Scarsdale Public Schools

BOARD WORK

The Board of Education is the policy-making body of the Scarsdale Union Free School District, responsible for the general supervision of the schools. The seven elected, volunteer members of the Board serve staggered terms of three years. Custom calls for a limit of two terms. 

Policy Governance and Executive Authority
The Board governs by setting policy and broad goals. It regularly hears reports and receives information on progress toward its goals and on other matters that reflect policy. Board members act as governors when they are convened as a group; at all other times, they are private citizens. The Superintendent of Schools is the Board's appointed executive officer, its chief adviser, and the District's educational leader, with delegated authority for the operation of the schools.

Board Meetings
Public Board meetings typically occur twice a month during the school year and once during the summer months. The public is welcome to observe the meetings and has an opportunity for public comment at designated times on the agenda. Board work sessions, while open to the public, do not provide an opportunity for citizen comment. Executive sessions address business that must by law be private. 

Public Comment
The Board urges residents to use the normal chain of authority to answer questions or resolve concerns. However, it specifically reserves time at public meetings for public comment on matters of general interest. Speakers are asked to give their names and addresses for the minutes. The Board President is responsible for orderly meeting conduct, ruling on matters such as the time allowed for public comment, and appropriateness of subject matter.

Contributing to the Life of the Schools
Community members participate in the work of the District through discussions with staff, Board meetings, representative committees, advisory groups, and volunteer service. Parent-teacher organizations in each school are the elected voices of the parent community and work closely with principals in each building. PTAs work with principals to address matters of school-wide importance, such as safety, attendance, and recess procedures.

Resolving Questions or Concerns
Questions or concerns are typically addressed at the level of origin and then follow the normal chain of authority. That is, matters that pertain to a particular teacher would be discussed first with the teacher, then with the department head and principal, then with the appropriate Assistant Superintendent or the Superintendent of Schools.

Public Information
Board meetings are live-streamed online via the Scarsdale Streaming Network. The video recordings are also posted online in the BOE Video Library. The Public Information Office provides information about the Scarsdale schools through Insight, a newsletter published by the District. District information may be obtained by accessing the District website (Scarsdaleschools Home). Information about programs or activities at a specific school may be obtained through the principal's office.

BoardDocs
Board meeting agendas, related documents, and videos of past meetings can all be found on the BoardDocs website.  

BOARD GOALS AND SELF-ASSESSMENT

Board Self-Assessment Tool

Goals: (i) To support the District’s mission and vision; (ii) to work on continuous improvement of Board governance; and (iii) to support the continued plan development and implementation of the District Strategic Plan. 

The Board will work to meet the following primary objectives in line with these goals.

Primary Objectives:

• Advocacy: Participate in legislative advocacy impacting public education via efforts identified by the Board or suggested by our Administration or coordinated by the New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA), Westchester Putnam School Boards Association (WPSBA), and the Lower Hudson Education Coalition (LHEC).
• Bond: Support and participate in the planning and development of a bond proposal that addresses the current and future needs of our school facilities and programs, while accounting for the anticipated decline in debt service following the 2026-2027 school year.
• Budgeting: Support and participate in a rational and effective budgeting process, ongoing financial planning, and multi-year planning efforts.
• Collective Bargaining: Support and participate in the collective bargaining of two contracts; the Scarsdale Association of Educational Secretaries (SAES), and the Managers and District Services Association (MADSA).
• Communication/Community Engagement: Foster communication and transparency and affirm community values through support and review of the opportunities identified in the Board Community Engagement Plan. Oversee and manage the Board Community Engagement Plan.
• Evaluation: Conduct evaluations of the Board of Education and Superintendent according to Policies 0310 and 0320.
• Governance: Review Board roles and responsibilities, orient new Board members, and build team relationships within the Board and with the Superintendent. Develop and exhibit a shared understanding of Board and Superintendent roles. Identify opportunities to review and strengthen oversight. Continue and complete current process improvements, including treasurer communication and reporting, and planning for upcoming annual internal audits.
• Strategic Plan: Support the further development and implementation of the District Strategic Plan, including a long-term financial plan, fund balance plan, and other priorities connected to learning, living, and leading. 
• Ongoing District Work: Support ongoing District work related to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging; Safety, Security, and Emergency Management; Technology, including instructional technology review and technology system upgrades; capital projects; facilities planning; and other District work.
• Teaching and Learning: Support ongoing curricular and teaching and learning goals as developed by the Superintendent and teaching teams.

