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code no 100 educational philosophy the board of directors of the south hamilton school district is committed to a philosophy of service to children the objective of this philosophy is to help each child develop into a mature individual and a contributing member of society the board believes that this objective can best be met through a school program wide enough in scope to encompass the intellectual physical civic social and aesthetic education of children and that it be met in a safe and healthy environment the board of directors realizes that an effective public school program must be directed toward common needs of all children however the board believes the emphasis must lie always on the unique needs of each individual child the student should be an active participant in the learning process and not simply a passive absorber of knowledge he/she should learn where to look for and how otherwise to acquire information the board of directors recognizes that the guardianship of public education is a trust and an obligation that the goals of education and the goals of democracy are fundamentally the same for that reason the board considers that its philosophy and objectives can best be realized when the educational program is directed through written board policies policies that are based on the constitution the state statutes federal and state regulations and the specific needs of this school district approved 1/71 reviewed 9/97 revised 11/94 mission statement the south hamilton school and community will provide students a safe environment with high educational standards in which students will have the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills to be productive responsible members of society.

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code no 101 educational objectives i.our frame of reference we believe that the school as a public institution should provide insofar as possible 1.a well-qualified and efficient corps of teachers of such character that if a child should become like any one of the teachers the parents and others would still be proud of the child 2.a physical plant and equipment adequate to meet the most exacting needs of every learner the likes of which separate families could not provide 3.experience for effective learning the likes of which the best home alone could not provide 4.an educational leadership which courageously and ably leads to continuous improvement of the school ii.objectives of education in the school district the school district is looked upon as an ever-changing social community where young people live here they are provided opportunities to determine and work toward goals that are purposeful and significant to them they are given experiences designed to develop their talents and characteristics experiences essential to a wholesome child life subject matter is thought of in terms of units of living and learning we believe that in every experience the whole child must be considered the whole mental physical moral spiritual emotional and social being in teaching as in parenthood we must start where the child is we must provide challenges for the child according to the child s abilities we should not expect all children to develop at the same rate the school program must be adjusted to the child s needs interests abilities and rate of growth a.objectives of human relationships in order to develop in children attitudes and proficiencies for wholesome human relationships it is essential 1.to develop in them an understanding of cooperative effort in work and play with others 2.to provide for them enjoyable experiences that will produce wholesome sincere friendships 3.to develop in them the realization that family relationships influence the manner in which an individual conducts himself/herself in a group since consideration for others is the core of good living 4.to help them cultivate an appreciation and regard for the interrelation-ships of individuals and groups in the home the schools the community the state the nation and the world in preparing for the democratic way of life 5.to understand and respect ethnic and cultural differences and work effectively with other individuals and groups -continued-

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code no 101 con t 6.to perceive judge and value cultural expressions of humankind and develop skills for personal expressions and communication through the arts b.objectives of self-realization in order that our children may become all that their talents promise for them it is essential 1.to achieve a mastery of the fundamental learning skills and establish personal standards of educational excellence 2.to teach them how to read and write effectively and to speak the english language clearly 3.to assist them in developing logical thinking ability in order to solve mathematical problems and problems of daily living 4.to help them cultivate their ability to observe and listen 5.to help them understand the basic facts of health and disease 6.to assist them in cultivating an appreciation for beauty and an appreciation of our cultural heritage 7.to guide them in learning to make worthwhile use of their leisure time 8.to assist them in acquiring a scientific attitude toward living forms and resources in their environment 9.to foster in them an understanding of the interrelationship between people and their environment 10.to inspire them to determine worthy goals for living and guide them toward achievement to those goals 11.to develop a commitment to lifelong learning c.objectives of civic responsibility in order that our children may learn that liberty with security demands civic responsibility it is essential 1.to give immediate and continuing attention to the promotion of peace 2.to lead them to acquire attitudes of tolerance and desire for understanding 3.to offer them opportunities to develop and help in developing qualities of good leadership 4.to help them develop the ability to carry out responsibilities without constant direction -continued-

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code no 101 con t 5.to assist them in learning to operate in groups as a working democracy where students can be taught respect for law for civic duties and for honest differences of opinion 6.to give them practice in the procedures of democracy so that as citizens they may have courage unselfishness and a fine sense of honor 7.to help them comprehend and practice the basic elements of world understanding tolerance and good will 8.to understand and respect ethnic and cultural differences and work effectively with other individuals and groups 9.to understand and appreciate this country s democratic heritage and acquire the skills knowledge understanding values and attitudes necessary to participate in democratic self-government 10.to develop understanding of the global nature of society and the interdependence of the world s people d.objectives of economic efficiency in order that young people may acquire a sense of economic accountability and productive efficiency it is essential for the school 1.to provide training for them to become intelligent consumers as well as efficient producers 2.to help them understand the requirements and opportunities of various occupations 3.to lead them to feel the dignity of labor in all fields 4.to help them feel the satisfaction that comes from good work 5.to provide them guidance in choosing an occupation best suited to their individual aptitudes and potential and to give them the skills with which they can achieve maintain and improve efficiency 6.to provide them the opportunity to receive training for college entrance or employment in the home agriculture industry science or business 7.to help them gain an appreciation of the interdependence of workers and of what their work means to other people 8.to assist them in planning the economics of their own lives 9.to understand and use technology and its related developments approved 1/71 reviewed 9/97 revised 12/14/87

