Lynn Johnson Andrew Farber James Shada David Fritson ...

Lynn Johnson Andrew Farber James Shada David Fritson Superintendent Secondary Principal Assistant Secondary Principal/AD Elementary Principal

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

(402) 478-4173 (402) 478-4171 (402) 478-4171 (402) 478-4121

November 12, 2013

Dear Board Applicant:

Thank you for applying for the board member position currently available in the Arlington Public School District.

The responsibility of the Board of Education is to appoint a resident registered voter to fill a board vacancy. The

duration of this appointment will be through the first Thursday following the first Tuesday in January 2015. The

process outlined below is to ensure openness during the selection process and to encourage all interested

candidates to apply. The board intends to narrow the field to 3-4 candidates for interview purposes. Application

packet includes this letter to board applicants, application form (to be completed and returned), a copy of the

Board Oath, and the Guide for Board Candidacy.

Position: School Board Member (Appointed)

Term: Date of appointment will be through the first Thursday following the first Tuesday in

January, 2015

Qualifications: Resident District #24

Registered Voter

Commitment to Education and the Community

Timeline: Tuesday, November 12, 2013 Application Packets Available

Wednesday, December 11, 2013 Application Form Due in the Superintendent’s

4 p.m. Office

Thursday, December 12, 2013 Applications Reviewed and Considered

7 p.m. by the Board Committee

Monday, December 16, 2013 Interview of Applicants

Monday, January 13, 2014 Recommendation and Seating of Candidate

7 p.m.

Complete an application form and submit to the district office by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 11, 2013.

Please contact me at (402) 478-4173 if you have any questions.

Thank you for your interest in serving the students and patrons of Arlington Public School District.

Respectfully,

Lynn M. Johnson, Superintendent

OATH OF OFFICE

Please stand and raise your right hand. I solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Nebraska, and will perform faithfully and impartially, the duties of a member of the Board of Education of the Arlington Public Schools, School District #24 of Washington County, Nebraska, according to the law and the best of my ability. _______________________________ _________________ Board Member Date

A Guide for School Board Candidates

in Nebraska

2012

Introduction

If school boards did not exist, a wise observer once said, the American public would have to invent them—just as it did two hundred years ago. Today's boards, challenged though they are, continue to fulfill our enduring desire to keep the schools close to the people. As an integral part of the American institution of representative governance, boards have a crucial role to play in preserving our democracy, preparing our young people to be productive citizens, and enriching the lives of our communities.

More often than not, people run for a position on the school board based on a single issue or situation that concerns them within the school system. However, serving on the school board is about more than just budgets, buses, or buildings. What most people don’t understand is the breadth and depth of the school board's responsibilities. This publication will attempt to cast a light on what it means to be a member of a local school board.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Eight Traits of an Effective Board ..................................... Page 4

Principles of Effective Board Governance.........................

What Do Board Members Do? .......................................... Page 7

How Much Time Does It Take? ......................................... Page 9

Board Member Code of Ethics ........................................ Page 10

Candidate Qualifications ................................................... Page 12

Election Information ......................................................... Page 12

Filing Dates ....................................................................... Page 13

Election Dates ................................................................... Page 13

Educational Service Units ................................................ Page 14

Learning Community ....................................................... Page 15

Term of Office ................................................................... Page 16

Campaign Costs ................................................................ Page 16

Information Resources ...................................................... Page 17

About the NASB ............................................................... Page 18

Eight Traits of an Effective Board

Federal and state standards and assessments have defined a new era of accountability for school boards, as well as for school districts. With the heightened emphasis on student achievement, board responsibilities have evolved to embrace a much stronger focus on setting goals and monitoring progress. Here are eight characteristics of an effective board – one that has a positive effect on student achievement – that were found in research conducted between 1993 and 2008:

High expectations, clear goals: effective school boards make a commitment to a vision of high expectations for student achievement and quality instruction. They define clear goals to meet the vision, make sure the goals remain the top priorities, and allow nothing to detract from them.

Belief that all children can learn: effective school boards have strong shared beliefs and values about what is possible for students and their ability to learn, and of the system and its ability to teach all children at high levels. In high-achieving districts, poverty, lack of parental involvement and other factors are described as challenges to be overcome, not as excuses. Board members expect to see improvements in student achievement quickly as a result of initiatives.

Focused on achievement: effective school boards are accountability driven. They spend less time on operational issues and more time focused on policies to improve student achievement.

