2002

Organization of the Board, Board Officers, Check Signing, and Committees

1. Membership, Term and Election

1. The Board of Education shall be comprised of six members who will be elected at large.

1. Those who wish to serve on the board shall file, be elected, and serve terms of office on the board according to law.

1. Internal Organization and Officers

1. President

i. At the regular January meeting, the board shall elect from among its members a president who shall serve in that capacity for one year.

ii. The president shall preside at all board meetings, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by law or by action of the board.

1. Vice President

i. At the regular January meeting, the board shall elect from among its members a vice president who shall serve in that capacity for one year.

ii. The vice president shall preside in the absence of the president, and shall perform such other duties as are assigned by the board.

1. Secretary

i. At the regular January meeting, the board shall elect a secretary who need not be a member of the board. The secretary shall serve in that capacity for one year. If the secretary is a member of the board, an assistant secretary may be named and his or her duties and compensation set by the board.

ii. The secretary shall see that an accurate record of the proceedings of the board is kept, that a copy of the proceedings is provided to each board member and to the superintendent, and that a concise summary of each month’s meeting is published along with a list of all approved claims. The secretary shall perform such other duties as are prescribed by law and assigned by the board.

1. Treasurer

i. At the regular January meeting, the board shall elect, employ, or appoint a treasurer who need not be a member of the board if permitted by law. The treasurer shall serve in that capacity for one year, unless the board designates a longer term for the treasurer.

ii. The treasurer may be designated to sign checks and certain other documents. The treasurer is the custodian of the monies of the district.

iii. The treasurer shall give bond or equivalent insurance coverage payable to the district as prescribed by law with the cost of the bond being paid by the district.

iv. The treasurer shall issue no warrant of payment of claim against the district until such claim has been duly authorized.

1. Signing and Authorizing Checks, Warrants, and other Instruments.

1. Unless otherwise delegated by the board, the president and secretary of the board shall sign checks, warrants, and other instruments of the district.

1. The board may delegate another person to sign and validate any checks, warrants, and other instruments. Facsimile signatures of board members may be used.

1. The board delegates that the vice president or treasurer may sign any warrant in the absence of either the president or the secretary.

1. Board Officer Voting and Tie Breakers

1. The vote to elect board officers may be taken by secret ballot, but the total number of votes for each candidate shall be recorded in the minutes.

1. In the event any officer cannot be elected by a majority after 10 votes; no votes occur after ten motions fail for lack of a “second,”; or no member volunteers to serve as an officer for a particular position, the tie will be broken by the applicable method:

i. If the board is split between two members, the officer will be determined by coin flip. The winning member will be the officer for the upcoming year unless the position changes by action of the board.

ii. If the board is split between more than two members who wish to serve as the officer, any member wanting to serve as the officer will put his or her name into a drawing. The name drawn out will be the officer for the upcoming year unless the position changes by action of the board.

iii. If no member is willing to serve as an officer for a position which is required to be a member of the board, all non-officers’ names will be put into a drawing. The name drawn out will be the officer for the upcoming year unless the position changes by action of the board.

1. Committees

1. The board shall authorize such special committees as it deems necessary. The board president shall appoint members to the committee, and designate its function, tasks it is to perform, and a completion date for its work.

1. On or before the beginning of each calendar year, the board shall appoint three members to form a Committee on American Civics. The committee’s duties shall be those prescribed by Nebraska statutes, which include:

i. Hold no fewer than two public meetings annually, at least one when public testimony is accepted;

ii. Keep minutes of each meeting showing the time and place of the meeting, which members were present or absent, and the substance and details of all matters discussed;

iii. Examine and ensure that the social studies curriculum used in the district is aligned with the social studies standards adopted pursuant to section 79-760.01 and teaches foundational knowledge in civics, history, economics, financial literacy, and geography;

iv. Review and approve the social studies curriculum to ensure that it stresses the services of the men and women who played a crucial role in the achievement of national independence, establishment of our constitutional government, and preservation of the union and includes the incorporation of multicultural education as set forth in sections 79-719 to 79-723 in order to instill a pride and respect for the nation's institutions and not be merely a recital of events and dates;

v. Ensure that any curriculum recommended or approved by the committee on American civics is made readily accessible to the public and contains a reference to this section;

vi. Ensure that the district develops and utilizes formative, interim, and summative assessments to measure student mastery of the social studies standards adopted pursuant to section 79-760.01;

vii. Ensure that the social studies curriculum in the district incorporates one or more of the following for each student:

1. Administration of a written test that is identical to the entire civics portion of the naturalization test used by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services prior to the completion of eighth grade and again prior to the completion of twelfth grade with the individual score from each test for each student made available to a parent or guardian of such student; or

2. Attendance or participation between the commencement of eighth grade and completion of twelfth grade in a meeting of a public body as defined by section 84-1409 followed by the completion of a project or paper in which each student demonstrates or discusses the personal learning experience of such student related to such attendance or participation; or

3. Completion of a project or paper and a class presentation between the commencement of eighth grade and the completion of twelfth grade on a person or persons or an event commemorated by a holiday listed in section 79-724(6) or on a topic related to such person or persons or event;

viii. Take all such other steps as will assure the carrying out of the provisions of this section and provide a report to the school board regarding the committee's findings and recommendations.

1. Vacancies

1. A vacancy on the board of education shall exist when any one of the following occurs:

i. A member submits his or her formal resignation from the board.

ii. A member removes himself or herself from the district or is absent from the district for a continuous period of sixty days.

iii. A member misses more than two consecutive regular board meetings unless excused by a majority of the remaining members.

iv. Such other reasons as are set forth in Nebraska statutes.

1. The board shall make note the vacancy in its minutes and shall give notice of the date the vacancy occurred, the office vacated, and the length of the unexpired term to (1) the election commissioner or county clerk, and (2) the public by published notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the district.

1. Vacancies shall be filled in the manner set forth in Nebraska statutes.

Adopted on: 8/16/10

Revised on: 7/21914

Revised on: 8/20/18

Revised on: 7/15/19