235: Board Operations
POLICY
The Board’s ability to discharge its obligations in an efficient and effective manner is dependent upon the development and implementation of a sound organization design. The meetings of the Board must be held in public and no person shall be excluded from them except for improper conduct (Education Act 64 (1)).
There are times when public interest is best served by private discussion of specific issues through in-camera sessions. It is necessary to protect individual privacy and the Board's own position in negotiating either collective agreements or contracts and therefore the Board may go in-camera for issues dealing with individual students, individual employees, land, labour, litigation or negotiation.
The Board believes that effectiveness and transparency of decision-making are facilitated by conducting regular and committee meetings (virtually and in-person) as often as is necessary to deal adequately with its business (Board Procedures Regulation 82/2019) with clearly defined policies that are communicated clearly to the public.
GUIDELINES
1. The Board will follow Robert’s Rules of Order for operational procedures during Public Board and Board Committee meetings except where applicable legislation provides different or additional directives (Board Procedures Regulation 82/2019).
2. The organizational meeting of the Board shall be held annually at the August Board meeting, except in an election year, where it will be held within 4 weeks of election date. The agenda for this meeting is found in Appendix A.
2.1 An official swearing-in ceremony shall be scheduled following confirmation of trustee election results in a general election year.
2.1.1 Each trustee shall take the oath of office or make an affirmation as called upon in accordance with the agenda.
2.1.2 Special swearing-in provisions shall be made for a trustee taking office following a by-election.
3. The Board will establish, by resolution at the Annual Organizational Meeting, the dates, start time, standing adjournment time, and place of the regular meetings of the Board. The format for the agendas of these meetings is found in Appendix B.
4. The Board will acknowledge the Treaty 6 territory with the Treaty 6 Acknowledgement Statement at the Annual Organizational Meeting.
5. A quorum, which is a simple majority of the number of trustees, must be present for every duly constituted meeting.
6. All meetings will ordinarily be held in the Division Office in Morinville.
7. Meetings of the Board shall not be held without the Superintendent and/or designate(s) in attendance, unless the Superintendent’s employment contract is being discussed.
WARDS
As per the Education Act (s. 76), the Board provides for the nomination and election of trustees within the Division by wards (electoral subdivisions). The Board believes it is best served by an electoral ward system, with each ward being equitable, in terms of the electoral population served.
Electoral wards will be established based primarily on representation by population.
Each ward’s population should follow the Electoral Boundaries commission’s recommendation that the population of a proposed ward should not vary +/- 25% from the average ward population.
Sturgeon Public Schools will also give consideration to the geographic area served and communities served in establishing its electoral wards.
The Board has determined that there shall be seven (7) electoral wards as specified in the Exhibit to this policy.
Any changes to the electoral ward boundaries shall be by Ministerial Order.
A copy of The Sturgeon Public School Division Electoral Wards is attached as Appendix C of this policy.
PREPARATION OF PUBLIC BOARD MEETING AGENDAS
8. Before each Board meeting, the Board Chair and Vice Chair shall confer with the Superintendent on the items to be included on the agenda, the order of the items and to become familiar with the items.
9. Agenda Items to be considered for inclusion in the Public Board Meeting Agenda must be submitted to the Board Chair or Superintendent of Schools eight (8) days prior to the meeting.
10. Distribution of Agenda Kits
10.1 Regular Board Meeting Agenda kits will be available on the division website, no later than 5:00 p.m. three (3) business days or 5 calendar days prior to the Board Meeting.
10.2 Closed and/or In Camera Meeting Agenda kits will be provided at the meeting.
11. The Board Chair may depart from the order of business set forth on the Agenda with the consent of a majority of trustees present.
12. Public Board meetings of the Board shall not be held without the Superintendent and/or designate(s) in attendance, unless the Superintendent’s employment contract is being discussed.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT BOARD MEETINGS
The Board believes that input and feedback on educational issues from stakeholders is of value and, as such, supports opportunities for the Board to hear from and engage with the public. Any group or individual who wishes to appear before the Board to make a presentation to or a request of the Board will first discuss the request with the Superintendent of Schools or a designate. This provides the presenter an opportunity to clarify his/her understanding of Division procedures related to the presentation topic and determine what other assistance may be available through the administration. If after meeting with the administration an appearance before the Board is still desired;
13. Any appointments made with the Board by delegations and/or by individual stakeholders will be dealt with at the designated time (or as close to it as possible following completion of discussion of the last item) regardless of the position reached in the Agenda. Any delegations appearing before the Board will be made aware of the Board's practice with respect to delegations coming before the Board or its Committees.
