a. Number, Term, Selection
There shall be a school committee which shall consist of five (5) members, elected from the town by ward, to serve four-year terms, subject to recall as provided in this Charter, with their terms arranged in such manner that two (2) members are to be elected in November, 2012, and three (3) members are to be elected in November, 2014.
b. Qualifications
Members of the school committee shall, at the time of their election and during their term of office, be residents and qualified electors of the Town of West Warwick and shall hold no other paid public office or employment in the service of the town. No member of the school committee shall be eligible to accept any other paid appointed school department office during his or her term on the school committee or for a period of one (1) year thereafter.
c. Vacancies
A vacancy shall exist in the school committee if a member dies, resigns, ceases to meet the qualification for membership, is recalled, or is convicted of a felony or a crime of moral turpitude and has exhausted all appeals from said conviction. Any vacancy in the membership of the school committee shall be filled by the Town Council until the next regular town election, when the office shall be filled for the unexpired term thereof, provided that that person selected to said vacancy shall be a member of the same political party as the person whose position he or she is elected to fill.
d. Compensation
Members of the school committee shall receive such annual salaries or stipends as may be set by the school committee, provided that any increase shall not become effective until after completion of the term of any member of the school committee at the time motion for said increase was approved.
References:
Article XIX West Warwick Town Charter
a. The entire care, control, and management of all public schools
interests in West Warwick is vested in the West Warwick
School Committee. The West Warwick School Committee has,
in addition to those enumerated elsewhere in Chapter 16 of the
General Laws of Rhode Island, the following powers and
duties:
1. To identify educational needs in the community.
2. To develop education policies to meet the needs of the
community.
3. To provide for and assure the implementation of federal
and state laws, the regulations of the board of regents for
elementary and secondary education, and of local school
policies, programs, and directives.
4. To provide for the evaluation of the performance of the
school system.
5. To have responsibility for the care and control of local
schools.
6. To have overall policy responsibility for the employment
and discipline of school department personnel.
7. To approve a master plan defining goals and objectives of
the school system. These goals and objectives shall be
expressed in terms of what men and women should know
and be able to do as a result of their educational
experience. The committee shall periodically evaluate the
efforts and results of education in light of these objectives.
8. To provide for the location, care, control, and
management of school facilities and equipment.
9. To adopt a school budget to submit to the local
appropriating authority.
10. To adopt any changes in the school budget during the
course of the school year.
11. To approve expenditures in the absence of a budget,
consistent with state law.
12. To employ a superintendent of schools and assign such
compensation and other terms and conditions as the
school committee and superintendent shall agree, provided
that in no event shall the term of employment of the
superintendent exceed three (3) years.
13. To give advice and consent on the appointment by the
superintendent of all school department personnel.
14. To establish minimum standards for personnel, to adopt
personnel policies, and to approve a table of organization.
15. To establish standards for the evaluation of personnel.
16. To establish standards for conduct in the schools and for
disciplinary actions.
17. To hear appeals from disciplinary actions.
18. To enter into contracts.
19. To publish policy manuals which shall include all school
committee policies.
20. To establish policies governing curriculum, course of
instruction, and text books.
21. To provide for transportation services which meet or
exceed standards of the board of regents for elementary
and secondary education.
22. To make such reports to the department of education as
are required by the board of regents for elementary and
secondary education.
23. To delegate, consistent with law, such responsibilities to
the superintendent as the committee may deem
appropriate.
b. Nothing in this policy shall be deemed to limit or otherwise
interfere with the rights of teachers and other school employees
to collectively bargain pursuant to chapters 9.3 and 9.4 of Title 28
or to allow the West Warwick School Committee to abrogate any
agreement reached by collective bargaining.
c. The West Warwick School Committee shall have the power to
bind their successors and successor committees by entering into
contracts of employment in the exercise of their governmental
functions.
d. The West Warwick School Committee shall be responsible for
maintaining a school budget, which does not result in expenses
exceeding revenue.
e. The school committee shall, within thirty (30) days after the close
of the first and second quarters of the state’s fiscal year, adopt
such budget as may be necessary to enable it to operate without
incurring a debt.
