"The Board of Education has three primary responsibilities: 1) providing policy direction; 2) providing oversight of the professionals who manage day-to-day operations of the schools; and 3) ensuring that the School District is accountable to the community. One of the most significant responsibilities of the Board is to hire a superintendent, who is the educational and operational leader of the School District, responsible for implementing Board policy. We are fortunate to have a top-notch superintendent who is held in extremely high regard in our district and by her colleagues.

While individual Board members may have their own personal views about a particular issue or decision, the Board can only make decisions as a group in a public meeting. The Board hires professionals to make professional decisions, which include hiring and disciplinary decisions. It is not the Board's job to micro-manage day-to-day decisions of the Superintendent or administrators; the Board's job is to provide appropriate oversight and policy direction.

To be concrete, when I thought a particular decision involving student discipline was unfair, I sought changes to District policy. However, it was not within my purview to change administrators’ decisions in that matter."
Oct. 1, 2014 Laurie Lieberman

"It appears that the board has not always exercised appropriate control over district officials. For example, an Estoppel Certificate was signed by the Chief Financial Officer and a lawyer hired by the district without any consultation with board members! This signing meant that the district could never collect any rent that might have been owed before July 2010 from the Double Tree Hotel. It is my understanding that no clear evidence was presented by the Double Tree Hotel indicating that 'percentage' rent was not owed under the third or 'percentage' part of the rental agreement with the district.

When pressure (in connection with negotiating a favorable rental agreement with the Double Tree Hotel) was exerted by a labor union, the board should have exercised appropriate control. This was an instance in which board members should have exercised more control over district officials than they apparently actually did."
Oct. 1, 2014 Dhun May

"The Board of Education has four key roles: creating a vision that is reflective of the community; hiring, supporting and evaluating a Superintendent who is charged with implementing the vision; creating policy around personnel and curriculum that optimizes student achievement; and passing a fiscally responsible budget that supports excellence in program and attracts and retains high quality personnel.

The Superintendent is responsible for the work of all staff. He/she works with the senior cabinet comprised of the Assistant Superintendents and Executive Directors, and the Principals, to further establish programs and timelines that reflect the Board's direction and the required State and Federal directives.

District personnel need to perform within the policies of the district and any contracts they may be party to. There are protocols to review the work of personnel. The work of the Superintendent is reviewed by the Board."
Oct. 1, 2014 Ralph Mechur

"The Board of Education directly oversees one employee and that is the Superintendent of schools. The Board of Education is to set policies and ensure mission, vision, and goals of the District. The BOE is to direct the Superintendent whose job is then to manage a staff in the execution of the policies set forth in Ed Code by the BOE.

I am sensitive to the concerns of those who work hard each day implementing board policy -- teachers giving their 'all' to engage our kids, and staff in supporting those teachers -- to the downside of micro-management. I don’t want District officials to see the BOE as seven 'bosses'; rather, there is one Superintendent who answers directly to the BOE."
Oct. 1, 2014 Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein