Friday, March 21, 2014

What Does A School Board Do?


The word "public" in public school refers to the fact that it is the citizens themselves who control the public schools. In most states, they do this in part by electing a school board of - depending on the size and configuration of the district - three, five or seven members who must be residents of the school district.

The most important thing a school board does is to establish a vision for the community's schools that  reflects a consensus of the board, community and district staff.  The school board has a wide variety of additional responsibilities, such as adopting a balanced annual budget and issuing interim financial reports, adopting the school calendar, negotiating contracts with employee unions, approving curriculum materials and closing or constructing schools.

Whatever the vision may be, its up to the school superintendent to implement it.  This is why one of the board's most crucial decisions is the hiring and firing of the superintendent.
 
http://www.greatschools.org/improvement/volunteering/17-what-does-the-school-board-do.gs

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, it's quite obvious that the staff's vision of the school and the growing voice of the community's vision are in conflict with Dr. Marro's agenda of destruction.

Does this Board even realize that they do not answer to Marro? I've heard that she has been bullying them and putting pressure on them to follow her agenda.

The Board,community and staff should be working together to make our school better, not let someone come in and terrorize the teachers, dismantle wonderful programs, outsource services with terrible results, destroy staff moral and reduce test scores.

School districts all over the country change superintendents all the time for many reasons. Mullica desperately needs the change now.

Our small,rural pine barrens school needs the loving,friendly atmosphere we once had and that was the drawing point for many families.
There is no hope to repair relationships after recent events.

There is no reason to renew Dr. Brenda Harring-Marro's contract.

Anonymous said...

AMEN

Anonymous said...

The biggest role of the school board is to create a harmonous environment that is beneficial to the students in which they can learn and excel. To which follows a good environment and good morale among staff, admin, and students to enhance their classes .It is they and not the super, principal, or anyone else who run the school and have the ultimate authority in programs, budgets, programs etc. After reading on this site about how some of the programs were discontinued I have to wonder why did they approve these recommendations by the Superintendent?It is also inferred that Mr Dugan retired because of this environment Hopefully Im wrong with that assessment because he was always cheerful and respectful of everyone he came into contact with. He always greeted students and staff and had an open door. He was also sincere and not on a power trip. The only bad thing I can say was sometimes his jokes were pretty corny but he kept his Irish sense of humor and loved his job. He came from a district where as a teacher he had over 20 years experience so he knew the classroom and was a on the mark as someone who had worked in the trenches so to speak. He also had a backbone and was no ones lackey or hatchetman. So if the inferences are true that he wouldn't go along with what he was told to do then there are some serious problems here. Is it possible that some of the board and their backers want to see the MTEA taken down a few notches in some absurd power struggle? The board members again are there to create an environment that enhances education in a harmonous environment. If not then they need to be removed by folks who are only concerned about education and the kids while trying to keep the budget reasonable for the taxpayer. The public needs to find those candidates and keep politics, personal likes or dislikes and the Governor's teacher bashing out of Mullica schools.With all the press, postings tee shirts, signs all over etc this town certainly doesnt have that harmonous, cooperative, and and mutual respect environment. Think of the kids as it should be.

Anonymous said...

I agree. I hope they can get rid of this Superintendent
Ask Mr Goldberg to come back as an Interim Superintendent and assist in the search for a new Superintendent or reach out to Egg Harbor City and see if we can share with their Superintendent

Anonymous said...

And find a new Middle School Principal as Mazzoni carried the water for the Superintendent in more than just this incident. The inquisition atmosphere needs to be eliminated Clean house. Hire after careful and through vetting of experienced Administators I hope the Board has "learned" a valuable lesson from all this and the new Board members take their responsibilities seriously

Anonymous said...

BHM called her faculty together Friday 7:50 am to remonstrate with them about their lack of confidence in her. She reported to them that her son felt the teachers just don't want to change.

We'd like a change....in "leadership" we'd like the BOE to display some leadership and not renew her contract, fire Mazzoni and stop her reign of terror.