f. In the event that any obligation, encumbrance, or expenditure of
the superintendent of schools or the West Warwick School
Committee is in excess of the amount budgeted or that any revenue
is less than the amount budgeted, and the shortfall cannot be
corrected through reclassification of other budgeted items, the
school committee shall within five (5) working days of its discovery
of potential or actual over expenditure or revenue deficiency submit
a written statement of the amount of and cause for the over
obligation or over expenditure or revenue deficiency to the town
council president and such other person who by local charter or
statute serves as the city or town’s executive officer; the statement
shall further include a statement of the school committee’s plan for
corrective actions necessary to meet the requirements of subsection
(D). The plan shall be approved by the auditor general.
g. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whether of general or
specific application, and notwithstanding any contrary provision of
any city or town charter or ordinance, the elected school committee
of any city, town, and regional school district shall be, and is
hereby authorized to retain the services of such independent legal
counsel as it may deem necessary and convenient. Any counsel so
retained shall be compensated out of funds duly appropriated to the
school committee, and in no event shall the independent counsel be
deemed to be an employee of the pertinent city or town for any
purpose.
References:
RI Gen. Laws § 16-2-09
The West Warwick School District does hereby establish a code of basic principles and ethical standards for school committee members acting individually and collectively as boards of education in the management of the public schools of West Warwick.
(a) The School Committee in West Warwick accepts the obligation
to operate the public schools in accordance with the
fundamental principles and standards of school management,
which principles include but are not limited to the following:
1. Formulate written policy for administration of schools to be
reviewed regularly and revised as necessary.
2. Exercise legislative, policy-making, planning and appraising
functions and delegate administrative functions in the
operation of schools.
3. Recognize their critical responsibility for selecting the
superintendent, defining his or her responsibilities, and
evaluating his or her performance regularly without directly
engaging in administrative processes.
4. Accept and encourage a variety of opinions from and
communication with all parts of the community.
5. Make public relevant institutional information in order to
promote communication and understanding between the
school system and the community.
6. Act on legislative and policy-making matters only after
examining pertinent facts and considering the
superintendent’s recommendations.
7. Conduct meetings with planned and published agendas.
8. Encourage and promote professional growth of school
staff so that quality of instruction and support services
may continually be improved.
9. Establish and maintain procedural steps for resolving
complaints and criticisms of school affairs.
10. Act only through public meetings since individual board
members have no authority to bind the board.
11. Recognize that the first and greatest concern must be the
educational welfare of the students attending the public
schools.
12. Work with other committee members to establish
effective board policies and to delegate authority for the
administration of the schools to the superintendent.
13. Avoid being placed in a position of conflict of interest,
and refrain from using the committee position for personal
gain.
14. Attend all regularly scheduled committee meetings insofar
as possible, and become informed concerning the issues to
be considered at those meetings.
15. Nothing in this policy shall be deemed to limit or otherwise
interfere with the rights of teachers and other school
employees to collectively bargain pursuant to chapters 9.3
and 9.4 of Title 28 or to allow the West Warwick School
Committee or Superintendent to abrogate any agreement
reached by collective bargaining.
References:
RI Gen. Laws § 16-2-9.2
a. General
The West Warwick School Committee will develop policies and put them in writing so that they may serve as guides for the discretionary action of those to whom it delegates authority.
The formulation and adoption of these written policies will constitute the basic method by which the School Committee will exercise its leadership in providing for the successful and efficient functioning of the school system.
The School Committee accepts the definition of policy set forth by the National School Boards Association: “Policies are principles adopted by a School Committee to chart a course of action. They tell what is wanted; they may include why and how much. Policies should be broad enough to indicate a line of action to be followed by the administration in meeting day-to-day problems, yet be specific enough to give clear guidance.”
The policies of the School Committee are framed, and are meant to be interpreted, in terms of state law, regulations of the Rhode Island Department of Education, the West Warwick Town Charter, and other regulatory agencies of the various levels of government.
References:
RI Gen. Laws § 16-2-32
b. Definitions
By-Law – a rule for the internal operation of the board;
Policy – a guide of discretionary action or a guide for consistent decision making;
Procedure – a statement of who does what in what sequence;
Regulation or rule – a statement of required behavior.
The ultimate goal for every School Committee should be to understand and improve the educational effectiveness of the school system for which it has responsibility. As the General Assembly provides a framework of law for the operation of the schools in general, each local School Committee must provide a framework for the operation of its own local schools. It is through exercising its responsibility in establishing policies that a School Committee can provide the best framework for achieving the improvement desired. School Board policies are statements which set forth the purposes and prescribe in general terms the organization and program of the school system. They create a framework within which the Superintendent and his staff can discharge their assigned duties with positive direction. They tell what is wanted. They may also indicate why and how much.
