Duties of the Trustees of Blaine County School District

The powers and duties of the Trustees of Blaine County School District are set forth throughout Title 33 of the Idaho Code and policies of the Idaho State Department of Education and are summarized in terms of nine broad functions.

1. To establish the educational policies of the school district;
2. To determine the personnel policies of the school system;
3. To select and employ a well-qualified superintendent of schools to manage the system;
4. To employ the necessary personnel upon the recommendation of the superintendent of schools;
5. To establish the educational and administrative structure of the school system, external and internal;
6. To provide and maintain the physical plant and equipment;
7. To assume and carry out the responsibility for the raising, spending, and accounting for the funds to support the school system;
8. To evaluate the accomplishments of the system;
9. To plan for the continued effectiveness and further improvement of the school system.

The Board of Trustees ascribes to a Code of Ethics set forth in BCSD policy 202.1:

The Board of Trustees will strive to improve student achievement in public education, and to that end will:

• Work diligently to build and maintain a relationship of trust and respect with other Board members, the Superintendent, staff, students, parents, and the community.
• Attend all regularly scheduled Board Meetings insofar as possible, having read my packet ensuring that I am informed about the issues to be considered at the meetings;
• Recognize that the Board must comply with the Open Meeting Law and only has authority to make decisions at official School Board meetings;
• Make all decisions based on the available facts and my independent judgment and refuse to surrender that judgment to individuals or special interest groups;
• Understand that the Board makes decisions as a team. Individual Board Members may not commit the Board to any action unless so authorized by official Board action;
• Recognize that decisions are made by a majority vote, and the outcome should be supported by all Board Members;
• Acknowledge that policy decisions are a primary function of the Board and should be made after full discussion at publicly held Board meetings, recognizing that authority to administer policy rests with the Superintendent;
• Be open, fair, and honest – no hidden agendas, and respect the right of other Board Members to have opinions and ideas which differ from mine;
• Recognize that the Superintendent is the Board’s advisor and should be present at all meetings, except when the Board is considering the Superintendent’s evaluation, contract, or salary;
• Understand the chain of command and refer problems or complaints to the proper administrative office while refraining from communications that may create conditions of bias should a District concern ever rise to the attention of the Board as a hearing panel;
• Keep abreast of important developments in educational trends, research and practices by individual study, and through participation in programs providing such information;
• Respect the right of the public to be informed about District decisions and school operations;
• Understand that I will receive information that is confidential and cannot be shared and maintain the complete confidentiality of everything in Executive Sessions of the Board;
• Give staff the respect and consideration to skilled, professional employees and support the employment of those best qualified to serve as District staff, while insisting on the regular and impartial evaluation of all staff;
• Present personal criticism of District operations to the Superintendent, not to District staff or to a Board meeting;
• Refuse to use my Board position for personal or family gain or prestige. I will announce any conflicts of interest before Board action is taken; and
• Remember always that my first and greatest concern must be the educational welfare of the students attending the public schools.

Read the Guide for School Board Candidates.

2019 Election Timeline

The Appointment and Certification of Political Candidate Form and the Special District Candidate Filing Guidelines must be completed, notarized and given to the Board Clerk, Toni Moxley by Friday, September 6 at 5:00 p.m. at the Blaine County School District office, 118 W. Bullion St., Hailey.