151.2

ADMINISTRATION IN THE ABSENCE OF BOARD POLICY

School Board policy will not address all topics and issues or every implementation scenario that will arise in the day-to-day management and operation of the District. The Board also recognizes that the Superintendent is charged by State Statute with the general supervision and management of the professional work of the schools and the promotion of students, and that the Board itself expects the Superintendent and other administrators to effectively perform the duties and responsibilities of their respective positions and to act as effective agents of the Board within their respective spheres of authority.

Therefore, the Superintendent and other administrators are authorized, through the exercise of sound and reasonable professional judgment, to take or authorize action to address specific situations within their respective spheres of authority in the absence of an applicable Board policy or other Board directive. Such authority to act is not a requirement to act in all such situations or a requirement to otherwise immediately respond to a specific situation or request. Rather, when administrators recognize that they are in a situation that is not sufficiently addressed by applicable law and/or by existing policy, the Board’s expectation is that, in consultation with a higher-level administrator to the extent practical and appropriate, they will evaluate the relevant circumstances to determine (1) the most reasonable administrative action to take, if any, in the absence of policy, and (2) whether and when to bring the topic or issue to the Board’s attention for potential decisions, or follow-up decisions, at the Board level.

Whenever an administrator other than the Superintendent concludes that a situation involving the absence of Board policy clearly calls for either the adoption of a Board policy or another Board-level decision, he/she is expected to bring the issue to the attention of the Superintendent or a higher-level administrator before taking administrative action under this policy whenever it is practical to do so. The Superintendent shall then determine whether it would be practical and reasonable to refer the matter to the Board for a decision and resolution in the first instance.

Legal References:
Wisconsin State Statutes 118.24 and 120.13 

Adoption Date: May 21, 2018