Good policies do the following things:
1. Clarify the operation of the school system.
2. Create understanding and goodwill;
3. Provide direction;
4. Facilitate control and efficiency.
c. Formulation of Policies
The School Committee will reserve to itself the establishment of guidelines within which it shall function. It will also provide discretionary limits upon the actions of those to whom it delegates authority. These guidelines and limits of action shall constitute the policies governing the operation of the school system.
The formulation and adoption of written policies shall constitute the basic method by which the School Committee will exercise its leadership in the operation of the school system. The study, review, and evaluation of reports concerning the adoption and execution of its written policies will constitute the basic method by which the School Committee shall exercise its control over the operation of the school system.
The adoption of all policies will be recorded in the minutes of the School Committee meetings and placed in the Official West Warwick School Committee Policy Manual. Only those written statements so adopted and so recorded will be regarded as official School Committee Policy.
d. Adoption of Policies
Policies will be adopted and/or amended only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the School Committee when such action has been scheduled and advertised on the agenda of a regular of special meeting.
To permit time for study of all new policies, amendments to policies, repeal of existing policies, and to provide an opportunity for interested parties to react, proposed policies or amendments will be presented as agenda items to the School Committee in the following sequence:
1. Information item – distribution with agenda (this may be an
announcement that a policy is being developed in a particular
area and that interested persons may submit suggestions).
2. Discussion item – first reading of proposed policy or policies;
response from Superintendent; report from any School
Committee member assigned responsibility in the area; School
Committee discussion and directions for any redrafting.
3. Action item – discussion, adoption/rejection.*
* Amendments to the policy at the action stage will not require
repetition of the sequence unless the School Committee so
directs.
Policies will be effective upon passage by the School Committee.
Policies will continue from year to year and School Committee to School Committee until and unless the School Committee changes them.
e. Policy Dissemination
The Superintendent will establish and maintain an orderly plan for preserving and making accessible the policies and regulations of the public schools. Accessibility will extend at least to students, to all school employees, to members of the School Committee, and to persons in the community.
All employees are expected to know and observe the school policies and regulations contained in this manual. Each school will be furnished a copy of the school district policy manual. The Superintendent will arrange for school employees to be informed of new policies and revision of existing policies.
Dissemination:
· Policy manuals will remain the property of the West Warwick
School Committee and will be considered as “on loan” to
anyone or any organization in whose possession they might be
at any time. They are subject to recall at any time for updating.
· The School Committee’s policy manual, will be considered a
public record and will be open for inspection at the
Administration Office.
Copies of approved policies will be distributed to:
· Each Administrative Building
· Each Building Principal
· The School Attorney
· Each School Library
· Town Libraries
f. Regulations
The School Committee delegates to the Superintendent the detailed arrangements under which the West Warwick Public Schools will be operated. Those rules and detailed arrangements will constitute administrative regulations and require the advice and consent of the School Committee.
The Committee will receive all regulations published by the Department of Education and State of Rhode Island and develop specific policies in order to carry out those regulations.
a. General Meetings
(1) Types of Meetings
REGULAR MEETINGS
The regular monthly meeting of the West Warwick School Committee will normally be held on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 P.M. When the second Tuesday falls on a legal holiday, the meeting may be rescheduled.
The meeting date as well as the time and/or place may be changed, postponed or canceled by a majority vote of the full Committee membership.
SPECIAL MEETINGS/EMERGENCY MEETINGS
Special meetings may be called by the Chairperson or upon the written request of any three members. This notice should be made to the clerk or the superintendent. The notice shall state the special matter or matters to be considered and provided that all members receive notice one (1) week prior to the meeting. At such meetings, only the business for which the meeting was called will be in order.
Emergency meetings may be called by the Chairperson and approved by a majority of the members when the meeting is deemed necessary and where the public welfare so requires. In such a case, the meeting notice and agenda will be posted as soon as possible (RIGL 42-46-6).
