School Board Role
WE Direct
The School Board is the policy-making body of our District. It is responsible for providing an education program for students living within the district boundaries. To accomplish its role, the Board:
- Employs and evaluates the Superintendent
- Determines the long-range direction and vision of the District as detailed in the Strategic Plan
- Establishes policies that direct instructional and support programs
- Approves the Annual Budget
- Call elections on bond and other funding proposals
- Ensures that Board policies and priorities are implemented
- Communicates and engages with the community
- Advocates for education with local and state leaders
- Recognizes staff and community contributions
- Approves large contracts and agreements including those with employee groups
Goals
Goal #1: Develop a new strategic plan – using a consultant, work with students, parents, staff, and community to identify the key areas of focus for the strategic plan.
- Measure of Success: Finish and commence implementation of a fully realized strategic plan by the end of the school year.
Goal #2: Pass a successful local option levy - refer a local option levy to voters.
- Measures of Success: Pass a local option levy in the November election.
Goal #3: Realign Board Election Zones – redraw zones to comply with state laws, school district policy, and additional board identified criteria.
- Measure of Success: Ratify through a vote of the board a realignment of board member zones fully compliant with all laws and policies ahead of the May 2023 election.
Board Committees:
Committee of the whole:
- Budget Committee
- Strategic Plan
Ad Hoc Committee:
- Policy Committee
- Measure of Success: Provide the School Board with draft policies when required by changes to local, state, or federal law or when considering a new policy or policy change.
- Board Members: Tom Colett - Chair, Dr. Karen Pérez, Sunita Garg
- Staff Chair: Kerry Delf, Camellia Osterink
- Measure of Success: Provide the School Board with draft policies when required by changes to local, state, or federal law or when considering a new policy or policy change.
Subcommittees:
- Legislative Advocacy Committee
- Measure of Success: Develop a legislative platform (to be adopted by the School Board) of bills and budget allocations to support and/or oppose; advocate during the 2023 legislative session for priorities enumerated by the platform.
- Board Members: Susan Greenberg - Chair, Ugonna Enyinnaya, Eric Simpson
- Staff Chair: Kerry Delf
- Measure of Success: Develop a legislative platform (to be adopted by the School Board) of bills and budget allocations to support and/or oppose; advocate during the 2023 legislative session for priorities enumerated by the platform.
Board Assignments:
- Audit Committee: Sunita Garg, Eric Simpson
- Beaverton Education Foundation Liaison: Eric Simpson
- Beaverton Student Advisory Committee: Dr. Karen Pérez
- Bond Accountability Committee: Eric Simpson, Dr. Karen Pérez
- Curriculum Committee(s):
- World Language Adoption: Dr. Karen Pérez
- English Language Arts: Sunita Garg
- Behavioral Health and Wellness: Susan Greenberg
- Long Range Facilities Committee: Sunita Garg, Becky Tymchuk
- Oregon School Board Association Board of Directors: Susan Greenberg
- Oregon School Board Association Legislative Committee: Becky Tymchuk
- Metro Policy Advisory Committee: Susan Greenberg
Approved September 19, 2022
Operating Agreements
Beaverton School Board and Superintendent Operating Agreements
The Board is the educational planning and policy-making body for the District. The Superintendent is responsible for the operational execution of the District's goals and plans. To meet the District's challenges effectively, the Board and Superintendent must work together as a high-functioning leadership team. Toward that end, these operating agreements serve to clarify the complementary roles and responsibilities of the Board and Superintendent.
This document will be reviewed and adopted annually to reflect current philosophy and procedures.
The Board and the Superintendent shall:
• Dedicate their efforts toward the success of the students and staff of the District.
• Operate in a positive, honest, and transparent manner.
• Treat each other with dignity and respect.
• Represent the District throughout the community.
Board Responsibilities
Governance
The Board shall:
• Lead through strategic-planning, policymaking, resource allocation, and community outreach.
• Recognize and support the Superintendent's authority to manage the day-to-day operations of the District.
• Monitor the District's progress and implementation of strategic goals.
• Support Board decisions after honoring the right of individual members to express their viewpoints and vote accordingly.
Communication
Board members shall:
• Commit to District communication that promotes openness, understanding and inclusion of the diverse perspectives of the community.
• Effectively and tactfully use a variety of communication tools (i.e., public appearances, email, telephone).
• Clearly indicate that he/she is voicing his or her individual opinion, and not speaking on behalf of the Board, if discussing areas for which there is no existing Board policy.
• Advocate for the district locally as well as the state level.
• Recognize and support the Chair's role in responding to media requests and speaking on behalf of the Board.
• Refer questions, requests for action, or complaints to the Superintendent and Board Chair.
Meetings and Decisions
The Board shall:
• Govern as a legal entity and make decisions only as a whole Board at properly noticed meetings. Board members recognize that individual members have no authority to take individual action.
• Follow a two-phase approach to decision-making on major issues. The first phase includes discussion, dialogue, and study. The second phase involves Board decision.
