Introduction

Providing a quality education for each student requires a commitment to excellence from the board of education, the superintendent, and all the employees of the district.  Each individual employed by the district has a significant part to play, however for our efforts to be successful; all must work together as a team.  Just as it is crucial for the superintendent and board to work in harmony in a leadership role, it is equally important for the PK-12 staff and building administrators to work together in a collegial manner to ensure that we achieve our mission, which is to prepare students to become productive citizens and lifelong learners by providing a positive educational environment.

We agree that adherence to the following set of principles will ensure effective guidance and operation of the school district, and will accentuate a positive, open, and productive environment for all.

Positiveness

1. The staff and administration recognize that it is essential to remain positive in working together as a team.  Each staff member will strive to develop and maintain a positive atmosphere by:
   
   1. Showing confidence in fellow staff members;
   2. Assuming others are doing the best they can;
   3. Giving more positive reinforcement than negative criticism;
   4. Focusing on how to make things work, rather than dwelling on reasons why things can’t work.

Responsibility to the Team

1. Cooperation, support, and loyalty do not mean we will agree on all issues.  Open and honest discussion will bring out our best thinking and produce the best results.  Each person can be a good team member by:
   
   1. Remembering that each person is accountable to the team for his/her own actions;
   2. Being cooperative;
   3. Responding to situations based on fact, not rumor;
   4. Being willing to express one’s concerns in an open and honest manner, but only if you have a positive solution to the problem;
   5. Handling concerns with another team member in a professional manner and on a one-to-one basis;
   6. Being willing to compromise, i.e., always keeping in mind that the welfare of the students, and the district as a whole will be our priorities;
   7. Exhibiting an attitude of trust and appreciation for one another, as well as a commitment to work toward the resolution of problems;
   8. Being willing to share our good ideas with others, again remembering that we are working as a team, not a group of individuals.

Handling Public Concerns

1. All school employees are encouraged to maintain good communications with patrons of the district.  When approached by a district patron with a concern, a staff member should follow these procedures:
   
   1. Listen to the individual’s concern;
   2. Ask if he/she has discussed the issue with the person immediately responsible; if not, encourage him/her to do so;
   3. Affirm the desire to reach a satisfactory solution, while reinforcing the need to resolve the issue with the person(s) immediately responsible.  If unsuccessful, the staff member will assist the individual in proceeding to the next level of responsibility;
   4. Inform other staff members as soon as possible of unusual happenings which could affect their areas of responsibility;
   5. Refrain from speaking negatively about another team member.  If you have strong personal convictions about the inappropriateness of a fellow team member’s performance or deeds, it is best to act professionally and privately share your concerns with the fellow team member in a direct manner.

Communication

1. Independence staff and administration will always support communication in order to enhance understanding.
   
   1. Effective communication requires high levels of trust.  To achieve this trust, communications must be open, straightforward, and honest.  We will never  knowingly deceive one another;
   2. Open channels of communication must be established and maintained, i.e., make deliberate efforts to share information and data with those whom it affects;
   3. Listen attentively to all audiences, i.e., other staff, students, parents, administrators, patrons;
   4. Eliminate rumors by checking out the facts and then informing those involved of the true facts;
   5. When differences of opinion occur, timing and setting are key elements to consider when expressing those differences;
   6. Each staff member must have the freedom and opportunity to express his/her own beliefs, and has the responsibility to do so in a timely manner;
   7. A good team member does not put a colleague on the spot in a public setting or in a group meeting, unless the uniformly understood ground rules of the meeting permit such action;
   8. When a disagreement arises with a fellow staff member, it is best to deal with the matter in a private, one-on-one situation.

Decision-Making

1. Once a decision or recommendation is made utilizing the following process, everyone on the staff will consistently support the decision:
   
   1. Gather facts pertinent to the issue;
   2. Analyze the facts;
   3. Consider alternatives;
   4. Involve a representative number of those who will be affected by the decision;
   5. Engage in open and honest discussion regarding the facts and options;
   6. Make a decision;
   7. Communicate to others the decision and the rationale behind the decision;
   8. Provide a plan to implement the decision, which contains an ongoing monitoring system;
   1. Keep lines of communication open and listen to those who may have concerns;
   10. Evaluate the “plan” , and if needed make revisions to the plan.  In addition, we cannot be afraid to simply stop and reexamine the plan if we do not think it is working.  More harm is done in perpetuating a “bad” plan than starting over and using what we learned to create a new, more effective plan.

