Board Members:

Code of Ethics

Resolution—

            WHEREAS, Public education is deemed of primary importance to the strengths, freedom and well-being of our community, state, and nation; and,

WHEREAS, School board members are entrusted with the responsibility of providing a quality public education for all students within their respective communities; and,

WHEREAS, Public involvement, confidence and support of the School Board is deemed essential to enable the Board to achieve its purpose and goals; therefore be it

            RESOLVED, In order to encourage all boards of education to act in accordance with high professional and legal standards, the Board of Education of the Garfield School District hereby establishes a Code of Ethics for School Board Members acting as members of the Board or in unison with other boards of education in the policy-making functions of the public schools in the State of Utah.

Obligations—

As an individual board member, I will do my best:

• To fulfill my personal and legal responsibilities to my community, my state and my fellow board members;

• To strive for public schools which can meet the individual needs of all children;
• To seek the true facts in each situation and to vote my honest conviction in every case, unswayed by any personal or partisan bias;
• To abide by the final decision of the board;
• To remember that as an individual I have no legal authority outside the  authorized legal meetings of the board, and to conduct my personal relationships with the school staff, community, and news media on the basis of this fact;
• To avoid any conflict of interest or use of board membership for personal gain or publicity; and,
• To strive to be an effective, informed school board member dedicated to public education.

Competency—

Personal Improvement:

• School board members shall continually seek to improve their mental skills, including study, preparation and planning to enable themselves to better serve their communities.

Involvement:

• The Board and all its members shall be involved and knowledgeable about not only local community education concerns, but also state and national concerns and shall know and be aware that involvement beyond the local community is essential to a strong and productive public educational commitment.

Basic principles and procedures—

Policies:

• Shall be in written form and reviewed regularly by the Board.

Administrative functions:

• Shall be delegated by the Board to the Superintendent or other appropriate administrative staff.

Goals:

• Shall be adopted, evaluated and reviewed on a regular basis by the Board with advice of the Superintendent.

Evaluation of staff:

• A procedure should be established for the evaluation of performance of all staff; the Board’s primary concern should involve the Superintendent; and the Superintendent’s primary concern should be his or her subordinates.

Communications:

• Shall be encouraged with all parts of the community.

Complaints:

• Shall be acknowledged and received by the Board with procedures devised to resolve them.

Professional growth:

• Shall be encouraged by the Board for all its staff; including in-service training.

Fiscal responsibility:

• Shall be adhered to and any budget to be adopted shall not result in a deficit, unless permitted by the law.

Civil rights

• Shall be upheld, and the concept of affirmative action shall be encouraged.

Student rights

• Shall be recognized without discrimination and in accordance with due process of law.