Bylaw IX
Committees
1. The board has committees on finance, buildings and grounds, education, trustees, and policy. The chair and the head of school shall be ex-officio members of all board committees and task forces and shall be notified of every meeting. Ad-hoc committees may be formed by the chair at such times and for such purposes as the board deems necessary and be given a clear charge. They will be dissolved upon accomplishing the charge. The central purpose of board committees is to support the board’s work by conducting studies at the request of the board and developing recommendations for board decisions. The ultimate authority to make those decisions, however, rests with the board as a whole. When making recommendations for board action, the committee should state the problem, indicate the alternatives considered, and state the recommendation, including what it will entail. Committees shall rarely have authority to make specific decisions or to spend money, except on a case-by-case basis after a discussion with the full board.
2. The finance committee shall be a standing committee of not less than three board members including the treasurer. The treasurer is the chair of the finance committee. Members of the finance committee may be the chair, one other board member, the director of finance and operations, the accountant, and one other administrator. Other board members may attend meetings by invitation of the finance committee chair. The finance committee is responsible for monitoring all financial matters concerning the school; being informed as to the general operating results and the conditions leading to such results; and informing the board concerning the financial viability of the school – both current and longer-term. The specific duties and responsibilities of the finance committee include:
Arrangements of banking affiliations and funds for both the current and longer-term operating requirements of the school, including long-term capital requirements for land, buildings and equipment.
Evaluation (together with legal counsel) of contracts, leases and agreements.
Consultation and assistance in tax and insurance matters.
Supervision and assistance in establishing the annual operating and capital budgets, taking into consideration the educational and financial objectives of the school. Of primary importance in this regard are the establishment of the ensuing year’s tuition and salary levels, and ensuring that the overall financial planning is consistent with the anticipated student population and desired standard of education.
Authorization (check-signing) of current expenditures within the budget framework. The board chair and treasurer may sign checks, in addition to the head of school, the director of finance and operations, and the accountant.
3. In each of the foregoing matters the finance committee shall consult and cooperate with the administration, which is charged with the day-to-day operation of the school. In discharging the broader financial responsibilities, the finance committee should develop annually a broad assessment of the financial requirements and position of the school. This assessment should accompany the annual budget submission, and serve as a “check” that the financial viability of the school is likely to be maintained on a satisfactory basis in the foreseeable future.
4. The buildings and grounds committee shall be a standing committee that shall, in cooperation with the head of school and the finance committee, oversee and report on the operation and maintenance of the facilities and grounds of the school. Members of the buildings and grounds committee shall be other board members by invitation of the committee chair. It is desirable that at least one member has served previously for a full year of buildings and grounds committee. Members of the community with expertise may be invited to join the committee by the committee chair. The director of finance and operations, the chief Hausmeister, the athletic director, and other administrators at the discretion of the chair may also be members. The role of the buildings and grounds committee is:
To ensure the maintenance of buildings, grounds and equipment that are essential for the physical and academic welfare of all students, faculty and employees.
To ensure and assist in the review of regular maintenance and in the periodic upgrading of buildings and plants.
To ensure the safety of all students, faculty and employees, the committee shall assist and coordinate in monitoring various local and international security issues that directly and indirectly affect FIS.
To be familiar with the current status of all school plants and facilities.
To be responsible for routinely assessing security and safety issues that affect the school and to inform the administration and the board on a timely basis.
To be responsible to assist the administration in times of need to temporarily upgrade security on the schools’ campuses.
To be responsible for the oversight of the school’s sustainability, crisis management, and campus health and safety policies.
The buildings and grounds committee shall conduct two on-site inspections throughout the school year of all facilities and be available to the administration for emergency inspection should the need arise. The administration shall submit to the committee prior to the first board meeting in September evidence that all mechanical plant and equipment, subject to periodic inspection, have been checked by qualified technicians and the school is suitable for use.
(a) The administration shall provide the committee with an annual report pertaining to the compliance of governmental regulations (i.e. fire drills, inspections).
(b) The administration shall provide the committee with an annual report pertaining to the cafeteria services (health, hygiene, etc.).
(c) The administration shall provide the committee with a summer maintenance program prior to the end of the school year for the committee’s review and approval.
(d) The administration shall provide accurate records to the committee on any damages occurring to or losses occurring on the school facilities.
(e) The committee shall evaluate and if necessary recommend changes in the maintenance staff.
(f) The committee shall provide leadership and guidance in all long term capital improvements, expansions and replacement projects.
