0160 - MEETINGS

Wa-Nee Community School Corporation

Bylaws & Policies

0160 - MEETINGS

0161	Parliamentary Authority

	The parliamentary authority governing the School Board shall be Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

0162	Quorum

	Four (4) members present at a meeting shall constitute a quorum, and no business shall be conducted in the absence of a quorum.

	Revised 3/02

0163	Presiding Officer

	The President shall preside at all meetings of the Board. In the absence, disability, or disqualification of the President, the Vice-President shall act in his/her stead; if neither person is available, any member shall be designated by a plurality of those present to preside. The act of any person so designated shall be legal and binding.

0164	Call

0164.1	Regular Meetings

	The Board shall hold a meeting on a date and at a time and place determined annually by a resolution of the Board.

	In the event the date, time, or place of a meeting needs to be changed, which change is in the best interest of the Board and/or the Corporation, such change may be made by action of the Board, provided that the proper notice is given.

0164.2	Special Meetings

	Special meetings of the Board may be called by the President or the Superintendent provided there is compliance with the notice provision of these Bylaws.

0164.3	Emergency Meetings

	In the event of a severe and imminent threat to the health, safety, or welfare of the Corporation, its employees, or students, any member of the Board, or the Superintendent may call an emergency session if it can be shown that delay would be detrimental to efforts to lessen or respond to the threat. No formal notice to Board members of any emergency meeting shall be required, but the press and public shall be notified.

	I.C. 20-26-4-3, 5-14-1.5

0165	Notice

0165.1	Regular Meetings

	The Board shall cause to be posted at the Corporation's Administrative Building, and in such other places as it may direct, a notice listing the date, time, and place of each regularly-scheduled meeting of the Board. The notice shall also contain the name and address of the Corporation and its telephone number.

	The notice shall also contain the following:

	"The meeting site is fully-accessible. Any person requiring further accommodation should contact the Superintendent, at the School Corporation's central office."

	Upon the written request of an individual, organization, firm, or corporation, and upon the requesting party's payment of a yearly fee of not more than the estimated reasonable cost for printing and postage of each notice as shall be determined annually by the Board, the Corporation shall send to the requesting party by first class mail a copy of any notice required by the Bylaws. The news media shall be entitled to receive, at their request, copies of such notices free of charge.

0165.2	Change of Regular Meetings

	After the Board adopts a resolution changing the date, time, or place of a regularly scheduled meeting and forty-eight (48) hours, excluding weekends and holidays, prior to the date of such meeting, the meeting notice shall state the date, time, and place of the rescheduled meeting, as well as the name, address, and telephone number of the Corporation.

0165.3	Special Meetings

	A notice of any special meeting shall be posted at least forty-eight (48) hours, excluding weekends and/or legal holidays before said special meeting at the Administrative Office Building and such other places as the Board may determine.

	Said notice shall state the date, time, and place of such special meeting and the business to be transacted thereat, as well as the name, address, and telephone number of the Corporation. A copy of said notice shall be served upon each member of the Board at least seventy-two (72) hours before said meeting by delivering the notice to the member personally.

	I.C. 5-14-1.5-5

0165.4	Recess

	Public notice of the date, time, and place of any rescheduled or reconvened meeting shall be given at least forty-eight (48) hours before the meeting. This requirement does not apply to reconvened meetings where announcement of the date, time, and place of the reconvened meeting is made at the original meeting and recorded in the minutes thereof, and there is no change in the agenda.

	I.C. 5-14-1.5-5

0165.5	Series of Meetings (Gatherings)

	Members of the Board may not participate in a series of meetings (gatherings) if the series consists of at least two (2) gatherings and the series of gatherings meets all of the following criteria:

	A.	one (1) of the gatherings is attended by at least three (3) Board members but less than a quorum and the other gathering includes at least two (2) Board members

	B.	the sum of the number of different members attending any of the gatherings at least equals a quorum of the Board

	C.	all gatherings concern the same subject matter and are held within a period of not more than seven (7) consecutive days

	D.	the gatherings are held to take official action on public business

	A Board member attends a gathering if the member is present at the gathering in person or if the member participates in the gathering by telephone or other electronic means, excluding electronic mail.

