The Board's primary responsibility is to establish educational programs which will produce optimum educational achievement by Meriden students. The Board is charged with meeting this responsibility while also managing wisely the resources available to it. The Board fulfills its primary responsibility by acting as a legislative body to formulate and adopt policy, and by evaluating the results of policy implementation.

In accordance with these principles, the Board shall seek to achieve the following goals:

• to concentrate its effort on its policymaking and planning;
• to formulate policies which best serve the educational interests of each student;
• to provide the Superintendent with sufficient and adequate guidelines for implementing its policies;
• and to maintain effective communication with the public as well as with staff and students in order to be well-informed of prevailing attitudes, opinions and ideas.

1. General Duties

A. The Board of Education is an agent of the State of Connecticut to implement the educational interests of the State, and is the governing body of the Meriden Public Schools, with powers delegated to it pursuant to the General Statutes of the State of Connecticut. The Board of Education represents the residents of the City in carrying out the mandates of the General Statutes pertaining to education.

B. The Board of Education shall determine all questions of general policy to be employed in the conduct of the schools.

C. In determining school policy it shall:

(1) hear and consider facts and recommendations,
(2) adopt a plan, policy or course of action, and
(3) authorize the Superintendent of Schools, its chief executive officer, to carry out its policy.

2. Specific Powers and Duties

The Board of Education shall have authority to take all action necessary or advisable to meet its responsibilities under state statute including but not limited to the following:

A. Create, abolish, modify and maintain such positions, schools, divisions and classifications as may be necessary for the efficient administration of the educational enterprise.

B. To hire a Superintendent of Schools in accordance with state statutes.

C. To consider and adopt an annual budget, prepared by the Superintendent of Schools.

D. To determine the number, classification, duties and remuneration of employees.

E. To establish policies for employment, promotion and dismissal of personnel in accordance with the state statutes.

F. To provide for the appraisal of the efficiency of personnel.

G. To initiate and approve the acquisition and disposition of school sites, to initiate and approve plans for school buildings.

H. To consider any specific recommendations made by the Superintendent of Schools.

I. To keep the citizenry informed of purposes, values, conditions and needs of public education in the City.

J. To consider, revise and adopt any changes in the curriculum.

K. To take any other actions required or permitted by law.

L. To make reasonable provision to implement the educational interests of the State, as defined by law, so that

(1) each child shall have for the period prescribed in the General Statutes equal opportunity to receive a suitable program of educational experiences;

(2) the school district shall finance at a reasonable level an educational program designed to achieve this end;

(3) the school district shall provide educational opportunities for its students to interact with students and teachers from other racial, ethnic and economic backgrounds;

(4) the mandates in the General Statutes pertaining to education within the jurisdiction of the State Board of Education shall be implemented.

3. Authority of Board Members
Because all school board power resides in the Board acting as a body, individual board members exercise authority over school district affairs only when they act as Board members at duly called meetings of the Board or when delegated specific authority by a vote of the Board.

Legal References:
Connecticut General Statutes
     1-200   Definitions (public agency)
     10-4a   Educational interest of the State identified
     10-4b   Failure of local or regional board to implement educational interests
    10-220   Duties of Boards of Education
    10-221   Board of education to prescribe rules
    10-241   Powers of school district

Policy Adopted: April 28, 1981

1.  Elections of the Board

The Board consists of nine members, each serving a four-year term or until a successor is duly elected and qualified, elected at the regular biennial elections of the City. Any person elected to the Board shall be a resident elector of the City of Meriden. Removal of residence from the City shall immediately create a vacancy. Any vacancy occurring on the Board shall be filled by the remaining members of the Board by the appointment of a resident elector selected from the same political party to which the former member belonged to serve until the next biennial election, at which time such vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term. The maximum number who may be members of the same political party shall be six. Members shall, before entering upon their official duties, take the oath of office as provided by statute.

There shall be up to four student representatives to the Board. Such students shall be elected in accordance with the procedures established from each high school (up to two from each). The elected student representatives shall serve as a liaison between the Board and the student body. Student representatives shall have the right to:

• be represented on the Board's agenda; and
• make recommendations for consideration of the Board, and participate in Board discussion.

The elected student representatives shall not be eligible to vote on Board matters, nor shall they be present at executive sessions of the Board.

2.  Qualifications of Board Members

To become a member of the Board, a person must be a United States citizen and a qualified resident elector of the City of Meriden.  Employees of the district are precluded from serving on the Board.