5. The FutureEd committee shall be a standing committee of the school responsible for keeping itself informed and up-to-date on all educational matters, being informed of key educational results (e.g. IB results) and informing the board of trustees on issues of educational policy and direction. The chair of the FutureEd committee shall be a board member appointed by the chair of the board. Other board members shall be appointed to the FutureEd committee by the FutureEd committee chair. Advisory members, also appointed by the FutureEd committee chair, should represent different sections of the community (administrators, faculty, parents, students) and different nationalities within the community.
(a) The agenda of all meetings shall be determined by the goals of the committee. The board members will approve the goals of the committee.
(b) The FutureEd committee shall consult and cooperate with the administration, which is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the school. The work of the FutureEd committee shall include:
being informed of curriculum development and review;
reviewing the quality of the educational programs, ensuring that the school is, in accordance with its mission, providing each child with a challenging, broadly based, international education;
other issues of educational policy.
(c) The FutureEd committee may establish subcommittees. Such subcommittees may be chaired by any member of the FutureEd committee or by an administrator or a member of the faculty. Reports from subcommittees shall be presented to the full FutureEd committee and may subsequently be presented to the board.
6. The policy committee is chaired by the board secretary and shall consist of one or more board members, the head of school, and the head of school’s administrative assistant. Other members of the administration or board may be invited to join the committee. The committee shall be responsible for the maintenance and updating of the policy manual and articles of association. The committee shall make recommendations for policy changes to the relevant board committee or directly to the board. The policy manual shall be available at all board meetings. Minutes of all meetings shall be taken. Circulation shall be determined by the chair of the committee.
7. The trustees committee shall consist of at least two board trustees plus members of the school administration. These may include the school’s director of marketing and the administrative assistant to the head of school. The committee chair shall be an experienced board member. Every effort will be made to seek input from various members of the school community.
The trustees committee is responsible for all activities connected with maintaining a strong, committed, and well-informed board which is capable of carrying out its tasks effectively and efficiently at present and in the future. The committee shall operate on a year-round basis and ensure, among other things, the proper communication of board activities to the wider school community and participate in the orientation of new board members as well as the training of all trustees.
The committee shall constantly look for appropriate board candidates and encourage them to become involved in board and committee activities.
The trustees committee shall promote effective liaison with the parent teacher group (PTG) and explore all appropriate channels to communicate to the entire school community the role and activities of the board of trustees and to highlight its constant search for future board candidates. The meeting frequency, principal topics, and allocation of tasks will be governed by the events that require input from the committee.
At the beginning of the school year, the committee chair or a designated committee member shall attend the various orientation sessions and coffee mornings for new parents, students, and faculty in order to create an awareness of the board. Furthermore, the committee shall identify areas where board involvement in school activities may be desirable and organize the necessary schedules. It shall also identify and organize appropriate training and development programs for all board members.
For the purpose of interviewing and nominating candidates for the board elections, the trustees committee shall form a nominating subcommittee. The nominating committee shall be chaired by a Board member not standing for election in that particular year. It may be chaired by the chair of the trustees committee or a board committee member designated by the chair of trustees committee. Other than the committee chair, it shall not contain any other Board member, any Board family member, or members from the faculty, staff, or administration. It shall include several members from the major constituencies within the school. The timetable for nominations and elections to the board of trustees is determined by the election date, the last Friday in May.
8. The nominating committee, a subcommittee of the trustees committee, shall organize and coordinate the election of the board members (see Bylaw II.1.).
9. The chair of the board shall appoint committee chairs in June. The committee chairs shall appoint the members of their committees, including at least one other board member. Members of the community with specific expertise may be invited to join a committee or task force wherever appropriate. By September each committee shall publish a schedule of meetings for the school year.
10. Committees shall meet on a regular basis, preferably at minimum two weeks in advance of board meetings. Committees shall prepare agendas and summary minutes of their meetings. The committees and task forces shall regularly submit a written summary of their activities to the board. Committee chairs will maintain a file to pass on to the board member chairing the committee in the following school year and orientate the new committee chair. Minutes of all committee meetings shall be taken and subsequently circulated to all interested board members and administrators, and others as agreed by the committee chair.
11. Each board member shall serve on at least one committee. Except where otherwise provided in this bylaw or determined by vote of a majority of the board, additional members, including persons who are not on the board, may be appointed by the committee chair to serve on a standing committee.
12. The board may discontinue any standing committee from time to time and duties of any committee so discontinued shall be performed during such discontinuance by another committee or the board, as the board may direct.
13. The board shall establish at its June meeting a general timetable for committee reports, to be available preferably one week prior to board meetings.