Archive - Bylaws of the School Committee

Archive - Bylaws of the School Committee

Number of Members and Terms of Office

The election of members of the West Warwick School Committee to four (4) year terms of office shall be as specified in the Charter of the Town of West Warwick.

The election of members of a non-partisan school; committee of five (5) members shall be staggered, three and two, every two years in conjunction with the general town election in November.

Legal Reference

General Laws of Rhode Island

16-2-5 Composition of town school committees

Election and terms of members - Vacancies

Bylaws adopted: 4/23/81

Filling Vacancies

Vacancies on the West Warwick School Committee caused by death, resignation, or otherwise shall be filled by the West Warwick Town Council until the next regular election of town officials.

References

RI Gen. Laws § 16-2-5 Composition of town school committees

RI Gen. Laws § 16-2-5 Composition of town school committees Election and terms of members Vacancies.

Bylaws adopted: 4/23/81

Signing of Warrants

Payroll warrants shall be approved and signed by the Chair or clerk of the West Warwick School Committee and by the superintendent of schools or his or hers authorized representative. They shall be submitted for approval and payment by the town treasurer.Chair

Bylaws adopted: 4/23/81

School Committee Officers

Officers/Filling Vacancies

The West Warwick School Committee Chair and the School Committee clerk shall be elected by a vote of the majority of the full committee at the organization meeting, to serve for a term of two years or at such time as either or both. offices become vacant. Either the Chair or the Clerk may be removed at the pleasure of the committee.

A vacancy in the office of chair and/or clerk shall be filled for the unexpired portion by a vote of the majority of the full committee.

A Vice-Chair and representatives to various committees shall be elected in the same manner as that of the chair and the clerk.

References

RI Gen. Laws § 16-2-6 Chairperson and clerk of town committee

Bylaws adopted: 4/23/81

Chair

The Chair of the West Warwick School Committee shall:

1. exercise such powers and perform such duties as are fixed by statute and as usually devolve upon the presiding officer of the deliberative body.

2. be the authorized signatory to all legal documents.

3. with the assistance as necessary from the superintendent, shall represent the committee in all its official functions.

4. have the right to entertain motions and to temporarily turn the chair over to the Vice-Chair.

5. vote on all matters.

Clerk

The Clerk of the West Warwick School Committee shall:

1. See that a complete and accurate record of all meetings is kept.

2. Be the authorized signatory for all bills.

3. Sign, upon school committee authorization, all warrants.

4. Keep a record of all tabled resolutions

Bylaws adopted: 4/23/81

Bylaws of the School Committee Legal Counsel

The legal counsel for the West Warwick School Committee shall represent the school system and such officers and employees of the school system as the committee shall direct in all legal proceedings of the school system to which they or any of them, as such shall be a party. He or she shall, when requested, advise the school committee, superintendent and all executive departments in all legal matters pertaining to the business of the school system.

Bylaws adopted:4/23/81

School Committee Meetings

Meetings - Time and Place

The regular meetings of the West Warwick School Committee shall be held on Monday evenings every second and fourth Monday of each month during the regular school year at7:00 P.M. unless the time and date be changed by-vote of the committee at a previous meeting with adjournment no later than 11:30 P.M. All meetings will be held in the administration building unless otherwise announced.

Bylaws adopted: 1/9/78

Public and Executive Sessions

All business relating to the West Warwick Public Schools will be transacted by the West Warwick School Committee in open meeting provided that the school committee may, by the affirmative vote of three of its members, meet in executive session as set forth in the R.I. Open Meetings law.

References

R.I. Gen. Laws 42-46-1 Public policy.

Bylaw adopted: 4/23/81

Quorum

A majority of the full committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of school committee business at all meetings.

When a quorum is present, a majority vote shall be defined as a majority of the votes cast, which is sufficient for the. adoption of any motion, except, those requiring a majority vote of the entire membership.

