Our Policy About Policies

As some of us are taking turns doing a blog post in the Superintendent’s absence, I’ve been asked to write about how policies are written.  So I’ve thought about what I would want to know, as a parent, about the policies in my child’s school district. 

I suppose I would first ask: Where are the policies?  Sure, there are a few that are in our student handbook each year, but there are more? 

Oh, yes.  We have all of our policies listed on our website, under School Board Policies.  There, you’ll see them clearly indexed by topic.  We also have a complete policy book (hard copy – in a binder, not electronic) at Dudley Tucker Library, as well as each school library.  Every time a policy is revised, added, or removed, these binders and the website are updated accordingly. 

And then, after I clicked on that link and saw just how many policies there are, I suppose I would ask: How do you keep up with it all?

Well, I’m glad you asked.  We are prompted to review a policy or adopt a new policy through a number of avenues.  One of those is the New Hampshire School Boards Association (NHSBA).  They provide us with updates throughout the year of legal changes that may require some attention to policy. We also review policies based on advice from our school attorneys, advisories from the NH Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Education, as well as parent and student input and experiences.  

Periodically, our School Board Policy Committee meets to review those advisories and advice.  When a policy does need to be revised, or when a new policy needs to be adopted, the Policy Committee forwards their recommendations on to the School Board.

What happens then? 

It’s School Board policy to bring a new or revised policy to the Board for two readings. 

The first reading is just that – a reading.  The new or revised policy is traditionally read aloud in its entirety.  Following that, the School Board may discuss any questions or further revisions they may want to make.  And then that’s it.  It doesn’t go the School Board for final approval and adoption until at least two weeks from that time.  Why the wait?  This time allows the public to provide their input on the proposed first reading of the policy, if they so choose. 

And how do we find out when a policy is up for revision? 

You will always find the policies that are up for revision or adoption listed as part of our School Board meeting agendas.  Our agendas are typically posted the Friday before a Board meeting at each of the schools and the Town Office.  We also post the agenda on our website, on our District Facebook page, and on RCTV. 

If you visit our website, www.sau33.com/agenda, you will also find links to the complete revised/new proposed policies for the upcoming meeting.    They will be clearly marked as either “First Reading” (which is the first look through) or “Second Reading” (which is adoption), with proposed revisions noted clearly on each.   You are always welcome to contact the Superintendent or the School Board with your comments about these policies.  

Jennifer Heywood

Administrative Assistant to the

Superintendent of Schools 

School District Budget Balancing

This week, our guest blogger is Business Administrator Ron Brickett.  He's written a bit about budget balancing, fitting as we have just begun our budgeting process for the 2017-18 school year. 

Budget Balancing

Budget Balancing for public schools can be described as the art of balancing the budget between what is best for the students with what the taxpayers can afford.  The Raymond School Board is always concerned about budget balancing throughout the entire budget process.

The budget process that I have used in Raymond is called zero-based budgeting.  "Zero-based budgeting is a method of budgeting in which all expenses must be justified for each new period.  Zero-based budgeting starts from a “zero-base” and every function within an organization is analyzed for its needs and costs.  Budgets are then built around what is needed for the upcoming period regardless of whether the budget is higher or lower than the previous one.”

I begin the budget process in mid-summer by analyzing expense accounts and determining what I consider as necessary budget amounts for the next school year.  This process includes many estimations since we are only in the first month of the current school year and I am estimating budgets for the next school year.

As my budget work progresses, I incorporate School Board, Superintendent, Principals and Department Head suggestions into a draft budget that is presented to the Town’s Budget Committee in the fall for their review and suggestions.

Two very important meetings are held in the January time frame to which taxpayers are invited to discuss their budget suggestions – the Budget Public Hearing at which time Taxpayers can voice their opinions about the budget and the Deliberative Session at which time taxpayers can actually change the budget amount that ends up being included on the budget warrant article to be voted on by taxpayers on election day.  It is the taxpayers of Raymond who finally determine the school district’s budget for each school year.

I hope that you as a taxpayer continue to stay involved with the budget process and help the School Board ensure that budget balancing is occurring.

Ron Brickett,

Business Administrator

Guest Blogs

Beginning November 9, I will be out for several weeks for medical reasons.  During this time, I have arranged for some "guest blogs" on such things as technology, our PACE initiative, policy writing, the budget process, and other topics that I hope are of interest about our district.  So check out some great information about our schools from another perspective-I hope you enjoy these blogs as I recover and look forward to getting back to work.

If you have any questions/concerns please continue to call Jennifer Heywood, Administrative Assistant, at the SAU at 895-4299 ext. 1103 and she will direct your call to the person who will be able to help you in my absence.