Traut Core Knowledge School
Site Based Management Council (SBMC)
Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
2003-2004 School Year (Version 2.0 Sept. 30, 2003)
Vision: “Our vision is educational excellence in knowledge, skills and character with strong parent-teacher-student partnerships.” (TCKS Covenant, approved May 19, 1998)
LEADERSHIP: The success of this school in achieving its vision of excellence in all areas of the school’s operation is impacted significantly by the quality of its leadership. There are fourteen leaders working together on this school’s Site Based Management Council, and each of the these fourteen leaders must be thoroughly informed on his/her sectors of responsibility, in addition to being fully committed to strong, active leadership in fulfilling each part of that responsibility.
PURPOSE: The school’s charter (approved May 29, 1998) lists the general and specific responsibilities for each officer of the Parent Advisory Board (PAB) and Teacher Advisory Board (TAB). This SOP is intended to clarify the necessary actions of specific PAB/TAB members in order to fulfill those responsibilities listed in the charter.
RESOURCES:
TCKS Covenant and Charter, approved May 29, 1998
TCKS Decision Making Matrix, approved May 21, 1998; revised February 2001
SECTORS OF RESPONSIBILITY:
Principal:
Þ Ensures safety of all TCKS students
Þ Responsible for overall instructional program at TCKS
Þ Supervises all staff
Þ Maintains clear lines of communication with PSD administration both ways
Parent Advisory Board (PAB):
Ø PAB duties as specified in part 5 of the TCKS Charter
Ø PSD Board of Education: Monitors the actions of the seven members of PSD’s Board of Education. With seven PAB members, the primary responsibility for communication and coordination with one Board of Education member can be assigned to each PAB leader.
Ø In Committee Liaison Role: Each PAB member is responsible for helping to recruit a chairman for each committee. Helping to establish a clear understanding of the committee’s mission, and helping specify yearly goals/tasks with a realistic timetable for completion. The PAB liaison will then ensure that the committee members have sufficient direction and resources to accomplish their mission goals/tasks within the set timetable, and will report committee progress to the SBMC during SBMC meetings at least once each quarter.
Teacher Advisory Board (TAB):
Ø As individual staff members, have primary responsibility of delivery of excellence in instruction.
Ø TAB duties as specified in part 6 of the TCKS Charter.
PAB President:
As the School Accreditation Advisory Committee (SAAC) Chairman, the PAB President will coordinate a yearlong schedule to achieve the SAAC Goals and share this with the SBMC and school community at large. The PAB President will also ensure that the PAB member notebooks are updated and passed on to the new member after the spring PAB elections.
TAB President:
Coordinates with the Principal on agenda for staff input meetings on the 4th Thursday morning of each month for current school issues, and chairs the meeting. Ensures the TAB member notebooks are updated and passed on to the new TAB members after the spring TAB elections.
PAB & TAB Vice-Presidents:
These officers keep a record of each policy proposal brought before the SBMC and ensure that each step in the decision making process outlines in the TCKS Decision Making Matrix is followed. The Vice-Presidents also ensure that correct parliamentary procedures (i.e. modified Robert’s Rules of Order’ attached below) are followed during the SBMC meetings and serve as timekeepers.
PAB & TAB Secretaries:
These officers both take notes during SBMC meeting and compare these notes to ensure the minutes of the meetings include the key details of discussions and decisions made. The minutes will include a record of attendance of SBMC members by name, and list how each SBMC member voted on SBMC issues. The Secretaries take turns publishing the minutes, insuring that each PAB/TAB member receives a copy of the minutes, by either e-mail or paper within one week before the next SBMC meeting. The minutes will be marked “Pending Approval” and a copy will be posted next to the last set of approved minutes under the SBMC section of the bulletin boards.
Ø Minutes: The minutes of the PAB meetings will be distributed by the PAB Secretary to all the PAB and TAB members within one week before the next PAB meeting. The minutes of the TAB meetings will be distributed by the TAB Secretary to all TAB & PAB members within one week before the next TAB meeting. The PAB and TAB Minutes will be posted under the PAB and TAB sections of the bulletin boards.
Ø Community Comment: The PAB/TAB Secretaries will post a signup sheet, as needed, for community members who wish to speak during community comment time.
Ø School Policies: The PAB Secretary will post SBMC approved policies on the TCKS File Server and ensure distribution of the policies is made as specified in the TCKS Decision Making Matrix.
Ø Committee Publications: The TAB/PAB Secretaries will construct a master list of TCKS Committee Chairpersons and PAB Liaisons.
Ø Publishing: TAB/PAB Secretaries will be responsible for publishing all decisions, policies and minutes to the appropriate people per the Decision Making Matrix. The PAB Secretary will be responsible for collating and updating SBMC policies.