Cross Reference:

Policy 9030 (Resignation of Board Members)

Policy Adopted:  April 28, 1981
Date Amended:  January 15, 2002

If a member decides to terminate service, the Board requires the earliest possible notification of intent to resign so that the Board may plan appropriately for this exigency.

Letters of resignation should be addressed to the President of the Board, and be presented to the Board of Education at a regular meeting.

Policy Adopted:  April 28, 1981

A Board member shall not have any direct pecuniary interest in a contract with the school district, nor shall any labor, equipment, or supplies be furnished directly to the district by a Board member.

In the event a Board member is employed by a corporation or business or has a secondary interest in a corporation or business which furnishes goods or services to the school district, the Board member shall declare that interest and refrain from debating or voting upon the question of contracting with the company.

It is not the intent of this policy to prevent the district from contracting with a corporation or business because a Board member is an employee of the firm. This policy is designed to prevent placing a Board member in a position where an interest in the public schools and an interest in a place of employment (or other indirect interest) might conflict and to avoid appearances of conflict of interest even though such conflict may not exist.

No member of the Board of Education shall be employed by the Board in any position within the school system. If any member of the Board is employed contrary to the provisions of this bylaw, the office to which he or she was elected or appointed shall become vacant.

Date Adopted:  April 28, 1981

1.  Remuneration

A.  A member of the Meriden Board of Education shall receive no compensation for carrying out Board services.

2. Reimbursement

A. Board members authorized to attend educational conferences, meetings or travel on Board business shall be reimbursed, upon submitting vouchers and supporting documentation for reasonable expenditures, transportation costs, and registration fees. If expenses are expected to exceed $250 and/or if lodging is required, Board members must have approval in advance from the Board to be eligible for a reimbursement.

B. Each Board member that receives prior authorization for reimbursement of a Board of Education expense is expected to account for all expenditures incurred in connection with the performance of his/her Board duties.

C. Receipts in general are required for:

(1) Lodging -- Lodging accommodations should provide normal comforts and services well located in relation to the area in which Board business will be conducted.

(2) Meals --Reasonable expenditures are allowed for meals. Board members may submit appropriate explanatory information as needed, on a separate sheet of paper attached to the receipt. The Board will not reimburse Board members for the purchase of alcohol.

(3) Taxi or Bus Fare

(4) Parking Fees or Toll Charges (when applicable)

(5) Registration Fees -- The Board will not pay any late registration fees without an explicit prior authorization.]

Legal Reference

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-225 Salaries of secretary and attendance officers
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-232 Restrictions on employment of members of board of education

Date Adopted: April 28, 1981

The Organizational Meeting shall take place at the first meeting following the first Monday in December succeeding each biennial election.

The senior member of the Board shall serve as temporary President.

The first order of business will be the election of officers for President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. Election shall be made after nominations are duly made and seconded and shall be by ballot. If no objection is raised, the temporary President may direct the clerk to cast one ballot for an unopposed candidate or slate.

The temporary President will adjourn the Organizational Meeting.

The newly elected President will then preside over the regular meeting.

Legal Reference:

Connecticut State Statutes, Section 10-218

Date Adopted:  April 28, 1981

OFFICIAL DUTIES - PRESIDENT

1. The President shall preside at all of the meetings of the Board.

2. The President or his/her designee shall serve as the Board's spokesperson.

3. The President shall appoint the chair and members of all special committees.

4. The President shall appoint all standing committee members, subject to Board approval.

5. The President shall serve as ex officio member on all committees.

6. The President shall act as the Board’s representative for the purposes of consultation with Board legal counsel when appropriate, and may authorize other Board members to consult with Board counsel when appropriate.

7. The President shall perform such other duties as may be delegated to him/her by the Board.

OFFICIAL DUTIES - VICE PRESIDENT

In the absence of the President, the Vice President shall assume and carry out the duties and responsibilities of the President.

OFFICIAL DUTIES - SECRETARY

1. The Secretary of the Board shall keep minutes or cause minutes to be kept of all meetings of the Board, and shall cause copies of such minutes to be forwarded to each member of the Board.

2. In accordance with the General Statutes, the Board Secretary shall cause a copy of the minutes of all Board meetings to be placed on file in the Board Office and posted on the Board’s website, if available, no later than seven (7) days after the date on which the Board shall have met. Such minutes will be available for public inspection, except that such minutes will not be termed "official minutes" until approved by the Board of Education at a duly convened meeting of the Board.

3. The Board Secretary shall also make provision that members of the Board are notified of all regular and special meetings.

