By Jamie Gardner
A monitoring team for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) visited the Appling County School System on June 19 - 21. Since August 2010 the system has been on “Probation” with the SACS, which is one step from losing accreditation. Following the June 19 - 21 visit, the team issued a new report that states that the system has moved one step closer to totally regaining its coveted accreditation moving to a status of now “Warned”.
Appling School system moved to Accredited Warned
The review team had also visited in late December 2010 and at that time of the seven required actions, the system was “In Progress” on just three of the actions and four of the required actions had not been addressed”. As of this report the system has completed three of the required actions and the remaining four actions are “In Progress”.
Superintendent Scarlett Copeland praised the report saying, “This is good news for the entire community, and especially for the students of Appling County, as the threat of losing accreditation has been reduced.”
Copeland thanked board of education members and system staff for the hard work that helped to get the system’s status improved.
Monitoring Visit Report - Introduction
A Monitoring Team visited the Appling County School District on June 19-21, 2011 on behalf of AdvancED and its accrediting division, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement. This Monitoring Team Visit was held to review the district’s progress toward addressing Required Actions from the Special Review Team Visit on June 27-29, 2010 and the Monitoring Team Visit on December 5-7, 2010. The Monitoring Team concluded that substantial progress has been made with regard to the Required Actions, especially in the areas of school board member training, policy revision, and the establishment of written guidelines and procedures. The challenges that remain revolve around the consistent implementation of these policies and the adherence to these guidelines and procedures over an extended period of time.
Activities of the Monitoring Team
In preparation for the Monitoring Visit, the Monitoring Team reviewed the institution’s progress report and related documentation. Once on-site, the team engaged in the following activities:
• Meetings with the board members, the superintendent, central office leaders, principals, the state Teacher of the Year, and a lead teacher;
• Interviews with 12 members of the school district’s official stakeholders’ committee and 10 stakeholders representing the local newspaper, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), parents, and concerned citizens;
• Artifact review of board policies, board minutes, stakeholder minutes, and related documents; and
• Team deliberations and report preparation.
The Monitoring Team used the findings from these activities to assess the progress the Appling County School District has made toward addressing the Required Actions made by the previous review team.
Findings
The Monitoring Team’s findings are organized by each of the Required Actions made by the Special Review Team. For each Required Action, the Monitoring Team provides a progress status rating, summary of findings, and directives to guide next steps.
REQUIRED ACTION 1: With the retirement of the superintendent on June 30, 2010, and the superintendent search, which all five board members reported will resume after that date, the board and district should move expeditiously to select a new superintendent who can/will lead the efforts of the district and resolve the issues that are causing concern for the district and the community. In addition, elections will be held for four of the five board seats, and two of these members indicated that they do not plan to stand for re-election. Two others indicated that they were undecided. Changes in the composition of board membership can have significant impact on the way the board conducts its business. The board must deliberately seek stakeholder input into the desired qualities and skills of the new superintendent.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
X - Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
During the previous Monitoring Visit in December 2010, the team was on site while the superintendent’s search, conducted by the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA), was in progress. The three finalists were being presented to the community in “Meet and Greet” sessions, and input was being gathered formally and informally from internal and external stakeholder groups. The outgoing board members selected the new superintendent from the three finalists in December 2010 even though three new members were elected to the board of education prior to that time. The newly elected board members were given an opportunity to meet and greet the three finalists, however. Information gathered from stakeholders indicated that their input was received and acknowledged by the board members in making the final superintendent selection.
REQUIRED ACTION 2: The Appling County School Board and its Superintendent must establish and implement a collaborative process to involve all stakeholder groups in the development and understanding of a system-wide vision and purpose to guide the continuous improvement process, the allocation and alignment of resources, and the daily actions of all members of the school community.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
X - In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
Since the previous Monitoring Team Visit, the newly-appointed superintendent has established a selection process for choosing a formal stakeholder committee, implemented that process, and has conducted at least four stakeholder committee meetings. The committee consists of three representatives from each school comprised of the following: the accreditation team leader; a teacher member of the School Council, and a community representative. In addition, key community members, such as the county manager, the city manager, a Chamber of Commerce representative, and other key community leaders, have been invited to participate as members. This group has reviewed the mission of the school district, given input to the budget planning process, and studied current school issues such as bullying. The superintendent and the board members are encouraged to continue their efforts in involving stakeholders in meaningful decision-making activities. A second “unofficial” group of stakeholders has emerged and has provided input to the superintendent and board members and observed their activities.
