Otsego Local School District
Bylaws & Policies
 

0120 - POWERS AND ETHICS

0121

Authority
 
 

The supervision of the public schools of this District shall be conducted by the Board of Education, hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "Board", which is constituted and governed by Code Title 33 of the Revised Code of the State of Ohio.
 

0122

Board Powers
 
 

The Board of Education shall be a body politic and corporate, and, as such, capable of suing and being sued; contracting and being contracted with; acquiring, holding, possessing, and disposing of real and personal property; taking and holding in trust for the use and benefit of the District, any grant or devise of land and any donation or bequest of money or other personal property. R.C. 3313.17
 
 

The power of this Board consists of those matters expressly granted by statute and to those matters which may be necessarily implied from such powers specifically delegated as being necessary to carry them out.
 
 

The Board of Education shall have the management and control of all the public schools in the District and the employees, students, and all other persons entering upon its school grounds or premises. R.C. 3313.20, 3313.47
 

0122.1

Member Powers
 
 

Board members as individuals do not separately possess the powers that reside in the Board of Education, except when and as expressly authorized by law or this Board but no Board member shall be denied facts or materials required for the proper performance of his/her duties to which s/he is legally entitled.
 
 

If in the opinion of the Superintendent a Board member's request(s) for facts and information is administratively unreasonable, s/he may withhold said facts or material until a ruling is made by the Board.
 

0123

Code of Ethics/Code of Conduct
 
 

The Board of Education believes quality public education and good Board service should be conducted in an ethical manner with traditional principles such as honesty, trust, fairness, and integrity. Each Board member should conform his/her conduct to Ohio law, the code of ethics recommended by the Ohio School Boards Association and the code of conduct set forth below as adopted from the National School Boards Association publication Becoming a Better Board Member.
 
 

While serving as a member of the Board of Education, each member is expected to agree to abide by the following code of ethics promulgated by the Ohio School Boards Association:
 
 

A.

remember that my first and greatest concern must be the educational welfare of all students attending the public schools;
 
 

B.

obey the laws of Ohio and the United States;
 
 

C.

respect the confidentiality of privileged information;
 
 

D.

recognize that as an individual Board member I have no authority to speak or act for the Board;
 
 

E.

work with other members to establish effective Board policies;
 
 

F.

delegate authority for the administration of the schools to the Superintendent and staff;
 
 

G.

encourage ongoing communications among Board members, the Board, students, staff, and the community;
     
 

H.

render all decisions based on the available facts and my independent judgment rather than succumbing to the influence of individuals or special interest groups;
 
 

I.

make every effort to attend all Board meetings;
 
 

J.

become informed concerning the issues to be considered at each meeting;
 
 

K.

improve my boardmanship by studying educational issues and by participating in in-service programs;
 
 

L.

support the employment of staff members based on qualifications and not as a result of influence;
 
 

M.

cooperate with other Board members and administrators to establish a system of regular and impartial evaluations of all staff;
 
 

N.

avoid conflicts of interest or the appearance thereof;
 
 

O.

refrain from using my Board position for benefit of myself, family members, or business associates;
 
 

P.

express my personal opinions but, once the Board has acted, accept the will of the majority.
 
 

In addition, the Board of Education believes that each member should agree to work cooperatively and effectively with others and conform his/her behavior to the following code of conduct by collectively and individually agreeing to:
 
 

A.

abide by the code of ethics promulgated by the Ohio School Boards Association;
 
 

B.

act as an advocate for the Schools and for children;
 
 

C.

set high expectations for the work of the Board;
 
 

D.

keep the Board’s primary focus on the best interests of students;
     
 

E.

strive sincerely to build better relationships with one another and the Superintendent;
 
 

F.

set clear goals for the Superintendent;
 
 

G.

support the Superintendent and help him/her to be as effective as possible;
 
 

H.

prepare carefully before each meeting so that when each Board member has the floor, s/he can make comments that are concise, organized, and clear;
 
 

I.

vote his/her individual convictions based on the available facts and his/her independent judgment and refrain from surrendering his/her judgment to particular individuals or groups;
 
 

J.

devote sufficient time, thought, and study to proposed actions;
 
 

K.

become well versed in parliamentary procedure;
 
 

L.

listen carefully and with courtesy when other people have the floor and are speaking during Board meetings;
 
 

M.

refuse to become involved with micromanagement;
 
 

N.

emphasize planning, policymaking, and public relations rather than becoming involved in management of the schools;
 
 

O.

establish clear goals for the District and ensure that the community is aware of these goals;
 
 

P.

keep abreast of current educational issues within the District, throughout the State, and across the nation;
 
 

Q.

establish fair and equitable terms and conditions of employment and evaluation of all staff; and
 
 

R.

select sound instructional strategies and materials and submit them to regular and impartial evaluations.

© Neola 2007