4. The Board Secretary shall attend to the official correspondence of the Board.

5. The Board Secretary shall submit to the City at its annual meetings a report of the doings of the Board.

OFFICIAL DUTIES - TREASURER

1. The Treasurer shall keep permanent records subject to public inspection and make an annual report of all such funds at the second regular meeting in December of each year.

2. The Treasurer shall perform such other duties as may be authorized by the Board.

Legal Reference:

Connecticut General Statutes

10-46(d) Regional board of education (required officers).
1-225 Meetings of government agencies to be public. Recording of votes. Schedule and agenda of meetings to be filed. Notice of special
          meetings. Executive sessions.
7-3 Warning of City and other meetings
7-4 Record of warning
10-224 Duties of the Secretary
10-225 Salaries of Secretary and attendance officers

Date Approved:  April 28, 1981

The Board shall designate a Clerk of the Board.  Said Clerk shall attend all regular and special meetings of the Board.  The Clerk’s responsibilities shall be: 1) to take minutes of all business transacted at meetings and preserve a fair copy readily available to all members of the Board; 2) conduct a roll call at all regular and special Board meetings for the purpose of determining whether a quorum exists; and 3) perform such other duties as the Board may designate.

Cross Reference:

Policy 9170 (Minutes)

Date Adopted:  April 28, 1981

The Board believes that the legislation of policies is its most important function and that the execution of the policies should be the function of the Superintendent of Schools. Delegation by the Board of its executive powers to the Superintendent provides freedom for the Superintendent to manage the schools within the Board's policies and frees the Board to devote its time to policy making and appraisal functions.

The Board holds the Superintendent responsible for carrying out its policies within established guidelines and for keeping the Board informed about the operations of the school system. In an effort to keep the Board informed, the Superintendent will notify Board members as promptly as possible of any happenings of an emergency nature which occur in the schools.

Date Adopted:  April 28, 1991

1. The Board shall act as a committee of the whole on all matters coming before it, except that special committees for the consideration or investigation of certain problems, or for the performance of certain Board functions, may be appointed by the President upon approval of the Board.

A. A special committee's only authority is to make recommendations to the Board regarding matters that that have been referred to it, unless the Board specifically authorizes otherwise.

B. Such special committees shall submit their reports at such regular meetings of the Board as may be determined, and when such reports have been submitted and accepted by the Board, shall be discharged.

C. All special committee reports affecting Board policy shall be submitted in writing.

D. The President of the Board, and the Superintendent or designee, shall be ex-officio members of any such special committees.

2. Meetings of committees shall be posted in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act. A record shall be maintained by the chairperson of each committee of each meeting, which shall include the names of committee members in attendance, listing of topics discussed and committee recommendations.

3. The Superintendent shall notify all Board members of committee meetings.

4. An Executive Committee consisting of the President, the Vice President, the Secretary and the Treasurer, shall be a standing committee of the Board.

A. The Executive Committee shall meet for advisory with the Superintendent as requested by the Superintendent or as directed by the Chairperson to review matters not requiring action of the Board as a whole related to administrative, personnel, pupil personnel, issues and general matters pertaining to the school district.

B. Other responsibilities of the Executive Committee include:

(1) Long-Range agenda planning

(2) Facilitating communication between the Superintendent and Board members.

Legal Reference

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-218 Officers. Meetings.

Date Approved: April 19, 1983

The Board of Education shall have the following Standing Committees. The President shall appoint all committee members, subject to Board approval.

The President of the Board and the Superintendent or designee shall be ex-officio members of any such committees. These committees are advisory, however, and have no power to take action or to commit the Board to any course of action, except as specifically directed by the Board. A report from these meetings will be presented at a regularly scheduled Board meeting. All members of the Board must receive a copy of the report prior to the report presentation. The report will be distributed at the time that all other meeting materials are distributed.

Any Board member may request that a Committee Chair place an item on a Standing Committee agenda at which time the Committee Chair shall either place the item on the agenda or ask the person making the request to seek Board approval for the request.

Contract Review Committee

The President shall appoint five members to serve on a Contract Review Committee naming one of those members as Committee Chair. The function of the committee will be to review and make recommendations to the Board and its bargaining agent regarding collective bargaining proposals for both certified and classified employees. The committee will also review and recommend salary adjustments for staff not included in collective bargaining agreements.

Finance Committee

The President shall appoint five members to serve on a Finance Committee naming one of those members as Committee Chair. The function of this committee will be to review any matters that will have financial impact on the school system for the purpose of making a recommendation for action or non-action at a scheduled Board of Education meeting.

