Understanding your School Board

The Board of Trustees welcomes all persons interested in any or all matters related to the schools at meetings of the Churchill County School Board.

All meetings of the Board are open to the public except that the Board may exercise its right to close meetings to the public at those times when appropriate, pursuant to the provisions of the Nevada Open Meeting Law and NRS 288.220.

The regular meetings of the Board of Trustees shall routinely be held in the Administration building of the Churchill County School District at 690 S. Maine Street, Fallon, Nevada, on the second and fourth Wednesday of each calendar month.

Meetings are conducted by the President, or in his absence by the Vice President. If both President and Vice-President are absent, the Clerk shall conduct the meeting. When all officers are absent, but a quorum of the other four members is present, the members present shall choose one of their group to conduct the meeting.

The Board reserves the right to conduct regular and special meetings at such times and places as situations warrant.

Special meetings of the Board of Trustees shall be held at the call of the President whenever there is sufficient business to come before the Board, or upon written request of three members of the Board (NRS 386.330, Item 2.)

It is recommended that persons wishing to communicate with the Board of Trustees make a request to be placed on the board agenda.

During an open board meeting, any individual or group may address the board of trustees concerning any subject within the board's jurisdiction and subject to the following rules:

During the discussion of an item on the agenda, the president of the board may call on individuals to answer questions or make a statement.

During the discussion of an item on the agenda, any interested person may request that he be heard by the board of trustees under proper rules of propriety.

During the Public Comment section of the agenda, any individual or group may request from the president of the board, the right to be heard on any subject within the jurisdiction of the board. The item can be presented as an informational item only.

An individual who wishes to address the board or who is called upon by the president to address the board, should step to the podium, give their name and address, and then direct their remarks to the board.

Any discussion by an individual or group may be limited in time at the discretion of the president of the board.

It will be in order for members of the board to interrupt a speaker at any time to ask questions in order to clarify the discussion.

No person shall present orally or discuss at any open board meeting complaints against individual employees of Churchill County School District. The members of the board shall advise individuals having complaints regarding personnel of the proper procedure for registering such complaints.

Individuals or groups making presentations to the board of trustees shall be courteous and proper. Boisterous conduct and remarks which are discourteous, abusive, profane, or obscene will not be tolerated. The president of the board may terminate the right of any speaker to continue if he violates this regulation.

Requests for minutes or tapes of public or closed sessions must be in writing designating the meeting date, subject of discussion, and name of the person requesting information.

It is understood that closed session minutes or tapes are confidential and not public records. The release of any of this information requires written permission from the individuals discussed (board members, administrators, staff, students, and parents.)

NRS 241.035 requires written minutes to be kept by all public bodies of each meeting they hold, regardless of whether the meeting was open or closed to the public. Minutes of public meetings are declared by the Open Meeting Law to be public records and must be available for inspection by the public within 30 working days after the meeting is adjourned.

You may also download copies of available posted minutes on this website.

Each trustee shall hold the office of trustee from the first Monday of January following his or her election or until his or her successor is elected or appointed and qualified.

The following is a brief description of the duties each of the trustees is responsible for while holding the office of trustee.

Duties of the President

• The President shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Trustees and conduct all meetings in accordance with the policies, regulations and bylaws adopted by the Board. He shall appoint committees of study when directed by the Board. He shall have the right, as other members of the Board, to discuss questions and vote as a full member of the board.
• It shall be the prerogative of the President, if there is no objection from a Board Member present, to move an agenda item to a different position during any meeting.
• The President shall have the authority to sign all necessary documents related to the functions of the Churchill County School District and those required by law under Nevada Statutes.
• The President shall hold office for one year.

Duties of the Vice-President

• In the absence of the President, the Vice-President shall perform the duties and have the obligations of the President.
• The Vice-President shall hold office for one year.

Duties of the Clerk

• The Clerk shall keep the minutes of all meetings and transactions of the Board of Trustees and shall sign all necessary documents related to the functions of the Churchill County School District and those required by law under Nevada Statutes
• The duties of the Clerk, except for signatory powers, may be assigned to a competent employee of the Churchill County School District.
• The Clerk shall hold office for one year.

Duties of the Acting Clerk

• In the absence of the Clerk, the Acting Clerk shall perform the duties and have the obligations of the Clerk. The Acting Clerk shall hold office for one year.

The primary responsibilities of the board are to set a direction for the district, provide a structure by establishing policies, ensure accountability, and provide community leadership on behalf of the district and public education. To fulfill these responsibilities, there are a number of specific jobs that effective boards must carry out. Effective boards:

• Involve the community, parents, students, and staff in developing a common vision for the district focused on learning and achievement and responsive to the needs of the students.
• Adopt, evaluate, and update policies consistent with the law and the district’s vision and goals.
• Maintain accountability for student learning by adopting the district curriculum and monitoring student progress.
• Hire and support the superintendent so that the vision, goals and policies of the district can be implemented.
• Conduct regular and timely evaluations of the superintendent based on the vision, goals and performance of the district, and ensure that the superintendent holds district personnel accountable.
• Adopt a fiscally responsible budget based on the district’s vision and goals, and regularly monitor the fiscal health of the district.
• Ensure that a safe and appropriate educational environment is provided to all students.
• Establish a framework for the district’s collective bargaining process and adopt responsible agreements.
• Provide community leadership on educational issues and advocate on behalf of students and public education at the local, state, and federal levels

In Nevada’s public education system, a trustee is a person elected or appointed to serve on a school district. Individual trustees bring unique skills, values, and beliefs to their board. In order to govern effectively, individual trustees must work with each other and the superintendent to ensure that a high-quality education is provided to each student.

To be effective, an individual trustee:

• Keeps learning and achievement for all students as the primary focus.
• Values, supports, and advocates for public education.
• Recognizes and respects differences of perspective and style on the board and among staff, students, parents, and the community.
• Acts with dignity, and understands the implications of demeanor and behavior.
• Keeps confidential matters confidential.
• Participates in professional development and commits the time and energy necessary to be an informed and effective leader.
• Understands the distinctions between board and staff roles, and refrains from performing management functions that are the responsibility of the superintendent and staff.
• Understands that authority rests with the board as a whole and not with individuals.

School districts are governed by boards, not by individual trustees. While understanding their separate roles, the board and superintendent work together as a “governance team”. This team assumes responsibility for building unity and creating a positive organizational culture in order to govern effectively.

The Board of Trustees is composed of seven (7) members as provided by the State Education Code (NRS 386.120). Each board of trustees is hereby given such reasonable and necessary power, not conflicting with the constitution and the laws of the State of Nevada, as may be requisite to attain the ends for which the public schools are established and to promote the welfare of school children, including the establishment and operation of schools and classes deemed necessary and desirable (NRS 386.350).

To operate effectively, the board must have a unity of purpose and:

• Keep the district focused on learning and achievement for all students.
• Communicate a common vision.
• Operate openly, with trust and dignity.
• Govern in a dignified and professional manner, treating everyone with civility and respect.
• Govern within board-adopted policies and procedures.
• Take collective responsibility for the board’s performance.
• Periodically evaluate its own effectiveness.
• Ensure opportunities for the diverse range of views in the community to inform board deliberations.