• Communicate in a polite and respectful manner even though disagreements may occur. Discussions between Board members will serve as a model for positive and constructive public dialogue.
• Attempt to provide questions and communicate with the Superintendent, Board Chair, and Cabinet members in a timely manner regarding agenda items prior to actual meetings.
• Actively participate in Board meetings with a focus on key policy issues and problem solving. Come to meetings with an open mind and seek to clarify issues by soliciting each other's points of view.
• Focus on problem solving and move as a group toward consensus building/decision-making.
• Respect the confidentiality requirement of Board Meeting Executive Sessions.
Board Chair Responsibilities
The Board Chair shall:
• Speak on behalf of the Board to the media with regard to Board policy and decisions and inform the Superintendent.
• Respond to community requests or questions if directed to multiple Board members and/or the zone or school district are unknown or not specified. The Board Chair will be clear they are responding on behalf of the entire board.
• Ensure that new Board members are oriented to Board processes and District activities.
• Ensure the Board follows its own operating agreements and provide training as needed to address issues of non-compliance.
• Work together with the Superintendent to develop efficient agendas with input from other Board members and staff, and encourage knowledgeable participation, thoughtful discussion, and effective decision-making.
• When possible, ensure that community members who testify at Board meetings are appropriately thanked and provided information.
• Facilitate the meeting in a collaborative, focused and timely manner.
Superintendent Responsibilities
The Superintendent shall:
• Acknowledge the Board's role in planning, policy-making, evaluation and overseeing the performance of the Superintendent.
• Each year, prepare preliminary Superintendent goals and a self-evaluation based upon those goals for the Board's consideration.
• Ensure that staff reports to the Board are succinct and avoid restatement of written information.
• Provide information to the Board to support data-driven decision-making.
• Inform the Board of notable information including anticipated media coverage, changes to District processes, and significant developments related to Board policy.
• Work together with the Chair to develop efficient agendas with input from other Board members and staff, and encourage knowledgeable participation, thoughtful discussion, and effective decision-making.
• Provide follow-up information to Board members on concerns and issues they have referred to the Superintendent.
Revised: August 30, 2021
Assignments
Subcommittees and Board Assignments
Audit Committee: Eric Simpson, Sunita Garg
Beaverton Education Association (BEA) Bargaining Team: Becky Tymchuk, Tom Colett
Licensed Substitute Bargaining Team: TBD
Oregon School Employees Association (OSEA) Bargaining Team: TBD
Beaverton Education Foundation Liaison: Eric Simpson
Bond Accountability Committee: Eric Simpson, Sunita Garg
Budget Committee: All Board Members
Oregon School Board Association Board of Directors: Susan Greenberg
Oregon School Board Association Legislative Committee: Becky Tymchuk
Return to School Task Force: Becky Tymchuk, Tom Colett
Student Advisory Committee: Susan Greenberg, Karen Pérez
Equitable Policies Task Force: Susan Greenberg, Sunita Garg, Ugonna Enyinnaya
Multilingual & Equity Committee: Karen Pérez*, Becky Tymchuk, Ugonna Enyinnaya
Bond and Planning Committee: Becky Tymchuk*, Eric Simpson, Ugonna Enyinnaya/Sunita Garg
Ad Hoc Policy Committee**: Tom Colett*, Becky Tymchuk, Karen Pérez
World Language Adoption: Karen Pérez
*Committee Chair
**Meets on an as-needed basis.
Approved August 30, 2021
WE Listen
The School Board hears public comments in the following ways:
- School Board Business Meetings occur monthly and include time for public comment. Those planning to speak at a business meeting have two minutes to address the Board. A Board Member or District representative will try to follow up after the meeting.
- District Listening Sessions are typically more information question and answer sessions. Board Members regularly attend these meetings.
- Budget Listening Sessions are typically open forums where people can learn about the District's budget.
- Board Members are available by phone or email if a community member needs to communicate outside of a public meeting.
If you have a District-wide concern, please email the Board at: School_Board@beaverton.k12.or.us
WE Can Help
As a Board of elected volunteers, we are committed to providing Beaverton students with a world-class education.
We understand that you may have questions about our public school system. We encourage you to look for clarification as close to the source as possible.
Board Members can also assist you:
- We will help you connect with District personnel to find answers to questions about District practices.
- We listen to concerns about District policies and budgets.
- We assist in advocating for change at the local and state level
We encourage you to bring your questions to the Board Member who lives near your school. Although we are volunteers, we will respond in a timely manner.
If you have a District-wide concern, please email the Board at: School_Board@beaverton.k12.or.us
WE Work Together
The Board and the Superintendent work together closely and have different roles and responsibilities.
- The Board sets policies; the Superintendent interprets and implements the policies.
- The Superintendent recommends the capital and operating budgets, and the Board sets the final budgets.
- Using the Board-allocated funds, the Superintendent hires and assigns personnel and provides for their professional development.
- The Board approves large contracts and the Superintendent monitors the provision of goods and services required under contracts