Collaboration and communication: effective school boards have a collaborative relationship with staff and the community. A strong communications structure is in place to inform and engage key groups – internal and external – in setting and achieving the district’s goals.

Data savvy: effective school boards embrace and monitor data, even when the information is negative, and use it to drive continuous

About Board Service ...

Page 4 Nebraska Association of School Boards

improvement. In high-achieving districts, board members identify specific student needs through data and justify decisions based on that data.

Goals and resources aligned: effective school boards align and sustain resources, such as professional development, to meet district goals. This occurs even during the most severe budget challenges, such as the ones districts now face.

Team leadership: effective school boards lead as a united team with the superintendent, each from their respective roles, with strong collaboration and mutual trust. Boards in successful districts define an initial vision for the district and seek a superintendent who matches this vision.

Team training: boards that are effective take part in team development and training, sometimes with their superintendents, to build shared knowledge, values, and commitments for the district’s improvement efforts. Training is formal, deliberate, and often on specific topics.

(Based on an article published in the American School Board Journal, March 2011)

Nebraska Association of School Boards Page 5

Principles of Effective Board Governance

The school board is entrusted by the community to protect the public’s interest in education, to provide a high quality education to every student, and to carry out these responsibilities in an effective manner. There are three critical components to the board’s ability to carry out governance in a competent and responsible manner:

I. An individual board member must: • Understand that student achievement for all students must be the

primary focus of the board; • Value, support, and advocate on behalf of public education; • Recognize and respect the perspectives of fellow board members,

administrators, staff and patrons; • Perform board responsibilities in a manner that is dignified and

respectful; • Maintain the confidentiality of all matters discussed in executive/

closed session; • Participate in professional development and commit the time

necessary to be an informed and effective board member;

Nebraska Association of School Boards

• Understand the distinct role of the board, and delegate authority to the superintendent and staff; and

• Understand that authority rests with the board as a whole and not with an individual board member.

II. The board of education must: • Conduct board business in unity and purpose as a body; • Maintain its primary focus on student achievement for all students; • Define and adopt the vision and goals that provide clarity and

purpose to the work of the board and district and that enable the board to effectively monitor district performance;

• Govern through board-adopted policies and procedures to guide administration and staff;

• Conduct periodic board self-assessment to ensure effective board governance; and

• Respect the values of the community and engage stakeholders in support of education.

III. The board of education must ensure effective governance by: • Hiring and evaluating the superintendent to ensure the vision

and goals for student achievement are attained; • Developing and maintaining a productive relationship with the

superintendent through mutual respect and a clear understanding of the roles, responsibilities, and expectations identified in the contract, job description, goals and evaluation tool;

• Regularly developing, reviewing, and adopting necessary policies to govern the district;

• Adopting a fiscally responsible budget based on the district’s vision and goals;

• Continuously monitoring the financial statements and ensuring administrative accountability and compliance with policies and state and federal regulations;

• Engaging stakeholders in an ongoing review and update of the district’s vision in support of student achievement;

• Monitoring progress by utilizing data to ensure accountability for student achievement; and

• Nurturing a positive board culture by utilizing policy to guide board operations, providing a comprehensive orientation for new board members, participating in continuing education for all members, and assuming full responsibility for the board’s behavior and performance through periodic self-assessment.


What Do Boards Do?

What Do Board Members Do?Planning

The public expects the nation’s schools to provide a learning environment conducive to student achievement at the highest levels. In order to provide the leadership necessary to create that learning environment, the local school board must (1) ensure that the district and community work together to establish a clear vision of student achievement as their top priority, (2) implement the vision through the development of short- and long-range goals which focus on improving student learning, and (3) regularly assess the district’s progress toward the achievement of the goals.

Policymaking

Another fundamental role of the board in fulfilling its leadership role is that of developing, adopting, and reviewing its written policies. Through policy, the board establishes and communi-cates its focus on student learning and defines the limitations and directions governing all aspects of the district’s operations. Well-crafted policies have the force of law at the local level.

Hiring and Evaluating the Superintendent

One of the school board’s most critical responsibilities is that of selecting and evaluating the district’s chief executive. The superintendent acts as the board’s primary advisor and ensures that its vision and policies are translated into the day-to-day effort to provide a quality education program for all children. In simple terms, the relationship between the board and the superintendent is that the board sets policy while the superintendent implements policy. In reality, however, the relationship requires strong teamwork between the board and the superintendent in order to maintain the highest level of leadership performance.


