File: CBC

SUPERINTENDENT-DIRECTOR POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. The power of the School Committee is established by law:  "The School Committee...shall employ  a superintendent (Superintendent-Director) and fix his/her compensation”(General Laws, Chapter 71, Section 59). His/her roles and major responsibilities are also specified by law. "The Superintendent-Director shall be the executive officer of the School Committee and under its direction:
1. Shall have the care and supervision of the school.
2. Shall assist it in keeping its records and accounts.
3. Shall assist it in making such reports as required by law.
4. Shall recommend to the Committee courses of study.
2. As the chief executive officer of the School Committee, he/she functions on the basis of discretionary powers given him/her by policies established by the School Committee.
1. The Superintendent-Director shall provide the Committee with necessary information and reports as well as his/her recommendations to assist the Committee in reaching sound judgments on policy matters.
2. When necessary to depart from established policy, the Superintendent-Director shall inform the School Committee and seek its advice and direction.
3. On the basis of policies of the School Committee, the Superintendent-Director is responsible for working out the administrative details under which the school will be operated.
1. The Superintendent-Director is the contact person between the School Committee and the staffs as far as operations are concerned.
2. The Superintendent-Director at his/her discretion may delegate to other personnel the exercise of any powers and the discharge of any duties given him/her by the School Committee. The Superintendent-Director is not relieved of any responsibility by such delegation.
3. In the development of rules and regulations, the Superintendent-Director shall include in the planning stage whenever possible persons to be affected by those rules and regulations. He/she shall establish communication channels within the school district in order to draw on the ideas and assess the feelings of the various groups of employees.
4. The Superintendent-Director shall have the privilege of seeking guidance from the School Committee on matters of school operation.
4. From time to time, emergency situations arise which would call for immediate and decisive action by the Superintendent-Director which under normal situations would be clearly beyond the scope of his/her duty and authority. It shall be the policy of the School Committee that the Superintendent-Director shall act in emergency situations so as to preserve and protect the lives and property of the district, the pupils and staff personnel:
1. In those situations where there are no policies for administrative action, the Superintendent-Director shall have the power to act; but his/her decisions shall be subject to review by the School Committee at its next regular meeting. It shall be the duty of the Superintendent-Director to inform the Committee promptly of such action and the need for policy.
2. When circumstances of weather, power failure, lack of water, heat work stoppage epidemic or other civil or national emergency make it impossible or unsafe to open or keep open the school; the Superintendent-Director shall have the power to close the school. He/she shall promptly notify the chair person of the School Committee of his/her action and the reason therefore.