Category: Governance (GP100 – GP199)

Effective: 10/27/2015
Revision:
Reviewed: 5/14/2024

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The Board requires an attorney who is guided primarily by the Board’s policies and philosophies; one who seeks to put Board policies and views into effect rather than the potentially differing views of the administration.

1. The Board expects its directions and wishes to be incorporated into administrative action when counsel regularly interacts with the Board and clearly understands their positions and directions to administrative staff.
   1. Board Counsel, like the members of the administration, works for the Board and is accountable to implement the policies and philosophies of the Board.
   2. Board Counsel provides frequent interaction with the Board and receives regular input from the Board so that counsel can better understand the attitudes and concerns of the Board and can efficiently assist in their implementation.
   3. Board Counsel works with administration to avoid courses of action which could be inconsistent with the direction and ideals of the Board.
   4. Board Counsel alerts the Board to potential issues, assesses the Board’s position on issues, and obtains timely clarification regarding Board intentions.
2. Should any Board member express concern about possible legal counsel conflict of interest, that concern may become an immediate item on the next monthly Board agenda, so that any perceived conflict can be resolved and the entire Board can be satisfied with the legal counsel representation.

Effective: 09/25/2012
Revision: 11/26/20
Reviewed: 2/25/2015

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The Second Vice President acts to ensure that accurate Policy Governance records and documents of the Board of Education for Jordan School District are kept.

Accordingly, the Second Vice President shall:

1. Assume the duties of the President in the absence of the President and First Vice President.
2. Ensure that Board policies will be current in their reflection of Board decisions. Policies will rigorously follow Policy Governance principles.
3. Assume such duties as the Board may decide.
4. Gather items for the Board agenda.

• Effective: 9/25/2012
• Revision: 9/23/2014
• Reviewed: 3/31/2015

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Specific responsibilities of the Board of Education, as an informed agent of the people of Jordan School District, are those that ensure appropriate organizational performance.

Accordingly, the Board of Education will:

1. Create the connection between the owners and Jordan School District and retain responsibility for the dissemination of information that is relevant to Jordan School District owners. This includes, but is not limited to:
   1. Annual accountability reports
   2. Monthly financial reports
   3. Annual financial reports
   4. Minutes and audio recording of Board meetings
   5. Posting of public meetings
2. Develop written governing policies that will, at the broadest levels of all organizational decisions and situations, address:
   1. Governance Process: Specification of how the Board of Education conceives, carries out, and monitors its own tasks.
   2. Board/Superintendent Connection: How responsibility is delegated and its proper use monitored, the Superintendent role, and authority and accountability.
   3. Executive Limitations: Constraints on executive authority that establish the boundaries within which all executive activity and decisions must take place.
   4. Ends: Organizational products, impact, benefits, outcomes, recipients, and their relative worth (what good, for which recipients, at what cost).
3. Approve all Jordan School District policies and regulations. Unless otherwise authorized, any waivers of provisions in Jordan School District policies and/or regulations must be approved by the Board of Education.
4. Assure successful Superintendent and Business Administrator performance by monitoring performance on Ends and Executive Limitations.
5. Make decisions related to taxation and new bond issues.
6. Allow the mayor of each of the Cities, or the designee of a given mayor, to attend and participate in Board meetings as is currently provided by UCA 53G-7-208(3)(b).
7. Participate in such additional activities and committees as are necessary to carry out the business of the Board.

Revision history: 9/23/14

Effective: 9/25/2012
Revision: 11/30/2021
Reviewed: 10/10/2023

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The Board shall prepare an agenda for all regular and special Board meetings and ensure that copies are provided as required by the Open Meeting Law. Backup materials sufficient to allow Board members to give their prior consideration to the agenda items shall be provided to the Board members in addition to the agenda. Every Board member has the right to contribute to the agenda.

In preparing the agenda, the following procedures will be followed:

1. Board members shall contact the Board Executive Committee (Board President, First Vice President and Second Vice President) in writing prior to each Board meeting requesting items to be placed on the agenda.
   1. If a Board member wishes to place an item on the agenda, he/she will contact a member of the Executive Committee not less than seven days prior to Board meeting when possible.  If a holiday occurs during this period, the deadline may be adjusted.
   2. Each agenda item request should  include a description, desired outcome statement, Board policy if applicable, and name of the person presenting.
   3. When requesting an agenda item, the Board member will specify the timeframe for when the item needs addressed.
   4. Closed session items may be requested by calling  a member of the Executive Committee.
   5. The Board First Vice President and Second Vice President will forward potential agenda items to the Board President.
2. The Cabinet will submit agenda items to the Superintendent. The Superintendent will submit requested agenda items to the Board President.
3. According to the posting dates of the agenda, the Executive Committee will review all agenda item requests. Every attempt will be made to honor the requests. Time and circumstances may necessitate the postponement of a requested agenda item. Board members and Superintendent will be notified if their agenda item is not included.
   1. The Board President will review all agenda item requests with the Superintendent.
   2. A draft agenda will be prepared and submitted in a timely manner to the Executive Committee for final approval.
   3. When at all possible, items placed on the agenda shall be referenced to a Board policy or appear on the consent agenda.
   4. An item will automatically be placed on the agenda for the next meeting upon written request of three or more Board members.
   5. The Board will have the final say in the event of a dispute.
   6. The approved agenda will be distributed to Board members and posted according to Open Meeting Laws.
4. Addendum usage should be as minimal as possible. Addenda will only be used when the item is operationally necessary as determined by the Superintendent. Addendum items with background reference materials will be distributed electronically to Board members prior to the meeting.