The board members also have revisited their regulations regarding public participation at board meetings. They provided evidence, through board meeting videos, that citizens are given many opportunities to address the board members and ask questions during the board meetings. Work on revisiting, reviewing, and revising the mission statement is in progress. The formal stakeholder committee, which was organized by the superintendent, studied the vision and mission statement at its second meeting and provided input regarding the wording. Efforts should be made to ensure community-wide buy-in and support of the renewed purpose and direction, developed through this collaborative process, to guide the work of the district.
In a commitment to transparency and openness, the superintendent and board members have implemented the electronic board (e-board) process that requires placing board agendas, meeting minutes, and special addenda and handouts on the school district website. This information is readily available to the public and is updated continuously.
Directives:
• The board members and the superintendent are encouraged to continue their efforts in this area to make this collaborative process a natural part of their work culture. Results of such collaborations must be widely disseminated.
• Interview results indicated that some stakeholders who are not a part of the formal stakeholders’ committee felt left out and disenfranchised. The superintendent and the board members must ensure that representative groups adequately reflect all segments of the community, and as opportunities present themselves, individuals are given opportunities to provide input and/or new members are added to the stakeholders’ committee.
REQUIRED ACTION 3: The Appling County Board of Education and its Superintendent must cultivate a culture in which community stakeholders are regularly encouraged to provide meaningful input, and that input is analyzed and incorporated into the board’s decision-making process. Decisions on important issues such as adopting a budget and all other matters must be made in a timely manner. The decorum of all board meetings must reflect the professionalism required of all of those who are defining the quality of education for this community.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
X - In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
The superintendent, the central office staff, and board members have established a comprehensive, detailed timeline for adopting a budget. This timeline includes all of the steps for gathering data from the state department of education, the county (tax digest), as well as budget requests from principals and program directors. The Monitoring Team reviewed budget meeting agendas and minutes. The tentative budget for fiscal year 2012 has been approved by the board of education. Financial reports and board minutes are adopted by the board of education in a timely manner. The superintendent and the board members are encouraged to continue to ensure that processes and procedures are in place for the regular occurrence of these key decisions in the future.
The superintendent and board members have allowed citizens to sign up and address the board members at their regular meetings. Evidence from board meeting minutes reflect that board members acknowledge this input and, on occasion, respond to questions and incorporate citizen input into their decisions. This fact was further substantiated by a number of interviews.
Board minutes and videos of board meetings reflect a high level of professional decorum in board members conduct during meetings and work sessions. Board members show courtesy to audience participants and reflect great patience while citizens express their concerns. Interviewees bore out this conclusion.
Directives:
• The board of education must adopt the final budget for fiscal year 2012 as soon as practical. The Monitoring Team realizes that the school district would like to have the latest information from the county tax office, but it is critical that the budget be adopted. If information is received later that changes projections for revenue or expenses, the budget will need to be amended at that time.
• The superintendent and board members should prepare and adopt a financial report at the end of the first month of the 2012 fiscal year in order to gauge how actual revenue and expenditures are tracking with the adopted budget up to that point.
• The board must continue to ensure that all meetings are conducted with the proper decorum, order and dignity required of a board that represents the people of Appling County.
REQUIRED ACTION 4: Intensive training in effective boardmanship and the appropriate roles of the superintendent and the board members must be provided for veteran board members and any newly elected board members.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
X - Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
The members of the Appling County Board of Education have participated in numerous, valuable board training activities provided by the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA), as well as the prominent law firm of Harben, Hartley, and Hawkins, LLP. The following training sessions were attended by all five board members and the superintendent. These sessions outlined specific roles and responsibilities of the governance/leadership team and practices to help the board govern and lead the school district in the continuous school improvement process.
