Redline Version BBI Board Staff Relations

                                                                                    Board Policy Manual
                                                                            DeKalb County School District

Board Policy BBI: Board-Staff Rela ons                                                   Status: DRAFT -
                                                                                        1st Reading

Original Adopted Date: 03/21/2012 | Last Revised Date: Pending | Last Reviewed Date:
08/20/2024




Red Lined Version

The DeKalb County Board of Educa on wishes to maintain open channels of communica on with
dDistrict staff, including dDistrict employees and contractors. , and vendors. The primary line of
communica on, however, will be through the sSuperintendent,. and oOfficial district business of
the dDistrict willshall not be carried on conducted between staff and bBoard members except as
directed by the sSuperintendent.

    A. Staff Communica ons to the Board

        All communica ons or open reports to the Board or any of its subcommi ees from
        principals, supervisors, teachers, or other staff members will be submi ed through the
        Superintendent. Staff should not contact Board members regarding school or District
        business, and staff interests or concerns should be communicated through the chain of
        command unless otherwise directed by the Superintendent.

        This procedure does not deny the right of any employee to appeal to the bBoard from
        administra ve decisions on important ma ers, provided that the sSuperintendent has been
        no fied of the forthcoming appeal and that it is processed in accordance with the bBoard’s
        policy on complaints and grievances which can be found at policies GAE-2 and GAE-3. Staff
        are encouraged to report concerns to the Eemployee Rrela ons Ddepartment the
        appropriate department handling employee grievances and concerns or through the
        whistleblower hotline 1-888-475-0482 at the Audit & Compliance department. If the
        complaint or concern is with the Audit & Compliance department, then staff is members are
        encouraged to report to the Chief Legal Officer. If there are complaints or concerns about
        the superintendent, those should will be reported directly to the bBoard cChair who will
        consult with General Counsel.

        Staff members are also reminded that bBoard mee ngs are public mee ngs. As such, they
        provide an excellent opportunity to observe firsthand the bBoard’s delibera ons on
        problems of staff concern.

    B. Board Member Communica ons to the Superintendent Board Communica ons to Staff

        All Board member communica ons, ques ons, policies or direc ves of staff interest and
        concern will be communicated to staff members through the Superintendent. Board
        members should not contact staff to discuss school or District business. The
        Superintendent will develop appropriate methods to keep staff fully informed of the Board’s
        problems, concerns and ac ons. Board member requests to meet with or require
        informa on from a staff member shall be at the direc on of the Superintendent.
   If a bBoard member brings to the sSuperintendent a request or concern regarding bBoard
   governance or otherwise requiring full bBoard consensus, the request or concern will be
   referred to the bBoard cChair. Any responses by the sSuperintendent should will be made
   through the cChair based on agreed communica on channels to ensure that the response is
   shared with the full bBoard.

C. Guidelines for Board Member Visits to Schools

   The ul mate responsibility for a school’s opera on lies with the sSuperintendent. There are
   advantages for to obtaining knowledge about a school’s opera on by individual bBoard
   members visi ng the school. Board members are encouraged to visit schools during open
   houses and other mes specially arranged for the general public. In addi on, board members
   are encouraged to visit the schools to speak with, listen to, and observe the opera ons and
   procedures of the school to gain knowledge for policy-making decisions in the areas of
   finance, personnel, curriculum, facili es and transporta on. The following guidelines apply
   when board members visit schools: 1. There should will be no interrup on of classes or
   other ac vi es. 2. Class visita on or observa on should will be done only with the approval
   of the principal. 3. Review of evalua on informa on of any teacher or employee should will
   be done only in execu ve session of a board mee ng.There will be no evalua on of teachers
   or employees by board members during school visits. 4. The board member should will not
   act or speak independently in making decisions or commitments of a course of ac on of the
   board. However, some problems can be encountered by Board members visi ng schools,
   including the following:

       1. It is impossible to separate the iden ty of a Board member from that of a private
          ci zen.

       2. Evalua on of staff members and employees is an administra ve responsibility, not a
          Board member’s responsibility.

       3. Board members must not make general statements or promises that could be
          construed to be the posi on of the Board.

       4. Board members should not make statements to teachers and employees which could
          be construed as a procedural direc ve.

D. Guidelines for Visi ng Schools

   Board members are encouraged to visit schools during open houses and other mes
   specially arranged for the general public. In addi on, Board members are encouraged to
   visit the schools to speak with, listen to, and observe the opera ons and procedures of the
   school to gain knowledge for policy-making decisions in the areas of finance, personnel,
   curriculum, facili es and transporta on.

   The following guidelines apply when Board members visit schools:

       1. There should be no interrup on of classes or other ac vi es.

       2. Class visita on or observa on should be done only with the approval of the
          principal.
      3. Review of evalua on informa on of any teacher or employee should be done only in
         execu ve session of a Board mee ng.

      4. The Board member should not act or speak independently in making decisions or
         commitments of a course of ac on of the Board.

  Board members must recognize that their presence in the schools could be subject to a
  variety of interpreta ons by school employees and the public. Such visits will be regarded as
  informal expressions of interest in school affairs and not as “inspec ons” or visits for
  supervisory or administra ve purposes.

E. Enforcement

   This policy willshall be enforced in the manner set out in the Board Member Code of Ethics
   Policy, Descriptor Code BH, Paragraph F. Staff members who violate this policy shall be
   sanc oned as determined by the Superintendent.