Board duties is essential to the effectiveness of the Board's functioning. The Board shall encourage each new school director to understand the functions of the Board, acquire knowledge of matters related to the operation of the schools and learn

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004. MEMBERSHIP - Pg. 6 Board procedures. Accordingly, the Board shall give to each new school director for his/her use and possession during the term on the Board the following items: SC 519 a copy of the school code 1. a copy of the Board policy manual a copy of the district procedures manual 2. the current budget statement, audit report and related fiscal materials 3. the most recent district Strategic Plan. A copy of the school code shall be available in the District Office for reference and to borrow. Each new Board Member shall be invited to meet with the Board President, Superintendent and Board Secretary to discuss Board functions, policy, and procedure.

Section 8. SC 516, 516.1

Conferences

In keeping with its stated position on the need for continuing in-service training and development for its members, the Board encourages the participation of all members at appropriate school board conferences, workshops, and conventions. However, in order to control both the investment of time and expenditure of funds necessary to implement this policy, the Board establishes these principles and procedures for its guidance. No member of the Board may attend a meeting at Board expense without prior Board approval. Funds for participation at such meetings will be budgeted on an annual basis. When a conference, convention, or workshop is not attended by the full Board, those who do participate will be requested to share information, recommendations and materials acquired at the meeting which will be beneficial to the school district. Reimbursement to Board members for their travel expenses will be in accordance with Section 6 of Pol. 004 The aforesaid reimbursement shall be limited to actual expenses incurred, and shall

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004. MEMBERSHIP - Pg. 7 not include or be construed to include compensation to individual Board members. Section 9. Recognition of Retiring Board Members

A Certificate of Appreciation shall be presented to each Board member upon leaving the Board in recognition of his/her service to the citizens of the District. An appropriate notation of such certificate presentation shall be placed in the minutes of the Board.

School Code 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 315, 319, 321, 322, 323, 324, 516, 516.1, 519 PA Statute 65 P.S.,404(d)

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