The Board has two primary purposes. One, to hire, evaluate, fire and replace a superintendent. Two, to ask questions and approve the budget. However, in general terms, the Board is the chief governing body within the school corporation. The Board represents the citizens, which includes parents, grandparents, staff, students and those citizens who don't have children in the corporation. Having said that, the Board by Indiana law is the only body that can hire and terminate staff. Administration brings before the Board all staff recommendations for Board approval. Ideally, the Board will ask questions about and discuss candidates recommended for hire or for termination before decisions are brought to a public vote. The same can be said for policy decisions, field trip requests...anything requiring a motion, a second and a vote. The Board usually doesn't have direct involvement during the hiring process except for administration hires. In that case, it is customary for a representative or two from the Board to sit on the hiring committee. That committee then brings the recommendation to the Board for consideration. Anyone hired on an emergency license to teach an elementary or secondary classroom should be hired if and only if there are no teachers qualified with an active license applying for an opening. In other words, a true educational emergency. As with my first term, I will ask appropriate questions when any staff member is recommended for hire or termination before the matters come before the Board for a vote in a public meeting.
