Working Agreements

Board Job Description and Relationship with the Superintendent

• The Board will act as trustees of the district, seeking to make decisions in the best interest of all students in the community.
• The Board will collaborate with the Superintendent to set the long-term direction of the district through the mission, vision, goals, and priorities.
• The Board will govern through policymaking, planning, and oversight, while acting as financial stewards of the district, including setting expectations, aligning resources with priorities, planning for fiscal sustainability, and monitoring progress.
• The Board will conduct district business with care and respect, fostering board unity and assisting in gaining acceptance and support in the community by openly sharing district progress and celebrating student success.
• The Board will understand that as an individual, a board member has no authority. It is when acting through a majority that the Board has influence.
• The Board will supervise the hiring, performance evaluation, and other personnel management processes related to the Superintendent.
• The Board may engage and volunteer in learning activities at the board, district, community, state, and national levels.
• The Board will, as a cohesive leadership team, work with the Superintendent as a team, recognizing that the Superintendent is the Board’s advisor.
• The Board will refer all matters related to day-to-day operations to the Superintendent, respecting the Superintendent’s responsibility to manage district operations and ensuring a timely response from the District.

Role of Board Leadership

• Board leadership will manage the Board’s processes, convene meetings, develop the Board agenda with the Superintendent, seek board member input, and execute documents as appropriate.
• Board leadership will serve as the authorized spokesperson for the Board with regard to board policy, process, and decisions. The Chair may delegate this responsibility to other board members and/or the Superintendent.
• Board leadership, or a designated delegate, will respond to communications addressed to the Board. All board members will be included in responses issued by the Board chair. Following the chair’s response, other Board members may also respond if they choose.
• Board leadership will communicate with individual board members as mediator should an issue or problem develop between members of the Board and express expectations under policies, working agreements, and group operating norms.
• Board leadership will assist the Superintendent in communicating important information to the full Board and will keep board members apprised of information exchanged with the Superintendent.
• Board leadership will set strategic priorities for board professional development annually.
• Board leadership will consist of a Board Chair and Co-Vice Chairs. A Vice Chair will perform leadership duties when the Chair is not available.

Role of the Superintendent

• The Superintendent serves as the chief executive officer charged by the Board to be the operational and instructional leader of the school district.
• The Superintendent invests in the relationship with and the capacity of members of the Board.
• The Superintendent works with the Board to establish strategic priorities for the District.
• The Superintendent prepares annual goals for the Board’s consideration
• The Superintendent serves as the chief advisor of the Board by providing relevant qualitative and quantitative data and other sources of accurate information to board members so that comprehensive, evidence-based decisions can be made.
• The Superintendent communicates with board members promptly and effectively by informing the board of all emergent information, including relevant trends, anticipated media coverage, or vital external or internal change.
• The Superintendent or designee schedules times for a maximum of three board members to meet with the Superintendent or designee for information-sharing sessions and questions. Answers to questions will be shared with the entire Board, and meeting participants will not deliberate towards a decision.