The Winfield-Mt. Union Community School District board is authorized by and derives its organization from Iowa law. The board will consist of 5 board members. Board members are elected at-large.
The board is organized for the purpose of setting policy and providing general direction for the school district. The board will hold its organizational meeting at or before the first regular meeting following the canvass of votes. The retiring board will transfer materials, including the board policy manual, and responsibility to the new board.
The organizational meeting allows the outgoing board to approve minutes of its previous meetings, complete unfinished business and review the school election results. The retiring board will adjourn and the new board will then begin. The business manager/board secretary will administer the oath of office to the newly-elected board members. The board secretary/business manager will preside while the new board elects the president and vice-president of the new board.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code §§ 274.2; 275.23A; 277.23, .28, .31; 279.1, .5, .7, .8 , .33
281 I.A.C. 12.3(2).
Cross Reference:
202 Board of Directors Members
206.1 President
206.2 Vice-President
210 Board of Directors' Meetings
Approved July 1999
Reviewed August 2022
Revised
The board will hold its organizational meeting in odd-numbered years at or before the first regular meeting following the canvass of votes. Notice of the meeting's place and time will be given by the board secretary to each member, member-elect and the public.
The purpose of the meeting is to transfer material and responsibility from the outgoing board to the new board. At the meeting, the board will elect a president and a vice president who will hold office for one year. Once elected, the president and vice president will be entitled to vote on all matters before the board.
Meeting Procedure
The organizational meeting of the board will be held in two parts: the final meeting of the outgoing board and the organizational meeting of the new board.
1. Final Meeting of the Retiring Board
2. Organizational Meeting of the New Board
Other items of business at the organizational meeting may include:
Approved October 2017
Reviewed August 2022
Revised
The board of the Winfield-Mt. Union Community School District, acting on behalf of the school district, will have jurisdiction over school matters within the territory of the school district.
The board is empowered to make policy for its own governance, for employees, for students and for school district facilities. The board is also empowered to enforce its policies. The board may, through its quasi-judicial power, conduct hearings and rule on issues and disputes confronting the school district.
The board has these powers and all other powers expressly granted to it in federal and state law as well as the powers that can be reasonably implied from the express powers.
Legal Reference:
Board of Directors of Ind. School Dist. of Waterloo v. Green, 259 Iowa 1260, 147 N.W.2d 854 (1967).
Iowa Code §§ 28E; 274.1-.2; 279.8
281 I.A.C. 12.1(2).
Approved July 1999
Reviewed August 2022
Revised
The board is authorized to govern the school district which it oversees. The board is entrusted with public funds and is responsible for overseeing the improvement of student outcomes, including student academic achievement and skill proficiency. As the governing board of the school district, the board has three duties to perform: legislative duty, executive duty and evaluative duty.
As a representative of the citizens of the school district community, the board is responsible for legislating policy for the school district. As a policy making body, the board has jurisdiction to enact policy with the force and effect of law for the management and operation of the school district.
It is the responsibility of the board, under the board's executive duty, to select its chief executive officer, the superintendent, to operate the school district on the board's behalf. The board delegates to the superintendent its authority to carry out board policy, to formulate and carry out rules and regulations and to handle the administrative details in a manner which supports and is consistent with board policy.
The board has a responsibility to review the education program's performance under its evaluative duty. The board regularly reviews the education program and ancillary services. The review includes a careful study and examination of the facts, conditions and circumstances surrounding the amount of funds received or expended and the education program's ability to achieve the board's educational philosophy for the school district.
The board fulfills its quasi-judicial duties in serving as a neutral arbiter for hearings related to student suspension or expulsion proceedings and certain employment termination hearings and appeals. This important power was granted by the Iowa legislature and cannot be delegated. To preserve the board’s neutrality to hear and decide upon these matters, the board does not investigate or become involved in student disciplinary matters or employment matters that may come before it and would require the board to serve in its quasi-judicial role.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code §§ 274.1; 279.1, .8, .20; 280.12.
281 I.A.C. 12.3(2).
Cross Reference:
101 Educational Philosophy of the School District
103 Long-Range Needs Assessment
209 Board of Directors' Management Procedures
600 Goals and Objectives of the Education Program
Approved July 1999
Reviewed August 2022
Revised
The Board of Directors authorizes the sending and acceptance of electronic records and electronic signatures to and from other persons or entities and further authorizes the creation, storage and use of electronic records and electronic signatures for the following records and contract documents or as otherwise authorized by the Board from time-to-time, to the extent permitted by law:
The Board President, or the Superintendent as may be permitted by the Board for certain statutorily authorized contracts, is authorized to create and affix an electronic signature for the execution of authorized electronic records and contracts. The signature shall be an electronic sound, symbol or process attached to or logically associated with the record and executed or adopted with the intent to sign. The signature initially created shall be affixed upon the record or contract with proof of authenticity by affidavit of the Board Secretary.
Legal Reference: Iowa Code § 291.1, Iowa Code §279.8; Iowa Code §279.23; Iowa Code §279.20(2) ; Iowa Code §279.13(1)(c); Iowa Code §4.1(39); Iowa Code Chapter 554D.
Approved March 2016
Reviewed July 2017
BOARD MEMBER SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT
The board sees the value in promoting the excellent work and accomplishments of the district’s students
and staff. Social media is one of many effective communication tools that the district may utilize. Board
members have been publicly elected to govern the district and accept a fiduciary responsibility. That
responsibility means board members agree to always act in the best interests of the district. For this
reason, the board shall expect that individual communications and social media posts made by board
members will reflect the values and decorum expected of elected officials in the school community.
All board members enjoy rights to freedom of speech under both the U.S. and Iowa Constitutions. As
such, the district will not limit protected speech of any board members. Certain categories of speech are
not protected and may be subject to regulation. Additionally, board members should be aware that
protected speech can still subject individuals to legal liability. If using social media to discuss district
related matters, board members should be aware that they may be prohibited from blocking individual
communications and posters based upon the content of their posts.
The board as a whole and individual board members in their governance role have legal obligations to
safeguard the privacy of information related to student and employee matters. Board members will refrain
from posting or communicating on social media in a way that violates the district’s obligation to protect the
privacy of its students and employees.
Board members are uniquely positioned in the school community to be both accessible and responsive to
community concerns about the effective governance of the district. As a result, the board will remember
their obligations to safeguard student and employee privacy when responding to any social media posts
or communications, even if the response is intended to correct information for the rest of the school
community. Board members will direct concerned individuals to the appropriate district staff to address
their inquiry or complaint in accordance with board policy.
Approved: 4/12/23
Revised:
Reviewed: