Policy 210 — Board Operational Goals

The Board will adopt policies that support the employees and parents in providing quality education. These policies shall bind the actions of the Board, administrative staff, and school personnel until they are amended or rescinded by the Board.

The Board will employ a competent administrative staff including;

(a) A superintendent, who shall be chief executive officer and directly responsible to the Board;

(b) An associate superintendent-business services, who shall be an executive officer responsible to the Board, through the superintendent; and

(c) Other administrative staff as required.

The Board will utilize the experience and knowledge of its professional administrative officers for advice and for the proper conduct of the Board's business. These officers shall attend all regular and special meetings of the Board, as well as committee meetings as may be required by the Board. They shall have direct access to the Board and may make representations to the Board on any aspect of administration for which they are responsible.

Administrative officers shall be responsible for ensuring that the Board is supplied with the information necessary for decision-making and for implementing the Board's decisions.

While the Board is the final authority, within its powers it recognizes that the superintendent must have discretionary powers to deal with individual situations or cases, within the limits established by Board policy. The Board will support the superintendent's actions and will not interfere with or reverse such actions, which are exercised within these discretionary powers, unless it considers these actions to be a misinterpretation or violation of Board policy, or other statute or legislation.

The Board shall, at the annual organizational meeting, elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson, appoint such standing committees and Board representatives to joint committees and outside agencies, as may be required. The chairperson of the Board shall be an ex-officio member of all standing committees.

The purpose of a committee shall be to study matters which fall within the scope of the committee and make recommendations to the Board. While the Board may give certain committees power to act on certain matters, these powers shall not be exercised unless all trustees on the committee are present and in unanimous agreement. Such action(s) taken by the committee shall be ratified by the Board at the next regular meeting. Standing committees shall meet as required or as determined by the Board at the organizational meeting. Committee meetings may be called by the chairperson of the committee.

All matters which are beyond the jurisdiction of the administrative staff and which require investigation or study by the Board shall be referred to the Board or trustees on the appropriate committee for study and recommendation.

The Board encourages all individual employees and/or groups of employees, excepting autonomous organizations such as the Alberta Teachers' Association or unions with which the Board negotiates, to communicate with the Board via the executive officers as required.

(a) All matters respecting curriculum, professional teaching staff, welfare of students, and in general, the entire conduct of the school program, shall come to the Board through the superintendent.

(b) All matters originating from the principals, or through them from the teaching staff, regarding any aspect of the school system, shall be dealt with by the superintendent and passed on to the Board with his/her recommendations.

(c) All matters pertaining to maintenance, teacherages, transportation, and financial operations shall be dealt with through an associate superintendent-business services who will consult with the superintendent before bringing them forward to the Board [regarding recommendations.]

(d) Any individual or group of employees under appropriate circumstances may request to meet directly with the Board.

Individuals or groups, including school councils, may request to be placed on the agenda to explore matters of mutual interest subject to the following requirements:

(a) that a written or verbal request outlining the matters to be discussed is made at least seven days prior to the date of the meeting.

(b) that in the judgment of the superintendent there is time on the agenda. If there is not time, the matter shall be placed on the next regular meeting or if time is of the essence, a special meeting may be considered.

Any petitions to the Board must follow Petitions and Public Notices Regulation (Alberta Regulations 91/2019).

The Board's official policy handbook shall be compiled and kept in the custody of the superintendent. An updated version of the policy handbook shall be maintained on the division website.

School principals and department heads shall receive notification of policy amendments and/or new policies and shall receive copies of the same.

The approval of a policy statement for inclusion in this handbook supersedes any previously adopted policy, guidelines, and procedures relating to the issue covered in the approved policy statement.

The superintendent shall compile and keep current a manual of administrative procedures.