• 2/11/11-Harben, Hartley, & Hawkins-Legal Issues and Procedures
• 2/11/11-GSBA-Parliamentary Procedure: Conducting Effective Meetings
• 2/11/11-GSBA-Roles and Responsibilities of the BOE: Board Self-Assessment and Superintendent Evaluation
• 2/11/11-Superintendent, Board Chair, and Vice-Chair were trained on the following topics: (1) Lessons from a Former Chair, (2) Legal Issues and the BOE Chair, (3) Legislative/Budget Issues, (4) School Board Relationships: The Slippery Slope of School Board Governance, (5) Controversial Board Issues/e-board and (6) Community Engagement
• 3/17/11-GSBA-Setting Goals based on the Board/Leadership Team Self-Assessment Checklist
• 5/24/11-GSBA-Building Trust for the Board of Education
Stakeholder interviews and artifact review by the Monitoring Team confirmed that all policies of the Appling County School District have been updated by Harben, Hartley, and Hawkins, LLP. These policies were reviewed and adopted by board members on March 28, 2011 and officially approved on May 9, 2011. Stakeholder interviews by the Monitoring Team also revealed that the principles covered during the training sessions have been internalized and are being demonstrated by board members in their actions and deliberations. Stakeholders interviewed were quick to point out the positive change in board behavior over the past six months.
The Appling County School District has made tremendous progress on Required Action# 4 concerning the intensive training in effective boardmanship for both veteran and newly elected board members. However, even though all necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated, and the institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation, it is imperative that the board members are deliberate in their yearly training. All board members must demonstrate internalization of this training and adherence to their prescribed roles and responsibilities. This includes working with the superintendent to establish a standard procedure whereby board members route requests for information from central office leaders and principals through the superintendent.
REQUIRED ACTION 5: The Appling County Board of Education must validate that all actions and behaviors of board members are fully aligned with the official board policies and all AdvancED Accreditation Standards.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
X - In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
Since the Monitoring Team was on site in December 2010, all current board members have read and signed a copy of the adopted Code of Ethics and Conflict of Interest policies, and interviews revealed that board members are committed to adherence to these policies. The law firm of Harben, Hartley, and Hawkins, LLP provided oversight for the review and revision of the Appling County Board of Education Policy Manual. The board members adopted policies A-G on April 11, 2011 and approved policies I-K on May 9, 2011. The Monitoring Team reviewed the policy manual to verify that appropriate policies are extant.
However, interviews revealed that, while policies are in place, some stakeholders are not certain as to whether the board members will demonstrate compliance on a continuous basis. Board members are entitled to receive adequate information in order to make sound decisions. Some of that information must come from principals and central office leaders. Interviews revealed that at least one board member contacts central office leaders directly on a regular basis. The superintendent and board members must make sure that proper protocol is followed in the solicitation of information by board members.
Directives:
• The superintendent and board members must establish a standard procedure whereby board members route requests for information from central office leaders and principals through the superintendent. Good practice requires that all board members have the same information at the same time. In that same regard, board members are encouraged to seek information from the superintendent prior to the school board meetings whenever possible. This would avoid putting the superintendent on the spot and allow the superintendent and staff members time to locate the correct information in advance.
• The board must take appropriate action should one or more of its members be found in violation of the board’s Code of Ethics or state laws that govern school board member behavior.
REQUIRED ACTION 6: The Appling County Board of Education and the Superintendent, in collaboration with system staff and community representatives, must develop a comprehensive, systematic plan for recruiting, selecting, promoting, evaluating and developing system personnel so that staff are strategically placed in positions where they will function effectively.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
X - Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
The board members have approved a Human Resources Procedures Manual to guide the hiring process; staff members have been appropriately trained in the implementation of new procedures, and interviews revealed that staff members utilize the approved procedures in hiring personnel. Minutes of the February 14, 2011 board meeting show that, at the recommendation of the superintendent, the board members named a professional staff member Assistant Superintendent for Instruction/Support Services. This individual has been given the responsibility for coordinating the Human Resource function of the school district.