CLOSED MEETINGS
By a majority vote at an open meeting (RIGL 42-46-4), the West Warwick School Committee may call a closed meeting as specified by the Rhode Island Open Meetings Act (RIGL 42-46-5) for the following items:
1) Job performance, character, physical or mental health of a person(s) provided that such person or persons affected may require that the discussion be held in open session;
2) Collective bargaining or litigation;
3) Security matters, including the development of security personnel or devices;
4) Investigations into alleged civil or criminal misconduct;
5) The lease, acquisition or disposition of public property, where advance public information would be detrimental to the public interest;
6) Discussions relative to a prospective business or industry where advance public information would be detrimental to the public interest;
7) Investment of public funds where premature disclosure would be detrimental to the public interest;
8) Conducting student discipline hearings or reviewing other matters which relate to the privacy of students or their records provided that any such student affected may require that the discussion be held in open session.
9) Any hearings on, or discussions of, a grievance filed pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement.
10) Any discussion of the personal finances of a prospective donor to a library.
The reason for closing a meeting to Executive Session and the vote of each member on a motion to convene in Closed Session must be recorded in the Open Meeting Minutes.
(2) Meeting Locations
The regular meetings of the West Warwick School Committee will be held at John F. Deering Middle School, subject to Section 1 of this article.
(3) Posting of Meetings
Written notice of the dates of regularly scheduled meetings must be given at the beginning of each calendar year. As specified by the Rhode Island Open Meetings Act (RIGL 42-46-6), public notice of the agenda will be made available at least 48 hours before a scheduled meeting and posted on the Secretary of State’s website. Notice of the meeting and agenda will be posted in the Administration Building and all public schools in session under the Committee’s jurisdiction.
(4) Quorum/Conduct of Meetings
A majority (3) of the entire committee will constitute a quorum. In the absence of both the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson, a temporary Chairperson shall be elected. In the absence of a quorum, the only business allowed is to take measures to obtain a quorum, fix a time to adjourn, or take a recess.
All meetings will be conducted according to the latest version of Robert’s Rules of Order. A copy of this handbook will be available at all meetings.
Any time a quorum gathers to discuss the committee’s business, a meeting is constituted. Consequently, members should be cautious to only hold meetings as permitted by these by-laws and state law.
(5) Workshops
Workshops may be scheduled from time to time to provide School Committee members with opportunities for planning and discussion without formal action. Such meetings will be open and held in complete accordance with Rhode Island Open Meeting Law (RIGL 42-46).
b. Open Meetings
Workshops may be scheduled from time to time to provide School Committee members with opportunities for planning and discussion without formal action. Such meetings will be open and held in complete accordance with Rhode Island Open Meeting Law (RIGL 42-46).
c. Agenda
It will be the duty of the Superintendent, in collaboration with the Chairperson, to prepare the agenda for all meetings of the West Warwick School Committee.
An individual School Committee member may request in writing to the Superintendent or through the Chairperson that an item be placed on the agenda. Such request should not be unreasonably denied. If such a request is refused, the member may direct that the item request be placed on the agenda under new business for consideration. A majority vote of the Committee can allow it to be considered as an action item.
The agenda and supportive material will be written and distributed to School Committee members in advance of the regular Tuesday meeting, 48 hours prior to special meetings, and as soon as practicable for emergency meetings. Exception to this procedure requires acceptable rationale to the Committee.
No item may be acted upon at any meeting of the School Committee unless it has been placed on the distributed and posted agenda according to RIGL 42-46-6.
d. Minutes
The minutes of the West Warwick School Committee meetings constitute the written record of West Warwick School Committee action, kept as specified in Title 42-46-7 of the General Laws of Rhode Island and are the legal evidence of what the action was. The clerk of the School Committee will be responsible for reporting in the minutes all actions taken by the School Committee. The individual assigned the tasks of actually recording and transcribing the minutes will do so as an agent of the School Committee. If corrections are suggested by members and voted by the School Committee, these sections will be revised. The minutes of all meetings must be approved by the West Warwick School Committee. Approved minutes will become permanent records of the School Committee
The approved minutes of all open meetings are on file and available to the public at the Administration Building within thirty-five days of the meeting or the next regular meeting, whichever is earlier. Exceptions to the normal availability of minutes will only be made according to Title 42-46-7 of the General Laws of Rhode Island.
The minutes of Executive Sessions shall be made public at the next regularly scheduled meeting unless a majority of the West Warwick School Committee votes to keep the minutes closed pursuant to Titles 42-46-4 and 42-46-5 of the General Laws of Rhode Island.
e. Access to Public Records
WEST WARWICK SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
ACCESS TO PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST PROCEDURE
Pursuant to Rhode Island General Laws § 38-2-3(d), the West Warwick School Department has adopted the following procedure to help you obtain public records:
1. The designated public records officer for the West Warwick
School Department is the Superintendent of Schools. The
contact for obtaining public record is the Superintendent’s office
located at:
10 Harris Ave.
West Warwick, RI 02893
(401) 821-1180
Normal business hours for the School Department are 8:00 am to 4:00 PM Monday – Friday.
