PRAIRIE SPIRIT SCHOOL DIVISION
BOARD GOVERNANCE POLICY MANUAL
Policy# 5 - Board Operations
PRAIRIE SPIRIT SCHOOL DIVISION
BOARD GOVERNANCE POLICY MANUAL
Policy# 5 - Board Operations
Collective and Interest-Based Bargaining
Staff Liaison Committee
The Board may create ad hoc committees as required. An ad hoc committee deals only with specific matters that have been referred to it by the Board and exists only until the matter is addressed to the satisfaction of the Board. Ad hoc committees are responsible for action and policy recommendations to the Board on all matters referred to them. Terms of reference are developed by the Committee and approved by the Board. The terms of reference form is to be completed by the Committee at their first meeting. The form will be presented to the Board during the Committee’s first report (Refer to Exhibit BBD-E2). Unless otherwise noted, ad hoc committees operate under the same protocols as all other committees.
In addition to in camera discussions described above, the Committee of the Whole may be used to deal with matters in a particular area. Such areas include, but are not limited to:
Finance and Audit; and
Education Programming.
The Committee Chair presents a report, including relevant recommendations, to the
Board. Non-committee Board members may ask questions for clarification, but do not redo the work of the committee. Other Trustees can contribute ideas via the Committee Chair prior to the giving of the Committee report (refer to Exhibit BBD-E1). The Board can accept the report and recommendations with or without amendment, reject the report and recommendations, or send the matter back to the Committee for further work. In exceptional circumstances (e.g. if the Committee’s report and recommendation generate significant debate or disagreement among board members), the Committee may be relieved of responsibility for the matter under consideration, which will then be referred to the Committee of the Whole.
The Prairie Spirit School Division Board is a member of the Manitoba School Boards Association and pays such fees as are levied by that association unless otherwise decided by a majority vote.
PDF version: Board Operations
PRAIRIE SPIRIT SCHOOL DIVISION
BOARD GOVERNANCE POLICY MANUAL
Policy# 5 - Board Operations - Appendix Electronic Meetings
A Trustee may participate in a meeting using electronic means by making a request to the Chair of the Board via the Secretary-Treasurer. In accordance with the PSA, every Trustee must be physically present at a regular meeting at least once every three months.
Trustees must submit a request to attend a meeting by electronic means to the Chair of the Board or to the Secretary-Treasurer, at least twenty-four hours prior to the commencement of the meeting. The Chair of the Board may refuse the request where it is deemed impossible to ensure compliance with the terms of this policy.
If approved, Trustees are supplied with necessary equipment, including a laptop computer, and will be reimbursed for associated expenses incurred. Allowable electronic means include teleconferencing and videoconferencing.
The electronic means provided for a Trustee’s participation must permit the Trustee to hear and be heard by all other participants in the meeting. Trustees participating by electronic means are responsible for ensuring the required privacy and confidentiality of proceedings.
In accordance with the PSA and associated regulations, a Trustee must be physically present at a regular meeting at least once every three months.
At every meeting of the School Board, the following persons must be present in the meeting room of the Board:
Chair of the Board or their designate;
At least one additional member of the Board;
Superintendent or their designate;
Secretary-Treasurer or their designate.
All rules governing the conduct of members must be respected.
Participation through electronic means equals presence at a Board meeting.
Trustees are expected to have their video camera on while attending meetings electronically, when adequate internet access is available.
A Trustee participating electronically must have a copy of the meeting agenda for reference during the meeting.
Trustees participating in a meeting must notify the Chair of their departure (either temporary or permanent) from the meeting before absenting themselves, in order to ensure that a quorum is maintained.
Should technical difficulties arise, members affected by the disruption are no longer deemed present at the meeting.
Votes of participants by electronic means are made verbally, after giving their name or in the chat function in the virtual meeting software. Secret ballots are accepted by private electronic mail, under the supervision of the Secretary-Treasurer.
All provisions with regard in camera sections of meetings apply.
Trustees may not record any portion of the meeting or copy discussions in the chat function of meeting software.
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