CREIGHTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 14

 

SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS

The Governing Board will conduct all business in official meetings, which can be either regular or special, defined as follows:

• Regular meeting: The routine, scheduled official meeting where legal actions are taken.
• Special meeting: An official meeting called between regular meetings to address specific identified topics.

All meetings of the Board, whether regular or special, will be open to the public, except for executive sessions, which are held in compliance with state law. A "meeting" is defined as any gathering, either in person or through technological means, of a quorum of the Board to discuss, propose, or take legal action, including deliberations, as long as proper notice has been provided, per Arizona law.

Adequate seating should be provided at meetings to accommodate the anticipated number of attendees when possible. However, there is no requirement to move meetings outside the usual venue even if more space is available elsewhere.

A meeting also includes one-way electronic communication from a Board member to a quorum proposing legal action or the exchange of electronic communications among a quorum that involves discussions or deliberations on matters likely to come before the Board.

All Governing Board meetings must be properly noticed, including an agenda listing the matters to be discussed or acted upon, in accordance with A.R.S. 38-431.02. The agenda will include information on how the public may access the meeting and a notice of the time when the public may physically attend, except for meetings conducted via technology.

Regular Board Meetings

The Board shall hold a regular meeting at least once per month during the school year and may hold additional meetings as necessary. If actions are taken at the meeting, documents may be signed by individual Board members afterward.

A regular meeting may be rescheduled or canceled by:

A. Majority vote of the Board, if the matter is listed on the meeting agenda.
B. Declaration of the Board President, or another Board member if the President is unavailable, in consultation with the Superintendent, when conditions such as:

1. Severe weather
2. Local, state, or national emergency
   render attendance unsafe or inadvisable.
   C. The absence of a quorum of the Board, making the meeting impermissible.

The Board will meet at a convenient public facility within the District. If such a facility is unavailable, the Board may meet at a public facility outside the District if it is convenient for all members.

Special Board Meetings

Special meetings may be called as needed. Board members will receive written or telephoned notice of any special meeting at least 24 hours in advance, specifying the purpose of the meeting. Only the business listed in the notice may be discussed or acted upon during the special meeting.

LEGAL
A.R.S. 15-321
A.R.S. 15-843
A.R.S. 38-431 et seq.
A.R.S. 38-431.01
A.R.S. 38-431.02

 

 

 

EXECUTIVE SESSIONS / OPEN MEETINGS

The Governing Board may enter into an executive session after meeting the following conditions:

A. Notice: A notice of the executive session has been provided to both the Board members and the general public. This notice will include the provision of the law authorizing the executive session.

B. Open Meeting Requirement: The Board must first convene in an open meeting for which proper notice has been given. This notice must include the specific legal provision authorizing the executive session.

C. Identification of Legal Authorization: The Board President will identify the section(s) of A.R.S. 38-431.03 that authorize the executive session. The President will state the exact language of the applicable section(s) and provide a general description of the matters to be discussed.

D. Board Vote: The executive session must be authorized by a vote in open session. This vote can occur during the current Governing Board meeting or at a prior meeting that designated the time and date of the executive session.

If an officer, appointee, or employee is being discussed in the executive session, they must be provided with written notice of the session. This notice must be given at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance to allow the individual time to decide whether they would prefer the discussion to occur in a public meeting.

No final decisions, votes, or actions will be taken while the Board is in executive session, unless specifically authorized by law.

Once the executive session concludes, the Board must reconvene the open meeting before adjourning.

During the executive session, all attendees will be reminded of the confidentiality requirements for the session's minutes and deliberations.

LEGAL
A.R.S. 15-843
A.R.S. 38-431.01
A.R.S. 38-431.02
A.R.S. 38-431.03

 

NOTIFICATION OF BOARD MEETINGS

A statement will be prominently displayed on the District’s website specifying the locations—both physical and electronic—where all notices of the Governing Board meetings are posted. Additionally, the District will provide as much public notice as is reasonable and practicable for all meetings. Except for meetings conducted through technological means, the agenda and notice will also include the time when the public can access the physical meeting place.

The District is responsible for posting all Governing Board public meeting notices on its website and making additional public announcements when necessary and feasible. If the District has met all other public notice requirements as outlined in A.R.S. 38-431.02, the Board may still hold a meeting when technological issues arise that either:

A. Prevent the posting of public notice on the District’s website, or
B. Temporarily or permanently hinder the functioning of the District’s website.