Curriculum Committee

The President shall appoint five members to serve on a Curriculum Committee naming one of those members as Committee Chair. The function of this committee will be to review any matters that will have curricular impact on the school system for the purpose of making a recommendation for action or non-action at a scheduled Board of Education meeting.

Policy Committee

The President will appoint five members to serve on a Policy Committee naming one of those members as Committee Chair. The function of this committee will be to review any policies that will have impact on the school system for the purpose of making a recommendation for action or non-action at a scheduled Board of Education meeting. This committee is further charged with maintaining the policies of the Meriden Board of Education for the purpose of ensuring that the Board's policies are up to date, are within current State and Federal guidelines, and are not in contradiction to other Board policies.

Cross Reference:

Policy 9100 (Committees)

Policy Adopted: April 19, 1983

The diverse scope of School Board decisions and business in a school district can have immense implications. On occasion it is necessary for the Board and Superintendent to seek specialized and expert legal advice as part of the information to be used in arriving at decisions. To this end the Board may retain a legal firm or an attorney who has been admitted to practice law in Connecticut to serve as legal advisor(s) to the Board and the Superintendent.

A decision to seek legal advice or assistance from said attorney or firm on behalf of the school district shall normally be made by the Board President, the Superintendent or by persons specifically authorized by the Superintendent. 

The legal advisor(s) shall render advice, conduct or assist with the conduct of the school district litigation, and provide specialized legal service. The legal advisor(s) may be required to attend hearings or other meetings when his/her presence and services are needed.

Policy Adopted: April 28, 1981

1. Regular Meetings

A. The Board of Education shall set a calendar of regular meetings for the ensuing year at the first regular meeting in November.

B. In compliance with the General Statutes of the State of Connecticut, the President shall file this calendar with the City Clerk, by December 31.

C. Normally the Board shall schedule regular meetings on the first and third Tuesday of each month of the year with the exception of July and August, when the Board will only schedule one meeting.

D. If at any point in the meeting the Board of Education should not maintain a quorum, then the President of the Board will adjourn the meeting and declare the time and place of the resumption of the meeting, which shall be reflected in a written order of adjournment. A copy of the written order of adjournment will be posted on or near the door of the place where the meeting was held within twenty-four hours after the time of adjournment.

2. Special Meetings

A. Special meetings may be held when determined by the Board, when so called by the President, or upon written request of three or more members of the Board.

B. No special meeting shall be held unless a notice stating the time, place and purpose of the meeting has been given to each member and to the City Clerk, and has been posted on the Board’s website, if available, twenty-four (24) hours before the time stated for the meeting to convene.

C. When a majority of the members agree that an emergency exists which has made a regular notice impossible, such a meeting may be called at a time or place which may be most convenient. In case of such emergency meeting, a copy of the minutes setting forth the nature of the emergency and the proceedings occurring at such meeting shall be filed with the City Clerk no later than seventy-two (72) hours following the holding of such a meeting.

3. Meeting Time and Place

A. All regular meetings of the Board shall begin at 6:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as a quorum is present (as determined by a roll call conducted by the Clerk of the Board), and shall adjourn no later than 8:30 p.m. unless extended to a time certain by a two-thirds vote of the Board members present. All regular meetings of the Board shall be held in the office of the Board, unless otherwise ordered by the Board.

B. Special Meetings (non-emergency) - time and place to be determined and announced in advance of meeting.

Legal References:
Connecticut General Statutes
     1-225 Meetings of government agencies to be public.
               Recording of votes. Schedule of agenda of meetings to be filed. Notice of special meetings
               Executive session.
     1-228 Adjournment of meetings. Notice.
     1-229 Continued hearings. Notice.
     1-230 Regular meetings to be held pursuant to regulation, ordinance or resolution.
        7-3 Warning of City and other meetings.
        7-4 Record of warning.
   10-218 Officers. Meetings.

Date Adopted: February 4, 1981

1. Public Meetings

A. All meetings of the Board of Education for the official transaction of business shall be open to the public except that the Board may, by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present and voting, meet in executive session for the purposes specified in Conn. Gen. Stat. §1-225.