REQUIRED ACTION 7: Board members must not convene executive sessions in a whimsical manner, but rather follow the clearly stated requirements for convening an executive session. Executive session is appropriate “when discussing or deliberating upon the appointment, employment, compensation, hiring, disciplinary action or dismissal, or periodic evaluation or rating of a public officer or employee.” (Georgia Open Meetings Act). It is not legal to move into executive session for the generic reason “to discuss personnel.” Further, the system must file any and all required affidavits and disclosures regarding the proper use of executive session. This will help to alleviate public concerns regarding the abuse of executive session and show the system’s compliance with the Georgia Open Meetings Act.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
X - In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
Interviews with the superintendent and all five board members and a review of all school board meetings from January 2011 through June 13, 2011 verified that the Appling County Board of Education is adhering to, and in compliance with the Georgia Open Meetings Act. Interviews revealed that the school board Chair reads an Open Meetings Act statement aloud in the board meeting before adjourning into “executive session.” Stakeholder interviews also revealed that the school board attorney is present in the executive sessions, and artifact evidence was presented showing signed affidavits for each executive session called by the school board beginning with the first one on February 14, 2011 through June 13, 2011.
Directive:
• The superintendent and board members must ensure that, going forward, they continue to adhere to the requirements of the Georgia Open Meetings Act, including the portion that deals with executive sessions. The progress demonstrated thus far must be sustained and cannot simply be temporary compliance to satisfy the Monitoring Team.
Conclusion
The Monitoring Team recognized many areas in which the Appling County School District is making progress toward the Required Actions outlined by the Special Review Team in June 2010. The Monitoring Team indicated that three (3) of the Required Actions have been completed and four (4) are “In Progress.” The school district completed the selection of the new superintendent, and many of those interviewed had very positive things to say about the effectiveness and openness of the new superintendent.
The Appling County School Board and the Superintendent have established and implemented a collaborative process to involve stakeholder groups in the development and understanding of a system-wide vision and purpose. Some concern was expressed that the official stakeholder committee needs to be more broad-based and inclusive. As opportunities present themselves, the superintendent and board members should be more inclusive in selecting new members for this important stakeholder group as well as engaging stakeholders in other ways. The board members allow citizen input at their meetings and respond to questions whenever they are able to do so. Behavior and interactions among board members and with the audience are cordial and professional.
The superintendent and board members have undergone extensive, focused training regarding all phases of governance and boardmanship. All board members have signed the board-adopted Code of Ethics and Conflict of Interest policy forms. Indications are that board behavior has been aligned with official board policies and AdvancED Accreditation Standards in the past few months. However, some concern exists about the actions of at least one board member in regularly seeking information from central office leaders. This has to be remedied through a mutually agreed-upon procedure whereby individual board members route their information requests through the superintendent, and such information is made available to all board members.
The superintendent and board members have designated the Assistant Superintendent of Instruction/Support Services as the individual responsible for Human Resources. A comprehensive Hiring Policy has been developed to outline all procedures for recruiting, selecting, and promoting system personnel. Continuing development must be done in the areas of evaluating and developing personnel.
The Board Chair reads a statement that quotes the legal reasons for going into executive session before accepting a motion to enter executive session, and the board attorney accompanies the board members and superintendent in executive session. Meeting notices are posted and no instances of violations of the Georgia Open Meetings Act were reported.
The Monitoring Team recognizes progress made in addressing the Required Actions and recommends that the Appling County School District’s accreditation status be changed to Accredited Warned. The Appling County School District is scheduled to host a Quality Assurance Review (QAR) Team Visit in 2011-2012. Because of the significant work accomplished in developing and implementing actions to appropriately complete the four remaining Required Actions, the Monitoring Team would like to provide time for the district to demonstrate sustainability prior to the QAR District Accreditation five-year visit. Therefore, the Monitoring Team recommends that an assessment of the remaining Required Actions (#2, #3, #5, and # 7) be made at the time of that visit. Results of that assessment should be incorporated into that Quality Assurance Review Team report.