PAB & TAB Treasurers: The Treasurers will work with the Fundraising Committee and Principal to recommend to the SBMC how the money raised from the annual fundraiser will be spent. The intent is to coordinate this to promote the fundraiser efforts so the Fundraising Committee members have that information as they contact area businesses for donations. (Wording approved by SBMC Dec 2, 1999)
TAB Strategic Planners: The two TAB Strategic Planners are responsible for and will share the role of communication specialist. The communication specialist role is to ensure the staff is aware of important issues.
General School Community:
Ø Submit agenda items in writing to the Navigation Team at least two weeks prior to the SBMC meeting in order to ensure the item can be considered.
Ø Anyone interested in an issue is invited to give input. This input should be as early in the decision process as possible so that it does not become criticism after the decision is made.
School Office Manager:
Ø While it is understood that the school office manager is not the SBMC Secretary, he/she may be given the originals needed to prepare the SBMC packets for each member before the SBMC meeting. He/she may also distribute these packets to TAB mailboxes and to the eldest children of PAB members to take home.
Ø The Office Manager will also be responsible for updating the TCKS Policy Notebook and publishing updated materials for Staff Notebooks as workloads permit.
NORMS FOR SBMC MEMBERS:
Ø Chairing the SBMC Meetings: The PAB President, TAB President and Principal take tuns chairing the SBMC Meetings. Meeting must Start and End on time.
Ø All members will be expected to do their homework by carefully reading information SBMC packets and by gathering need data prior to the SBMC meeting.
Ø Each SBMC leader should come prepared with possible solutions or strategies to issues on the SBMC agenda. It is far easier to write a plan when a beginning idea already exists instead of starting with a blank slate.
Ø Latecomers must get caught up after the meeting or with minutes. Review doesn’t occur during meetings.
Ø No side conversations.
Ø Keep comments concise and to the point.
Ø Carefully listen with respect.
Ø Agree to disagree, if necessary.
Ø Attack the issues, not the people.
Ø Deal with issues at the meeting – not in the parking lot afterward.
Ø If you must leave before the meeting is adjourned, simply leave quietly. The Chair will adjourn the meetings.
Ø Additional time may be schedules as needed to address significant policy issues or projects.
RULES OF ORDER:
Introducing Business
Before a member can introduce a motion or address the SBMC, it is necessary to obtain the floor.
* This will be done by raising a hand and waiting to be called on by the Chair.
Before and subject is open to debate, the following is necessary.
Þ A motion is made by a member who has the floor
Þ The motion is seconded
Þ The Chair or Secretary restates the motion
Þ Informational items can be placed before the SBMC with the concurrence of the Chair.
* These items DO NOT require a motion.
Þ The Chair will state the time allowed for debate/discussion of an issue
Þ With concurrence of the SBMC, the Chair may assign a specific amount of time to each member in the debate/discussion of an issue
Þ All will have the opportunity to speak to an issue. No one member or small group of members may dominate the discussion if other opinions are present.
Þ When a motion has been amended, each member will have the right to speak to the amended motion.
Þ The person who had made the motion may withdraw it at any time with the consent of the person who has seconded it.
Þ Friendly Amendments
The person who has made the motion may amend it at any time during the debate with the concurrence of the person who has seconded it.
Þ Other Amendments
Any member can make a motion to amend the motion on the floor with these provisos:
Ø The amendment must be seconded
Ø Once an amendment has been proposed an seconded, all discussion on the original motion ceases and the amendment is debated/discussed
Ø A vote takes place on the amendment. An affirmative vote of 9 members will amend the original motion. The amended motion will be reread by the Secretary.
Ø Debate will continue on the amended motion.
Ø Amendments of amendments are confusing and HIGHLY discouraged.
Calling a Vote
Þ The chairperson may call a Vote if she/he feels discussion/debate is complete.
Þ As all members have the right to be heard on a topic, any member may ask to be heard once he/she obtains the floor if they haven’t had the opportunity to speak.
Þ This will stop debate on any motion/amendment
Þ A member can Call the Question at any time
- After the Question is Called, limited discussion for clarification will be allowed. This clarification may include the number of people who have not had the opportunity to speak on the motion/amendment.
Þ A vote will be taken. ‘Yes’ means we will stop discussion. ‘No’ means discussion continues.
Þ An affirmative vote of 9 or more members is necessary to Call the Question
Þ If successful (9 or more affirmative votes), debate/discussion stops and a vote will take place
Þ If unsuccessful (8 or fewer affirmative votes), debate/discussion will continue.
Þ This will stop all debate/discussion on any amendment/motion
Þ This will indefinitely suspend action on a motion.
Þ A member can Table a Motion at any time
- After the Motion to Table is presented, limited discussion for clarification will be allowed. This clarification may include the number of people who have not had the opportunity to speak on the motion/amendment.
Þ An affirmative vote of 9 or more members is necessary to Table a Motion
Þ If successful (9 or more affirmative votes), debate/discussion will cease and the motion is tabled
Þ If unsuccessful (8 or fewer affirmative votes), debate/discussion will continue
Þ To return a motion to the floor once tabled, a member will have to go through a normal motion procedure as presented above.