	I.C. 5-14-1.5-3.1

	Adopted 1/28/08

0166	Agenda

	The Superintendent shall prepare and submit to each Board member a written agenda prior to each regular meeting and each special meeting, unless otherwise directed by the Board. The agenda shall list the various matters to come before the Board and shall serve as a guide for the order of procedure for the meeting.

	Each agenda shall contain the following statement:

			"This meeting is a meeting of the School Board in public for the purpose of conducting the School Corporation's business and is not to be considered a public community meeting. There will be time for public participation as indicated by agenda item #3."

	The agenda of the regular meeting and/or special meetings shall be accompanied by a report from the Superintendent on information relating to the Corporation with such recommendations as s/he shall make.

	The agenda of each regular meeting shall be mailed or delivered to each Board member so as to provide proper time for the member to study the agenda. Generally the agenda should be mailed no later than two (2) days prior to the meeting, or delivered so as to provide time for the member to study the agenda. The agenda for a special meeting shall be delivered at least two (2) days before the meeting, consistent with the provisions calling for the special meeting.

		Prior to the meeting, a copy of the agenda shall be posted at the entrance to the meeting location.

		The Board shall transact business according to the agenda prepared by the Superintendent and submitted to all Board members in advance of the meeting. The order of business may be altered and items added at any meeting by a majority vote of the members present.

		I.C. 5-14-1.5-4

		Revised 3/02

0166.1		Consent Agenda

		The School Board shall use a consent agenda to keep routine matters within a reasonable time frame.

		The following routine business items may be included in a single resolution for consideration by the Board.

	A.		minutes of prior meetings

	B.		bills for payment

	C.		hiring of personnel

	D.		resolutions that require annual adoption, such as bank signatories, Indiana High School Athletic Association membership, etc.

	E.		resignations and leaves

	F.		conference leaves

	A member of the Board may request any item to be removed from the consent resolution and defer it for a specific action and more discussion. No vote of the Board will be required to remove an item from the consent agenda. A single member's request shall cause it to be relocated as an action item eligible for discussion. Any item on the consent agenda may be removed and discussed as a nonaction item or be deferred for further study and discussion at a subsequent Board meeting if the Superintendent or any Board member thinks the item requires further discussion.

	Revised 3/02

0166.2	Agenda Preparation and Dissemination

	The Superintendent, in consultation with the Board president, will prepare Agendas for meetings of the Board.

	Requests for items to be included on the Agenda should be forwarded to the Superintendent or Board president at least six (6) days prior to the meeting at which it is requested that it be considered. The person requesting the item should forward any background information by noon on Wednesday preceding the Board meeting. This material will be included in the Board delivery made prior to the meeting.

	Not less than twenty-four (24) hours prior to each meeting, the Superintendent will supply to each Board member a copy of the agenda, with such related briefing materials, papers, and proposals as will assist the Board member in preparing for orderly and informal participation in the meeting. In cases of an emergency or in the event of late-developing items, the Superintendent may add items to the agenda.

	Copies of the agenda will be available to the public at the District office prior to the meeting.

0167	Conduct

0167.1	Voting

	All regular and those special meetings of the Board at which the Board is authorized to perform business shall be conducted in public. No action shall be valid unless approved at a meeting of the Board by a majority vote of the members of the Board and a proper record made of the vote. All Board members must be physically present in order to have their vote officially recorded.

	A Board member who is not physically present at a meeting of the Board, but who communicates with members of the Board during the meeting by telephone, computer, videoconferencing, or any other electronic means of communication, may not participate in final action taken at the meeting and may not be considered to be present at the meeting.