13.1 The delegation and/or individual stakeholders shall provide the Superintendent five (5) business days’ written notice of intent, prior to the regular Board meeting at which they wish to appear; the notice shall include a written brief articulating the matter and added to the Board package to ensure Trustees have the information at the same time as the Superintendent.
13.1.1 The Board reserves the right to determine whether the delegation will be heard by the Board. For matters clearly within the mandate of the Board, the Board Chair, in consultation with the Superintendent of Schools, will make appropriate arrangements for the delegation to be heard.
13.1.2 The Board Chair and the Superintendent may jointly agree to waive the foregoing requirements in special circumstances.
13.2 Once confirmed, an individual stakeholder may speak for three minutes at the identified public Board meeting under the agenda category “Presentations/Delegations”.
13.3 In the case of a delegation, 10 minutes shall be provided to a maximum of two (2) speakers.
13.4 The total duration of the “Presentations/Delegations” section of the agenda shall not exceed 20 minutes. Exceptions to the time limits may be made by the Board Chair or a majority vote of the Board.
13.5 Speakers shall address their comments to the Board Chair.
13.6 Should a speaker utter comments that are disruptive, or negatively impact any person or entity, the speaker will be removed from the meeting.
13.7 The Board Chair will thank the speaker and/or delegation on behalf of the Board.
13.8 If a decision is required in response to a presentation, the Board will render its decision at a subsequent meeting and in a timely manner.
13.8.1 Any speaker wishing a response from the Board shall provide their comments and any associated questions, in writing, addressed to the Board of Trustees. A response from the Board will be provided, in writing, within 2 weeks of the receipt of the written request for same.
13.9 The Board may also incorporate a recess session during a regular meeting of the Board, for the purpose of unscheduled public participation.
14. During the Comment & Question period of a Public Board meeting:
14.1 The Comment & Question period is intended to enable the public to obtain clarifying information regarding a current or past agenda item from the Board.
14.2 The Comment & Question period is not to be used as a political forum, or for furthering presentations by delegations, or to deal with matters that should properly be dealt with through other channels.
14.3 The Board may consider questions brought forward not pertaining to the current or past agendas.
14.4 Questions related to individual Trustees, staff or students of Sturgeon Public Schools will not be recognized.
14.5 Persons directing questions to the Board at a regular meeting shall do so in writing in advance via Google Form. The question must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. the day before the Public Board meeting. Each individual shall be limited to one question and one follow up question on the response to that question.
14.5.1 If the meeting is being held in-person and the persons wishing to ask a question are present, the Board Chair shall identify the questioner or request the questioner to identify themselves and ask their question to the Board Chair.
14.5.2 If the meeting is being held electronically, persons wishing to ask a question shall submit their question to the Board's Google Form to be read by the Board Chair and addressed accordingly.
14.6 The Board Chair shall rule on any question which is placed, as to whether the answer will either be verbal or written.
14.7 No one shall ask the same question at any one meeting when the Board Chair rules that the question has been answered.
14.8 The Board Chair shall rule on when a question has been given sufficient time and ask that the next question be placed.
14.9 Should a question be asked on topics where the Board will not have and cannot be expected to have, information necessary to respond appropriately, a reply will be given at the next regular meeting of the Board, or a written response will be provided as soon as possible.
14.10 The Board Chair may direct any question to other Division staff to respond.
AUDIO/VIDEO RECORDING DEVICES
15. The Board expects that anyone wanting to use recording devices at a public Board meeting shall notify the Board Chair. Public Board Meetings may be recorded and/or live-streamed. If a Public Board Meeting is to be recorded and/or live-streamed, participants will be notified.
PREPARATION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES
16. The minutes of board meetings will state the date and venue of the meeting, the Trustees and members of the administration present and those trustees absent. The minutes shall contain all motions, board requests for information and notices of motion. They shall also state the time at which the meeting was called to order, the time that the meeting reverted from a closed to an open meeting, the time and duration of any recesses and the time the meeting adjourned or was closed.
17. The minutes of the previous meeting or other past meetings shall be provided to the Board prior to the meeting at which they are to be approved. It is the Trustees' responsibility to check for accuracy of content and, if necessary, to request changes and corrections.