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code no 102 evaluation of educational program the school district will periodically conduct a needs assessment of the educational program and establish priorities for meeting the needs identified the priorities will be developed into action plans for implementation on short one year intermediate three year and longer five year plans periodic progress reports shall be made to the board at least annually the board shall update the needs assessment and planning process when necessary the assessment of the school will concern itself with the following goals as taken from renewing the commitment a plan for quality education in iowa by state board of education 1986 1 to increase the learning and achievement of students to their maximum potential in the 12 student goad areas regardless of their sex race religion economic status handicapping condition or geographic location 2 to provide new and expanded instructional programs and services to more fully met the diverse needs of students 3 to improve the quality of the teacher and administrator work force in iowa schools 4 to develop more effective partnerships with parents community-based organization and leaders of business industry labor and other agencies 5 to improve the understanding and support of and the confidence in the state s educational system 6 to develop more productive and effective uses of both financial and human resources in the state s educational systems 7 to increase financial resources that will be available to the schools of iowa in the future approved 12/87 reviewed 9/97 revised legal ref iowa code section 280.12 code 280.12 as amended by hf 686 effective july 1 1985 notice sent to schools by dr benton in a july 23 1985 mailing 1 the board of directors of each public school district and the authorities in charge of each non-public school shall a determine major educational needs and rank them in priority order b develop long-range goals and plans to meet the needs c establish and implement short-range and intermediate-range to meet the goals and attain the desired levels of pupil performance d evaluate progress toward meeting the goals and maintain a record of progress under the plan that includes reports of pupil performance e report progress made under the plan at least annually to the advisory committee appointed under subsection 2 the community and department of public instruction make other reports of progress as the commissioner of public instruction requires 2 in meeting the requirements of subsection 1 a board of directors or the authorities in charge of a nonpublic school shall appoint an advisory committee to make recommendations to the board or authorities the advisory committee shall consist of members representing students parents teachers administrators and representatives from the community.

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code no 103 educational and operational planning and needs assessment long-range needs assessment enables the school district to analyze assessment data get feedback from the community about its expectation of students and determines how well students are meeting student learning the board will conduct ongoing and in-depth needs assessment soliciting information from business labor industry higher education and community members regarding their expectations for adequate student preparation in conjunction with the in-depth needs assessment of the school district the board shall authorize the appointment of a committee district leadership team representing school district personnel parents students and community members to make recommendations and assist the board in determining the priorities of the school district in addition to the basic skills areas of the education program the district leadership team will meet periodically throughout the year to review data provide input and make recommendations to the board through the superintendent in regards to setting local student goals it is the responsibility of the superintendent to ensure the school district community is informed of student progress on state and locally determined indicators the superintendent will report annually to the board about the means used to keep the community informed as a result of the board and committee s work the board will determine major educational needs and rank them in priority order develop long-range goals and plans to meet the needs establish and implement short-range and intermediate-range plans to meet the goals and to attain the desired levels of student performance evaluate progress toward meeting the goals and maintain a record of progress under the plan that includes reports of student performance and results of school improvement projects and annually report the school district s progress made under the plan to the committee community and iowa department of education legal reference iowa code §§ 21 256.7 280.12 .18 2003 281 i.a.c 12.8 1 b cross reference 204.1 school board open meetings 1001.1 school district-community relations 602.1 equal education opportunity 101 goals and objectives of the education program approved 6/89 reviewed 9/97 revised 9/97 revised 6/03 _

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code no 200 statement of guiding principles it is the policy of the board of directors to organize and maintain the distinction between those activities which are appropriate to the board of directors as the legislative governing body of the school district and those administrative activities which are to be performed by the superintendent of schools and his staff in the exercise of a delegated administrative authority the function of the board can be described as policy-making appraisal and evaluation the board of directors shall have the further duty of providing the financial means by which the educational program is conducted they shall also ensure that the community be informed of the needs purposes values and status of the schools approved 1/71 reviewed reviewed 11/94 4/02 revised .