	The minutes of a meeting must indicate that a member participated by using a means of communication noted above. The minutes must also state each member who was physically present, each member who participated by using electronic means of communication, and each member who was absent.

	Abstentions shall not be counted as votes, but shall be recorded and are deemed to acquiesce in the outcome of the vote. In the case of a tie vote in which an abstention is involved, the motion shall fail for lack of a majority.

		All actions requiring a vote may be conducted by voice, show of hands, or roll call provided that the vote of each member be recorded. Proxy voting shall not be permitted. Any member may request that the Board be polled.

		I.C. 5-10.2-2-16
		I.C. 5-14-1.5

		Revised 3/02
		Revised 2/24/03
		Revised 1/28/08

0167.2		Executive Session

		The Board may meet in an executive session, one closed to the public after giving proper notice, for the following purposes:

	A.		where authorized by Federal or State statute.

	B.		discussion of strategy with respect to collective bargaining, initiation of litigation, litigation which is pending or has been threatened in writing, implementation of security systems, purchase or lease of real property, providing the strategy is for bargaining or competitive reasons

	C.		for discussion of the assessment, design, and/or implementation of school safety and security measures, plans, and systems

	D.		to receive information about, and interview, prospective employees

	E.		with respect to any individual over whom the Board has jurisdiction, receive information concerning the individual�s alleged misconduct, and to discuss, prior to determination, that individual�s status as an employee, student, or independent contract who is a physician or a school bus driver

	F.		discussion of records classified as confidential by Federal or State statute

	G.		discussion, before any placement decision, of an individual student's abilities, past performance, behavior, and needs

	H.		discussion of an employee's job performance evaluation

	I.		when considering the appointment of a public official, develop a list of prospective appointees, consider applications and make one (1) initial exclusion of prospective appointees from further consideration

	J.		training of Board members by an outside consultant on performance of their role as public officials and/or discussion with or between county officials, Board members, and an outside consultant concerning the performance of Board members

		In keeping with the confidential nature of executive sessions, no member of the Board shall disclose the content of discussions that take place during such sessions.

		I.C. 5-14-1.5-5/6, 5-14-1.5-6.1

0167.3		Public Participation at Board Meetings

		The School Board recognizes the value of public comment on educational issues and the importance of allowing members of the public to express themselves on Corporation matters.

		Any person or group wishing to place an item on the agenda shall register their intent with the Superintendent no later than four (4) days prior to the meeting and include:

	A.		name and address of the participant;

	B.		group affiliation, if and when appropriate;

	C.		topic to be addressed.

		Such requests shall be approved by the Superintendent and the Board President.

		To permit fair and orderly public expression, the Board shall provide a period for public participation at every regular meeting of the Board and publish procedures to govern such participation in Board meetings.

	The presiding officer of each Board meeting at which public participation is permitted shall administer the procedures of the Board for its conduct.

	The presiding officer shall be guided by the following rules:

A.		Public participation shall be permitted as indicated on the order of business.

B.		Anyone having a legitimate interest in the actions of the Board may participate during the public portion of a meeting.

C.		Participants must be recognized by the presiding officer and will be requested to preface their comments by an announcement of their name, address, and group affiliation, if and when appropriate.

D.		Each statement made by a participant shall be limited to five (5) minutes duration.

E.		No participant may speak more than once on the same topic unless all others who wish to speak on that topic have been heard.

G.		The presiding officer may:

		1.	interrupt, warn, or terminate a person's statement when the statement is too lengthy, personally directed, abusive, obscene, or irrelevant;

		2.	request any individual to leave the meeting when that person does not observe reasonable decorum;

		3.	request the assistance of law enforcement officers in the removal of a disorderly person when that person's conduct interferes with the orderly progress of the meeting;

		4.	call for a recess or an adjournment to another time when the lack of public decorum so interferes with the orderly conduct of the meeting as to warrant such action;

		5.	waive these rules with the approval of the Board when necessary for the protection of privacy or the administration of the Board's business.

