Board Policies & Administrative Procedures

Board Policy 5: ROLE OF THE BOARD CHAIR

The Board believes that its ability to discharge its obligation is enhanced when leadership and guidance is forthcoming from its membership. 

The Board, at the Organizational Meeting and thereafter at any time as determined by the Board, shall elect one of its members to serve as Board Chair, to hold office at the pleasure of the Board. The Board entrusts to its Chair primary responsibility for providing leadership and guidance. 

The Board delegates to the Chair the following powers and duties: 

1. Act as the chief spokesperson for the Board except for those instances where the Board has delegated this role to another individual or group. 
2. Preside over those Board meetings as assigned and ensure that such meetings are conducted in accordance with the Education Act and the policies and procedures as established by the Board. 
3. Prior to each Board meeting, confer with the Vice Chair and the Superintendent on the items to be included on the agenda, the order of these items, and become thoroughly familiar with them. 
4. Be familiar with the basic meeting procedures.
5. Perform the following duties during Board meetings:
   1. Maintain the order and proper conduct and decorum of the meeting so that motions may be formally debated.
   2. Ensure that all issues before the Board are well-stated and clearly expressed; 
   3. Display firmness, courtesy, tact, impartiality, and willingness to give everyone an opportunity to speak on the subject under consideration; 
   4. Ensure that debate is relevant. The Chair, in keeping with his/her responsibility to ensure that debate must be relevant to the question, shall, when s/he is of the opinion that the discussion is not relevant to the question, remind members that they must speak to the question; 
   5. Decide questions of order and procedure, subject to an appeal to the rest of the Board. The Chair may speak to points of order in preference to other members, and shall decide questions of order, subject to an appeal to the Board by any two members duly moved; 
   6. Submit motions or other proposals to the final decision of the meeting by a formal show of hands; 
   7. Ensure that each trustee present votes on all issues before the Board; 
   8. Extend hospitality to trustees, officials of the Board, the press, and members of the public; 
   9. Adjourn the meeting when the business is concluded. 
6. Keep informed of significant developments within the Division. 
7. Keep the Superintendent and the Board informed of all matters coming to his/her attention that might affect the Division. 
8. Be in regular contact with the Superintendent to maintain a working knowledge of current issues and events. 
9. Convey directly to the Superintendent such concerns as are related to him/her by trustees, parents, students or employees which may affect the administration of the Division. 
10. Provide counsel to the Superintendent, when requested to do so. 
11. Review and approve the Superintendent’s vacation entitlement and expenditure claims.
12. Review and approve trustee expenditure claims, in accordance with Board policy.
13. Bring to the Board all matters requiring a corporate decision of the Board. 
14. Act as ex-officio member of all committees appointed by the Board. 
15. Act as a signing officer for the Division. 
16. Represent the Board, or arrange alternative representation, at official meetings or other public functions. 
17. Address inappropriate behavior on the part of a trustee.
18. Ensure that the Board engages in regular assessments of its effectiveness as a Board.
19. Act on behalf of the Superintendent in his/her inability to act due to conflict of interest.

Legal Reference:

Section 33, 51, 52, 53, 64, 67 Education Act

Board Procedures Regulation

Approved: November 15, 1994

Amended: November 2, 1998; August 21, 2018

Reviewed: October 3, 2019; January 2023

Last Updated: January 19, 2023