Þ This will stop debate on any motion/amendment
Þ If successful, this will suspend action on a motion for a given time
Þ A member can Postpone a Motion at any time
- After the Motion to Postpone is presented, limited discussion for clarification will be allowed. This clarification may include the number of people who have not had the opportunity to speak on the motion/amendment.
Þ An affirmative vote of 9 or more members is necessary to Postpone a Motion
Þ If successful (9 or more affirmative votes), debate/discussion will cease and the motion is postponed
Þ If unsuccessful (8 or fewer affirmative votes), debate/discussion will continue
Þ If successful, the chairperson will then place the postponed motion on a future agenda.
Þ The Secretary will call roll by name and record the votes by name in the Minutes
Þ All members have the right to vote ‘Yes’, ‘No’, or ‘Abstain’ at any time
Þ For all motions/amendments an affirmative vote from at least 9 members is required for passage.
Þ Voting on logistics questions may be done by e-mail, yet voting by proxy will not be permitted. In that light, each SBMC meeting must have a quorum of at least 9 members.
Ø Agendas: It is the responsibility of the designated chairperson to prepare the agenda discussed in the Navigation Team meeting, publish it in the Friday Notes prior to the SBMC meeting, and provide each PAB/TAB member with background information needed for the meeting.
Ø Information: Information should be distributed in advance of the SBMC meeting to allow members enough time to prepare. Email is preferred.
Ø Absences: In the even that an SBMC Member is unable to attend a meeting, she/he must notify either PAB or TAB Presidents. If either of the Presidents is unable to attend, she/he will contact their respective Vice President.
Ø Type 3, 4, and Policy Decisions: SBMC Members will ensure that all such decisions have a sponsor (e.g. Committee or SBMC Member). The sponsor is responsible for the original draft and its major revisions. SBMC meetings should be used for input and minor editing, not as massive wordsmith sessions.
Ø Use of Work Sessions:
Þ Determine self-governing decisions such as meeting times, how to track process, clarification of a policy, or adoption of norms and standard operating procedures.
Þ To work on the wording of an SBMC sponsored project or policy
Þ To hear first readings or recommendations of an issue that the SBMC has voted to consider.
Þ To refer and issue/proposal to the business meeting for action.
Ø Meeting Schedule:
First Thursday of the Month: 7:00-9:00pm
Third Tuesday of the Month: 3:30-5:00pm
Work Sessions may be scheduled by the SBMC as needed.
Ø Navigation Team: The Navigation Team will meet the Monday of the week that the agenda is due for publishing at 3:20pm. The PAB/TAB Presidents, Vice Presidents and Principal will coordinate the details of the SBMC meeting during their leadership meetings. As issues arise, the leadership team will determine the following:
Þ Who is the Decision Maker (Not all decisions are made by the SBMC)
¨ Who is affected most?
¨ Who will have to implement the decision?
¨ Who has the information or expertise?
¨ How much time is available to make the decision?
¨ How sensitive is the issue?
¨ Are there defined legal responsibilities?
¨ Does current district policy impact this decision?
¨ Will the current workload of SBMC leaders permit taking on this decision?
¨ What is the most efficient strategy to make the decision?
Þ Method of Decision (per Charter & Decision Making Matrix)
Þ Who is asked to give input?
Þ To whom must the decision be announced?
Þ Assign dates for each step for the appropriate level of decision.
Ø Guidelines for Evaluating issues for decision:
1. Ensure the course of action is consistent with the TCKS Covenant.
2. Supports the SAAC Goals as stated in the School Improvement Plan
3. Refer to the Decision Making Matrix for Guidance
4. Ask for a recommendation from the ‘sponsor’ of the issue/problem/decision.
5. Use the underlying principles listed below that are foundational to the TCKS Decision Making Matrix (DMM)
Principle #1: The DMM is a working document, which can be refined as needed by the SBMC based on common sense and past experiences.
Principle #2: The DMM is a means to provide checks and balances within the school leadership so that decisions are made in a fair partnership.
Principle #3: The DMM provides an efficient division of labor so that routine responsibilities can be predetermined and do not have to be renegotiated.
Principle #4: The DMM provides opportunity for input from those who are affected by a decision.
Principle #5: The DMM is intended to provide adequate decision making steps for each allocating more time and process steps for more complex issues to ensure the decision making process is thorough and complete.
Principle #6: The SBMC should not be doing the work that could more efficiently be delegated to a smaller group.
Principle #7: Changes to current policy previously approved by SBMC should be considered ONLY when there is overwhelming evidence of a school-wide concern, rather than as a response to isolated incidents or small vocal groups.
* Since not every decision can possibly be listed on the Decision Making Matrix, the SBMC must use the guiding principles listed above and its collective wisdom to determine the best decision making process. The SBMC leaders must conscientiously fulfill all steps of that process and then use the authority delegated to them to make the best possible decisions for the school.