Board Officers and Duties

Policy No. 1220  

Board of Directors  

Montesano School District No. 66  

Board Officers and Duties of Board Members  

Chair  

The chair presides at all meetings of the board and signs all papers and documents as required by  law or as authorized by action of the board. The chair conducts the meetings in the manner  prescribed by the board’s policies. The chair has the full right to participate in all aspects of  board action without relinquishing the chair, including the right to vote on all matters put to a  vote.  

It is the responsibility of the board chair to manage the board’s deliberation so that it will be  clear, concise, and directed to the issue at hand; to summarize discussion and/or action before  moving on to the next agenda item; and to generally manage the meeting so that the agenda is  treated in an expeditious manner.  

The chair will be the official recipient of correspondence directed to the board and will provide,  or cause to be provided to other board members and the superintendent, copies of the  correspondence received on behalf of the board.  

The chair is authorized to consult with the superintendent on issues such as board meeting,  study session and board retreat planning prior to presentation to the full board and perform tasks  to facilitate board meetings.  

In dealing with the media and the public in general, the chair or his/her designee will serve as the  spokesperson of the board. The chair is authorized to report and discuss those actions which  have been taken and those decisions made by the board as a body. The chair will avoid  speculating upon actions or decisions which the board may take but has not yet taken.  

Officers of the Board: Vice Chair  

The vice chair will preside at board meetings in the absence of the chair and will perform all of  the duties of the chair in case of his/her absence or disability.  

Legislative Representative  

A legislative representative serves as the board’s liaison with the Washington State School  Directors’ Association Legislative Assembly. The legislative representative will assume office  July 1st in an even year for a two-year period. The legislative representative will attend  Washington State School Directors’ Association Assemblies, conveying local views and  concerns to that body and participating in the formulation of state legislative programs. The  legislative representative will monitor proposed school legislation and inform the board of the  issues.  

Duties of Individual Board Members  

The authority of individual board members is limited to participating in actions taken by the  board as a whole when legally in session. Board members will not assume responsibilities of  administrators or other staff members. The board or staff will not be bound in any way by any  action taken or statement made by any individual board member except when such statement or  action is pursuant to specific instructions and official action taken by the board.  

Each board member will review the agenda and any study materials distributed prior to the  meeting and be prepared to participate in the discussion and decision-making for each agenda  item.

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Policy No. 1220  

Board of Directors  

Each member is obligated to attend board meetings regularly. Whenever possible, each director  will give advance notice to the president or superintendent of his/her inability to attend a board  meeting. A majority of the board may excuse a director’s absence from a meeting if requested to  do so. The board may declare a board member’s position vacant after four consecutive  unexcused absences from regular board meetings.  

Cross References: Board Policy 1450 Absence of a Board Member  

Legal References: RCW 28A.330.030 Duties of president  RCW 28A.330.040 Duties of vice-president  

RCW 28A.330.080 Payment of Claims — Signing of  

warrants  

RCW 28A.330.100 Additional powers of the board  

RCW 28A.330.200 Organization of the board —  

Assumption of superintendent’s  

duties by board member, when  

RCW 28A.343.390 Directors — Quorum — Failure to  

attend meetings  

Management Resources:  

Policy News, December 2007 Role of the School Board President  

School District Name: Montesano  

Revised: 04.97; 12.07; 12.11  

Classification: Discretionary

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