Superintendent Scarlett Copeland praised the report saying, “This is good news for the entire community, and especially for the students of Appling County, as the threat of losing accreditation has been reduced.”
Copeland thanked board of education members and system staff for the hard work that helped to get the system’s status improved.
Monitoring Visit Report - Introduction
A Monitoring Team visited the Appling County School District on June 19-21, 2011 on behalf of AdvancED and its accrediting division, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement. This Monitoring Team Visit was held to review the district’s progress toward addressing Required Actions from the Special Review Team Visit on June 27-29, 2010 and the Monitoring Team Visit on December 5-7, 2010. The Monitoring Team concluded that substantial progress has been made with regard to the Required Actions, especially in the areas of school board member training, policy revision, and the establishment of written guidelines and procedures. The challenges that remain revolve around the consistent implementation of these policies and the adherence to these guidelines and procedures over an extended period of time.
Activities of the Monitoring Team
In preparation for the Monitoring Visit, the Monitoring Team reviewed the institution’s progress report and related documentation. Once on-site, the team engaged in the following activities:
• Meetings with the board members, the superintendent, central office leaders, principals, the state Teacher of the Year, and a lead teacher;
• Interviews with 12 members of the school district’s official stakeholders’ committee and 10 stakeholders representing the local newspaper, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), parents, and concerned citizens;
• Artifact review of board policies, board minutes, stakeholder minutes, and related documents; and
• Team deliberations and report preparation.
The Monitoring Team used the findings from these activities to assess the progress the Appling County School District has made toward addressing the Required Actions made by the previous review team.
Findings
The Monitoring Team’s findings are organized by each of the Required Actions made by the Special Review Team. For each Required Action, the Monitoring Team provides a progress status rating, summary of findings, and directives to guide next steps.
REQUIRED ACTION 1: With the retirement of the superintendent on June 30, 2010, and the superintendent search, which all five board members reported will resume after that date, the board and district should move expeditiously to select a new superintendent who can/will lead the efforts of the district and resolve the issues that are causing concern for the district and the community. In addition, elections will be held for four of the five board seats, and two of these members indicated that they do not plan to stand for re-election. Two others indicated that they were undecided. Changes in the composition of board membership can have significant impact on the way the board conducts its business. The board must deliberately seek stakeholder input into the desired qualities and skills of the new superintendent.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
X - Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
During the previous Monitoring Visit in December 2010, the team was on site while the superintendent’s search, conducted by the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA), was in progress. The three finalists were being presented to the community in “Meet and Greet” sessions, and input was being gathered formally and informally from internal and external stakeholder groups. The outgoing board members selected the new superintendent from the three finalists in December 2010 even though three new members were elected to the board of education prior to that time. The newly elected board members were given an opportunity to meet and greet the three finalists, however. Information gathered from stakeholders indicated that their input was received and acknowledged by the board members in making the final superintendent selection.
REQUIRED ACTION 2: The Appling County School Board and its Superintendent must establish and implement a collaborative process to involve all stakeholder groups in the development and understanding of a system-wide vision and purpose to guide the continuous improvement process, the allocation and alignment of resources, and the daily actions of all members of the school community.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
X - In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
Since the previous Monitoring Team Visit, the newly-appointed superintendent has established a selection process for choosing a formal stakeholder committee, implemented that process, and has conducted at least four stakeholder committee meetings. The committee consists of three representatives from each school comprised of the following: the accreditation team leader; a teacher member of the School Council, and a community representative. In addition, key community members, such as the county manager, the city manager, a Chamber of Commerce representative, and other key community leaders, have been invited to participate as members. This group has reviewed the mission of the school district, given input to the budget planning process, and studied current school issues such as bullying. The superintendent and the board members are encouraged to continue their efforts in involving stakeholders in meaningful decision-making activities. A second “unofficial” group of stakeholders has emerged and has provided input to the superintendent and board members and observed their activities.
