Clean Version Board Policy BBI_ Board-Staff Relations 1.10.2025

                                                                                    Board Policy Manual
                                                                            DeKalb County School District

Board Policy BBI: Board-Staff Relations                                                 Status: DRAFT -
                                                                                        1st Reading

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




Clean Version

The DeKalb County Board of Education wishes to maintain open channels of communication with
district staff, including district employees, contractors, and vendors. The primary line of
communication, however, will be through the Superintendent. Official district business will not be
conducted between staff and board members except as directed by the Superintendent.

    A. Staff Communications to the Board

        This procedure does not deny the right of any employee to appeal to the board from
        administrative decisions on important matters, provided that the Superintendent has been
        notified of the appeal and that it is processed in accordance with the board’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 Employee Relations Department 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, staff members are
        encouraged to report to the Chief Legal Officer. If there are complaints or concerns about
        the superintendent, those will be reported directly to the board chair who will consult with
        General Counsel.

        Staff members are also reminded that board meetings are public meetings. As such, they
        provide an excellent opportunity to observe firsthand the board’s deliberations on problems
        of staff concern.

    B. Board Member Communications to the Superintendent

        If a board member brings to the Superintendent a request or concern regarding board
        governance or otherwise requiring full board consensus, the request or concern will be
        referred to the board chair. Any responses by the superintendent will be made through the
        chair based on agreed communication channels to ensure that the response is shared with
        the full board.

    C. Guidelines for Board Member Visits to Schools

        The ultimate responsibility for a school’s operation lies with the Superintendent. There are
        advantages to obtaining knowledge about a school’s operation by individual board members
        visiting the school. Board members are encouraged to visit schools during open houses and
        other times specially arranged for the general public. In addition, board members are
        encouraged to visit the schools to speak with, listen to, and observe the operations and
        procedures of the school to gain knowledge for policy-making decisions in the areas of
   finance, personnel, curriculum, facilities and transportation. The following guidelines apply
   when board members visit schools: 1. There will be no interruption of classes or other
   activities. 2. Class visitation or observation will be done only with the approval of the
   principal. 3. There will be no evaluation of teachers or employees by board members during
   school visits. 4. The board member will not act or speak independently in making decisions
   or commitments of a course of action of the board.

  Board members must recognize that their presence in the schools could be subject to a
  variety of interpretations by school employees and the public.

E. Enforcement

   This policy will be enforced in the manner set out in the Board Member Code of Ethics
   Policy.