School District Of Westfield
Bylaws & Policies
 

0140 - MEMBERSHIP

0141

Number
 
 

The Board of Education shall consist of seven (7) members.
 

0142

Election/Appointment
 

0142.1

Electoral Process
 
 

The control of the School District of Westfield is placed in the hands of the Board of Education members who are elected in accordance to area representation by the legal voters of the District.
 
 

The members of the Board of Education are elected at the spring election following the procedures as outlined for such election by the Wisconsin State Statutes, 120.06.
 
 

The Board shall be composed of seven members with a President, Vice-President, Clerk, Treasurer and three (3) members.
 
 

Area representation shall govern election of the Board of Education membership as outlined at the August 1996 Annual Meeting as per the approved amended petition:
 
 

A.

One (1) member from the Village of Oxford, Township of Oxford, and part of the Township of Jackson.
 
 

B.

One (1) member from the Village of Coloma., Township of Coloma, and part of the Townships of Richford, Richfield, and Colburn.
 
 

C.

One (1) member from the Village of Neshkoro, part of the Townships of Neshkoro, Marion, and Dakota.
 
 

D.

One (1) member from the Village of Westfield, and the Townships of Westfield.
 

E.

One (1) member from the Township of Springfield, and part of the Townships of New Chester, and New Haven.
 
 

F.

One (1) member from the Township of Harris, and part of the Townships of Packwaukee, and Douglas.
 
 

G.

One (1) member from the Township of Newton, and the Township of Crystal Lake.
 
 

Elections to the Board of Education are normally for a three-year term. In the event of a vacancy on the Board of Education between annual elections, the remaining members of the Board may make an interim appointment to the Board, until the electors can fill the unexpired term by the election process at the next spring election.
 
 

The Board clerk will keep track of the election schedule.
 
 

Declaration of Candidacy
 
 

If an incumbent fails to file a Declaration of Candidacy and nomination papers by the 5:00 P.M. deadline on the first Tuesday in January, candidates may file a declaration of candidacy and nomination papers within seventy-two (72) hours of the Tuesday deadline.
 
 

Declaration of Non-Candidacy
 
 

If an incumbent files a Declaration of Non-Candidacy no later than 5:00 P.M. on the 2nd Friday preceding the Tuesday deadline, there is no extension of the Tuesday deadline.
 
 

When the first Tuesday in January is a holiday the deadline becomes 5:00 P.M. the next day.
 
 

120.06 (6)(b), Wis. Stats.

0142.2

Qualifications
 
 

A school elector in the School District is eligible to be a Board member.
 
 

120.06(2), Wis. Stats.
 

0142.3

Term
 
 

The term of each Board member shall be three (3) years commencing on the 4th Monday in April and shall continue until a successor is elected and qualified or until a vacancy occurs.
 
 

120.06(4,) Wis. Stats.
 

0142.4

Oath
 
 

Each newly-elected Board member shall file the oath of office with the Clerk and shall take an oral oath of office administered by the Clerk.
 
 

120.06 (10), Wis. Stats.
 

0142.5

Vacancies
 
 

The office of a Board member shall become vacant immediately upon the occurrence of any one (1) of the following events:
 
 

A.

the death of the incumbent, or the incumbent's being found mentally incompetent by the proper court
 
 

B.

the incumbent's resignation
 
 

C.

the incumbent's removal from office
 
 

D.

the incumbent's conviction of a felony or imprisonment for one or more years
 

E.

the incumbent's election or appointment being declared void by a competent tribunal
 
 

F.

the incumbent's neglect or failure to file the oath of office or to give or renew an official bond, if required
 
 

G.

the incumbent's ceasing to possess the legal qualifications for holding office
 
 

H.

the incumbent moving his/her residence out of the District
 
 

I.

The incumbent is absent from the territory of the District for a period of sixty (60) continuous days, unless such absence is due to active duty in the armed forces, in which case the vacancy shall be temporary for the remainder of the term or until the incumbent returns and files a notice of this/her intent to return to his/her unexpired term.
 
 

A vacancy shall be filled by the remaining members of the Board in accordance with 17.26.
 
 

17.03 et seq., Wis. Stats.
 
 

Filling a Board Vacancy
 
 

The vacancy shall be filled by the Board using the following procedure:

 
 

A.

Appointment by the Board to fill a vacancy shall be by the majority vote of the existing Board. All votes shall be recorded, preserved and open to public inspection to the extent prescribed in Wis. Stat. Chapter 19. Secret ballots may only be used when Board members are electing officers.
 
 

B.

The Board may interview all interested candidates to ascertain their qualifications.
 

C.

Appointment by the Board to fill a vacancy shall be by a majority vote of the existing Board. If the vacancy is not filled within sixty (60) days of the date on which the vacancy first exists, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment of the Board President.
 
 

Revised 6/15/16
 

0142.6

Recall
 
 

Any member of the Board may be recalled pursuant to Chapter 9.10, Wis. Stats.
 

0142.7

Orientation
 
 

The Board believes that the preparation of each Board member for the performance of Board duties is essential to the effective functioning of the Board. The Board shall encourage each new Board member to understand the functions of the Board, acquire knowledge of matters related to the operation of the District, and learn Board procedures. Accordingly, the Board shall give to each new Board member no later than his/her first regular meeting as a Board member for his/her use and possession during the term on the Board the current budget statement and related fiscal materials.
 
 

The Board will provide and maintain a library of publications and reference materials for the use of Board members.
 
 

Each new Board member shall be invited to meet with the Board President, the District Administrator and/or the Business Manager to discuss Board functions, policies, and procedures.
 
 

The Board shall encourage the attendance of each new Board member at orientation and training meetings.

0143

Authority
 
 

Individual members of the Board do not possess the powers that reside in the Board of Education. The Board speaks through its minutes and not through its individual members. An act of the Board shall not be valid unless approved at an official meeting by at least a majority vote of the members present or as otherwise may be required by law.
 
 

No member of the Board shall be denied documents or information to which s/he is legally entitled and which are required in the performance of his/her duties as a Board member.
 

0143.1

Public Expression of Board Members
 
 

The Board President functions as the official spokesperson for the Board.
 
 

From time-to-time, however, individual Board members make public statements on school matters:
 
 

A.

to local media;
 
 

B.

on social media;
 
 

C.

to local officials and/or State officials.
 

Sometimes the public statements by Board members imply, or the readers (listeners) infer, that the opinions expressed or statements made are the official positions of the Board. The misunderstandings that can result from these incidents may cause issues for the member the Board, as well as the District. Therefore, Board members should, when writing or speaking on school matters on social media, to the media, legislators, and other officials, make it clear that their views do not necessarily reflect the views of the Board or of their colleagues on the Board.
 
 

A.

This bylaw shall apply to all statements and/or writings by individual Board members not explicitly sanctioned by a majority of its members, except as follows:
 
 

1.

correspondence, such as legislative proposals, when the Board member has received official guidance from the Board on the matters discussed in the letter
 
 

2.

routine, not for publication, correspondence of the District Administrator and other Board employees
 
 

3.

routine "thank you" letters of the Board
 
 

4.

statements by Board members on nonschool matters (providing the statements do not identify the author as a member of the Board)
 
 

5.

personal statements not intended for publication
 
 

B.

Copies of this bylaw shall be sent annually to local media by the Board President.
 
 

Revised 4/19/17

0144

Operations
 

0144.1

Compensation
 
 

Members of the Board of Education shall be remunerated for their services as directed by the electors at the Annual School District Meeting, such remuneration to be consistent with the Wisconsin State Statutes. As presently directed, such compensation is as follows:
 
 

President of the Board

$83.33 for each regular monthly meeting
   

attended
 
 

Clerk of the Board

$81.25 for each regular monthly meeting
   

attended
 
 

Treasurer of the Board

$79.17 for each regular monthly meeting
   

attended
 
 

Other Board Directors

$75.00 for each regular monthly meeting
   

attended
 
 

For all special meetings for the Board of Education, including committee meetings, payment shall be $45.00 per meeting, per member in attendance.
 
 

Mileage to and from meetings shall be reimbursed at the rate determined at the annual meeting. Other expenses incurred by Board of Education members in the discharge of such Board duties shall be reimbursed at actual costs incurred.
 
 

Payments to members of the Board of Education are normally made annually, in June, prior to the official closing of the school district books and accounts. Such payments can be made at other intervals at the discretion of the Board of Education.
 
