BG-R: POLICY ADOPTION PROCEDURE
The following procedure shall be used to develop, adopt, review, revise and/or delete (repeal) Kittery School Committee policies:
A. The School Committee’s Policy Committee is charged with reviewing and recommending all new policies and policy changes to be considered by the School Committee.
1. Individual School Committee members, School Committee subcommittees, the Superintendent, school staff and members of the public may submit policy suggestions and concerns directly to the Policy Committee. Policy suggestions that are submitted to the School Committee Chair or the Superintendent will be forwarded to the Policy Committee. School unit employees should follow any and all applicable administrative procedures and/or collective bargaining agreement provisions for submitting policy suggestions.
2. The Policy Committee, together with the Superintendent, will be responsible for reviewing and researching suggestions for new policies and policy changes. The Policy Committee may seek or ask the Superintendent to provide information such as, but not limited to, the specific need for the policy, the fiscal consequences of the proposed policy, the potential effect of the policy on the instructional program, staff, students and the community, samples of policies on the same or similar subjects, applicable provisions of state and/or federal law and regulations, and the anticipated costs and benefits of implementing, enforcing and monitoring the proposed policy.
3. The Policy Committee will design and implement a procedure for gathering input, when deemed necessary, from the School Committee, school staff and other groups affected by new policies and policy revisions.
4. The Policy Committee will draft policies and policy revisions. The drafting of individual policies or revisions may be delegated to the Superintendent or his/her designee. A final review will be made by the Policy Committee before a draft begins the School Committee adoption process. Major revisions required as a result of School Committee deliberations will be drafted by the Policy Committee or the Superintendent/designee.
5. At an appropriate stage in the process, the Superintendent, on behalf of the Policy Committee and the School Committee, shall notify the bargaining
agent for the Kittery Department’s employees of any proposed new policies or policy modification that will affect the bargaining unit’s members.
The Policy Committee may also seek input or discuss the proposal with other groups affected by the policy.
6. The Policy Committee will make reports to the School Committee regarding its activities and the status of policy development.
B. Upon recommendation by the Policy Committee, the first reading of a new policy, revision or deletion of policy shall be placed on the agenda of a regular School Committee meeting. School Committee members shall receive the policy, supporting material, if appropriate, and any written recommendations in advance of the meeting date.
The Policy Committee Chair will present the proposed policy or policy change. Members may reach consensus (or vote by show of hands) on the need for changes or may make a motion to amend. The School Committee may discuss the substance of the policy proposal. A vote shall be held to acknowledge the first reading of the policy. Major revisions to the policy will be drafted by the Policy Committee prior to the second reading.
C. At a subsequent regular meeting, at least two weeks but no more than eight weeks after the first reading, the policy shall be placed on the agenda for second reading and action. Amendments may be introduced and acted upon. If a main motion to approve the policy is not passed at such a meeting by a majority vote of School Committee members present and voting, the process for that policy is ended unless the School Committee, by vote, takes action to table further consideration of the policy or otherwise dispose of the policy (e.g., refer it back to the Policy Committee for further research).
D. The Superintendent will be responsible for making new and revised policies available to School Committee members, staff, students and the public by sending copies to the schools, updating the school unit’s website and/or other appropriate means as soon as practicable following adoption. School Committee members should update their policy manuals when they receive copies of new or revised policies or notifications of deletions.
E. The Superintendent shall provide each School Committee member with a policy manual, in print, on a CD, and/or by other means, as specified by the School Committee. If School Committee member access to the policy manual will be online, the Superintendent will provide each School Committee member with instructions for accessing it. The Superintendent /designee may periodically recall all policy manuals for administrative updating to ensure that the content of all School Committee manuals is current and consistent.
Adopted: July 5, 1994
Revised: April 12, 2011
Legal Reference: 26 MRSA § 965(1) (C)
Cross Reference: BEDB - Agenda
BG - School Committee Policy
CHD - Administration in the Absence of Policy