Board Service Information

SCHOOL BOARDS LEAD SO STUDENTS CAN SUCCEED

The mission of the Anamosa Community School District is to provide ALL students educational opportunities to learn and achieve in a rapidly changing global society...

The Reward of Service

Serving on a school board is a challenging job that requires leadership, vision and dedication. A school board member is entrusted with one of the most important responsibilities that can be assigned to a citizen: ensuring that Iowa schools help students reach high levels of educational achievement.

Serving on a school board is a crucial aspect of grassroots democracy. The school board is a uniquely American institution that represents a continuing commitment to local citizen decision-making in education.

Experienced board members all across Iowa say that the rewards of service lie in meeting the needs of children and their communities.
Iowa School Board Association, 2015

"As a school board member, it is our duty to do what is best for all children. This can be challenging at best but definitely achievable. We must want all children to succeed."
Kandi Behnke, Board President

Meetings
The official work of school boards is carried out at regular monthly meetings. There are typically two meetings per month.

Members also participate in various committees which are meet at various additional times.

Meetings may also be held as determined by the board, or called by the president, or by the secretary of the board upon the written request of a majority of the members of the board or according to board policy.

Meetings are typically held in the late afternoon or evening.

Effective Board Members

The effective school board member today recognizes an important responsibility in governing public schools that can be innovative and ensure high achievement for all students.

Board members operate within their policy- making role to set expectations, ensure supports and hold the school system accountable for ongoing improvements.

They are fiscal stewards, ensuring that the taxpayer investment in education is used well.

Board members operate within the framework of state and federal law.

They have a responsibility to connect with and engage the community, legislators and others in their work.

"Among elective offices the closest one to the hearts and lives of people is that of serving on the local school board, which makes it potentially both the most rewarding and the most controversial role a person can have in a community."
Connie McKean, Board Member

School Boards in Iowa

School board members in Iowa are locally elected public officials. School districts are subdivisions of the state and most general laws regarding conduct of public officials and handling of public funds apply to members of the local board of education.

The board of directors of a school district operates as a corporate body. Individual school board members have no authority to act independently, and cannot commit or bind the board by their individual actions. Powers and duties of the board must be exercised by the board as a whole.

More than 1,900 men and women serve on local school boards in Iowa, guiding the education of approximately 480,000 young people at an annual expenditure of over $5.2 billion.

Local school boards may have five or seven members. They may be elected at-large, from director districts or in several combinations of at-large and districts, depending on the system locally adopted. The school board secretary can
inform prospective candidates about the structure of the local board and which voters may cast ballots for each seat.

School board members serve four-year terms. Elections are held in odd-numbered years with parts of the board being elected every other year.

School board members receive no pay. Their reward is the satisfaction that comes from rendering an indispensable public service.

NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT
It is the policy of the Anamosa Community School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, creed, age (for employment), marital status (for programs), sexual orientation, gender identity and socioeconomic status (for programs) in its educational programs and its employment practices. There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. If you have questions or a grievance related to this policy, please contact Superintendent Lisa Beames, 200 S. Garnavillo St., Anamosa, IA 52205, 319-462-4321, [email protected]