18. Minutes, once approved, are only subject to change by a formal resolution.
SPECIAL MEETINGS OF THE BOARD
Occasionally, unanticipated or emergent issues require immediate Board attention and/or action.
19. Special meetings of the Board shall be called in accordance with Section 3 of the Board Procedures Regulation.
20. Special meetings of the Board shall not be held without the Superintendent and/or designate(s) in attendance, unless the Superintendent’s employment contract is being discussed.
IN-CAMERA
The Board may, by resolution, schedule an in-camera meeting at a time or place agreeable to the Board, or recess a meeting in progress for the purpose of meeting in-camera.
Such resolutions shall be recorded in the minutes of the Board and shall specify those individuals eligible to attend in addition to trustees and the Superintendent.
21. The Board may convene in-camera only to discuss matters of a sensitive nature, including:
21.1 Personnel; either
21.1.1 Individual students; or
21.1.2 Individual employees;
21.2 Matters relating to negotiations;
21.3. Acquisition/disposal of real property;
21.4. Litigation brought by or against the Board;
21.5. Other topics that a majority of the trustees present feel should be held in private, in the public interest.
22. In-camera sessions shall be closed to the public and press.
23. The Board shall only discuss the matter(s) that gave rise to the in-camera meeting.
24. Board members and other persons attending the session shall maintain confidentiality and shall not disclose the details of the discussion at such sessions.
25. In-camera minutes shall be marked as privileged and confidential.
26. The Board shall, during the in-camera session, adopt only such resolution and/or recommendation as is required to re-convene the Board in an open, public meeting, with due consideration to protection of personal or proprietary information.
ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS
27. A Trustee may participate in a meeting of the Board by electronic means or other communication facilities if the electronic means or other communication facilities enable the Trustees participating in the meeting and members of the public attending the meeting to hear each other (Board Procedures Regulation Section 5).
28. Meetings of the Board include regular Public Board Meetings and the Committee of the Whole Meetings.
29. A Trustee who participates in a meeting by electronic means is considered present at the meeting and will be recorded as in attendance (Board Procedures Regulation Section 5).
30. A Trustee who wishes to participate in a Board meeting by means of electronic communication shall notify the Board Chair as soon as reasonably possible. Except in the case of a declared emergency, a Trustee shall provide such notice not less than two (2) days before the Board meeting in question.
31. While electronic participation is accommodated, in-person attendance is strongly encouraged as it fosters a more effective collaborative environment within the Board.
TRUSTEE COMPENSATION AND EXPENSES
32. The Board believes that Trustees of the Division who incur expenses in carrying out their authorized duties should be reimbursed by the Division upon submission of an approved expense claim.
33. The Board will establish guidelines and procedures for the reimbursement of approved expenses from annual budget allocations. The Chair will approve Trustee and Superintendent expenses. The Vice Chair will approve Chair expenses.
34. Trustees carrying out their authorized duties will be expected to exercise the same care in incurring expenses that a prudent person would exercise in travelling on personal business.
35. Approved expenses incurred by Trustees will be reimbursed in accordance with the requirements and subject to the limitation specified in this policy. Trustee remuneration, 235: APPENDIX D - Trustee Remuneration, will be reviewed at least once every term to determine alignment with trustees compensation, within the Province of Alberta.
36. Trustee Honorarium & Per Diems
36.1 The principles of trustee remuneration shall include a basic honorarium for trustees, which provides for all services rendered by a trustee to attend:
36.1.1 Regular, Committee and Special Board meetings;
36.1.2 Division meetings with staff, parents and/or students;
36.1.3 Meetings with other School Boards, local municipalities and government elected officials and personnel, School Council meetings;
36.1.4 Staff Recognition, Welcome Back Breakfast, Christmas Luncheon and School Openings, as Board functions/events organized by the Board;
36.1.5 Attendance at school events/celebrations, concerts, productions and/or activities;
36.1.6 Attendance at social functions of the staff;
36.1.7 Informal, unsolicited school or office visits and individual meetings with members of the staff or public;
36.1.8 Attendance at graduation/school awards ceremonies;
36.1.9 Attendance at extra-curricular school activities; and
36.1.10 Superintendent Informal Evaluation as the only employee of the Board.
36.2 In addition to the basic honoraria, a per diem allowance is available to trustees to cover the costs of attending those activities not provided for in the basic honorarium.
