BHC - Board Relationships and Communications with Staff

BHC - BOARD RELATIONSHIPS AND COMMUNICATIONS WITH STAFF

A clear understanding of responsibilities and relationships between and among the Board and school personnel is essential for a smoothly running and efficient school system. It should be remembered that the Board, school administrators, teachers, and all others responsible for any phase of the work of the school system have a common and basic responsibility—the welfare of the children in the schools. This responsibility must guide all of the Board’s considerations and decisions.

RELATIONSHIPS 

Board and Superintendent

The relationship of the Board and the Superintendent can best be described as one of teamwork. They must function cooperatively as some of their functions are not readily separable. However, the primary functions are separable and should be clearly understood by each. The Board is the governing body of the school unit and has the responsibility for adopting policies and providing for the care and management of the schools.

The Superintendent is the ex officio secretary of the Board and the chief administrative officer. The Superintendent is responsible for the day to day administration of the school unit and for ensuring that the operations of the school unit conform to Board policies and applicable law. The Board recognizes this and wishes to make this clear to all staff members and to all citizens.

All communications or reports to the Board, or to any committee of the Board, from school principals, supervisors, teachers, or other employees shall be submitted through the Superintendent.

Board and Principal

The School Principal has no direct administrative relations with the Board. Their relations to the Board are through the Superintendent, for the Board recognizes that the Superintendent is the person to whom it must look for professional leadership within the schools. A spirit of cooperation and mutual helpfulness must prevail between the Superintendent and the Principal if the best results are to be realized. For instance, the Principal and the Superintendent must cooperate in the selection of school staff because the Principal is in the best position to know the kind of person needed for a particular type of service in the school. However, the Principal must make recommendations to the Superintendent and not to the Board. 

At all times the Principal must remember that all matters which require Board action must be presented to the Board by the Superintendent.

Board and Teachers and other School Employees

The relationship of the teacher to the Board is indirect. The teacher is directly responsible to the Principal/Assistant Principal and through the Principal/Assistant Principal to the Superintendent, and then to the Board. 

Other school employees, depending on their position, are directly responsible to the Principal/Assistant Principal or to the supervisor to whom the employee reports, and through the Principal or supervisor to the Superintendent, and then to the Board. 

Direct access between employees and the Board may be obtained through channels established for grievances or through applicable Board policies.

BOARD COMMUNICATIONS WITH STAFF

The Board will communicate regularly with school staff on matters of current interest and importance to the school community at such times and through such methods as the Board deems appropriate.

Individual employees and employee organizations are expected to utilize communication channels established through Board policies, administrative procedures, and collective bargaining agreements and not to circumvent the chain of command and their direct supervisors.

Communications with staff are the responsibility of the Board as a whole. Individual board members should refrain from initiating communications or conversations with staff members regarding district-related or board-related matters on their own. Individual board members who have children in our schools may engage with staff members, as parents, in matters pertaining to their children.

Legal Reference:

20-A MRSA §§ 1(28); 1001(21); 1051; 13201-13202

Cross Reference:

BEDH – Public Participation in Board Meetings

KE – Public Concerns and Complaints

Policy Adopted: February 28, 2024