2. In order to request to inspect and/or to obtain copies of
documents maintained by the School Department, the West
Warwick School Department requests that you complete the
request form or otherwise provide a written request for records
that clearly identifies the records you seek and state that your
request is made pursuant to the Access to Public Records Act. A
written request for public records need not be made on the form
if the request is otherwise readily identifiable as a request for
public records. A written request is not necessary for documents
available pursuant to RI General Law 42-35-2 or other documents
prepared for or readily available to the public.
(a) The cost per copied page of written documents provided
to the public shall be fifteen cents ($.15) per page for
documents copyable on common business or legal size
paper. The District will not charge more than the
reasonable actual cost for providing electronic records or
retrieving records from storage where the District is
assessed a retrieval fee.
(b) A reasonable charge may be made for the search or
retrieval of documents. Hourly costs for a search and
retrieval shall be fifteen dollars ($15.00) per hour and no
costs shall be charged for the first hour of a search or
retrieval.
(c) Upon request, the District shall provide an estimate of the
costs of a request for documents prior to providing
copies.
(d) Upon request, the District shall provide a detailed
itemization of the costs charged for search and retrieval.
3. Requests to inspect public records can be mailed or dropped off
at the West Warwick School Department, 10 Harris Ave., West
Warwick, RI 02893 and directed to the Superintendent’s Office.
E-mail requests cannot be accepted. To make a public
records request by fax, please contact the Superintendent’s
Office.
4. Additional copies of this form are available on the School
Department’s website found at
www.westwarwickpublicschools.com under Requests for
Public Records.
5. There are times when the public records that you seek are not
available at the time of your request. Please be advised that the
Access to Public Records Act allows a public body ten (10)
business days to respond and, with “good cause,” may extend
the time to respond by twenty (20) business days (thirty (30)
business days total).
6. If after review of your request, the School Department
determines that the requested records are exempt from disclosure
for a reason set forth in RI General Laws 38-2-2(4)(i)(A) – (Y),
the School Department reserves its right to claim such exemption.
7. If you feel that you have been denied access to public records,
you have the right to file an appeal with the Attorney General. If
you are still not satisfied, you may file a lawsuit in Superior
Court. See RI General Law 38-2-8.
8. The West Warwick School Department is committed to
providing you with public records in an expeditious and
courteous manner.
References:
RI Gen. Laws § 38-2-3(d)
a. Orientation/Opportunities for Development
ORIENTATION
New Members
The School Committee and its administrative staff shall assist each new member-elect to understand Committee functions, policies, and procedures before and when the member takes office. The new member-elect also needs to be brought up to date with regard to current problems, concerns, and issues. The following methods may be employed:
a. The electees shall be given selected material related to
Committee membership;
b. The Superintendent and Committee members will supply
pertinent materials and explain their use to electees;
c. The incoming members shall be invited to meet with the
Superintendent and/for Chairperson to discuss the services that
Administration performs for the Committee and they shall be
encouraged to review the Title 16 Laws of the State of Rhode
Island, Rhode Island Special Education Regulations, The West
Warwick School Committee Policy Manual, agreements, budget
and contracts.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT
School Committee members are encouraged to prepare themselves for maximum service to the community through:
Conferences with other School Committee members;
Conferences with the Superintendent;
Visits to observe administrative office practices;
Visits to schools as a committee or individually;
Participation in curriculum committee studies;
Attendance and participation at educational conferences and conventions (providing funding is available);
Reading educational magazines and periodicals;
Study of by-laws of the School Committee;
Familiarization with departmental policies, regulations and staff job descriptions
Where applicable, the above should be accomplished consistent with Rhode Island’s Open Meeting Laws. Also, so as to not disrupt the daily administrative or educational process of the West Warwick school district, shall committee members shall provide advanced notice to the superintendent prior to any of the above mentioned school or administration office visits.
b. Election of Officers
The Committee Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, and Clerk will be elected at the “organizational” meeting, or at such time as any office shall become vacant. The Superintendent of the school system will preside over the election of the Chairperson. The position of Chairperson will be elected by ballot first, followed by the office of Vice Chairperson and then Clerk. A majority of the full committee (3 votes) will be required to elect.