For scheduled executive sessions, the notice will state the legal provision authorizing the executive session, along with a general description of the matters to be addressed. This notice will be provided to:

A. The members of the Governing Board, and
B. The general public.

At least twenty-four (24) hours prior to a meeting, notice will be provided to Board members and the public by posting the time, location, and agenda—or instructions on how to obtain the agenda—at the designated public location(s).

Exceptions and Additional Notes:

• The twenty-four (24) hour notice may include Saturday if the public has access to the physical posting location.
• Sundays and holidays specified in A.R.S. 1-301 are excluded from the twenty-four (24) hour notice requirement.
• In emergency situations, a twenty-four (24) hour notice is not required, but notice will be given in accordance with the emergency procedures outlined in A.R.S. 38-431.02.
• For executive sessions, any officer, appointee, or employee being discussed will be given at least twenty-four (24) hours' written notice to decide if the matter should be discussed in a public meeting.
• A meeting may be recessed and resumed with less than twenty-four (24) hours' notice if proper initial notice was provided and public notice is given before recessing, specifying the time and place the meeting will resume.
• If the Governing Board plans to meet regularly at the same time and place, the District may post a notice at the beginning of the applicable calendar period specifying the duration for which the notification is valid.

LEGAL
A.R.S. 1-301
A.R.S. 15-321
A.R.S. 15-341
A.R.S. 38-431.01
A.R.S. 38-431.02
A.G.O. I79-45

 

AGENDA

The agenda shall list the specific matters to be discussed, considered, or decided at the meeting. Except for meetings held via technological devices, the agenda and notice shall also include the time the public will have physical access to the meeting location. The Governing Board may discuss, consider, or take action only on matters listed on the agenda or those closely related to them, as outlined in A.R.S. 38-431.02.

The order of business for regular meetings, unless changed by a majority vote of Board members present, shall be as follows:

Regular Meetings:

A. General Functions:

1. Call to order and Roll Call
2. Moment of Silence and Meditation
3. Land Acknowledgement
4. Pledge of Allegiance
5. Adoption of the Agenda (No discussion of items at this time)
6. Approval of Board Meeting Minutes not previously approved
7. Current Events and Acknowledgements: Governing Board members and Superintendent
8. Public Comments (Board members will not discuss or take legal actions on matters raised during the public comment period unless those matters are properly noticed for discussion and action)
9. Approval of the Consent Agenda

The Consent Agenda groups items that typically do not require discussion or detailed explanation. Any Board member may remove an item from the Consent Agenda for independent consideration.

B. Consent Agenda:
Fully describe matters and indicate where additional information can be obtained.

C. Information and Discussion Items:
Topics for Board discussion with no action taken during this meeting.

D. Action/Discussion Items:
Matters for which the Governing Board may take legal action.

E. Requests for Future Reports/Agenda Items

F. Adjournment

Supporting materials related to each agenda item will be referenced on the printed agenda. Relevant policies will be noted alongside agenda action items.

Special Meetings:

A. Call to order
B. Items for which the special meeting was called (May include action, discussion, and information items as applicable to regular meetings)
C. Announcements
D. Adjournment

Executive Sessions:
An executive session may be scheduled during either regular or special meetings as necessary.

1. The notice must cite the legal provision authorizing the executive session.
2. The Board may vote to hold an executive session to seek legal advice from the Board's attorney on any agenda item, per A.R.S. 38-431.03(A)(3).

Emergency Meetings:
In an emergency, the Governing Board may act or call an emergency meeting following the notice requirements outlined in A.R.S. 38-431.02. The emergency meeting will follow the special meeting format. Within twenty-four (24) hours of the emergency session, a public notice will be posted, detailing that an emergency meeting was held, along with pertinent information required by law. The Arizona Agency Handbook (Chapter 7) will be referenced for guidance when considering emergency actions or meetings.

Accommodations for the Disabled:
Persons with a disability may request reasonable accommodations, such as a sign language interpreter, by contacting the Board Secretary at 602-347-2657. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time for arrangements.

LEGAL
A.R.S. 38-431
A.R.S. 38-431.01
A.R.S. 38-431.02
A.R.S. 38-431.03

 

 

AGENDA PREPARATION AND DISSEMINATION

Regular Meetings:

The Board President or their designee, in collaboration with the Superintendent, is responsible for determining the items placed on the agenda for regular meetings. The Superintendent ensures the inclusion of any necessary background material for each agenda item and brings items to the attention of the Board President that they believe should be addressed at the upcoming Board meeting. Once the final agenda has been approved by the Board President, the Superintendent is responsible for overseeing its printing and dissemination.