 

Cross Reference:  401.5   Employee Complaints
                                      307      Administrator Code of Ethics

 

Approved:  08/20/2007

Reviewed:  09/17/2012, 09/18/2017

Revised:  10/17/2022

 

Introduction

Providing a quality education for each student requires a commitment to excellence from the board of education, the superintendent, and all the employees of the district.  Each individual employed by the district has a significant part to play, however for our efforts to be successful; all must work together as a team.  A special obligation rests with the board and superintendent to set an example of the kind of leadership that promotes harmony and teamwork. 

The mission of the Independence Schools, in partnership with the community, is to prepare students to become productive citizens and lifelong learners by providing a positive educational environment.  The board/superintendent team will provide leadership in our commitment to excellence by exhibiting the highest standards of professional conduct and personal responsibility.  The board/superintendent team will strive for high standards of behavior and performance that we believe will benefit not only our students and staff, but all people in the community.

We agree that adherence to the following set of principles will ensure effective guidance and operation of the school district, and will accentuate a positive, open, and productive environment for all.

Positiveness

1. The board and superintendent recognize that it is absolutely necessary to remain positive in working together as a team.  As such, we will:

1. Strive to see the good in others;
2. Look for, recognize, and promote the positive contributions of each team member;
3. Refrain from speaking negatively about the character of another team member;
4. Seek ways to turn obstacles into opportunities;
5. Maintain a sense of hope, optimism, and humor in working together;
6. Strive toward increasingly high levels of citizenship in our personal and working relationships.

Team Cooperation

1. The board and superintendent must work as a team to find the best ways to meet the needs of our students.
2. It is essential that we trust and appreciate one another, as well as being committed to work toward a resolution of any conflicts or problems.
3. Each individual must have the freedom and opportunity to express his/her own beliefs.
   
   1. This must be done in an open and honest manner, and early in the discussion of basic issues.

Individual Responsibility to Board/Superintendent Team

1. Each person is accountable to the team for his/her own actions.
2. Each team member will keep an open mind toward the views and opinions of others.
3. Should concerns about another team member arise, the person with the concern will share privately his/her concerns with the individual on a one-on-one basis.
4. When a member has an idea on how the team can work more effectively, the person is encouraged to present the idea to the team.
5. Expressing one’s concerns is a necessary part of team building, but only if one has a positive solution to a problem.

Planning, Goal Setting, and Accountability of the Superintendent and Board

1. The team must be oriented to a comprehensive planning process leading to mutually developed goals and their accountability. 
2. The plan shall prescribe responsibilities for each individual along with an assurance of progress in measurable terms at specified levels.

Human Resource Development

1. The team will support specific plans which will encourage continued growth of team members.
2. The team will be an example to the school community that life-long learning is essential.

Communication

1. Effective communication requires high levels of trust.
2. Open channels of formal and informal communication must be established and maintained among all members of the team.
3. Team members must refrain from knowingly deceiving one another and must replace rumors with facts.
4. Board members should offer praise to employees on a personal basis.
5. Criticisms of employees should not be communicated personally to them without consulting the superintendent and should not be aired at meetings.
6. This team believes strongly in open communications and the publics’ right to know.
7. Information cited by statute to be discussed in executive session and so discussed must remain confidential.  Sharing of such information with unauthorized persons at any time is totally unacceptable.  If a public statement is appropriate, the team will agree upon a specific statement to be made by the superintendent or his/her designee.

Handling of Public Concerns

When a board member is contacted by a constituent with a concern, he/she will follow these procedures:

1. Listen to the individual’s concern.
2. Ask if the person has discussed the issue with the person immediately responsible; if not, encourage him/her to do so.
3. Affirm the desire to reach a satisfactory solution.
4. Assure the person that the superintendent will be informed of the concern, if appropriate.
5. Ask the person to report back on the progress or resolution of the concern, if appropriate.
6. Express appreciation to the individual for presenting the concern.

Decision Making

The board and superintendent will use the following guidelines prior to a board decision:

1. Gather pertinent facts regarding the situation.
2. Receive input from persons/groups affected by the decision.
3. Analyze and organize the collected data.
4. Develop multiple solutions where appropriate, including cost estimates.
5. Review the superintendent’s recommendations.
6. Make a decision.
7. Provide a plan to implement and evaluate the decision.
8. Keep lines of communication open with those who continue to have concerns about the issue and/or the decision.
9. Acknowledge the decision and support its effective implementation.

Meeting Agendas

1. Board meeting agendas must be open and publicized to encourage meaningful dialogue.
2. Surprises at decision-making meetings from board members or administrators are unwelcome, unethical, and counterproductive.
3. Information upon which decisions are to be made must be publicized prior to decision-making meetings to provide adequate time for discussion.

 

Cross Reference:  401.5   Employee Complaints
                                      204      Code of Ethics
                                      307      Administrator Code of Ethics

 

Approved:  08/20/2007

Reviewed:  09/17/2012, 09/18/2017, 10/17/2022

Revised: