Board Policies

Members

Schedule of Meetings

Agenda, Minutes. Committee Schedules

004. MEMBERSHIP

The Board of School Directors shall consist of nine (9) members.

Each member of the Board shall meet the following qualifications:

1. S/He shall be of good moral character, eighteen (18) years of age, shall have been a resident of the district for at least one (1) year prior to the date of his/her election or appointment, and shall not be a holder of any office or position or profit under any government in the School District of Springfield Township; nor shall s/he b a member of the municipal council.
2. S/He shall not have been removed from any office of trust under federal, state or local laws for any malfeasance in such office.
3. Except as provided by law, s/he shall not be engaged in a business transaction with the school district, be employed by the school district, nor receive pay for services from the school district.
4. S/He shall, before entering the duties if the office, take and subscribe to the oath of affirmation prescribed by statute.
5. S/He shall file a statement of financial interests with the State Ethics Commission before taking the oath of office or entering upon his/her duties.
   

Election of new members of the Board shall be in accordance with law.

A vacancy shall occur by reason of death, resignation, removal from a district, or otherwise. Any such vacancy shall be filled by the appointment, by a majority vote of the remaining members of the Board within thirty (30) days of the occurrence of the vacancy, of a person who shall serve until the first Monday in December after the first municipal election occurring more than sixty (60) days following his/her appointment, except that when a majority of the memberships are vacant, such vacancies shall be filled by the Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery County.

The term of office of each school director shall be four (4) years and shall expire on the first Monday of Decem11/08/2006l director appointed to fill a vacancy shall expire on t he first Monday of December after the municipal election occurring more than sixty (60) days after his/her appointment, and the term of each school director elected to an unexpired term shall expire at the termination of that term.

Whenever a school director shall cease to be a resident of the School District of Springfield Township, his/her membership on the Board shall cease forthwith.

The removal of a school director who resigns shall become effective upon the presentation of the resignation to the Board President and upon such state specified therein.

A school director who neglects or refuses to attend two (2) successive regular meetings of the Board, unless detained by sickness or prevented by necessary absence from the district, or if in attendance at nay meeting neglects or refuses to act in his/her official capacity as a school director, may be removed from his/her office on the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Board.

If a person elected or appointed as a school director, having been notified, shall refuse or neglect to qualify as such director, the remaining members may, within ten (10) days following the beginning of his/her term of office, declare said office vacant on the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining members of the Board.

School directors, a nonmember Secretary of the Board, and Board solicitor(s) shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses actually incurred as delegates to any State convention or association of school directors held within the Commonwealth, or for necessary expenses actually incurred in attendance authorized by the Board at any other meeting held within the Commonwealth or at an educational convention out-of-state. All such expenses shall be itemized and made available for public inspection at the next succeeding meeting of the Board. No member shall be reimbursed for more than two (2) such out-of-state meetings in one (1) school year. Such expenses shall be reimbursed only upon presentation that advance payments may be made upon presentation of estimated expenses to be incurred.

The responsibility of School Board membership calls for knowledge of and orientation to many areas of information and understanding. Under the guidance of experienced Board members and the Superintendent, orientation will be provided to new Board members. Orientation may include, but not limited to, the following activities:

1. Workshop for new Board members conducted by State and area School Board Associations.
2. Discussion and visits with the Superintendent and other members of the Superintendent's administrative staff.
3. Provisions of the following materials on School Board and administrative policies and procedures: Current year's budget with coding; Salary lists for all personnel; Treasurer's reports for most recent three (3) months; One month's bill lists; Most recent audited financial statement; Terms and conditions of employment for all employees; Superintendent's reports for most recent six (6) months; Minutes for most recent six (6) months; Current Policy Manual with bylaws; Personnel handbook; Pennsylvania School Code; Address list of Board and district personnel; Current studies, reports, resolutions and proposals before the Board.
   

In keeping with its stated position on the need for continuing in-service training and development for its members, the Board encourages the participation of all members at appropriate local, state and national school Board conferences, workshops, and conventions. The Board also encourages the exchange of ideas through joint meetings with neighboring School Boards.

However, in order to control both the investment of time and expenditure of funds to implement this policy, the Board establishes these principles and procedures for its guidance.

1. No member of the Board may attend a meeting at Board expense without prior Board approval.
2. Funds for participation at such meetings will be budgeted on an annual basis.
3. When a conference, convention, or workshop is not attended by the full Board, those who do participate will be requested to share information, recommendations and materials acquired at the meting which will be beneficial to the school district.
4. Reimbursement to Board members for their travel expense will be in accordance with Section 7 of Policy 004.

Reimbursement shall be limited to actual expenses incurred and shall not include or be construed to include compensation to individual Board members.