Financial Resources

In consultation with the superintendent, the board is responsible for approval and adoption of an annual budget that will provide the financial basis for the buildings, furnishings, staff, materials, and equipment needed to support the district's goals for student achievement. Through regular financial reports, the board is able to monitor the use of the district's monetary resources.

Staffing and Appraisal

The school board is the ultimate employer of all district employees. Ordinarily, however—other than approving staff contracts as required by law—boards delegate to administration the tasks of recruiting, hiring, evaluating, promoting, and disciplining staff. The board’s primary responsibility related to staff is to adopt policies which clearly communicate the expectation of a high level of performance and which establish a system of staff appraisal and professional development to support such performance.

It is important to note that in most districts, the school board directly supervises only one employee—the superintendent. The board evaluates the performance of the superintendent and holds him or her accountable for what happens in the district.

Instructional Program

Working closely with the administration, the school board must ensure that the district’s instructional program provides every student with the opportunity to achieve federal, state and local standards of performance, that the district is held accountable for student learning through a comprehensive system of assessment, and that the district’s resources are aligned to support its vision of student achievement.

Facilities

The board is responsible for adopting and monitoring a plan for the continuous maintenance of school facilities; determining present and future facility needs; communicating those needs to the community; purchasing, disposing of, or leasing school sites; and approv-ing building plans that will support and enhance the district's educational programs as well as the health and safety of its staff and students.


Students

Although the board does not deal directly with students, it does adopt the vision, goals, and plans that set the district's expectations for high achievement and establishes policies that guide the actions of administrators and other school staff.

Adjudication

From time to time, the board may have to hear appeals from staff members or students on issues which involve board policy implementation.

AdvocacyWith one foot in the community and the other in schools, school board members are uniquely positioned to listen to the concerns of all the people who have a stake in education and to be vocal advocates for student achievement. It is up to school board members to help build support and understanding of public education and to lead the public in demanding quality education.

How Much Time Does It Take?

The amount of time board members spend carrying out their duties varies greatly from district to district. Some boards hold regular meetings once a month, others meet twice or more each month. Board members are also called upon to attend committee meetings, special meetings, and hearings as required, and to spend time reading board materials and participating in professional development activities. It is absolutely imperative that those who choose to run for local boards of education be prepared to commit the substantial amount of time necessary to serve effectively.

Board MemberCode of Ethics

Code of Ethics

Commitment to serving public education is most rewarding. However, to fulfill the role to the best of a board member's ability, you must:

• Do your homework before meetings;

• Maintain a working knowledge of the current educational issues of your district and state;

• Attend all board meetings and work sessions;

• Attend conferences and workshops to develop the knowledge and skills to be an effective board member;

• Understand procedures for conducting orderly meetings;

• Learn how to assess the facts;

• Devote sufficient time and thought to proposed actions;

• Encourage ideas and opinions from stakeholders;

• Demonstrate respect for fellow board members, staff and community ;

• Work with fellow board members to establish effective board policies;

• Establish equitable terms and conditions of employment for all staff;

• Act as an advocate for the schools and for all children;



• Set high expectations for the work of the board;

• Always keep the board's primary focus on the best interest of all students;

• Base decisions on the available facts and independent judgment, and refuse to surrender personal judgment to individuals or special interest groups;

• Take no private action that will compromise the school system, the board, or the administration, and avoid being placed in a conflict of interest position;

• Support and protect the civil and human rights of all members of the school community;

• Respect the confidentiality of privileged information;

• Keep an open mind so that you can accept and evaluate new concepts;

• Listen objectively to constructive criticism;

• Work with the superintendent and the community to develop a vision for the school system;

• Develop a positive working relationship with other governmental agencies and bodies;

• Understand that, under the law, the school board acts as a board and that individual board members have no independent authority;

• Maintain a sense of humor;

• Share the responsibility for all board decisions regardless of how you voted; and

• Strive for teamwork.


Candidate Qualifications

To be eligible for election to the board of education in any public school district in Nebraska, you must simply be a registered voter in that district [§79-543]. To register to vote, you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen; • Be at least 18 years of age on or before the first Tuesday after

the first Monday in November; • Live in Nebraska; • Have not been convicted of a felony, or if convicted, at least

two years have passed since the completion of your sentence for the felony including any parole term; and

• Have not been officially found to be mentally incompetent.

