SCHOOL BOARD STANDING RULES

A.        Time, Place and Order of Business for Regular Meetings

Regular meetings shall be generally held in the School Board Room of the School Administration Building.  The normal times and order of business at regular meetings shall be as follows:

INFORMAL MEETING

1. Convene meeting                                                                                                                         4:00 p.m.
   The time for convening the meeting may be changed by the Chairman based upon the volume of business to be transacted. 
   
   
2. Closed Meeting for legal matters, personnel matters, publicly held property, student disciplinary matters or other matters authorized by the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.
   
   
3. Board Recess for Dinner                                                                                                            5:30 p.m.
   (Informal meeting and/or Closed meeting may resume after the formal meeting, if necessary)
   
   
4. Hearing of Citizens and Delegations on Non-Agenda Items                                              6:00 p.m.
   At this time the Board will hear public comment on items germane to the business of the Board that are not on the Board’s agenda for the meeting from citizens who sign up to speak with the Clerk of the Board by 3:00 p.m. the day of the meeting.  Up to four speakers shall be allocated 3 minutes each until 6:15 p.m.  If time does not permit all members of the public who desire to speak on non-agenda items before the start of the formal meeting at 6:15 p.m., the Board may, following adjournment of the meeting, remain and receive further public comments on non-agenda items.  All public comments shall meet the Board Bylaw requirements for Decorum and Order.

FORMAL MEETING

5. Call to Order and Roll Call                                                                                                          6:15 p.m.
   
   
6. Student, Employee and Public Awards and Recognition
   1. Attendance Flag Winners (second monthly meetings when applicable)
   2. Most Improved Attendance Flag Winners (second monthly meetings when applicable) 
      
      
7. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance
   
   
8. Superintendent’s Report (second monthly meeting)
   
   
9. Hearing of Citizens and Delegations on Agenda Items
   At this time, the Board will hear public comment on items germane to the Board agenda for the meeting from citizens who have signed up to speak with the Clerk of the Board and shall be allocated 3 minutes each until 7:45 p.m., if time is available. Citizens are encouraged to sign up by noon the day of the meeting. If time does not permit all members of the public to speak before 7:45 p.m., an additional opportunity for public comment on agenda items may be given after the information section of the agenda. All public comment shall meet the Board Bylaw requirements for Decorum and Order.
   
   
10. Approval of Minutes
    
    
11. Adoption of the Agenda
    
    
12. Consent Agenda
    1. Appointments, Resignations and Retirements
    2. Monthly Attendance Reports (second monthly meeting when applicable)
       Upon a member’s request, any item on the Consent Agenda shall be moved to the action portion of the regular agenda. 
       
       
13. Action Items
    
    
14. Information Items
    1. Financial Report (second monthly meeting)
       
       
15. Continued Hearing of Citizens and Delegations on Agenda items, if necessary or desired by the Board
    
    
16. Committee Reports
    
    
17. Recess into workshop or Closed Meeting, if necessary
    
    
18. Reconvene Regular Meeting and Vote on Remaining Action Items, if necessary
    
    
19. Adjournment
    
    
20. Continued Hearing of Citizens and Delegations on Non-Agenda items, if necessary or desired by the Board

B.        Dates of Regular Board Meetings

Regular meetings of the School Board for the 2007-2008 school year are as follows:

C.        Invocation Guidelines
            TIME AND MANNER

• Student, employee, and public awards, recognition and presentations shall be made to students, employees and the public after the call to order and completed before the invocation and Pledge of Allegiance.
• After student, employee, and public awards, recognition and presentations, the Chairman shall call upon the selected speaker to deliver the invocation.
• Board members should remain seated and neither the Board nor the speaker should ask attendees to stand. 

            SELECTION OF SPEAKERS

• Speakers shall be selected at random by the Superintendent or his designee from a list of all houses of worship registered with the City of Virginia Beach Public Information Office.
• Speakers shall be provided with a copy of the brochure “When You Are Asked to Give Public Prayer in a Diverse Society” published by the National Conference For Community and Justice.
• Speakers shall be notified both orally and in writing that the invocation must be general and nonsectarian and that attendees should not be asked to stand for the invocation.

            SPEAKER’S FAILURE TO ATTEND THE MEETING

• Should the selected speaker fail to attend the designated meeting, the Chairman may invite the attendees to observe a moment of silence in lieu of an invocation.
• Board members should not deliver the invocation, nor should they select a substitute speaker. 

D.        School Board Awards and Recognition Criteria for Students, Employees and the Public

The School Board may provide recognition at its formal regular Board meetings for achievements that meet the following criteria:

• Achieve first or second place in national competitions/events.
• Achieve national recognition for outstanding achievements, i.e., National Merit Finalists.
• Achieve first place in regional (multi-state) competitions/events.
• Achieve first place in state competitions/events.
• Achievements beyond the scope of regular academics/activities and/or job performance

AWARDS ISSUED

Certificates
Commendation of Distinction

• Issued to recipients who placed first in national, regional (multi-state), or state competitions/events. 

Certificate of Recognition

• Achievements are beyond the scope of regular academics/activities and/or job performance.

Plaques

• Issued to recipients who placed first in a sanctioned Virginia High School League (VHSL) competition.
• Issued to a department, school, company, etc. when the recognition is for a group. 

E.         Procedure at Annual Organizational Meeting for Election of Chairman pursuant to Bylaw 1-37

At the Annual Organizational Meeting the Superintendent shall serve as Chairman pro tem for the sole purpose of electing the Chairman.

The election procedure begins with the call for the nomination of candidates for the position of Chairman.  The nomination of any candidate does not require a second.  A motion to close nominations is not necessary but, when made, requires an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Board.  A motion to re-open nominations requires a majority vote of the Board. 

If two or more candidates are nominated for the position of Chairman, a majority vote is necessary to secure the position.  Balloting shall be repeated until there is a majority vote for one candidate.  Candidates shall be voted upon in the order in which they are nominated.  If repeat balloting is necessary, all candidates remain under consideration, unless a candidate withdraws.

The Board may permit members to speak on behalf of nominations at the time of nomination or only after nominations have closed, at its election.

Following the completion of the election of the Chairman, the Chairman shall conduct the election of the Vice Chairman from the Chairman’s seat. 

Editor’s Notes

Pursuant to Bylaw 1-40 these Standing Rules may be suspended or amended by a majority vote of the Board at any time and without notice.
See Bylaw 1-37 for adoption, publication and scope of Standing Rules. 

Adopted by the School Board:  February 20, 2001
Amended by the School Board:  July 3, 2001
Amended by the School Board:  July 2, 2002
Amended by the School Board:  July 1, 2003
Amended by the School Board:  July 6, 2004
Amended by the School Board:  July 5, 2005
Amended by the School Board:  July 8, 2006
Amended by the School Board:  July 12, 2007