Policy 8850 – School Board Committees

The School Board believes committees can be useful in contributing to the decision-making process and in conducting of Board business. By using a Board committee structure, the Board is able to study issues facing the District more in depth, and fully engage stakeholders in issues happening in the District. The committee structure is designed to assist the Board in the conducting of Board business; it is not intended to diminish the Board’s governance responsibilities.

The Board shall have four standing committees: (1) Audit, Budget and Finance, (2) Curriculum and Program, (3) Planning, Facilities and Charter Review, and (4) Personnel. Each standing committee shall consist of three Board members. A quorum of the committee shall include a minimum of two Board members. The Board President shall appoint Board members to standing committees in accordance with the procedures established in Rule 8850. No Board member may serve on more than two standing committees and can only chair one standing committee. The Board President shall select the committee chair. The committee chair shall seek up to six qualified community members, two District staff members, and two students to serve on the committee. Every attempt will be made to have these committees reflect the diversity of the District. Community member appointments shall be made in accordance with procedures established in Rule 8850. The term of appointment to a standing committee will be for one year for community, staff and student members, with option of renewal at the chair’s discretion.

Standing committees will be held quarterly each school year on the second Tuesday of the month in September, November, February, and June unless otherwise noted. It is expected that all committee members will miss no more than one meeting per year of the standing committee to which they have been appointed. The Chair of each committee may not serve as committee chair for more than two consecutive years. Administration and the chairs of the standing committees will provide an update of the committees’ work at the following regular board meeting.

The Board may also establish ad-hoc committees as needed. The Board President shall make ad-hoc committee appointments in the same manner as standing committee appointments. The Board President shall serve as an ex-officio member of all standing and ad hoc committees of the Board.

The function of all Board committees shall be advisory in that they serve as an avenue through which the School Board will receive feedback on items brought forth by administration, which may include specific assigned duties. Committees are not voting bodies. Requests for agenda items shall be made by Board members only in accordance with Policy 4211. Standing Board committees may not act or speak for the Board unless authorized by the Board President. All policy suggestions provided by a Board committee shall be subject to ratification and approval of the Board. For policy-related items, the Board may have a first and second reading of the recommended policy before final policy adoption, which shall occur at separate Board meetings.

Minutes shall be kept of all standing committee meetings.

Public notice shall be given for all Board standing and ad hoc committee meetings in accordance with state law and Board policy.

LEGAL REF.:

Wisconsin Statutes
- Sections 19.84 [Public notice requirement]
- 19.85 [Reasons for closed session]

CROSS REF.:

ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS: None

AFFIRMED: June 8, 1993

DELETED: June 25, 2002

REAFFIRMED: May 13, 2003

REVISED:

April 21, 1998
July 13, 1999
February 22, 2000
July 10, 2001
December 19, 2006
July 28, 2009
June 22, 2010
February 24, 2015
September 2020
July 23, 2024

Rule 8850 – School Board Committees

Committee Appointment Process
1. The Board President shall appoint Board members to standing committees within three (3) months of the School Board’s annual organizational meeting. Such appointments shall be made, in order, as follows:
  1. by seeking volunteers and making appointments based on Board member interest
  2. by direct appointment of Board members to specific committees
2. Community members, students, District staff members and teachers may be appointed to serve as members on standing committees as outlined in Board policy. Such appointments shall be made, in order, as follows:
  1. by seeking volunteers who reflect the diverse student population for appointment to committees by the Board President, or appointment by individual committee chairs with approval of the Board President
  2. by publicly seeking volunteers for appointment to committees by the Board President based on citizen interest
Standing Committee Operating Procedures
1. Whenever possible, any new polices of the District to be considered by the Board shall be introduced to the appropriate standing committee at a quarterly committee meeting. Any item referred to a standing committee shall come back to the full Board once a review is completed.
2. Standing committees, unless canceled by the committee Chair or Board President shall meet at least on a quarterly basis. Additional meetings may be scheduled by the chair as deemed necessary.
3. The committee chairs, Superintendent of Schools and designated administrators shall meet to establish meeting agendas for standing committees. This process will ensure the orderly flow of information and the effective operation of the Board and committees. Committee agenda items are limited to those referred by the Board President, committee chairs and designated administrators. Meeting agendas must be published at least five (5) working days prior to a scheduled meeting.
4. Administrators and other District staff, as appropriate, may be requested to serve in an advisory capacity to standing committees and/or to provide necessary support resources.
5. Committee meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Policy 8810, to the extent applicable.
6. Any Board member or citizen may attend a committee meeting and submit a written comment regarding any agenda item to the office of the Superintendent of Schools. Said comments will be distributed to the members of the specific committee, the Board and relevant District administrators.
7. Minutes shall be kept of all standing committee meetings. The minutes shall be distributed to all Board members in order to keep the full Board informed of matters discussed at committee meetings. Committee meeting minutes shall also be made available for inspection by the public in accordance with state law and the Board’s policy on access to public records.
8. Feedback that comes from a committee shall be distributed to the Board, and shall contain the committee’s recommendation, and include comments of dissent, in addition to Administration’s recommendation.
9. All committee meetings are subject to, and shall adhere to, Wisconsin’s Open Meetings Law.
Specific Duties of Standing Committees

Board of Education Organizational Chart – Committees

Audit, Budget and Finance Committee

Review and monitor the progress of identified district goals.
Review monthly fund statements and financial reports throughout the year
Review budgets related to significant grants submitted and/or awarded
Review, offer ideas, and provide suggestions on all proposed Board policies related to budget and finance matters
Review financial and program audits
Review any audit findings and related action plans
Review annual student enrollment projections
Newly developed applicable policies should be reviewed by the Committee prior to the first reading by the Board

Curriculum and Program Committee

Review and monitor the progress of identified district goals.
Review annual recommendations for new curriculum resource requests
Review the District’s state student achievement results
Review recommendations for request to modify the curriculum adoption and implementation cycle
Review, offer ideas, and provide suggestions on all proposed Board policies related to education, teaching or support programs
Review professional learning plan process
Review, offer ideas, and provide suggestions on the District’s technology and administrational computer plan
Newly developed applicable policies should be reviewed by the Committee prior to the first reading by the Board

Planning, Facilities, and Charter Review Committee

Review and monitor the progress of charter school contracts.
Review, offer ideas, and provide suggestions on the District’s capital improvement budget
Review the implementation of all expenditures related to facilities and equipment
Review building standards for each type of educational facility
Work with community groups to develop financial plans to implement the district’s physical facilities
Review, offer ideas, and provide suggestions on all proposed Board policies related to planning facilities and equipment
Review recommendations related to school program capacity issues
Review job cost summaries for large capital projects such as those associated with a referendum
Periodically review major facilities programs such as safety, security, building envelop maintenance, indoor air quality, etc.
Review utility expenditure and consumption data as well as district energy efficiency programs
Newly developed applicable policies should be reviewed by the Committee prior to the first reading by the Board

Personnel Committee

Review and monitor identified district goals.
Review, offer ideas, and provide suggestions regarding staff recruitment and retention strategies
Newly developed applicable policies should be reviewed by the Committee prior to the first reading by the Board
Strategic Plan – Any issues of personnel that may come out of plan will be reviewed by this committee. Those issues endorsed by this committee would be forwarded to the full Board for approval.

Ad-Hoc Committee

Ad-hoc committee(s) are appointed by the Board President
Their responsibilities are based on the task(s) for which they are assigned
Ad-hoc committees are not standing committees and have a limited term