The Montpelier Board of School Commissioners has scheduled the following policies for public hearing and vote on adoption on Wednesday, November 4, 2009, at approximately 8:00 p.m. in the Montpelier High School Library:

2.1  Treatment of Parents, Guardians, Students, and Citizens

With respect to the treatment of parents, guardians, students, and the public, the Superintendent shall not allow conditions, procedures, actions, or decisions which are unlawful, unethical, unsafe, disrespectful, disruptive, undignified, or in violation of Board policy.

Accordingly the superintendent shall not:

• Use methods of managing information that fail to protect confidential information.
• Elicit information for which there is no clear necessity.
• Fail to provide a process for the effective and efficient handling of complaints and concerns.
• Fail to establish the clear expectation that all employee behaviors and attitudes contribute to an organized culture that is open and responsive, treating stakeholders with respect, dignity, and courtesy, and establishing a system-wide process for monitoring that culture.
• Fail to assure a system of communication between the school district and parents that provides for two-way, timely, and full information about academic progress, safety, and other important matters relating to education.
• Fail to operate facilities with appropriate accessibility and privacy and meeting high health and safety standards.
• Fail to inform parents, guardians, students, and citizens of this policy or to provide a way to be heard for persons who believe they have not been accorded a reasonable interpretation of their protection under this policy.
• Fail to establish procedures which respect the diversity of faiths and viewpoints within the school community and which seek to eliminate conflict between recognized religious holidays and academic and co-curricular timetables.
• Fail to establish procedures for the dissemination of non-school-sponsored materials.
• Fail to establish procedures regarding the posting, dissemination and exhibition of material which promote the free exercise of speech and expression by students while maintaining an environment that is consistent with the district’s educational mission.

2.2  Treatment of Staff

With respect to treatment of paid and volunteer staff, the Superintendent shall not cause or allow conditions, procedures, actions, or decisions which are unlawful, unethical, unsafe, disrespectful, undignified, or in violation of Board policy or negotiated agreements.

Accordingly the superintendent shall not:

• Fail to establish operational procedures to ensure an organizational culture that conforms to the following values:
  • Student-centered education,
  • Excellence,
  • Affordability,
  • Passion,
  • Risk-taking,
  • Open and honest communication in all written and interpersonal interaction,
  • Respect for others and their opinion,
  • Common organizational goals as expressed in Board Ends policies,
  • Appropriate confidentiality, and
  • Commitment to the integrity and the positive image of the district, its students, leaders, and staff.
• Fail to select the most highly qualified and best-suited candidates for employment.
• Operate without written personnel policies that clearly state personnel rules and procedures.
• Fail to protect confidential information.
• Fail to employ best practices for retention of staff.
• Discriminate against any staff member for non-disruptive expression of dissent.
• Allow staff to be unprepared for emergency situations.
• Fail to acquaint staff with the Superintendent’s interpretation of their protection under this policy.
• Fail to establish procedures which allow for substantive input from parents and community members in the hiring of administrators, teachers, and key co-curricular employees.