At each regular meeting, Board members will have the opportunity to suggest future agenda items for discussion or action. The Superintendent or the Board President will confer with the member proposing the item to schedule it for a future meeting.

The finalized agenda and any supporting materials will be distributed to all Board members at least three (3) working days before the scheduled meeting, unless the meeting is an emergency or a special meeting that requires more immediate preparation.

Upon request, copies of the agenda will be made available to the public and the media.

Special Meetings:

Whenever feasible, the same procedures used for regular meetings will be applied to special meetings. However, the Superintendent may modify these procedures in the case of an emergency or when it is impractical to follow them. All legal requirements regarding the scheduling of special meetings will be adhered to.

LEGAL
A.R.S. 38-431 et se

 

QUORUM

A quorum, defined as a majority of the total Board membership, is required to conduct any official Board business. If a quorum is not established within fifteen (15) minutes of the scheduled meeting time, the meeting may be canceled, and a new meeting will be scheduled in accordance with all proper notification requirements as outlined by policy and law.

In the event of a vacancy on the Governing Board, the majority of the remaining members will constitute a quorum for decision-making, although a single Board member cannot act as a quorum.

Efforts to fill any vacancies on the Board should be made as promptly as possible to ensure the Board's ability to conduct business efficiently.

LEGAL
A.R.S. 1-216
A.R.S. 15-321
A.G.O. I84-165

RULES OF ORDER

The Board prescribes the following rules for conducting its meetings:

A. The Board will hold at least one (1) regular meeting each month during the regular school year. Additional meetings may be called as needed.

B. Every action item requires a motion, and each motion must be seconded.

C. The Board President is permitted to make or second motions and vote on all motions.

D. A motion to adjourn may be made at any time. This motion requires a second and a majority vote for approval. No discussion is allowed on this motion.

E. A motion to table an agenda item is permissible at any time. This motion must be seconded, and it may be considered only once per agenda item. No discussion is allowed on this motion.

F. The Board's rules of order may be suspended during a meeting only upon a majority vote of the Board members present.

G. In cases where procedural guidance is not provided by law or Board policy, the Board will follow Roberts' Rules of Order as a general guide.

LEGAL
A.R.S. 15-321
A.R.S. 15-341

 

VOTING METHOD

Votes on all motions and resolutions shall be conducted by a simple declaration of "ayes," "nays," or abstentions.

At the discretion of the Board President or upon the request of any Board member, a show-of-hands or roll-call vote may be conducted, and the votes of each member shall be recorded. For a show-of-hands or roll-call vote, the following shall be recorded:

• How each member voted,
• The names of members who proposed each motion,
• The names of individuals who made statements or presented materials to the public body, and
• A reference to the legal action or topic regarding which the statements or materials were presented.

All motions shall require a majority of the members who vote for approval unless otherwise mandated by law.

LEGAL
A.R.S. 1-216
A.R.S. 15-321
A.R.S. 38-431

 

MINUTES

The Governing Board shall ensure that written or recorded minutes are taken for all regular, special, and executive session Board meetings. These minutes shall comply with the requirements outlined in A.R.S. 38-431.01 and include all necessary details. The minutes or recording of meetings will be made available for public inspection within three (3) working days after the meeting, excluding confidential minutes from executive sessions. All unapproved minutes or recordings will be labeled as "draft" or "unapproved." The minutes must not be withheld pending Board approval and should be readily accessible to the public.

Unapproved written minutes, whether in print or digital form, will be provided to all Board members before the next scheduled meeting. The Board will then review, amend, and approve the minutes at a subsequent meeting.

The Superintendent is responsible for ensuring that written or recorded minutes of executive sessions are prepared in accordance with A.R.S. 38-431.01. Confidential copies of unapproved minutes will also be provided to all Board members prior to the next meeting.

To maintain proper records, the Superintendent will ensure that permanent archives of all approved Governing Board meeting minutes and relevant materials are kept in compliance with A.R.S. 39-101 and standards established by the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records (ASLAPR). Regular and Special Board meeting minutes will be archived separately from those of executive sessions.

LEGAL
A.R.S. 15-843
A.R.S. 38-421
A.R.S. 38-431.01
A.R.S. 38-431.03
A.R.S. 39-101
A.R.S. 39-121
A.R.S. 39-122
A.R.S. 41-1347
A.R.S. 41-1351