• Effective: 9/25/2012
• Revision: 11/26/20

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Reference: Appendix “Procedures for Election of Board Officers”

The officers of the Board shall be a President, a First Vice President, and a Second Vice President. They shall be elected at the first Board of Education meeting in January from among the Board members.

1. The term of office for all officers shall be two years in accordance with Utah Code 53G-4-201. Board members may be elected to more than one term.
2. Procedure for the Election of Board Officers: The following procedure, utilized one office at a time, will be used for selecting a Board member to serve for each office:
   1. Nominations: Any Board member may nominate for any office, including the nomination of oneself.
      1. Nominations do not need to be seconded.
      2. A motion, a second, and a vote will close nominations.
      3. See Appendix “Procedures for Election of Board Officers” for detailed instructions according to Roberts Rules of Order.
   2. Voting: To be elected to an office, a nominee must receive four affirmative votes.
      1. Voting shall be by raise of hand.
      2. Candidates for an office shall be voted on according to the order of the nominations. The first nominee to receive four votes is elected to the office and the voting ceases for that office.
      3. If no candidate receives a simple majority due to more than two candidates receiving votes, the candidate(s) receiving the lowest number of votes will be given the option to withdraw. Regardless of that candidate’s choice, the Board will move to a run-off vote.
      4. The run-off vote will be only between the two candidates receiving the two lowest numbers of votes. This vote will be by raise of hand. After the run-off vote, a final round of voting will take place, by hand vote, to determine a majority winner. For additional detailed instructions according to Roberts Rules of Order, see the Appendix “Procedures for Election of Board Officers.”
3. If an office becomes vacant for any reason, the office shall be filled by an election for that office by the Board members in the same manner as outlined in the Procedure for Election of Officers. Election shall take place as soon as possible at a meeting following receipt of notice of the vacancy and in accordance with the Open Meeting Law. If the office of the President becomes vacant, the Vice President shall fill the vacancy until the election of a successor.
4. An officer may be removed from office by provisions in Utah Code 53G-4-203.

Revision history: 2/24/15

Effective: 9/25/2012
Revision: 1/28/2014

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The Board will invest in training and preparation to govern with excellence.

Accordingly:

1. Board skills, methods, and supports will be sufficient to assure governing with excellence.
   1. Training and retraining may be used liberally to orient new members and may be offered to candidates, as well as to maintain and increase existing member skills and understanding.
   2. Outside monitoring assistance may be arranged so that the Board can exercise confident control over organizational performance. This includes, but is not limited to, fiscal audits, surveys, or other practices by the Board.
   3. Outreach mechanisms will be used as needed to ensure the Board’s ability to listen to owners’ viewpoints and values.
   4. The cost of governance is not limited to leadership excellence. Good governing requires adequate resources to ensure the desired outcome of Board policies. Resources will be allocated for:
      1. Agenda production
      2. Transcription and production of minutes
      3. Response to constituent concerns
      4. Board communications
      5. Staff training in governance, public engagement, and customer service issues
2. Costs will be incurred prudently, though not at the expense of good governance as follows:
   1. Sufficient resources will be budgeted within the General Fund to conduct Board professional development and supplemented with grants and contributions.
   2. Sufficient funding will be budgeted within the general funds to conduct audits and other third party monitoring or organizational performance.
3. The Board will approve an annual plan derived from the perpetual calendar (see GP102 Board Responsibilities, GP103 Board Members’ Principles of Operation – Conduct and Ethics) and will include a review of the budget to guarantee issues, including an extensive policy review, will be conducted every year following the legislative session to ensure compliance with legislative changes.

Effective: 9/25/2012
Revision: 1/28/2014
Reviewed: 2/24/2015

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To accomplish its job with a governance style consistent with Board policies, the Board of Education will follow an annual agenda, which completes a re-exploration of Ends policies annually, and continually improves Board performance through Board education and enriched input and deliberation.

