Board of Education
The Palmyra-Macedon Central School District Board of Education is composed of nine members from our local communities. Voters elect members to serve overlapping three-year terms. At the end of his/her term, the board member can run for re-election. State law does not limit the number of terms that a member may serve. Voting for school board officials is held in conjunction with the annual budget vote in May.
Board of Education members are volunteer officials elected to take formal, legal actions and assume the major responsibility for the conduct of the schools. The Board of Education must delegate certain responsibilities to the Superintendent of Schools, who makes reports and recommendations to the Board of Education. Board members vote on all major business transactions.
School Board meetings are generally held one Tuesday per month with additional meetings as necessary and appropriate. The Superintendent of Schools sits at the table with the board members. Others sitting at the board table may include the District Clerk and members of the Superintendent's Cabinet.
What are the responsibilities of a Board of Education?
The school board hires the superintendent, the “chief education officer” responsible for managing district staff and operations.
The school board sets the priorities and adopts the budget that determine how millions in federal, state, and local tax dollars are spent.
The school board sets goals for student achievement and evaluates progress toward those goals.
The school board sets the policies that determine which courses and programs are offered and what texts, tools and technology are purchased.
The school board, as the community’s elected representatives and fiscal stewards, ensures the district education program is in compliance with New York State laws and Regulations.
–From the NYS School Boards Association. Learn more at http://nyssba.org
Meetings of the Board of Education, with limited exceptions, are held in public. In order to perform its duties in an open and public manner, and in accordance with state law, the Board of Education shall hold regular business meetings once a month for the purpose of conducting the business of the school district. The agenda of the regular monthly meeting is available to the public prior to the meeting.
Although subject to change, the general order of the agenda shall be:
- Call to order
- Pledge of Allegiance
- Public Participation*
- Board Reports
- Consent Agenda – may include but is not limited to the following:
- Approval of minutes from last meeting
- Approval of warrants, bids, payments, and change orders
- Acceptance of gifts
- Execution of agreements
- Approval of CSE/CPSE recommendations
- Personnel Report
- Leaders 2 Leaders
- Other Items
- Public Participation
Per School District Policy, the Board of Education encourages public participation on school related matters at Board meetings. To allow for public participation, a period not to exceed 15 minutes shall be set aside during the first part of each Board meeting. The period may be extended by a majority vote of the Board.
Persons wishing to address the Board shall advise the President of the Board prior to the scheduled starting time of the meeting. The person shall identify their name, the address, telephone number, name of organization represented (if any), and a brief description of the topic to be addressed. Any group or organization wishing to address the Board must identify a single spokesperson.
Presentation should be as brief as possible. No speaker will be permitted to speak for longer than three minutes. Speakers may comment on any matter related to district business with the exception of specific matters of personnel.
The Board will not permit in public session discussion involving individual district personnel or students. Persons wishing to discuss matters involving individual district personnel or students should present their comments and/or concerns to the Superintendent during regular business hours.
All speakers are to conduct themselves in a civil manner. Obscene language, libelous statements, threats of violence, statements advocating racial, religious, or other forms of prejudice will not be tolerated.
The Board of Education offers the opportunity during the agenda for a second public participation session only for items listed on the current evening's agenda.
Persons making presentations at a Board meeting will address remarks to the President and may direct questions or comments to Board members or other district officials only upon the approval of the President. Board members and the Superintendent shall have the privilege of asking questions of any person who addresses the Board.
Questions and comments from the public concerning matters not on the agenda will be taken under consideration and referred to the Superintendent for appropriate action. Persons wishing to have matters included on the agenda shall contact the Superintendent.
The President shall be responsible for the orderly conduct of the meeting and shall rule on such matters as the time to be allowed for public discussion and the appropriateness of the subject being presented. The President shall have the right to discontinue any presentation which violates this policy.