What is the role of the Superintendent?
The Board of School Trustees hires and evaluates the superintendent of schools.  The superintendent is the executive officer of the school system.  The superintendent, along with the administrative staff, the teaching staff, and all of the support staff, is responsible for carrying out the policies set by the board.
Other job responsibilities include planning, staffing, curriculum development and evaluation, supervision and evaluation, staff development, and facilitating our teachers and staff in providing the best educational experiences for our students.

What is done at School Board meetings?
The Board of School Trustees is responsible for developing the policies by which our school system is operated.  It acts upon recommendations made by the superintendent and staff on a wide variety of matters including personnel, developing a budget,  authorizing the spending of funds, review and revision of curriculum, and other school issues.  No one person or groups of persons may act in the name of the board.  For an item to become official, a majority of the board in official session must vote in favor of the motion.  A quorum of at least four board members must be present to conduct official business.

When are Board meetings held?
The Board of School Trustees usually meets on the first and third Thursday of each month in the board room at Hobart High School, 2211 East Tenth Street, Hobart, at 7:00 p.m.  Because of holidays, board meetings may be changed. The changes are posted at the administration office and published in the local papers.
Executive meetings are usually held prior to the regular meetings.  The topics at these meetings are limited by law. Examples include personnel matters, negotiations, acquiring land, and litigation matters.  Any matter discussed at an executive session must be voted upon in the regular public meeting in order to become official.

Agenda for meetings
Copies of the meeting agenda are available by the door on the table which is set up for attendance registration.  The agenda contains the items to be considered at the meeting.  Board members receive the agenda and supporting documents well in advance of each meeting so they can study the materials and be prepared to make decisions.  The Board normally will not consider items which are not included on the agenda. 

May citizens speak at School Board meetings?
There is usually time at each meeting when citizens are able to ask questions or make comments.  Questions asked at the board meetings may not be resolved that evening, but every effort will be made by the board and superintendent to gather the information to answer your question. 

How can I be placed on the agenda if I want to address the Board?
An interested citizen who wishes to be placed on the board agenda for the purpose of making a presentation should present a written request to the Superintendent of Schools, stating whom the citizen represents and the nature of the presentation to be made. This request should be made at least one week prior to the meeting at which the citizen wishes to speak.  A copy of the presentation should be provided at the meeting so that it can be included in the official minutes.