Accordingly, the Board will:

1. Evaluate and review a perpetual calendar that includes a schedule of monitoring reports, regular board meetings, monthly governance policy reviews, Superintendent and Business Administrator evaluations and reviews, community connection activities, Town Hall meetings, Board assessment, Board and staff training, policy related briefings and analysis, public policy reviews, and other relevant issues. The perpetual calendar will reflect the outline of governance activities. The annual calendar will determine specific information.
2. Finalize its Ends for the following year by the last day of December so that administrative planning and budgeting can take place.
3. Develop the Board’s agenda for the next year by engaging in consultations with selected groups in Jordan School District or other methods of gaining input from the owners of Jordan School District. Governance education and education related to Ends determination, (e.g. presentations by futurists, demographers, advocacy groups, staff, etc.) will be arranged as desired to be held during the balance of the year and continually assessed throughout the year.
4. Attend to consent agenda items as expeditiously as possible.
5. Decide Superintendent and Business Administrator contract modifications only after a review of monitoring reports received in the last year.
6. The Board will conduct a review of Governance Process (GP), Board/Superintendent Connection (B/SC) and Executive Limitations (EL) policies monthly. The reviews will serve two purposes:
   1. To conduct Board assessment by reviewing Board activity and adherence to GP and B/SC policies.
   2. To examine policies for possible revision. The Board President will post the GP, B/SC and EL policies to be reviewed at the respective meetings on the annual calendar.

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Appendix for GP108

• Agenda Planning Schedule (GP108)
• Policy Review Schedule (GP108)

Effective: 09/25/2012
Revision: 1/25/2022

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Board members may represent the Board on committees created by the District or other organizations.

1. The President shall collaborate with Board members to make assignments and submit them to the Board for approval.
2. Appointments to District or community boards/committees must be made according to the bylaws of the committee or board.
3. Individual Board members assigned to committees or other organizations should report to the full Board when items pertaining to the Board or District arise.
4. Board members should speak in harmony with Board policies and practices when representing the Board.
5. Recommendations or proposals from committees can be provided during committee reports or processed as outlined in policy GP109 Construction of the Agenda.
6. Assignments to committees and/or organizations may change as needs arise. See appendix Jordan School District Board of Education Committee Assignments for a list of current committees and assignments.

Revision history: 1/28/2014, 3/31/15, 3/27/18

• Effective: 9/25/2012
• Revision: 11/26/20
• Reviewed: 2/24/2015

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The President assures the integrity of the process of the Board of Education, and when called upon, represents the Board to outside parties.

Accordingly, the President will have the following roles and duties:

1. To ensure that the Board behaves consistently with its own policies and those legitimately imposed upon it from outside the organization, by enforcing that:
   1. Meeting discussion content will be on those issues, which according to Board policy, clearly belong to the Board to decide or to monitor.
   2. Information, which is neither for monitoring performance nor Board decisions, will be avoided or minimized and always noted as information.
   3. Deliberation will be fair, open, thorough, timely, orderly, and specific to the issue.
   4. The Board be in compliance with its own policies on Governance Process and Board/Superintendent Connection, and advising the Board, particularly in the case of Board behavior that is detrimental to the working relationship between the Board and the Superintendent and/or the Business Administrator.
2. To make decisions that fall within topics covered by Board policies on Governance Process and Board/Superintendent Connection with the exception of employment or termination of a Superintendent or Business Administrator, and where the Board specifically delegates portions of this authority to others. The President is authorized to use any reasonable interpretation of the provisions in these policies in acting within the following powers and limitations:
   1. The President is empowered to chair Board of Education meetings with all the commonly accepted responsibility of that position (e.g., ruling, recognizing speakers and following Robert’s Rules of Order.)
   2. The President has no authority to make decisions about policies created by the Board within Ends and Executive Limitations policy areas.
   3. The President has no authority to supervise or direct the Superintendent.
   4. The President, in collaboration with the Second Vice President, is responsible for the creation of the annual policy review calendar, which is to be derived from the Board approved perpetual calendar. The President must present the calendar for Board approval by July 1st.
   5. The President may represent the Board to outside parties in announcing Board-stated positions and in stating chair decisions and interpretations within the area delegated to her/him.
   6. The President may delegate this authority but remains accountable for its use.
   7. The President may call special meetings of the Board of Education:
      1. whenever there is sufficient business to come before the Board; or
      2. upon the written requests of three members of the Board; or
      3. with the concurrence of three members of the Board at a regular meeting and in accordance with the Open Meeting Law.
   8. The President shall sign all papers and documents as required by law or as authorized by action of the Jordan School District Board of Education.
   9. In the absence of the Second Vice President and the First Vice President, the President may appoint another Board member to assume the Second Vice President ’s duties.
3. To ensure the delivery of an annual progress report to the public by the Superintendent as delegated by the Board to include the following items:
   1. Student performance data indicating student progress toward accomplishing the Board’s Ends policies;
   2. Information about District strategies, programs, and operations intended to accomplish the Board’s Ends policies; and
   3. Revenues, expenditures, and costs of major programs and elements of District operation.