Bylaws adopted: 4/23/81

Meetings - Conduct of Meetings

All meetings of the West Warwick School Committee shall be conducted according to "Robert's Rules of Order, Revised."

Bylaws adopted: 4/23/81

School Committee Policies

School Committee Minutes of Meetings

The clerk of the West Warwick School Committee, under the direction of the committee, shall keep the minutes of all the proceedings of the school committee. These proceeding, save those of executive sessions and/or those excluded by federal, state or local statutes, shall be available at the School Department Administration Office for general public review.

Unless otherwise provided for by law or contractual agreement, the West Warwick School Committee will not make copies of school committee minutes available for distribution.

References

RI Gen. Laws § 16-2-6 Chair and clerk of town committee school committee minutes

Policy adopted: 2/13/73

Individual Members

It is understood that the members of the West Warwick School Committee have authority only when acting as a school committee legally in session. The school committee shall not be bound in any way by any action or statement on the part of any individual school committee member except when such statement or action is in pursuance of specific instructions from the school committee.

Individual members shall be encouraged to seek through the superintendent pertinent material, or information on school business which may be readily available. When the material or information desired is not readily available request for such data shall be by a vote of the majority of the committee members.

Bylaws adopted:4/23/81

School Department Policy Manual

General

1. It shall be the duty of the clerk and/or his/her designee to keep the West Warwick School Committee policy manual(s) up-to-date at all times.

2. The superintendent of schools will recommend to the Chair and other School Committee members such areas where new policies should be instituted or discussed before the entire West Warwick School Committee.

3. West Warwick School Committee members desirous of formulating and/or changing policies shall work with the clerk and/or superintendent and they will be brought to the attention of the entire Committee as soon as possible and practical in accordance with established By-laws.

4. The policy manual shall contain West Warwick School Committee policies, administrative regulations which have been approved by the School Committee, and job specifications of all School Department employees and number indexing each page.

5. All written agreements entered into with the West Warwick School Committee by all School Department personnel--after their completion--will be immediately forwarded to all School Committee members and others as listed in this policy manual and said By-laws who will in turn place them in their policy manuals.

6. There will be a policy manual in the Principal's Office and every school library. Teachers will be encouraged to become familiar with it and it will be available to them on a sign-out basis.

7. Each of the following will also have a policy manual: Superintendent, Clerk and any other administrative staff so designated by the West Warwick School Committee.

Bylaw adopted: 4/23/81

Adoption or Amendment of Policies and Bylaws

POLICY proposals and suggested amendments to or revisions of existing policies shall be submitted to all members of the West Warwick School Committee and to the superintendent in writing prior to a regularly scheduled school committee meeting in which such proposed policies, amendments, or revisions shall be read and discussed. A vote for adoption shall take place at the next succeeding regular meeting of the school committee. Action shall be by majority vote of those present.

BYLAW proposals and suggested amendments to or revisions of existing bylaws shall be by two-thirds vote of ALL members of the school committee at two meetings held not less than twenty-seven days apart and in the calls for which the proposed additions, amendments, or revisions shall have been described in writing.

Bylaws adopted: 4/23/81

Suspensions or Exceptions of Policies and/or Bylaws

Policies and bylaws of the West Warwick School Committee shall not be suspended except for a specified purpose, and only on two-thirds vote of ALL members of the school committee at two meetings held not less than twenty-seven days apart and in the calls for which the proposed suspension shall have been described -in writing. However, suspension of the rules for extending the adjournment hour of school committee meetings or introduction of new business shall not require a second reading, nor prior Notice in writing.

Bylaws adopted: 4/23/81

Special Statutes Prevailing - Savings Clause

If any policy and/or bylaw of the West Warwick School Committee shall be at any time contrary to law, then such policy and/or bylaw shall not be applicable or performed or enforced except to the extent permitted by law and any substitute action shall be subject to appropriate consultation with the West Warwick School Committee and Legal Counsel.

By law adopted: 4/23/81

School Committee Bylaws Archive Adopted 10/8/96

II. A. School Committee Bylaws