BOARD ADVOCACY

The Board engages in legislative adovcacy in support of our students and schools. Visit the Board Advocacy page on BoardDocs to learn more about Board advocacy efforts.

BOARD MEETING PROTOCOLS AND NORMS

1. 2x1 Meeting Protocols:
   1. Board members will be advised of when such meetings will occur. Board Members can submit questions and issues to the President and Vice President via email one day prior to the 2x1 meeting.  
   2. A synopsis of the 2x1 meeting will be emailed to all Board members after the meeting. This information will include Board meeting information, heads up on developing issues, and responses to submitted Board member issues or questions.
   3. One additional non-officer Board member will be invited to attend each three-way meeting. The sign-up for the year will be sent out at the beginning of the year.
2. Board Agenda Packet Review Protocols:
   1. The Vice President will remind Board members to send questions to both officers by Sunday at 6 pm.
   2. State if the question needs to be answered by the next Board meeting or if it can wait.  Be mindful of time constraints on the part of the Administration.  
   3. When proposing questions, consider what is needed to discuss and make decisions during the meeting.  
   4. For those questions that are not obvious, please state why you are asking and make sure they are related to issues that are raised in the Board packet.
   5. The Vice President will submit all questions via Google Docs to the full Cabinet, and the Superintendent will notify the Board when questions have been mostly answered.
3. Board Meeting Protocols: A Board Meeting is a meeting of the Board in Public. It is not a meeting of the Board with the Public.
   1. Opening comments: Agenda format includes a section entitled Statements, Comments, and Presentations to include:
      • Remarks from the Board President
      • Remarks from the Superintendent
      • Reports from Board Members - to include committee/liaison organization reports, an announcement of liaison group events, and/or recognition of student/school group/school achievements.
   2. Consent Agenda items are the routine items of the Board about which the Superintendent and officers believe there is no need for discussion.  Any Board member who wishes to move an item off the Consent Agenda may choose to do so right before the Consent Agenda is presented; please give a heads up to the officers. 
   3. As a general rule, the Superintendent will introduce the Information/Discussion items, frame issues for the Board, and will recognize Board members during the discussion, or will ask a member of the Cabinet to do so.  
   4. The Board President will facilitate all Action Item discussions (and some Information/Discussion Items) and recognize Board members where appropriate to do so.
   5. The Board President will ensure that on all issues the Superintendent shall have the opportunity to state his/her/their views if he/she/they so desires.
   6. One person speaks at a time; please, don’t interrupt.
   7. Please be concise with your remarks.
   8. For action items, at the end of the discussion, the President will ask the Board and the Superintendent if anyone wishes to add anything new to the discussion prior to calling for the vote.
   9. Meetings extending beyond 11 pm should be avoided.
   10. Public Comment: 
       • Members of the public will follow protocols established by the Board resolution passed on 9/20/21 until amendments are made to the four Board policies related to meetings and public comment.
       • The Board and Cabinet will not engage in any discussion with speakers, but business meetings will include an agenda item, Follow-Up to Public Comment, at the end of each meeting to answer questions if possible at that time. (Adjusted at the 11/2/2020 board meeting so that there is now a Follow-up to Public Comment after each Public Comment). 
4. Communication Protocols:
   1. Board members shall refrain from sending questions, suggestions, or requests for information to the Administrative staff. All Board communication addressing District and staff matters should be sent to the Superintendent and the President and Vice President of the Board. They will jointly decide how to proceed.
   2. Thomas’ contract: Article X - Board Referral
   3. Facebook communications v. PEP communication and issue resolution guides.
   4. The President may send updates to the full Board.
   5. Avoid communicating about Board business using personal emails.
   6. The boardofed@scarsdaleschools.org email goes to all Board members, the District Clerk, and the Superintendent. Board members may reach out individually or in a group to the Board using that email or individual emails.
   7. Aside from President updates, each Board member shall limit the content of emails to other Board Members to logistical matters, such as setting up meetings or to summaries of meetings attended as liaisons.
      • If emails from Board members are sent to the entire Board, they should state DO NOT REPLY TO ALL.  
      • Emails are FOILable, therefore all Board members should see all emails.
      • DO NOT ask for Board responses; responses should be discussed in open meetings.
   8. Emails should remain respectful and should avoid sarcasm. Absent facial expression, intonation, and context, the written word is easily misinterpreted, which is another reason why substantive issues need to be discussed at the Board table.
   9. If a Board member receives an email from the community regarding a Board matter, he/she/they should follow best practices and ask the sender to forward the email to the full Board.
5. Community Engagement Protocols:
   1. Public Comment: 
      • The community will follow protocols established by the Board resolution passed on 9/20/21 until amendments are made to the four policies related to meetings and public comment.
      • The Board and Cabinet will not engage in any discussion with these speakers but business meetings will include an agenda item, Follow-up to Public Comment, at the end of each meeting to answer questions if possible at that time. (Adjusted at the 11/2/2020 board meeting so that there is now a Follow-up to Public Comment after each Public Comment).    
   2. Emails sent to boardofed@scarsdaleschools.org will receive a response from the designated Board member and/or a member of Cabinet if more appropriate for the content.  The response should be sent within three days.
      • The Board member would speak for the whole Board; individual perspectives must be avoided.  
      • Responses should utilize facts, decisions, or information already shared at the Board table; prediction should be avoided. 
      • Note that the author’s input will be considered by each Board member.
      • Gratitude/appreciation for the engagement may be noted.
   3. If a Board member receives an email from a community member, he/she/they must inform the sender that only the entire Board can respond and, unless the sender objects, the Board member will forward the email to the rest of the board. If the community member objects to sending to the whole Board, there is nothing that the individual Board member can do.
   4. Listening Sessions may be held to gather information, especially when participation could be high and would thus require over 90 minutes.
   5. Public Forums may be held to allow for the information to be shared, followed by an opportunity for Q&A (dialog).
   6. Virtual and/or live coffees with at least two Board members may be held throughout the year.  
      • The purpose would be to gather input, or to inform or clarify.
      • Responses should utilize facts, decisions, or information already shared at the Board table; prediction and speculation should be avoided. 
      • Board members should avoid speaking about what might happen in the future unless concepts have already been presented at the Board table.
   7. Board officers should use the Community Partners email list to highlight active Board business and/or to request that information be disseminated to their membership and/or the organization provide input, or encourage its members to do so.
   8. Ensure the Board’s web page is current and contains links to important Board business.
   9. Board members are encouraged to attend community events, yet they are not required to do so.