Reference: http://www.sos.ne.gov/elec/voter_info.html.

Election Information

School board election information varies according to school district classification. Under §79-102, Nebraska's public schools are classified according to the following criteria:

• Class II—any district embracing territory having a population of 1,000 inhabitants or less that maintains both elementary and high school grades under the direction of a single board [§79-102(2)];

• Class III—any district embracing territory having a population of more than 1,000 and less than 150,000 inhabitants that maintains both elementary and high school grades under the direction of a single school board [§79-102(3)];

• Class IV—any district embracing territory having a population of 100,000 or more inhabitants with a city of the primary class within the territory of the district that maintains both elementary

About Becoming a Candidate...

and high school grades under the direction of a single school board (Lincoln only) [§79-102(4)];

• Class V—any district whose employees participate in a retirement system established pursuant to the Class V School Employees Retirement Act and which embraces territory hav-ing a city of the metropolitan class within the territory of the district that maintains both elementary and high school grades under the direction of a single school board and any school district with territory in a city of the metropolitan class created pursuant to the Learning Community Reorganization Act and designated as a Class V school district in the reorganization plan (Omaha only) [§79-102(5)].

Filing Dates

The filing period for candidates in the 2012 General Election began December 1, 2011. Deadlines for filing are:

• All districts that nominate or elect in the Primary Election:

√ Incumbents (anyone who holds any elective office)— February 15, 2012

√ Non-incumbents—March 1, 2012

• Class II districts and Educational Service Units: √ Incumbents (anyone who holds any elective office)— July 15, 2012 √ Others—August 1, 2012

Filing forms are available through the local county clerk/election commissioner’s office. Because school board members are not paid, there is no filing fee.

Reference: http://www.sos.ne.gov/elec/candidateinfo.html

Statewide Election Dates

• Primary Election—May 15, 2012 • General Election—November 6, 2012

School Board Elections

• Class II districts [§32-542]: √ elected in the General Election.



• Class III districts (except Westside Community Schools) [§32-543(2)]:

√ nominated in the Primary Election √ elected in the General Election

• Westside Community Schools [§32-543(1)] √ nominated by caucus √ elected in the Primary Election

• Class IV district [§32-544]: √ next election in 2013

• Class V district [§32-545]: √ nominated in the Primary Election √ elected in the General Election

About Educational Service Units:

Educational Service Units (ESUs) are political subdivisions that serve as intermediate-level education service agencies for member school districts. ESUs were created by the Nebraska Legislature in 1965 as cooperative programs to make services more cost effective for school districts. There are currently 17 ESUs providing services to Nebraska’s public school districts. The state requires ESUs to provide core services, including staff development, technology, and instructional materials. Beyond the core services, ESUs determine other services to be offered based on the needs of their member school districts. The number of board members for each ESU varies according to the election districts established per §79-1217.01.

(Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_Service_Units_of_Nebraska and §79-1217.01)

Educational Service Unit Board Elections

• ESU Boards: √ elected in the General Election

Reference: http://www.sos.ne.gov/elec/candidateinfo.html

About the Learning Community:

The Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties began in January, 2009, and is a political subdivision created by the Nebraska Legislature to resolve educational and boundary issues among school districts in the Omaha metropolitan area. It is comprised of all 11 school districts within Douglas and Sarpy Counties. There are six Learning Community electoral districts, each with approximately 90,000 residents.

The Learning Community is governed by the Learning Commu-nity Coordinating Council. The Council is made up of 18 voting members, three from each of six electoral districts. Of the three, two are elected, and one is appointed. The appointed member must be a current school board member. Each district’s three voting members make up that district’s achievement subcouncil. To ensure that all 11 school districts have a seat at the table, a non-voting member is added for school districts not represented after elected and appointed members are seated. The full Council holds regular meetings on the first and third Thursday of every month that are open to the public. Subcouncils also hold public meetings on a regular basis.

Reference: http://www.changforlearningcommunity.com/about-the-learning-community/

Learning Community Coordinating Council Elections

• Subcouncils 2, 4, and 6 will elect in 2012 — √ nominated in the Primary Election √ elected in the General Election • Six school board member appointments — √ made by school districts in that subcouncil √ November, 2012 after the General Election

Reference: §32-546(1)


Term of Office

With a few statutory exceptions [§32-543(1)], school board members generally serve four-year terms. These terms are staggered so that the entire board is not up for election at the same time.

