NAME OF SCHOOL DISTRICT
This school district is organized and known as the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Community School District, located in the counties of O’Brien, Osceola, Dickinson and Clay, State of Iowa.
Adopted: August 12, 1985
Reviewed: February 10, 1997
March 12, 2001
December 19, 2005
September, 2008
January 20, 2014
LEGAL STATUS OF THE BOARD
The Board of Directors of the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn School District derives its legal status from the constitution of the State of Iowa and the statutes enacted by the General Assembly. The Board of Directors acts as an agent of the state in developing an educational program in accordance with the constitution and laws of the State of Iowa.
The school district exists as a school corporation and as such may sue and be sued, hold property, and exercise all the powers granted by law. It has exclusive jurisdiction in all school matters in the school corporation territory.
The affairs of the corporation will be conducted by the Board of Directors consisting of five members.
Adopted: August 12, 1985
Reviewed: February 10, 1997
March 12, 2001
December 19, 2005
September 2008
January 20, 2014
GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD
Under Iowa law, the Board of Directors shall make rules for its own government and that of the teachers and pupils, and for the care of the schoolhouse, grounds, and property of the school corporation, and aid in the enforcement of these rules, and require the performance of duties of said persons imposed by the law and the rules.
The Board of Directors has three major kinds of duties:
1. Legislative: The Board represents the people of the district, and will function as a policy making body. The Board has complete jurisdiction over the school district and its employees.
2. Executive: The Board of Directors selects an executive officer, the superintendent of schools, and delegates to him or her the authority for formulating and overseeing all regulations, plans, and administrative details necessary to ensure that the policies of the Board are carried out in the daily operation of the schools.
3. Evaluative: It is the Board’s duty to determine, through careful study and examination of facts and conditions, whether the schools are being operated efficiently--not only in terms of dollars and cents, but in terms of the effectiveness of the schools’ instructional program, based on a sound philosophy of education as formulated by the Board.
Adopted: August 12, 1985
Reviewed: February 10, 1997
March 12, 2001
December 19, 2005
September, 2008
January 20, 2014
ELECTIONS TO THE BOARD
Regular elections shall be held annually on the second Tuesday in September, as directed by the county commissioner of elections (auditor).
Special elections may be called by the Board of Director’s with regard to those matters stipulated in Section 277.2 of the Code of Iowa which apply to the school district.
There shall be a written notice of all regular and special elections, which notice shall be given by publication--not less than four nor more than 20 days prior to the day set for the election.
Polling places for school elections shall, when practicable, be the same places used by the last city or state election. Precincts and polling places are approved by the commissioner of elections upon the recommendation of the Board of Directors, and once approved, shall remain the same unless changed by the commissioner.
Balloting at school elections will be by printed ballot, or by the use of voting machines as determined by the commissioner of elections.
The county commissioner of elections may appoint one or more deputy(s) to conduct a school election.
Adopted: August 12, 1985
Reviewed: February 10, 1997
March 12, 2001
December 19, 2005
September 2008
January 20, 2014
MEMBERSHIP OF THE BOARD
Qualifications of Board Candidates
Any qualified elector of the school district is eligible to serve on the Board of Directors. A “qualified elector” is a person who is:
* a citizen of the United States;
* eighteen years of age or older;
* a registered elector of the school district or subdistrict.
Nomination petitions must be filed in the manner prescribed by law. Candidates must reside in the director district that they represent.
Oath of Office
Each director elected in a regular election will qualify by taking the oath of office on or before the time set for the organization meeting of the board (the third Monday in September ). Each director appointed or elected at a special election will qualify within ten (10) days by taking the oath of office. The election or appointment and qualification will be entered by the board secretary. The oath may be administered by any qualified member of the board or by the board secretary in the manner and form prescribed by law.
Number of Members
The Board of Directors shall consist of 5 members, one elected from each of the five sub-districts known as “Director District”.
Adopted: August 12, 1985
Reviewed: February 10, 1997
March 12, 2001
December 19, 2005
September 2008
January 20, 2014
TERM OF OFFICE OF BOARD MEMBERS
Each member of the Board of Directors is elected for a term of four years, or for the time it takes to complete the unexpired term of a regularly elected member.
Each member appointed by the Board will serve until a successor is elected at the next pending election and qualifies by taking the oath of office.
Adopted: August 12, 1985
Reviewed: Feb. 10, 1997
March 12, 2001
December 19, 2005
September, 2008
January 20, 2014
Revised: October, 2008
ORGANIZATION OF THE BOARD
The annual organizational meeting of the Board shall be held on the third Monday in September and shall be called to order by the president. At this meeting, the Board shall elect a president to hold office for a one year term (see Code 204.6, Organizational meetings of the Board).
LEGAL REFS: Iowa Code Section 279.1
CROSS REFS: 202.2 through 202.5, policies pertaining to Board Officers
204.5 Annual Meeting of the Board
204.6 Organizational Meeting of the Board
Adopted: August 12, 1985
Reviewed: May 10, 1993
December 19, 2005
September, 2008
January 20, 2014
Revised: October 2008
VACANCIES
A vacancy requiring board action occurs when a board member resigns, forfeits or otherwise leaves the office. A vacancy also includes, but is not limited to, the following: failure to be properly elected, failure to qualify within the time fixed by law, failure to reside in the school district or director district, a court order declaring the seat vacant, conviction of an infamous offense in violation of the office.
If a vacancy occurs prior to the expiration of a term of office, the vacancy shall be filled by board appointment within thirty days of the vacancy. The newly-appointed board member shall hold the position until the next scheduled school election. At that time the appointed board member may run for a three year term, if one is available, or run for the remainder of the unexpired term.
If the board is unable to fill a vacancy by appointment within thirty days after the vacancy occurs, the board secretary shall call a special election to be held no sooner than sixty days and not later than seventy days after the vacancy occurred. The board member elected at the special election shall serve the remaining portion of the unexpired term.
Approved: Aug. 12, 1985
Reviewed: Feb. 10, 1997
March 12, 2001
December 19, 2005
September 2008
January 20, 2014
Revised: Aug. 9, 1993