It is the intent of the school district to develop policies and put them in writing so that they may serve as guidelines for the successful and efficient functioning of the district’s schools. There are two types of policy that apply to the school district: Board policy and administrative policy. Together they are referred to as district policies.
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The Board of Education considers policy development its chief responsibil ity and has developed its own process for policy development and monitoring. In its policies, the Board directs the superintendent to operate within certain parameters and to make reasonable progress toward the achievement of stated ends results. Pursuant to the Board’s direction, and to facilitate operation of the school district and achievement of the Board’s ends, the superintendent has developed these administrative policies. However, due to statutory requirements or for other reasons, the Board has retained adoption of various administrative policies. These administrative policies will specifically state that they are “adopted by the Board.”
This manual contains administrative policies of the district (reproduced on white paper), regulations intended to implement administrative policy (yellow paper) and certain reference or $exhibit$ documents that relate to policies and/or regulations (green paper).
Policy Development
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Policy development in a modern, forward-looking school system is a dynamic ongoing process. New problems and issues give rise to the continuing need to develop new policies or to revise existing ones. The reason for the loose-leaf format of this manual is to allow for frequent revisions and updates.
Each person holding a copy of this manual should make a diligent effort to keep it up to date as new policies, regulations and exhibits are distributed by the district’s central office.
Changes in needs, conditions, purposes and objectives will require revisions, deletions and additions to the district’s administrative policies. The superintendent welcomes suggestions for ongoing policy development.
Proposals regarding administrative policies may originate with the superintendent, staff members, parents, students, consultants, civic groups or any resident of the district. A careful and orderly process shall be used in examining such proposals.
About Policy Governance
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Policy Governance is a governance model, developed by John and Miriam Carver, which focuses the Board of Education on the district’s vision for students and their achievements. The Board policy manual is separated into four categories: governance process, executive limitations, board/superintendent relationship and ends. In its “ends” policies, the Board describes the intended results of the organization, for whom those results are to be achieved, and the cost or relative worth of those results.
About Policies and Regulations
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Policies are principles that chart a course of action. They tell what is wanted and may include why and how much. They are broad enough to indicate a line of action to be taken, but narrow enough to give clear guidance.Regulations are detailed directions regarding how a policy will be put into practice. They tell how, by whom, where and when things are to be done. The separation of policies and regulations in this manual follows several “rules of thumb”:
1. When the school district’s practice in a particular area is established by law, any informational statement covering the practice is presented as “policy” and appears on a white page. (A law, of course, may be quoted or referred to in a regulation or exhibit.)
2. When the district’s practice in a particular area has been established through a negotiated agreement, any statement pertaining to that practice is presented as “policy” on a white page.
3. Where the district has interwoven regulations with policy and where separation would do harm to the meaning of both, the entire statement is presented as “policy” on a white page.
Notes on Use of the Manual
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Dates. Where possible the original date of adoption/approval/issuance appears immediately following each policy/regulation. In other instances, an approximate date or revision date is used.
Legal references. Pertinent legal references are given so that the policy user may locate the pertinent state or federal law related to a policy. Unless otherwise noted, all references direct the reader to the Colorado Revised Statutes, as revised through the last session of the legislature. Most of the statutes are included in Colorado School Laws published by the Colorado Department of Education. Other laws and/or court decisions also may be applicable to a particular policy.
Cross references. Certain policies/regulations relate to others. Cross references to both administrative and Board policies are provided to help the policy user find all of the related information.
Is the manual complete?
No. The administrative manual contains all of the current written policies of the administration to date. The need to place additional policies in writing, adopt new ones and revise old ones is ongoing. No matter how well conceived and well developed, a policy manual can never be completely up to date.
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Trinidad School District #1
Date of manual adoption/revision/issuance:
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Please note: All copies of this manual are the property of Trinidad School District #1, Trinidad, Colorado.
SECTION A contains policies, regulations and exhibits on the district’s legal role in providing public education and the basic principles underlying school board governance. These policies provide a setting for all of the school board’s other policies and regulations. Included in this section are policies on nondiscrimination, educational philosophy and accountability.
SECTION B – SCHOOL BOARD GOVERNANCE AND OPERATIONS
SECTION B contains policies, regulations, and exhibits about the school board–how it is elected; how it is organized; how it conducts meetings; and how it operates. This section includes policies establishing the board’s internal operating procedures as well as policies on board communications and policy adoption.
SECTION C contains policies, regulations and exhibits on school management, administrative organization and school building and department administration. It includes the administrative aspects of special programs and system wide reforms such as school or site-based management. It also contains personnel policies regarding the superintendent, senior administrators (management team) and school principals.
SECTION D contains policies, regulations and exhibits on school finances and the management of funds; it includes policies on budget, banking, accounting, purchasing and payroll. Policies on the financing of school construction and renovation, however, are filed in Section F – Facilities Development.
SECTION E contains policies, regulations and exhibits on non-instructional services and programs, particularly those on business management, safety, building and grounds management, office services, transportation and food services. Also Included are policies on busing, fire drills, vandalism, data management and insurance programs.
Compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
SECTION F – FACILITIES PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
SECTION F contains policies, regulations and exhibits on facility planning, financing, construction and renovation. It also includes the topics of temporary facilities, school closings, bond campaigns and naming facilities.
SECTION G contains policies, regulations and exhibits on all school employees except the superintendent (found in Section C – General Administration). The category is divided into three main divisions: GB contains policies applying to all school employees or to general personnel matters; GC refers to instructional and administrative staff; and GD refers to support or classified staff.
Discipline Suspension and Dismissal of Support Staff
SECTION H – NEGOTIATIONS
SECTION H contains policies, regulations and exhibits on the process of negotiating with bargaining units recognized by the school board and authorized under state law.
SECTION I contains policies, regulations and exhibits on the instructional program. This section covers basic curricular subjects, special programs, instructional resources and academic achievement. It includes policies about the school year, school day, grading, graduation requirements, home schooling, school library and media center, textbook selection and adoption, field trips, teaching methods and school ceremonies.
SECTION J contains policies, regulations and exhibits on students– admissions, attendance, rights and responsibilities, conduct, discipline, suspension and expulsion, health and welfare, records, publications and school-related activities.
Student Use of the Internet and Electronic Communications – Regulation
SECTION K – SCHOOL-COMMUNITY-HOME RELATIONS
SECTION K contains policies, regulations and exhibits on parent and community involvement in schools, Except for policies concerning education agencies, statements on public sector relations with school districts also are located in this section. Policies found in this section include parents’ rights, public information and complaints, community use of school facilities, advertising in the schools and public information and communications.
Relations with Military Recruiters Postsecondary Institutions and Prospective Employers
SECTION L – EDUCATION AGENCY RELATIONS
SECTION L contains policies, regulations and exhibits on the school district’s relationship with other education agencies including other school systems, regional or service districts, private schools, colleges and universities, education research organizations and state and national education agencies. This section also contains policies on student teaching, charter schools and BOCES.