B. As defined by statute, the term "meeting" shall not include: any meeting of a personnel search committee for executive level employment candidates; any chance meeting, or a social meeting neither planned nor intended for the purpose of discussing matters relating to official business; strategy or negotiations with respect to collective bargaining; a caucus of members of a single political party notwithstanding that such members also constitute a quorum of a public agency; an administrative or staff meeting of a single-member public agency; and communication limited to notice of meetings of any public agency or the agendas thereof. The term "caucus" means a convening or assembly of the enrolled members of a single political party who are members of a public agency within the state or a political subdivision.

2. Executive Sessions

A. The public may be excluded from meetings of the Board of Education which are declared to be executive sessions.

B. Executive sessions may be held on a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting taken at a public meeting stating the reasons for such executive session.

C. Board members and other persons attending executive sessions shall not disclose the topic of details of the discussion.

D. Executive sessions may be held for any reasons permissible under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, as it may be amended from time to time, including one or more of the following purposes:

(1) Discussion concerning the appointment, employment, performance, evaluation, health or dismissal of a public officer or employee, provided that such individual may require that discussion be held at an open (public) meeting.

(2) Strategy and negotiations with respect to pending claims and litigation to which the Board or a member of the Board, because of his or her conduct as a member of the Board, is a party until such claims or litigation have been finally adjudicated or otherwise settled.

(3) Matters concerning security strategy or the deployment of security personnel, or devices affecting public security.

(4) Discussion of the selection of a site or the lease, sale or purchase of real estate when publicity regarding such site, lease, sale, purchase or construction would cause a likelihood of increased price until such time as all of the property has been acquired or all proceedings or transactions concerning same have been terminated or abandoned.

(5) Discussion of any matter which would result in the disclosure of public records or the information contained therein described in Conn. Gen. Stat. §1-210(b).

Legal References:

Connecticut General Statutes
     1-200 Definitions (Public Agency; Meetings; Person;
               Public Record; Executive Session)
     1-210 Access to public record. Exempt records.
     1-225 Meetings of government agencies to be public.
              Recording of votes. Schedule and agenda of meetings to be filed. Notice of special meetings.
              Executive sessions.
     1-231 Executive sessions.

1. Meeting Conduct

A. Meetings of the Board of Education shall be conducted by the President in a manner consistent with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act and the adopted bylaws of the Board.

B. All Board meetings shall commence at, or as close as practicable to, the stated time, provided there is a quorum.

C. All regular and special Board meetings shall be guided by an agenda which will have been prepared by the Board President, and delivered in advance to all Board members and other designated persons.

D. Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the proceedings of the Board except as otherwise provided by these bylaws.

2. Smoking

A. Smoking will not be permitted in any room in which a meeting of the Board of Education is being conducted, nor during the time immediately prior to the meeting.

B. A sign notifying the public that no smoking is allowed in the place designated for the meeting will be prominently posted.

3. Public Address

A. The Board may permit any individual or group to address the Board concerning any subject that lies within its jurisdiction during a portion of the Board's regular meetings so designated for such purpose.

(1) Three minutes may be allotted to each speaker. The President may modify these limitations at the beginning of a meeting if the number of persons wishing to speak makes it advisable to do so.

(2) A Board of Education member shall be appointed by the President prior to the meeting to act as timekeeper for the meeting, if deemed necessary by the President.

(3) The Board will not permit in public session any expression of personal complaints about school personnel nor against any person connected with the school system, including students. Persons with personal complaints regarding personnel should address such complaints with the Superintendent of Schools as a means of bringing concerns for consideration and disposition. Any such charges, if presented to the Board directly, shall be referred to the Superintendent for investigation and report.

(4) As a matter of standard procedure, public comment will be confined to that portion of the agenda reserved for petitions and comments, and is subject to Board approval. In the advance of any meeting, any member of the public may request of the Board President or the Board President may extend an invitation to any member of the public for an opportunity to address the Board on one or more specific agenda items when those items are reached. The decision to honor such a request or to extend such an invitation shall be within the sole discretion of the Board President in due consideration of the Board’s goals and statement of policies especially as enumerated in Board policy Section J: School-Community Relations.

(5) All speakers must identify themselves by name and address.

(6) No boisterous conduct shall be permitted at any Board of Education meeting. Persistence in boisterous conduct shall be grounds for summary termination, by the President, of that person's privilege of address.

B. Broadcasting and Taping of Meetings

Radio and television stations desiring to report proceedings of public meetings of the Board from the floor of the assembly room are requested to seek clearance from the Superintendent at least twenty-four hours before the meeting is held.

While the Board is mindful of the importance of full media coverage, it must be able to conduct its business with a minimum of distraction.

