6. General Operational Procedures & Best Practices
General Operational Procedures
Meetings: School Committee meetings are held in open, public sessions, with agendas posted no less than 48 hours in advance. In a few, carefully defined circumstances, the Committee or a subcommittee may meet in Executive Session (see Chapter 30A, Section 21 of the Massachusetts General Laws). Discussions held in Executive Sessions are confidential and must not be disclosed to anyone.
Voting: All votes must be by voice or roll call, except in Executive Session when votes must be by roll call. Secret ballots are never permitted. School Committee members may abstain from a vote, but generally should do so only when the matter being voted upon involves a conflict or potential conflict of interest. School Committee members from Hawley and Charlemont must abstain from voting on matters that affect solely one or more of the District elementary schools (Buckland-Shelburne Elementary, Sanderson Academy, Colrain Central) since these members represent towns whose elementary students attend a school in another District (Hawlemont).
Minutes: The School Committee and all Subcommittees must maintain accurate records of the actions taken at each meeting, and these records become public records. Records of Executive Sessions may be held secret as long as publication would defeat the lawful purpose of the Executive Session. Generally, the School Committee Secretary will prepare minutes for School Committee sessions and for the Budget and Education Subcommittees. Minutes for other Subcommittees are taken by members of those Subcommittees as determined by the Subcommittee Chair.
“Open Meeting Law”: The provisions of Massachusetts’ “open meeting” laws are quite complex and all-encompassing (Mass. General Laws c. 30A, sec. 8-14). In general, School Committee members (and Subcommittee members) should refrain from communicating with one another outside of open meetings, except to attend to housekeeping items, such as meeting times. Distribution of meeting-related materials to Committee/Subcommittee members should be handled by the School Committee Secretary, who also should be copied on all emails between or among Committee/Subcommittee members for whatever purpose.
School Committee Chair: The Chair sets the School Committee agenda, presides over meetings in accordance with Robert’s Rule of Order, and selects Subcommittee members. If you have an issue you want put on the agenda, you should contact the School Committee Secretary.
Conflicts of Interest: School Committee members should disclose any real, potential or perceived conflict of interest prior to any discussion or decision-making. If you are concerned that you may have a conflict of interest with respect to any topic or decision before the School Committee, you may contact the State Ethics Commission for advice on how to proceed (617-727-0060 or 888-485-4766; www.mass.gov/ethics).
Best Practices
Educate yourself. Be proactive, seek out what you need. For example:
Ask questions
- Raise your hand during a meeting (odds are that if you need clarification, others do too).
- Talk to another School Committee Member who can help guide you.
- Email the Superintendent.
Observe
- Pay attention to the committee chair to get the hang of how meetings are conducted.
- Watch (from the sidelines) a subcommittee meeting that you are not a part of.
Read
- Go through your orientation materials and check out the resources mentioned within.
- Familiarize yourself with the District Website and the State MASC website.
- Study your meeting packets in advance, when available. Come to meetings prepared.
Participate
- Attendance at meetings is very important. Take responsibility for finding out what you missed if you are unable to attend.
- Whenever possible, take part in school events that are open to the public.
- Community, Regional, and State meetings and events can be beneficial, as well.
Prepare to:
Meet regularly with your town officials
- At least 4 times per year is recommended., especially during budget season.
Represent the District at Town Meeting
- You are expected to attend your town's annual meeting and participate.
Respond to press inquiries
- There may be times when a member of the press approaches you for a comment or quote. It's helpful to remember that the School Committee's authority exists as a body, not as individual committee members. It is advisable to refer the reporter to the School Committee Chair for comment.
Respond to complaints
- These can come from anywhere (parents, students, staff) about almost anything. First, listen without comment. Many times what people need more than anything is to know they have been heard. Then let them know the procedure for handling complaints is bottom-up through the chain of command. If you are unsure of who to direct the person to, it's okay to tell them you don't know but will find out and get back to them. Do not tell them you will fix things yourself and do not make any promises regarding the outcome.
Build Relationships
The School Committee recognizes the vital importance of working collaboratively with the following groups and actively seek ways to enlist their support in our efforts.
- Students, Parents, Community, Voters
- Town Officials (Selectboard, Finance Committee, etc.)
- Regional, State, and National Government Representatives
- Superintendent, Administrators, Staff, Volunteers
- Media, Businesses, Other Schools, etc.
Communicate Transparently
Go above and beyond "Open Meeting Laws" and "Conflict of Interest Laws"; err on the side of caution. Full disclosure, even when not legally required, may provide necessary information for others. When in doubt, ask.
Use your mtrsd.org email address for anything remotely school related rather than your personal email.
There is a protocol for School Committee Members visiting district schools which is covered in the "Charting the Course" training. However, with our small population, often one person will wear many hats. It is advisable, when entering the schools as a parent, for example, to introduce yourself to a staff member as both a parent and a School Committee Member.
It is important that we as School Committee members model the behavior and standards expected of our students and staff. In order to promote improvement in our schools, we must also promote continuous improvement in ourselves.
Required Training and Certification
As a School Committee member, you are required to successfully complete an online course/exam dealing with Massachusetts conflicts of interest law prepared by the State Ethics Commission. Upon successful completion, a certificate of completion will be forwarded to your Town Clerk. You must retake the exam successfully every two years.
In addition, Mass. General Laws Ch. 71 sec. 36A requires that new School Committee members complete eight hours of orientation training developed in conjunction with the Mass. Association of School Committees (MASC). This course, entitled “Charting the Course,” is held at various times and location throughout the state. Additional information can be found at www.masc.org.
The School Committee also encourages members to attend the monthly professional development sessions designed specifically for School Committee members. These sessions are held on the last Tuesday of the month. Topics are chosen by the Committee and presented by members, administrators, educators or third-parties, depending upon the content. Previous sessions have focused on such topics as school finance, superintendent evaluations and the use of data in assessing student performance.