The board members also have revisited their regulations regarding public participation at board meetings. They provided evidence, through board meeting videos, that citizens are given many opportunities to address the board members and ask questions during the board meetings. Work on revisiting, reviewing, and revising the mission statement is in progress. The formal stakeholder committee, which was organized by the superintendent, studied the vision and mission statement at its second meeting and provided input regarding the wording. Efforts should be made to ensure community-wide buy-in and support of the renewed purpose and direction, developed through this collaborative process, to guide the work of the district.
In a commitment to transparency and openness, the superintendent and board members have implemented the electronic board (e-board) process that requires placing board agendas, meeting minutes, and special addenda and handouts on the school district website. This information is readily available to the public and is updated continuously.
Directives:
• The board members and the superintendent are encouraged to continue their efforts in this area to make this collaborative process a natural part of their work culture. Results of such collaborations must be widely disseminated.
• Interview results indicated that some stakeholders who are not a part of the formal stakeholders’ committee felt left out and disenfranchised. The superintendent and the board members must ensure that representative groups adequately reflect all segments of the community, and as opportunities present themselves, individuals are given opportunities to provide input and/or new members are added to the stakeholders’ committee.
REQUIRED ACTION 3: The Appling County Board of Education and its Superintendent must cultivate a culture in which community stakeholders are regularly encouraged to provide meaningful input, and that input is analyzed and incorporated into the board’s decision-making process. Decisions on important issues such as adopting a budget and all other matters must be made in a timely manner. The decorum of all board meetings must reflect the professionalism required of all of those who are defining the quality of education for this community.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
X - In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
The superintendent, the central office staff, and board members have established a comprehensive, detailed timeline for adopting a budget. This timeline includes all of the steps for gathering data from the state department of education, the county (tax digest), as well as budget requests from principals and program directors. The Monitoring Team reviewed budget meeting agendas and minutes. The tentative budget for fiscal year 2012 has been approved by the board of education. Financial reports and board minutes are adopted by the board of education in a timely manner. The superintendent and the board members are encouraged to continue to ensure that processes and procedures are in place for the regular occurrence of these key decisions in the future.
The superintendent and board members have allowed citizens to sign up and address the board members at their regular meetings. Evidence from board meeting minutes reflect that board members acknowledge this input and, on occasion, respond to questions and incorporate citizen input into their decisions. This fact was further substantiated by a number of interviews.
Board minutes and videos of board meetings reflect a high level of professional decorum in board members conduct during meetings and work sessions. Board members show courtesy to audience participants and reflect great patience while citizens express their concerns. Interviewees bore out this conclusion.
Directives:
• The board of education must adopt the final budget for fiscal year 2012 as soon as practical. The Monitoring Team realizes that the school district would like to have the latest information from the county tax office, but it is critical that the budget be adopted. If information is received later that changes projections for revenue or expenses, the budget will need to be amended at that time.
• The superintendent and board members should prepare and adopt a financial report at the end of the first month of the 2012 fiscal year in order to gauge how actual revenue and expenditures are tracking with the adopted budget up to that point.
• The board must continue to ensure that all meetings are conducted with the proper decorum, order and dignity required of a board that represents the people of Appling County.
REQUIRED ACTION 4: Intensive training in effective boardmanship and the appropriate roles of the superintendent and the board members must be provided for veteran board members and any newly elected board members.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
X - Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
The members of the Appling County Board of Education have participated in numerous, valuable board training activities provided by the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA), as well as the prominent law firm of Harben, Hartley, and Hawkins, LLP. The following training sessions were attended by all five board members and the superintendent. These sessions outlined specific roles and responsibilities of the governance/leadership team and practices to help the board govern and lead the school district in the continuous school improvement process.