Legal References:

Connecticut General Statutes
     1-200 Definitions
     1-206 Denial of access of public records or meeting. Notice. Appeal.
     1-225 Meetings of government agencies to be public.
     1-232 Conduct of meetings. (re: disturbances)

Freedom of Information Commission Advisory Opinion #41 (April 9, 1980)

Date Approved: April 28, 1981
Date Amended: February 2, 1993
Date Amended: March 17, 1998

1. Quorum:

A. The majority of all members of the Board shall be necessary to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

2. Voting Procedures:

A. No member can vote on a question in which he/she has a direct personal or pecuniary interest.

B. Members may vote for themselves for any office or other position.

C. While it is the duty of every member who has an opinion on a question to express it by vote, he/she cannot be compelled to do so.

D. A member may abstain from voting (with the knowledge that the effect is the same as if he/she had voted on the prevailing side).

E. The votes of each member of the Board upon any issue before the Board shall be recorded in the minutes of the session at which taken.

F. The presiding officer may vote on any motion, subject to the Board’s provisions relating to conflicts of interests.

G. Any Board member shall have the opportunity to explain his/her vote for recording in the minutes.

1. In compliance with legal requirements, a complete and accurate set of minutes of each meeting shall be kept by the Board Clerk.

2. Minutes shall be maintained at the Administrative Offices of the school district in an official record book designated for said purpose.

3. The minutes shall constitute the official records of proceedings of the Board of Education and shall be open to public inspection at all reasonable times. Nothing herin shall require that the minutes be a verbatim record of the proceedings of the Board of Education.

4. The minutes shall include the following:

A. The time, place and date of each meeting.
B. The names of those members in attendance.
C. The disposition of all matters on which action was recommended.
D. All motions and resolutions and their disposition, listing all votes, abstentions and absentees.
E. All decisions concerning future meetings and agendas.
F. By request, a brief statement of a Board member may be included.

5. In the event corrections are made to minutes, corrections may be made at the meeting at which the minutes are to be approved.

6. A record of votes taken at each meeting shall be reduced to writing and made available for public inspection within forty-eight hours of the conclusion of the meeting at which the votes were taken. Votes taken shall also be reflected in the minutes of each meeting, and the minutes shall be made available for public inspection and posted on the Board’s website, if available, not later than seven days of the date of the meeting to which they refer.

The Board of Education may make minutes available on the Board’s website, in its discretion.

Legal Reference:
Connecticut General Statutes
     1-225 Meetings of government agencies to be public.
               Recording of votes.

Public Act 10-171, An Act Concerning Municipal Mandate Relief

DEVELOPMENT AND REVIEW OF BOARD POLICY

The Board considers policy development its chief function, along with providing the wherewithal, such as personnel, buildings, materials and equipment, for the successful administration, application and execution of its policies.

The Board accepts the definition of policy set forth by the National School Boards Association:

Policies are principles adopted by the School Board to chart a course of action. They tell what is wanted; they may include why and how much. Policies should be broad enough to indicate a line of action to be followed by the administration in meeting a number of problems; narrow enough to give clear guidance. Policies are guides for action by the administration which then sets the rules and regulations to provide specific directions to school district personnel.

The policies of the Board are framed, and are meant to be interpreted, in terms of Connecticut laws and rules and regulations of the State Board of Education and all other regulatory agencies.

The Board shall ensure that its policies are consistent with State and Federal laws and regulations.  The Board shall perform a full review of its policies no less than once every five (5) years.

Date Adopted: April 28, 1981

Amended:  May 7, 2013

Amended:  December 15, 2015
Previous Policy Number: BE

The adoption and amendment of Board policies shall comply with the following sequence, which will take place at two regularly scheduled meetings of the Board held at least two weeks apart.

Proposed new or revised policies shall be announced and distributed as items of information.

Opportunity shall be provided for reaction to all policy proposals.

The Board will discuss and take final action on the policy proposals at the second meeting.

Date Adopted: April 28, 1981

The Superintendent shall establish and maintain an orderly plan for preserving and making accessible the policies adopted by the Board and the administrative rules and regulations needed to put them into effect.

Accessibility is to extend to at least to all employees of the school system, to members of the Board, and to persons in the community insofar as conveniently possible.

All policy manuals distributed to anyone shall remain the property of the Board of Education and shall be considered as “on loan” to anyone or any organization in whose possession they may be at any time.

For the purpose of updating, policy manuals are subject to recall at any time deemed necessary by the Superintendent.

Date Adopted: April 28, 1981

The Meriden Board of Education desires to maintain open channels of communication between itself and the staff. The basic line of communication will, however, be through the Superintendent.

Staff Communications to the Board
All communications or reports to the Meriden Board of Education or any Board committee from principals, supervisors, teachers, or other staff members will be submitted with the knowledge of the Superintendent.

Board Communications to Staff
All official communications, policies, and directives of staff interest and concern will be communicated to staff members with the knowledge of the Superintendent, and the Superintendent will employ all such means as are appropriate to keep staff informed of the Board’s problems, concerns, and actions.

Visits to Schools
Individual Board members interested in visiting schools or classrooms will make the principal(s) aware of such visitation. Such visits will be regarded as informal expressions of interest in school affairs and not as “inspections” or visits for supervisory or administrative purposes. Board members shall comply with all applicable procedures regarding visitors to the schools. Official visits by Board members will be carried on only under Board authorization and with the full knowledge of staff, including the Superintendent and principals.

Social Interaction
Staff and Board members share a keen interest in the schools and in education generally, and it is to be expected that when they meet at social affairs and other functions, they may informally discuss such matters as education trends, issues, and innovations and general school district problems. However, staff members are reminded that individual Board members have no special authority except when they are convened at a legal meeting of the Board or vested with special authority by Board action. Therefore, staff and Board members shall refrain from discussions by either party of personalities or personnel grievances.

Date Adopted:  April 28, 1981

1.  Orientation

The Board and staff shall make every effort to assist new Board members to become fully informed about the Board’s functions, policies, procedures and problems.

New members shall be provided with copies of all appropriate publications and aids, including the Board policy manual and publications of the State and National School Boards Association.

2. Opportunities for Development

Members of the Board shall be encouraged to participate in symposia, seminars, and conferences sponsored by local, state and national organizations concerning the problems of American education.

3. Insurance

The Board shall maintain adequate individual liability insurance to protect itself while acting in behalf of the school district.

Date Adopted:  April 28, 1981

Service on a Board of Education is a public trust of the highest order. The responsibilities of the office are large; the opportunities for service to children, youth and adults are unlimited.

Members of the Meriden Board of Education accept the difficult but crucially important task of critically evaluating themselves and the Board on which they serve. The primary purpose of this assessment is the improvement of school Board leadership.

An effective program of evaluation contains many essential features. The following conditions are crucial to an evaluation that has as its primary purpose the improvement of school Board leadership:

Board members should know the standards against which they will evaluate themselves and should be involved in the development of the standards.

Evaluation should be at a scheduled time and place with no other items on the agenda, at an executive session, with all Board members present.

The evaluation should be a composite of the individual Board members’ opinions, but the Board as a whole should meet to discuss the result.

The evaluation should include a discussion of strengths as well as weaknesses.

The evaluation should take place at least once a year.

The Board should not limit itself to those items which appear on an evaluation form. No form or set of guidelines could encompass the totality of a school Board’s responsibility.

Each judgment should be supported by as much rational and objective evidence as possible.

Date Adopted:  April 28, 1981

The Board shall delegate to the Superintendent the function of specifying required actions and designing the detailed arrangements under which the schools will be operated. These detailed procedures shall constitute the administrative regulations governing the schools. They shall be defined in written form, coordinated with the Board's policy manual, and be in every respect consistent with the policies of the Board. The format of the administrative regulations shall be such as to facilitate efficient use. Distribution shall include members of the Board.

The Board President shall prepare all agendas for meetings of the Board. The Board President or his delegate shall preside over all meetings and shall introduce the agenda items to the Board at meetings. The Board President may delegate the task of preparing the agenda or of presiding over meetings to the Superintendent or to another officer.

Items of business may be suggested by the Superintendent, any Board member, staff member, student, or citizen of the district. The inclusion of items suggested by the Superintendent, staff members, students, or citizens shall be at the discretion of the Board President or his delegate. Anyone submitting items for the Board agenda shall do so seven days prior to the next scheduled board meeting. An item may be added to the agenda during the Board meeting upon an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present and voting at the meeting. The agenda, however, shall always allow suitable time for the remarks of the members of the public who may wish to speak briefly before the Board. The Board President or his delegate, if the delegate is a person other than the Superintendent, shall consult with the Superintendent and appropriate members of the staff when preparing the agenda, and shall refer to the master agenda. If the Superintendent has been delegated to prepare the agenda, then the Superintendent shall consult with the Board President and appropriate members of the staff when preparing the agenda and shall refer to the master agenda.

