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NORTON CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
NORTON, VIRGINIA
SCHOOL BOARD POLICY MANUAL
INTRODUCTION
This manual contains the policies of the Norton City School
Board.
Policy development in a modern, forward‑looking school system
is a dynamic, ongoing process. New problems, issues, and
needs give rise to the continuing need to develop new policies
or to revise existing ones. This is why the Board employs the
loose‑leaf format for this manual. It is easy to keep up
to date.
Each person holding a copy of this manual is to make a
diligent effort to keep it up to date as new policies are
distributed by the superintendent's office of the Norton City
Schools. The clerk of the Board will provide up‑to‑date
policies to each person, office, or library holding a copy of
this manual.
How to Use
This Manual
The Norton City Schools operate according to policies
established by the Norton City School Board. The Board,
which represents the state and local community, develops
policies after careful deliberation, and the school
administration implements these policies through specific
regulations and procedures. The Board then evaluates the
effects of its policies and makes revisions as
necessary.
In the interests of harmony, efficiency, uniformity of
interpretation, coordination of effort, and in fairness to all
concerned, the Board makes this manual available to all who
are affected by its policies. Copies are to be
maintained in school libraries, public libraries, principals'
offices, teacher lounges, and School Board/superintendent's
office.
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Please
Note: All copies of this policy manual are the property
of the Norton City Schools.
Codification
system is copyrighted by the National School Boards
Association. Used with permission. No part of this
manual may be reproduced, or transmitted, in any form, without
the prior written permission of the Virginia School Boards
Association.
How the
Manual is Organized
The manual is organized according to the classification
system developed by the Educational Policies Services of the
National School Boards Association. The system provides
an efficient means of coding, filing, and finding policies,
regulations, and other documents.
There are 12 major classifications, each bearing an
alphabetical code:
A ‑‑ FOUNDATIONS AND BASIC
COMMITMENTS
B ‑‑ SCHOOL BOARD GOVERNANCE AND
OPERATIONS
C ‑‑ GENERAL SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATION
D ‑‑ FISCAL
MANAGEMENT
E ‑‑ SUPPORT SERVICES
F ‑‑ FACILITIES
DEVELOPMENT
G ‑‑ PERSONNEL
H ‑‑ NEGOTIATION
I ‑‑ INSTRUCTION
J ‑‑ STUDENTS
K ‑‑ SCHOOL‑COMMUNITY
RELATIONS
L ‑‑ EDUCATION AGENCY
RELATIONS
Sub-classification under each heading is based on logical
sequence and alphabetical sub-coding. Each of the 12
major classifications is tabbed. Following the tab page is a
table of contents for that section.
How to Find a
Policy
Consider where the policy would be filed among the 12
major classifications. Turn to the tab and table of
contents for that section and glance down the listing until
you find the term that most closely fits the topic that you
are seeking. Use the code letters given for the term to
locate the sheet which will appear in alphabetical order by
code within the particular section. (All pages of the
manual are coded in the upper right‑hand
corner.)
What if you
can't find the policy that you are seeking?
If the policy that you are seeking is not included, look
for a synonymous, more general, or more specific policy
appropriate to the topic.
What if you
can't find the policy and there is no such
policy?
This probably means that the school system has not written
policy in the particular area. However, if you are still
interested in the particular area, please contact the
superintendent who will explain the administration's
interpretation of that particular area.
Dates
Wherever possible the original date of adoption/approval
appears immediately following the policy.
Legal
reference
Pertinent legal references are given to advise the reader the
legal authority for the policy. References direct
the reader to Title 22.1 of the Code of Virginia, the bylaws
and regulations of the Board of Education of the Commonwealth
of Virginia (referred to in this manual as "Regulations of the
Virginia Board of Education"), and to some other federal laws,
regulations and cases.
About Board
Policies
Generally, the role of a School Board is to set policy and the
role of the administration is to execute it. The basic
distinction as set forth by the National School Boards
Association is as follows:
Policies are principles adopted by a School Board to chart a
course of action. They tell what is to be done and may
also include why and how much. They are broad enough to
indicate a line of action to be taken by the administration in
dealing with day to day activities. They are narrow
enough to give the administration clear guidance. Policies are
binding.
Regulations are the detailed directions developed to put
policy into practice. They are the administrative
procedures. Superintendents may promulgate regulations without
prior School Board approval unless board action is required by
law or unless the board has specifically asked that certain
types of regulations be given prior board approval. The Board
shall be kept informed of all regulations issued by the
administration. Regulations are binding.
Guidelines: set forth best practice
and procedures for implementing policy.
The administration develops guidelines unless board action is
required by
law or unless the Board has specifically
asked that certain types of guidelines be given prior Board
approval. Guidelines are not binding, they are discretionary.
These distinctions are serviceable most of the time.
They reflect sound theory of government and
administration. But the real world does not always
conform. For example, often the state and federal
governments require School Boards to make detailed rules; and
many regulations are established by law or by the Virginia
Board of Education. Additionally, the public may demand
that a School Board itself, not the administration, establish
the specific rules and procedures in certain sensitive
areas. Thus, the separation of policies and
administrative regulations in this manual follows several
rules of thumb in addition to "basic theory" as
follows:
1.
All edicts of the Virginia Board of Education are considered
mandated Board policy;
2.
When the School Board has written regulations required by law
or in particularly sensitive areas and has incorporated them
in policy, the entire statement is to be considered Board
policy; and
3.
When the School Board has adopted rules (bylaws) concerning
its own operations, (for example, how to conduct meetings),
these statements concerning operations of the Board appear as
Board policy.
As long as the administration operates within the guidelines
of policy adopted by a School Board, it may issue regulations
without prior Board approval unless board action is required
by law or unless the Board has specifically asked that certain
types of regulations be given prior Board approval. The
Board, of course, is kept informed of all school system
regulations issued by the administration, and all are subject
to Board review. Also, in the absence of policy thought
necessary, it is the superintendent's responsibility to
recommend policy to the School Board.
Is the manual
complete?
No. The manual contains all the current written policies
of the School Board. But there is a continual need to
adopt new policies, and revise old ones. Additionally,
state and federal laws and agency regulations change. No
matter how well conceived and well developed, a policy manual
can never be 100% complete and 100% up‑to‑date. Policy
development is a continuing process.
Order of
Precedence
School Board policies and regulations must be read and
interpreted in the light of the federal and Virginia statutes
and regulations. Wherever inconsistencies of
interpretation arise, federal and Virginia law and regulations
prevail.
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It is the hope of the School Board that this collection of
policies will make a greater harmony and efficiency possible
in all areas of school operations. This will enable the
Board to devote more time to its primary duty - the
development of long‑range policies and planning for the future
of the school system.
NORTON CITY
SCHOOLS
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