36.2.1 ASBA Zone Meetings (designate and alternate can claim);
36.2.2 Alberta Education Meetings/Events;
36.2.3 PSBAA Zone Meetings (designate and alternate can claim);
36.2.4 Attendance at meetings held by other organizations to which the Board appoints a representative (example: Community Service Advisory Board);
36.2.5 Board Retreat, school tours and school presentations;
36.2.6 Professional Development (Relevant to the role of Trustee);
36.2.7 TEBA Meetings;
36.2.8 ASBA/PSBAA Conferences;
36.2.9 Discipline Hearings;
36.2.10 Bargaining Table Session
36.2.11 Superintendent Facilitated Formal Evaluation as the only employee of the Board.
36.3 Claiming of Per Diem allowance shall be done in two hour increments, up to a maximum of twelve hours. This is inclusive of travel and Per Diem rates are set out in Appendix D - Trustee Remuneration.
37. Subsistence
37.1 Reasonable and appropriate subsistence expenses may be reimbursed. Trustees may incur a meal expense when they are on Board business. Expense will be reimbursed as follows:
37.1.1 When individual trustees are claiming meal expenses, the per diem rate as outlined in the Government of Alberta Travel, Meal and Hospitality Expenses Policy will be used.
37.1.2 The breakfast allowance may be claimed if the trustee is away from home prior to 0700 and the dinner allowance may be claimed if the trustee does not arrive home until after 1900 hours.
37.2 When hosting is provided for a business meeting of the Board, actual cost incurred with itemized receipt (the Division will not reimburse alcohol purchases). Meals for business meetings will be arranged by administration unless otherwise approved by the Board Chair.
37.3 No subsistence allowance is claimable for a meal provided in conjunction with a function, meeting, or conference, unless previously approved by the Board Chair.
37.4 Subsistence allowances are set out in Appendix D - Trustee Remuneration.
38. Travel and Kilometres
38.1 Reimbursement for expenses incurred through the use of personal vehicles can be claimed based on actual distance travelled in Alberta, at the approved Per Kilometre travelled as outlined on the Government of Alberta Travel, Meal and Hospitality Expenses Policy.
38.1.1 Actual voucher expenses for travel incurred by means other than the use of the Trustee’s vehicle can be claimed with receipts.
38.1.2 Standard per kilometre distances between schools and Central Office have been established and are to be applied when seeking reimbursement of approved expenses. A chart showing these distances is in Administrative Procedure 435: AP435 Appendix A - Mileage Chart.
38.1.3 Parking fees will be reimbursed at cost and must be supported by receipts.
38.1.4 Pooling of transportation is encouraged.
39. Accommodation Expenses
39.1 Will be reimbursed at cost and must be supported by receipts. Fiscal restraint is to be exercised in accommodation arrangements.
39.2 Standard room accommodation may be claimed for out-of-region travel or multi-day meetings in the same location. (Out of regions is considered anything over 100 km one way). Unless otherwise approved by the Board Chair.
TRUSTEE LEADERSHIP AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
40. The Board believes that trustees, by virtue of the fact that they have been elected, have been identified as leaders in their community. To nurture this quality of leadership, the Board believes that a culture of excellence must be developed at the Board level that provides opportunities for trustees to exercise and enhance their leadership skills and to be identified in their communities.
41. The Board will plan specific professional learning activities designed to assist trustees in their efforts to improve their understanding of their governance role.
42. The Board will provide the opportunity for trustees to participate in school board trustee conferences, workshops and conventions held by provincial school board associations. Trustees will share information from these events in their Trustee Reports and upload resources into the shared Trustee Google Drive.
43. Trustees are expected and may, without approval from the Board, attend the following functions:
43.1 Alberta School Boards' Association Annual Fall Conference;
43.2 Public School Boards’ Association of Alberta Annual Fall Conference;
43.3 SPS Board Retreat;
43.4 SPS Board organized professional learning;
43.5 Scheduled Board and Committee Meetings;
44. The Board Chair can approve the exemption of trustees from required functions.
45. The Board Chair may attend, without prior authorization of the Board, any meetings or events called that invite the Board Chair’s attendance as representation of the Board (e.g., Alberta Education, ASBA Board Chairs’ meeting). The Board Chair will report on their attendance at these events at the next regular Board meeting.
46. Health Benefits
46.1 Trustees will participate in the Division benefit plans for the following items, with ninety percent (90%) cost coverage.
46.2 If a Trustee is ineligible for Division benefit plans, they will be reimbursed upon submission of receipts, to the maximum value identified in 46.1.