• 2/11/11-Harben, Hartley, & Hawkins-Legal Issues and Procedures
• 2/11/11-GSBA-Parliamentary Procedure: Conducting Effective Meetings
• 2/11/11-GSBA-Roles and Responsibilities of the BOE: Board Self-Assessment and Superintendent Evaluation
• 2/11/11-Superintendent, Board Chair, and Vice-Chair were trained on the following topics: (1) Lessons from a Former Chair, (2) Legal Issues and the BOE Chair, (3) Legislative/Budget Issues, (4) School Board Relationships: The Slippery Slope of School Board Governance, (5) Controversial Board Issues/e-board and (6) Community Engagement
• 3/17/11-GSBA-Setting Goals based on the Board/Leadership Team Self-Assessment Checklist
• 5/24/11-GSBA-Building Trust for the Board of Education
Stakeholder interviews and artifact review by the Monitoring Team confirmed that all policies of the Appling County School District have been updated by Harben, Hartley, and Hawkins, LLP. These policies were reviewed and adopted by board members on March 28, 2011 and officially approved on May 9, 2011. Stakeholder interviews by the Monitoring Team also revealed that the principles covered during the training sessions have been internalized and are being demonstrated by board members in their actions and deliberations. Stakeholders interviewed were quick to point out the positive change in board behavior over the past six months.
The Appling County School District has made tremendous progress on Required Action# 4 concerning the intensive training in effective boardmanship for both veteran and newly elected board members. However, even though all necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated, and the institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation, it is imperative that the board members are deliberate in their yearly training. All board members must demonstrate internalization of this training and adherence to their prescribed roles and responsibilities. This includes working with the superintendent to establish a standard procedure whereby board members route requests for information from central office leaders and principals through the superintendent.
REQUIRED ACTION 5: The Appling County Board of Education must validate that all actions and behaviors of board members are fully aligned with the official board policies and all AdvancED Accreditation Standards.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
X - In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
Since the Monitoring Team was on site in December 2010, all current board members have read and signed a copy of the adopted Code of Ethics and Conflict of Interest policies, and interviews revealed that board members are committed to adherence to these policies. The law firm of Harben, Hartley, and Hawkins, LLP provided oversight for the review and revision of the Appling County Board of Education Policy Manual. The board members adopted policies A-G on April 11, 2011 and approved policies I-K on May 9, 2011. The Monitoring Team reviewed the policy manual to verify that appropriate policies are extant.
However, interviews revealed that, while policies are in place, some stakeholders are not certain as to whether the board members will demonstrate compliance on a continuous basis. Board members are entitled to receive adequate information in order to make sound decisions. Some of that information must come from principals and central office leaders. Interviews revealed that at least one board member contacts central office leaders directly on a regular basis. The superintendent and board members must make sure that proper protocol is followed in the solicitation of information by board members.
Directives:
• The superintendent and board members must establish a standard procedure whereby board members route requests for information from central office leaders and principals through the superintendent. Good practice requires that all board members have the same information at the same time. In that same regard, board members are encouraged to seek information from the superintendent prior to the school board meetings whenever possible. This would avoid putting the superintendent on the spot and allow the superintendent and staff members time to locate the correct information in advance.
• The board must take appropriate action should one or more of its members be found in violation of the board’s Code of Ethics or state laws that govern school board member behavior.
REQUIRED ACTION 6: The Appling County Board of Education and the Superintendent, in collaboration with system staff and community representatives, must develop a comprehensive, systematic plan for recruiting, selecting, promoting, evaluating and developing system personnel so that staff are strategically placed in positions where they will function effectively.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
X - Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
The board members have approved a Human Resources Procedures Manual to guide the hiring process; staff members have been appropriately trained in the implementation of new procedures, and interviews revealed that staff members utilize the approved procedures in hiring personnel. Minutes of the February 14, 2011 board meeting show that, at the recommendation of the superintendent, the board members named a professional staff member Assistant Superintendent for Instruction/Support Services. This individual has been given the responsibility for coordinating the Human Resource function of the school district.