Service Without Pay

Local school board members in Nebraska are prohibited by law from receiving a salary or per diem for their service. They may, however, be reimbursed for their actual expenses incurred while carrying out their duties [§79-546]. Mileage expenses are computed at the rate established by the Department of Administrative Services [§81-1176]. Guidelines for determining allowable expenses and reimbursement for such expenses are established in §81-1174, 81-1175, and 81-1177.

Campaign Costs

The amount of time and money required to campaign for a seat on your local school board is still minimal in most districts. However, despite the fact that board members serve without pay, the cost of financing a campaign in the state's urban districts has risen to thousands of dol-lars. Specific information about the cost of campaigning in your district is available from the sources listed on Page 17. Campaign Finance Limitation Act Information is available at http://nadc.nol.org/cf/publications.html


Public education is a promise to our children; a promise that they will be prepared for the challenge of being responsible citizens of our society. Serving your community as a school board member means making a commitment to the children and being a part of honoring that promise.

-Bill Williams

Other InformationResources ...

Election Information • Neal Erickson, Assistant to the Secretary of State for Elections State Capitol, Lincoln, NE 68509 402-471-2554

• County Clerk's Office

• Administrative office of local school district

Campaign Information • Local school board members


Information about Board Service • Local school board members


• Nebraska Association of School Boards 800-422-4572 or www.nasbonline.org

• National School Boards Association 703-838-6722 or www.nsba.org

• Nebraska Department of Education 402-471-2295 or www.nde.state.ne.us


The Nebraska Association of School Boards (NASB) is a not-for-profit organization which has served local boards of education since 1918. After nearly a century of service, NASB continues to provide assistance and information for the boards and districts it represents. Governed by school board members, the organization is committed to these general goals on behalf of its member boards:

• enhancing the ability and authority of local boards of education to represent the citizens of their school district;

• working for increased public awareness and financial support of the public schools;

• providing development, training, and consulting opportunities for school board members that will assist them in meeting their responsibilities for policy making, and effective and efficient management of the school district;

• representing the interests of public education, and in particular, the viewpoints of local boards of education, to those who impact public education; and

• providing member boards with the specialized information needed to operate the public schools in the most efficient way possible.

In order to fulfill its goals, the NASB offers a broad range of membership services including:

• a legislative presence at the state level to represent the concerns of local education policymakers;

• a selection of money-saving programs—such as insurance, lease purchase, Medicaid Consortium, eMeetings and eFunds— designed to give schools the services they need at the most competitive price possible;

About the NebraskaAssociation of

School Boards ...



NASB GovernanceThe Nebraska Association of School Boards is governed by a 24-member Board of Directors. Local school board members are elected to the NASB Board of Directors on a regional basis and serve three-year terms. The Board meets five times a year as a whole, with other subcommittees meeting throughout the year.

The Association's bylaws and annual legislative agenda are developed through a representative process which begins with the initiation of proposals by member boards. Proposals are submitted to the NASB Legislation Committee which is composed of members elected by size-specific districts, plus six members appointed from the NASB Board of Directors. The Legislation Committee reviews local district proposals for legislative resolutions and standing positions, and then makes a recommendation to the NASB Delegate Assembly. Through the Delegate Assembly, each member district is able to exercise its vote to establish the Association's legislative direction for the year.

National School Boards AssociationThe Nebraska Association of School Boards is a member of the National School Boards Association (NSBA). Founded in 1940, the NSBA is a not-for-profit federation of state associations of school boards from across the United States. NSBA is a nationwide advocacy organization for public school governance and provides vital information and services to its members.

• opportunities to share expertise and solutions to common problems through participation in workshops and conferences;

• access to a full-time legal counsel to answer members' questions about the complexities of the laws affecting public schools;

• access to up-to-the-minute information through publications, e-mail, and the NASB website (www.nasbonline.org);

• access to an innovative electronic meeting management tool;

• a program to provide local boards with comprehensive policy develop-ment and update support; and

• a complete process to assist boards in the selection of a new superintendent.

For more information, please call or write:

Nebraska Association of School Boards 1311 Stockwell Street, Lincoln, NE 68502Phone: (800) 422-4572 or (402) 423-4951

FAX: (402) 423-4961Website: www.nasbonline.org

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