Goals And Objectives Of The School Board

The Belcourt School District No. 7 Board's chief concern is for the development, operation, and improvement of the schools of the Belcourt Public School District No. 7, and to strive to provide excellence in education for students of the district. To achieve that goal, the Board believes that it can make contributions at several levels by:

1. Produce a school setting that is most conducive to offering a quality education to all students who choose to attend this school system while providing those students an opportunity to academically excel to the fullest of their capabilities.

2. Selecting and supporting an able superintendent of schools.

3. Encouraging the Superintendent and other staff members to seek professional self-development in appropriate ways.

4. Joining in efforts to clarify the goals of the schools and providing avenues for free and open communications between school and community.

5. Performing the custodial functions of watching the public purse, maintaining the educational plant, and monitoring the stability of the school system.

6. Enacting policies to guide the school in an effort to achieve the goals of the schools.

7. Testing all board decisions against their probable effects and to the extent that it is possible, actual results eventually attained.

8. Faithfully accepting the responsibilities and carrying out the duties delegated and assigned to the board by law, regulations of the Department of Public Instruction, decisions of the State Board of Public School Education, the courts, and similar legal sources.

9. Providing a program that will challenge students to develop higher level thinking, decision making and problem solving skills.

10. Providing a safe and healthy environment which will promote increased physical development.

School Board Authority and Responsibilities

The Belcourt School District No. 7 Board's fundamental authority and responsibilities are prescribed by law. The primary intent of a School Board is to provide local control and accountability in education within a school district. State law provides and delegates this authority and responsibility to the school board; an individual school board member has no authority outside a formal school board meeting. The Board is the final authority on all matters pertaining to the District educational system, except as restricted by law. The Belcourt School District No. 7 Board interprets its most important school board function to be its ability and authority to act as policy makers over educational matters of the District. Its policies and board actions have the effect of law in the operation of the school system. In accordance with the Belcourt School District No. 7 Board’s established philosophy of education, it views its primary responsibilities as:

Organization of the School Board - The Belcourt School District No. 7 is comprised of seven school board members. Terms in office are for a three year period. Elections are held annually in the month of June. A president and vice president are elected annually by the school board at the July annual meeting. There is no limit to the number of terms a board member may serve. The school board normally holds monthly meetings on the second Tuesday of each month at the TMCS Administration Building.

Organization of the School System - The School Board ensures that proper organization of the school system is in place to meet all lawful requirements necessary to operate and maintain elementary, middle, and high schools. To meet this responsibility the School Board will employ a superintendent, principals, teachers and a business manager (all of whom must be qualified) along with other necessary qualified staff to carry out the operations of the school system. The school system primarily offers curricular programs, but also offers extra-curricular programs as well.

Policymaking - The School Board is responsible for the development of policy to be used as the guide to provide direction for the operation of the school system. The School Board is responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of its policies and their implementation by using overall student achievement as the primary indicator.

Fiscal - The School Board is responsible for adoption of a budget, which will provide the resources, in terms of staff, materials, equipment, and facilities, that will enable the school system to provide each student a proper education. The School Board will ensure the school budget is properly managed by requiring staff to comply with federal, state, and local tribal laws along with enacted fiscal policies regulating school finance. The School Board will also approve all changes to its salary schedules and approve all accounts payable expenditures at its regular monthly meetings. It is further recognized that the School Board may enter into contracts and agreements in conformity with federal, state and local tribal law.

Student Relations - The School Board is responsible for providing adequate and direct means for students and parents to express their concerns and desires regarding the school system. This is done by providing High School and Middle School Student Councils opportunities to meet with their Principal, Superintendent and School Board. Elementary Students are offered the same opportunities individually or with a parent present.

Public Relations - The School Board is responsible for providing adequate and direct means for keeping the citizens of the District informed about the schools. This is done by providing notice of school board meetings, publishing of school board meeting minutes and holding parent nights. The School Board is also responsible for keeping the school staff informed about the concerns and desires of the citizens of the District.

Educational Planning, Evaluation and Oversight - The Board of Education is responsible for establishing educational goals. The Superintendent is primarily responsible for the strategic planning necessary to achieve such goals. These goals will serve as a guide for the School Board and the staff in working together toward the continuous improvement of the educational system. The School Board is responsible for providing an ongoing evaluation of the school programs against the goals and objectives set forth by the Board and by the State Board of Education. The Board will be kept abreast and given oversight of the operations of the school system during school board meetings in the form of reports by its administrators, financial data, student data and other relevant data.