If the office of Chairperson becomes vacant through death, resignation, inability to serve, absence or change of residence from the district, or if the vacancy occurs through any other cause, the Vice Chairperson shall assume the duties of the Chairperson until a new Chairperson is elected. Such election will take place only if a full five member committee is seated.
If the office of Clerk becomes vacant for any of the reasons cited in above paragraph in this section, the Committee Chairperson will appoint a temporary clerk from the committee membership until the former Clerk’s resignation has been formally accepted by the Committee and then the Committee will elect a new Clerk once the replacement is certified.
Organization meeting shall be held on the first meeting of the School Committee following the election and issuance by the Board of Canvassers of a certificate of election to the newly elected School Committee members. In the event any newly elected School Committee member has not received a certificate of election, said organization meeting shall not be held until all elected members have been duly issued certificates by the Board of Canvassers.
c. Duties of Officers
Section 1. Chairperson
The Chairperson shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as are fixed by statute and as usually devolve upon the presiding officer of a deliberative body, and unless otherwise restricted by these by-laws or other Committee established regulations, shall appoint all sub-committees and/or liaisons.
The Chairperson has no more authority than has any member of the Committee, and the Chairperson’s word is not binding on the Committee unless given such authority by the Committee. The Chairperson will assist in preparation of agenda, maintain order, and see that debates and discussion remain relevant and to the issue.
Both the Chairperson and the Clerk will be the authorized signatories to all legal documents.
With the assistance as necessary from the Superintendent, the Chairperson will represent the Committee in all its relationships with the West Warwick Town Government.
The Chairperson will have the right to entertain motions and to vote on all matters.
In the absence of the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson shall perform the duties of the Chairperson.
The Chairperson may be removed from office at the pleasure of the West Warwick School Committee upon a majority vote of the total Committee membership.
Section 2. Vice-Chairperson
The Vice-Chairperson shall serve as Chairperson in the absence of the Chairperson. The Vice-Chairperson shall also assist in the preparation of meeting agendas.
The Vice-Chairperson may be removed from office at the pleasure of the West Warwick School Committee upon a majority vote of the total Committee membership.
Section 3. Clerk
The Clerk shall serve, along with the Chairperson, as an official signatory of the district and shall certify copies of official district documents as necessary.
A non-union administrative secretary will keep a complete and accurate record of all meetings, (RIGL 16-2-6). Minutes are the legal record of a School Committee’s actions. They are admissible in court and must therefore, be accurate and complete. The Open Meeting Law (RIGL 42-46-7) lists what items must be included and requires that a record of all votes taken be made available to the public within two weeks of the vote at the West Warwick School Department Administrative Office. Unofficial minutes of all meetings must be made available to the public at said office within 35 days of the meeting or at the next regular meeting of the Committee, whichever is earlier. Exceptions to this timeline for the release of open meeting minutes may be made by a vote of a majority of the members based on publicly stated reasons. Closed session minutes shall be made available at the next regularly scheduled meeting unless the West Warwick School Committee votes to keep the minutes closed.
Unofficial minutes will be reviewed by the the Committee. The Clerk will sign all approved minutes for the Committee prior to their assignment to the permanent record.
The Clerk may be removed from office at the pleasure of the West Warwick School Committee upon a majority vote of the total Committee membership.
The Committee shall from time to time establish sub-committees/liaisons/advisory committees to assist it in the completion of its business and serve as representatives of the committee on approved advisory committees and boards. The Chairperson has the responsibility to appoint all members of such sub-committees, liaisons and advisory committees. Committee members may make nominations of non-school committee members (West Warwick residents) to the Chairperson for such positions. School Committee members may also serve in such positions, but no more than two (2) may serve on any sub-committee or advisory committee.
All such appointed groups/individuals shall be given a written charge, including, but not limited to a statement of the problem or concern initiating the sub-committee, instructions, desired investigations, dates for progress reports to the West Warwick School Committee and a termination date of service.
Sub-committees and advisory committees shall elect their own officers (chairpersons are appointed) and schedule their own meetings at times and locations of their own choosing. The operation of all sub-committees and advisory councils must meet all applicable state regulations and laws. Reports of all sub-committees are advisory in nature and made only to the School Committee.
All sub-committees, liaisons, and advisory committees may be dissolved or terminated at any regular or special meeting of the School Committee as applicable.