B-H’s Board Of Ed To Refresh District Policies

    In a phased approach over the next few months, the Board of Education will retire Britton-Hecla’s current set of policies and replace them with new ones. The process of reviewing current policies and planning for the adoption of new ones has been underway for most of the 2023-2024 school year, including an investment in a policy service with a school law firm in December 2023. 
    At their July 11 meeting, the Board will adopt as many as 80 policies which have been vetted by a Policy Committee composed of Board members Audrey Schuller, Angela Grupe, and Heather Landreth. Additional policies will be adopted at regular Board meetings throughout the fall. Policies being considered for adoption at the July meeting cover a wide span of topics, from business management of the school to day-to-day operations. 
    “The Board supports our administration and believes they are the right people for the job,” says Board of Education President Troy Knecht. “This policy project is just one of the ways we support them, and it’s great to see it getting close to the finish line.”
    According to Heather Landreth, Policy Committee chair, the support these policies provide is a framework within which the administrators and staff can complete their job duties. “It might seem like policies tell the staff how to do their jobs, but really they empower them to do their jobs with the confidence that they are operating within the guardrails laid out by the Board, as well as state and federal law.”
    Landreth further indicated that the process does not stop at adoption of the policies. “This is not a one-and-done responsibility. In order for the policies to be effective, the Board and administration together will need to have open dialogue about whether or not the policies make sense for our district, if there is room for improvement, and how we will know we are following the policies.”
    “We are proud of our school and the people who choose to help our children grow and learn,” Landreth continued. “This policy refresh is a way for the Board to support that learning and the staff that make it possible.”
    Once policies are adopted, they are posted on the school’s website and a master copy is maintained by the Superintendent. 
    As always, the public may attend regular Board meetings and are given an opportunity for public comment during those meetings.