Any one Board member may request, for the purpose of sending an item to a Standing Committee, that the item "Standing Committee Referral" be added to the agenda under New Business. The Board President shall add this item to the agenda and the Board member making the request will complete an Agenda Reporting Form that will include the item they wish discussed by the Standing Committee and to which Standing Committee the item is being referred.

The agenda, together with supporting materials, shall be distributed to Board members sufficiently prior to the Board meeting to permit them to give items of business careful consideration.

Cross Reference:

Policy BD4.3 (Order of Business)
Policy 9190 (Adoption and Amendments of Board Policy)

Legal Reference:

Connecticut General Statutes '1-21

Approved: 1/5/1994
Amended: 8/18/1998
Amended: 2/2/2010 

All regular and special meetings of the Board shall be open to the public. Because the Board desires to hear the viewpoints of citizens throughout the district, it shall offer suitable time at all meetings for citizens to be heard. However, Board meetings are conducted for the purpose of carrying on the business of the schools and, therefore, are not public meetings but meetings held in public.

Any individual recognized by the Board President to speak shall give his/her name, address, the group, if any, that is being represented and the subject to be discussed. The presentation should be as brief as possible. Unless an extension of time is granted by the President, the speaker shall be limited to three minutes.

The board will not permit in public session any expression of personal complaints about school personnel nor against any person connected with the school system, including students. Persons with personal complaints regarding personnel should speak with the Superintendent of Schools as a means of bringing concerns for consideration and disposition. Speakers will not be permitted to participate in gossip, make defamatory comments or use abusive or vulgar language. Speakers will be advised that comments must be limited to items which directly relate to the school district. The President of the Board will maintain the prerogative to discontinue any presentation which violates any of the public participation guidelines.

As a matter of standard procedure, public comment will be confined to that portion of the agenda reserved for petitions and comments, and is subject to Board approval. In the advance of any meeting, any member of the public may request of the Board President or the Board President may extend an invitation to any member of the public for an opportunity to address the Board on one or more specific agenda items when those items are reached. The decision to honor such a request or to extend such an invitation shall be within the sole discretion of the Board President in due consideration of the Board's goals and statement of policies especially as enumerated in Board policy Section J: School-Community Relations.

Unless waived by the President of the Board, a time allocation, not to exceed twenty (20) minutes at a meeting, will be provided for the Petitions and Comments agenda item. The President of the Board will advise the audience at the beginning of the "Petitions and Comments" agenda item of the policy concerning the procedure to be observed.

Cross Reference:

Policy 9130 (Time, Place and Notice of Meetings)
Policy 9140 (Public Meetings and Executive Sessions)
Policy BD4.2 (Agenda)
Policy BD4.3 (Order of Business)
Policy JM1 (Relations with Parent Organizations)

Approved 4/28/1981
Amended 2/2/1993
Amended 3/17/1998 

In situations where knowledge and/or technical skills are needed that cannot be provided by regular staff positions, technical assistance will be considered as one alternative for providing the desired service. The service will be provided consistent with budgetary appropriations.

The Board encourages the use of professional consultants from the State Department of Education, colleges, universities, and other sources, when members of the staff feel such services will improve the instructional program. All consultants must be approved by the Superintendent prior to the invitation and arrangement for visitation by such person or persons to the school system.

The Board shall maintain adequate individual liability insurance to protect itself while acting in behalf of the school district.

Legal Reference:

Connecticut General Statutes, Sections 10-235, 236

The Board, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, shall appoint the supervisory and administrative personnel necessary for the efficient operation of the Meriden Public Schools.

The Constitution of the State of Connecticut charges the State with the responsibility of maintaining a system of "free public elementary and secondary schools" for all children in Connecticut.

The State Legislature fulfills this responsibility by enacting laws to regulate the schools and by delegating the immediate control of the schools to the Board of Education elected within each local school district.

The Board, therefore, is an agency of the State with powers delegated to it by the Legislature. In all cases, the Board is the agent responsible for establishing and appraising educational activities of the district.

Legal Reference:

Connecticut General Statutes, 10-220, 221, 222

The Board recognizes its statutory obligation to collectively bargain with exclusive bargaining agents representing both certified and non-certified employee bargaining units. In carrying out this statutory responsibility, the Board of Education reserves the right to engage the services of labor counsel so as to ensure collective bargaining agreements which reflect the interests of the community as well as those of employee groups.

Legal Reference:

Connecticut General Statutes, Section 10-153a-f
Connecticut General Statutes, Section 7-467 and 7-458