 

Revised 8/18/14
 

Revised 1/27/16
 

Revised 8/18/14

0144.2

Board Member Ethics
 
 

As members of the Board of Education, Board members will strive to improve public education and to that end they will:
 
 

A.

attend all regularly scheduled Board meetings insofar as possible, and become informed concerning the issues to be considered at those meetings;
 
 

B.

recognize that they should endeavor to make policy decisions only after full discussion at publicly held Board meetings;
 
 

C.

render all decisions based on the available facts and independent judgment, and refuse to surrender that judgment to individuals or special interest groups;
 
 

D.

encourage the free expression of opinion by all Board members, and seek systematic communications between the Board and students, staff, and all elements of the community;
 
 

E.

work with the other Board members to establish effective Board policies and to delegate authority for the administration of the District to the District Administrator;
 
 

F.

communicate to other Board members and the District Administrator expressions of public reaction to Board policies and school programs;
 
 

G.

inform themselves about current educational issues by individual study and through participation in programs providing needed information, such as those sponsored by the State and National School Boards Associations;
 

H.

support the employment of those persons best qualified to serve as school staff, and insist on a regular and impartial evaluation of all staff;
 
 

I.

avoid being placed in a position of conflict of interest, and refrain from using their Board positions for personal partisan gain;
 
 

J.

take no private action that will compromise the Board or administration, and respect the confidentiality of information that is privileged under applicable law;
 
 

K.

remember always that their first and greatest concern must be for the educational welfare of the students attending the public schools.
 
 

Source: Board of Directors, National School Boards Association.
 

0144.3

Conflict of Interest
 
 

Board members shall perform their official duties in a manner free from conflict of interest pursuant to 19.59, Wis. Stats. To this end:
 
 

A.

no Board member shall use his/her position as a Board member to obtain financial gain for himself/herself, immediate family, or any organization with which s/he is associated;
 
 

B.

no Board member shall engage in or have a financial interest, directly or indirectly, in any activity that conflicts or raises a reasonable question of conflict with his/her duties and responsibilities in the school system and as a public officer;
 

C.

when a member of the Board determines that the possibility of a personal interest conflict exists, s/he should, prior to the matter being considered, disclose his/her interest (such disclosure shall become a matter of record in the minutes of the Board), and thereafter shall abstain from participation in both the discussion of the matter and the vote thereon. In the event that the potential conflict involves a program or activity in whole or in part financed through Federal grant funds, the potential conflict of interest must be disclosed to the Federal granting agency consistent with the requirements of the particular granting agency.
 
 

Board Members shall also perform their duties in a manner that does not violate criminal conflict of interest laws pursuant to 946.13, Wis. Stats., by having a private interest in a contract with the District in an amount that exceeds $15,000 annually.
 
 

Revised 4/16/14
 

Revised 6/15/16
 

0144.4

Indemnification
 
 

The Board may hold harmless, indemnify, pay, settle, or compromise a judgment against a Board member to the extent allowed under the law.
 

0145

Sexual and Other Forms of Harassment
 
 

The Board of Education believes that sexual or other forms of offensive speech and conduct are wholly inappropriate to the harmonious relationships necessary to the operation of the District and intolerable in an environment in which students and staff members of this District function.
 

Sexual harassment includes all unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and verbal or physical contacts of a sexual nature whenever submission to such conduct is made a condition of employment or a basis for an employment decision, or when such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment. Other forms of harassment include verbal or non-verbal expression related to race, gender, age, religion, disability, pregnancy, or sexual orientation.
 
 

Substantial interference with a person/employee's work performance or creation of an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment is established when the conduct is such that a reasonable person under the same circumstances as the person/employee would consider the conduct sufficiently severe or pervasive so as to interfere substantially with the person's work performance or create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment. 111.36(1) Wis. Stats.
 
 

The harassment of a District staff member student or another Board Member by a member of the Board is strictly forbidden. Any member who is found to have harassed a member of the staff or a student, or another Board member will be subject to discipline by the Board and may be reported to law enforcement authorities.
 
 

118.13, 120.13(1) 111.32(13) Wis. Stats.
 

P.I. 9, Wis. Adm. Code
 

Title IX Education Amendments of 1972, Chapter 227
 
 

Revised 1/27/16

© Neola 2016