47. Compensation
47.1 Claims for reimbursement of expenses should be submitted promptly and within thirty (30) calendar days of the end of the month for which the claim is made.
47.2 Compensation will be contingent upon the completion of the appropriate forms and claims.
47.3 Advances will not be paid to cover any approved expenses.
47.4 All expense reimbursement claims must be on an individual Trustee basis.
47.5 Claims for the reimbursement of approved expenses are to be submitted for payment to the Board Chair. Questions will be directed to the Board Chair.
48. Division Credit Card
48.1 A Division credit card will be provided to the Board Chair upon request.
48.2 Expenses incurred and charged to such credit cards shall be in line with the intent of this policy.
49. Other Expenses
49.1 Registration and conference fees will be reimbursed at cost with receipt.
49.2 Trustees will receive a communication allowance for internet and telephone as outlined in Appendix D - Trustee Remuneration.
50. Public Disclosure of Trustee Compensation and Expenses.
50.1 To provide greater transparency and disclosure of trustee compensation, monthly summaries of trustee honoraria and expenses will be publicly disclosed.
50.2 Each month’s summary is to be posted online, to the Division website, for a period of twelve (12) months.
TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT FOR TRUSTEES
51. To facilitate communication and the sharing of information, trustees shall be provided with computer technology for the duration of their term, which will include a division approved printer if required. The device is owned by the Division and is loaned to trustees for the purpose of engaging in Division-related business only.
52. Technology devices will be replaced consistent with the Division’s technology replacement plan.
53. All equipment will be returned at the end of the trustee’s term of office.
54. Within seven (7) days of an election or resignation, outgoing trustees must return all devices to the Division.
55. Trustees are responsible for the reasonable protection and safety of the equipment and are expected to keep devices secure to ensure confidentiality of documents and/or correspondence.
56. The assigned technology device is for the exclusive use of the trustee and shall not be used or accessed by anyone other than the trustee.
57. Basic training in the use of email, backing up files and use of division software will be provided by Division staff as needed.
58. General maintenance and upgrades of trustee devices shall be on an as needed basis. If Division equipment needs repair, it will be returned to the Division. If required, the trustee will be provided with a replacement device.
TRUSTEE CONFLICT OF INTEREST
59. The trustee is directly responsible to the electorate of the Division and to the Board.
60. Upon election to office, the trustee must complete a disclosure of personal interest statement and accept a position of public trust. The trustee is expected to act in a manner which will enhance the trust accorded to the trustee, and, through the trustee, the trust accorded to the Board.
61. The Board believes that its ability to discharge its obligations is dependent upon the trust and confidence of the electorate in its Board and its trustee members. Therefore, the Board believes in the requirement to declare a conflict of interest.
61.1 The trustee is expected to be conversant with sections 85-96 of the Education Act and Board Policy 220: Trustee Code of Conduct.
61.2 The trustee is solely responsible for declaring themselves to be in a possible conflict of interest.
61.2.1 The trustee will make such a declaration in an open meeting prior to Board or committee discussion of the subject matter which may place the trustee in conflict of interest.
61.2.2 Following the declaration of conflict of interest by a trustee, all debate and action will cease until the trustee has left the room.
61.3 It will be the responsibility of the trustee in conflict to absent themselves from the meeting in accordance with the requirements of the Education Act and Board Policy 220: Trustee Code of Conduct. It is also the responsibility of the trustee to ensure that his/her declaration and absence is properly recorded within the minutes.
References:
Education Act:
Division 2, Board Procedures;
Division 5, Conflict of Interest and Disqualification
Sections 33, 34, 64, 75
Appendix A - Sturgeon Public Schools Board Organizational Meeting Agenda
Appendix B - Sturgeon Public Schools Board Meeting Agenda
Appendix C - Electoral Wards
Appendix D - Trustee Remuneration
AP425– Purchasing Authority and Procedure
AP435– Employee Expense Claims and Reimbursement
AP435 - Mileage Chart
Board Procedures Regulation 82/2019
Robert’s Rules of Order
History
2019 Mar 27 Initial Approval
2020 Jan 29 Amended
2020 Mar 25 Amended
2020 Nov 25 Amended
2021 Oct 27 Reviewed
2022 Jun 22 Amended
2023 Oct 25 Amended
2025 May 28 Amended
Board Policies II. School Board Governance and Operations