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code no 201.1 name of school district this school district is organized and known as south hamilton community school district located in the counties of hamilton and boone state of iowa approved 1/71 reviewed reviewed 11/94 4/02 revised legal reference iowa code §§ 274.6 278.1 10

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code no 201.2 legal status of the board the board of directors of south hamilton community 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 approved 1/71 reviewed reviewed 11/94 4/02 revised 4/9/84 legal reference constitution of iowa art ix secs 8 and 12 code sections 274.1 274.7 275.35 277.23 279.9

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code no 201.3 general powers and responsibilities of the board the board of the south hamilton community school district acting on behalf of the school district will have jurisdiction over school matters within the territory of the school district the board is empowered to make policy for its own governance for employees for students and for school district facilities the board is also empowered to enforce its policies the board may through its quasi-judicial power conduct hearings and rule on issues and disputes confronting the school district 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 policymaking body the board has complete jurisdiction over the school district and its employees as a policy making body the board has jurisdiction to enact policy with the force and effect of law for the management and operation of the school district 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 2 executive 3 evaluative it is the board s duty to determine through careful study and examination of facts and condition 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 the board also acts in a judicial capacity with respect to procedures outlined in chapter 279 specifically and in a more general way when dealing with many student and employee matters the board has these powers and all powers expressly granted to it in federal and state law as well as the powers that can be reasonably implied from the express powers approved 1/71 reviewed 6/99 revised revised revised 4/9/84 6/14/99 4/02 legal reference board of directors of ind school district of waterloo v green 259 iowa 1260 147 n.w.2d 854 1967 iowa code §§28e 274.1 2 279.1 .8 .20 280.122001 281 i.a.c 12.12 12.32 1990 op att y gen 66.

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code no 201.4 board of directors elections the school election takes place on the second tuesday in september of odd-numbered years each school election is used to elect citizens to the board to maintain a five 5 member board and to address questions that are submitted to the voters citizens of the school district community seeking a seat on the board must file their nomination papers with the board secretary or the board secretary s designee between sixty-four and forty days before the school election unless otherwise directed if a vacancy occurs on the board it may be filled by appointment within 30 days of the vacancy if the board does not fill the vacancy by appointment the board secretary will call a special election to fill the vacancy candidates for a seat created by a vacancy must file their nomination papers 25 days before the special election it is the responsibility of the county commissioner of elections to conduct school elections note this policy states the legal requirements for school board elections and the filling of vacancies legal reference cross reference approved 12/73 iowa code §§ 39 47 63 69 274.7 277 278.1 279.7 2007 202 203 board of directors members board of directors conflict of interest reviewed 11/94 revised 4/9/84 revised 4/02 revised 2/9/09

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code no 201.4 a elections to the board board members must be residents of sub districts 1 2 3 4 or 5 eligible members must reside in the sub district which they represent election of members will be by a vote of the total district see attached map of subdivisions approved 12/8/86 reviewed reviewed 11/94 4/02 revised .

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code no 201.5 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 · · · · citizen of the school district an eligible elector of the district free from a financial conflict of interest with the position residing within the director district to be represented nomination petitions must be filed in the manner prescribed by law 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 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 five 5 members approved 1/71 reviewed 11/94 revised revised 6/89 4/02 legal reference iowa code §§ 63 68b 277.4 .27 279.7a 2001 cross reference 204.6 organizational meetings of the board

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code no 201.6a oath of office board members are officials of the state as a public official each board member must pledge to uphold the iowa and the united states constitution and carry out the responsibilities of the office to the best of the board member s ability each newly-elected board member will take the oath of office prior to any action taken as a school official the oath of office is taken by each new board member elected at the school election at or before the organizational meeting of the board in the event of an appointment or special election to fill a vacancy the new board member will take the oath of office within ten days of the appointment or election board members elected to offices of the board will also take the same oath of office but replacing the office of board member with the title of the office to which they were elected the oath of office is administered by the board secretary and does not need to be given at a board meeting in the event the board secretary is absent the oath is administered by another board member do you solemnly swear that you will support the constitution of the united states and the constitution of the state of iowa and that you will faithfully and impartially to the best of your ability discharge the duties of the office of naming the office in naming the district as now and hereafter required by law note board members elected at the regular election do not need to take the oath of office within 10 days those elected at a special election or appointed to fill a vacancy however must take the oath of office within 10 days legal reference cross reference iowa code §§ 277.28 279.1 .6 2007 200.1 201 202 204 206 organization of the board of directors board of directors elections board of directors members code of ethics board of directors officers approved 1/71 reviewed 11/94 revised revised revised 4/9/84 4/02 2/9/09

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code no 201.6b term of office board members elected for a full term at a regularly scheduled school election in september of odd-numbered years serve for four years board members appointed to fill a vacant position will serve until the next scheduled school election a board member elected to fill a vacancy will serve out the unexpired term being a board member is a unique opportunity for a citizen to participate on a governing board of the school district eligible board members are encouraged to consider running for more than one term note this policy states the terms of office established by law for board members elected at a regular or special election or appointed to fill a vacancy legal reference cross reference approved 1/71 iowa code §§ 69.12 274.7 279.6 7 2007 201 202 board of directors elections board of directors members reviewed 11/94 revised revised revised 4/9/84 4/02 2/9/09

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