REQUIRED ACTION 7: Board members must not convene executive sessions in a whimsical manner, but rather follow the clearly stated requirements for convening an executive session. Executive session is appropriate “when discussing or deliberating upon the appointment, employment, compensation, hiring, disciplinary action or dismissal, or periodic evaluation or rating of a public officer or employee.” (Georgia Open Meetings Act). It is not legal to move into executive session for the generic reason “to discuss personnel.” Further, the system must file any and all required affidavits and disclosures regarding the proper use of executive session. This will help to alleviate public concerns regarding the abuse of executive session and show the system’s compliance with the Georgia Open Meetings Act.
Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this recommendation.
Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the recommendation.
X - In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address the recommendation.
Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Summary of Findings:
Interviews with the superintendent and all five board members and a review of all school board meetings from January 2011 through June 13, 2011 verified that the Appling County Board of Education is adhering to, and in compliance with the Georgia Open Meetings Act. Interviews revealed that the school board Chair reads an Open Meetings Act statement aloud in the board meeting before adjourning into “executive session.” Stakeholder interviews also revealed that the school board attorney is present in the executive sessions, and artifact evidence was presented showing signed affidavits for each executive session called by the school board beginning with the first one on February 14, 2011 through June 13, 2011.
Directive:
• The superintendent and board members must ensure that, going forward, they continue to adhere to the requirements of the Georgia Open Meetings Act, including the portion that deals with executive sessions. The progress demonstrated thus far must be sustained and cannot simply be temporary compliance to satisfy the Monitoring Team.
Conclusion
The Monitoring Team recognized many areas in which the Appling County School District is making progress toward the Required Actions outlined by the Special Review Team in June 2010. The Monitoring Team indicated that three (3) of the Required Actions have been completed and four (4) are “In Progress.” The school district completed the selection of the new superintendent, and many of those interviewed had very positive things to say about the effectiveness and openness of the new superintendent.
The Appling County School Board and the Superintendent have established and implemented a collaborative process to involve stakeholder groups in the development and understanding of a system-wide vision and purpose. Some concern was expressed that the official stakeholder committee needs to be more broad-based and inclusive. As opportunities present themselves, the superintendent and board members should be more inclusive in selecting new members for this important stakeholder group as well as engaging stakeholders in other ways. The board members allow citizen input at their meetings and respond to questions whenever they are able to do so. Behavior and interactions among board members and with the audience are cordial and professional.
The superintendent and board members have undergone extensive, focused training regarding all phases of governance and boardmanship. All board members have signed the board-adopted Code of Ethics and Conflict of Interest policy forms. Indications are that board behavior has been aligned with official board policies and AdvancED Accreditation Standards in the past few months. However, some concern exists about the actions of at least one board member in regularly seeking information from central office leaders. This has to be remedied through a mutually agreed-upon procedure whereby individual board members route their information requests through the superintendent, and such information is made available to all board members.
The superintendent and board members have designated the Assistant Superintendent of Instruction/Support Services as the individual responsible for Human Resources. A comprehensive Hiring Policy has been developed to outline all procedures for recruiting, selecting, and promoting system personnel. Continuing development must be done in the areas of evaluating and developing personnel.
The Board Chair reads a statement that quotes the legal reasons for going into executive session before accepting a motion to enter executive session, and the board attorney accompanies the board members and superintendent in executive session. Meeting notices are posted and no instances of violations of the Georgia Open Meetings Act were reported.
The Monitoring Team recognizes progress made in addressing the Required Actions and recommends that the Appling County School District’s accreditation status be changed to Accredited Warned. The Appling County School District is scheduled to host a Quality Assurance Review (QAR) Team Visit in 2011-2012. Because of the significant work accomplished in developing and implementing actions to appropriately complete the four remaining Required Actions, the Monitoring Team would like to provide time for the district to demonstrate sustainability prior to the QAR District Accreditation five-year visit. Therefore, the Monitoring Team recommends that an assessment of the remaining Required Actions (#2, #3, #5, and # 7) be made at the time of that visit. Results of that assessment should be incorporated into that Quality Assurance Review Team report.
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