H.		The portion of the meeting during which the participation of the public is invited shall be limited to thirty (30) minutes, unless extended by a vote of the Board.

I.		Tape or video recordings are permitted. The person operating the recorder should contact the Superintendent prior to the Board meeting to review possible placement of the equipment, and agrees to abide by the following conditions:

		1.	No obstructions are created between the Board and the audience.

		2.	No interviews are conducted during the Board meeting.

		3.	No commentary is made that would distract either the Board or members of the audience.

J.		Complaints Regarding Individual Employees

		Oral complaints regarding individual employees of the Wa-Nee Community Schools will not be permitted at a School Board meeting. Such complaints may be presented in writing to the Board at the meeting and must contain the signature(s) of the complaint(s). An Executive Session may be called to discuss such matters.

	I.C. 5-14-1.5-1

	Revised 3/02
	Revised 1/26/04

0167.4		Adjournment

		The Board may at any time recess or adjourn to an adjourned meeting at a time, date, and place announced before the adjournment takes place. The adjourned meeting shall take up its business at the point in the agenda where the motion to adjourn was acted upon. However, a meeting may not be recessed or adjourned for the purpose of conducting an executive session.

		Revised 3/02

0167.5		Use of Electronic Mail

		Since E-mail is a form of communication that could conflict with the Open Door Law, it will be used to conduct business of the Board only for the purposes of communicating:

	A.		messages between Board members or between a Board member and employee(s) which do not involve deliberating or rendering a decision on matters pending before the Board;

	B.		possible agenda items between the Superintendent and the Board President;

	C.		times, dates, and places of regular or special Board meetings;

	D.		a Board meeting agenda or public record information concerning items on the agenda;

	E.		requests for public record information from a member of the administration, school staff, or community pertaining to Corporation operations;

	F.		responses to questions posed by members of the public, administrators, or school staff.

		Under no circumstances shall Board members use E-mail to discuss among themselves Board business that is only to be discussed in an open meeting of the Board, is part of an executive session, or could be considered an invasion of privacy if the message were to be monitored by another party.

	There should be no expectation of privacy for any messages sent by E-mail. Messages that have been deleted may still be accessible on the hard drive, if the space has not been occupied by other messages. Messages, deleted or otherwise, may be subject to disclosure under the Public Records Act, unless an exemption would apply.

	Adopted 3/02

0168	Minutes

0168.1	Open Meeting

	The Board shall designate a person to keep minutes of each meeting showing the date, time, place, any decisions made at a meeting open to the public, and the purpose or purposes for which a closed session is called. The minutes shall also state the name of each member who was physically present at the meeting, was not present at the meeting but participated by using a form of communication described in Bylaw 0167.1, or was absent. These minutes must be approved by the Board and endorsed by the Secretary at the next meeting. The minutes shall include all votes taken at the meeting. Proposed minutes shall be available for public inspection within a reasonable period of time after the meeting to which the minutes refer. Approved minutes shall be available for public inspection not later than five (5) business days after the meeting at which the minutes are approved. The minutes shall be available for inspection at the Superintendent's office and shall be available for purchase at a fee estimated by the business office to cover the cost of printing and copying.

	The official minutes shall be bound together by years and kept in the office of the School Board.

	Minutes of the preceding meetings shall be approved by the Board as its first order of business at regular meetings.

	The minutes shall show the general substance of all matters proposed, discussed, or decided and a record of all votes taken, by individual, if there is a roll call.

	I.C. 5-14-1.5-4

0168.2	Executive Session

	The minutes of an executive session shall show the date, time, and place of the session; the members either present or absent; and the identification of the subject matter considered by specific reference to the enumerated instance(s) for which public notice was given. The Board shall certify in the minutes that it discussed no subject matter in the executive session other than the subject matter specified in the public notice.