The Board of Directors consists of five (5) members. Each member is elected at-large for a term of four years, or for the length of time it takes to complete the unexpired term of a regularly elected member who has left the Board.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Board, acting on behalf of the District, shall have jurisdiction over school matters within the territory of the school district.

The Board is empowered to make policy for its own governance, for employees, for students and for District facilities. The Board is also empowered to enforce its policies. The Board may, through its qausi-judicial power, conduct hearings and rule on issues and disputes confronting the District.

The Board has these powers and all other powers expressly granted to it in federal and state law as well as the powers that can be reasonably implied from the express powers.

Because all powers of the Board derived from the state statutes are granted in terms of action as a group, individual Board members exercise authority over district affairs only as they vote to take action at a legal meeting of the Board. In other instances, an individual Board member, including the president, will have power only when the Board, by vote, has delegated authority. The Board will make its members, the district staff, and the public aware that only the Board acting as a whole has authority to take official action. Therefore, the Board may transact business only with a quorum present during a regular or special meeting.

Pursuant to the state statutes, any Board member shall not seek individually to influence the official functions of the District. The Board and its members will deal with administrative services through the superintendent and will not give orders to any subordinates of the superintendent either publicly or privately, but may make suggestions and recommendations.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Board and the Board Members are authorized to govern the District, and in doing such, have three duties to perform: a legislative duty, an executive duty and an evaluative duty.

Legislative Duty: The Board is responsible for legislating policy for the District permissible under Iowa law. As a policy-making body, the Board has jurisdiction to enact policy with the force and effect of law for the management and operation of the District.

Executive Duty: The Board is responsible for selecting its chief executive officer, the Superintendent, to operate the District on the Board's behalf. The Board delegates to the Superintendent its authority to carry out Board policy, to formulate and carry out rules and regulations and to handle the administrative details in a manner which supports and is consistent with Board policy.

Evaluative Duty: The Board is responsible for reviewing the performance of the District’s education program. The Board should regularly review the education program and ancillary services. The review should include a study of the facts, conditions and circumstances surrounding the amount of funds received or expended and the education program's ability to achieve the Board's educational philosophy and goals for the District.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The election of citizens to the Board takes place on the second Tuesday in November of odd-numbered years. Each school election is used to elect citizens to the board to maintain a five (5) member board and to address questions that are submitted to the voters.

Citizens of the school district community seeking a seat on the Board must file their nomination papers with the Board secretary consistent with the deadlines provided in Iowa law.

If a vacancy occurs on the Board, it may be filled by an appointment consistent with Iowa law. If the board chooses to appoint, the Board Secretary shall post notice of the board’s intent to fill the vacancy by appointment in the district newspaper of general circulation. The notice must state that the electors of the school district have the right to file a petition requiring that the vacancy be filled by special election. The board may appoint to fill the vacancy after the notice is published or after the vacancy occurs, whichever is later. The newly-appointed board member will hold the position until the next scheduled school election. However, if the next regular school election is within 180 days or less, then an appointment to fill the vacancy until the next regular school election may be made.

If the Board does not fill the vacancy by appointment, or if a valid petition is filed within 14 days of notice, the Board secretary will call for a special election to fill the vacancy. Candidates for a seat created by a vacancy must file their nomination papers with the Board secretary consistent with the deadlines provided in Iowa law.

All elections will be held as provided in Iowa law. It is the responsibility of the county commissioner of elections to conduct school elections.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Any qualified elector of the District may be elected to serve on the Board at either a regular election or at a special election called to fill a vacancy on the Board.

A qualified elector possesses all the following characteristics:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Board members are officials of the state. As a public official, each Board member must pledge to uphold the Iowa and the United States Constitution and carry out the responsibilities of the office to the best of the Board member’s ability.

Each newly-elected Board member will take the oath of office prior to any action taken as a school official. The oath of office is taken by each new Board member elected at the annual school election at or before the organizational meeting of the Board. In the event of an appointment or special election to fill a vacancy, the new Board member will take the oath of office within ten (10) days of the appointment or election.

Board members elected to offices of the Board will also take the same oath of office, but replacing the office of Board member with the title of the office to which they were elected.

The oath of office is administered by the Board secretary and does not need to be given at a Board meeting. In the event the Board secretary is absent, the oath is administered by another Board member.

The oath shall be as follows:

“Do you solemnly swear that you will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the state of Iowa, and that you will faithfully and impartially to the best of your ability discharge the duties of the office of ____(naming the office) ______ in Spirit Lake Community School District as now and hereafter required by law?”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------