Appropriate Norms Discussed in Recent BOE Retreats

1. Treat each member of the Board, the Superintendent, and the administration and staff with respect and civility.
2. Assume positive intentions.
3. Be fully present at meetings to the greatest extent possible.  
4. Speaking with one voice: 
   1. Every Board member should arrive at his/her decisions independently without pressure or coercion from others or the Superintendent. 
   2. Each Board member has one vote; no Board member is more important than another.
   3. Disagreement is normal; a shared vision has its advantages.
   4. Authentic discussions with multiple perspectives are encouraged.
   5. Recognize and respect differences of opinion.
   6. Board members should not lobby other Board members for votes.
   7. Rubber-stamping the Superintendent versus supporting the Superintendent.
   8. Differing views, one final decision.
5. Please keep in mind our goals and our constituencies: students, staff, and community.
6. Always remember that the Board is charged with acting in the best interests of students residing in the community - that is each Board member’s true north.
7. Be mindful of and adhere to the Open Meetings Law. All discussions about items relating to issues that might find their way to an agenda should be discussed at the Open Board meeting.
8. No one member of the Board should represent or claim to represent the thinking or position of the full Board. 
9. No Board member is in a position to make any commitments for the Board or the District.  
10. If a member or members of the community approach a Board member with an issue, he/she/they should redirect the person or persons to the appropriate administrative or Board channels.
11. Posturing for specific people or constituent groups interferes with an open discussion of issues and is not in the best interest of the District.
12. The President is empowered with giving Board members gentle reminders if protocols and norms are not being followed.

EVALUATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

The Board is responsible for evaluating the Superintendent annually, consistent with Policy #0320. The evaluation is conducted using the NYSCOSS Superintendent Evaluation Rubric.