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Preface At School Committee meetings, we appreciate visitors from the public and trust that your attendance will be beneficial to both of us. We feel it is very important for interested persons to know about the workings of our school system and for us to be aware of what is important to the community. You are invited to participate in the meetings in accordance with the policy and rules established by this School Committee. Non-Discrimination Policy The Auburn School Department does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, mental or physical disability status as a disabled veteran or veteran of the Vietnam era in its employment practices or in the administration of its educational policies and programs. School Committee Complaint Policy Complaints shall be handled and resolved as close as possible to the origin of the concern. Although no member of the community shall be denied the right to petition the School Committee for redress of a grievance, the complaints shall be referred back through the proper administrative channels for solution before investigation or action by the School Committee. Exceptions are complaints that concern School Committee actions or School Committee operations only. The School Committee advises the public that the proper channeling of complaints involving instruction, discipline or learning materials should proceed from Teacher to Principal to Superintendent before finally coming before the School Committee. Any complaint about school personnel will be investigated by the administration before consideration and action by the School Committee. Public Participation Policy As a citizen, you may comment on any general topics related to the school system during the public participation portion of the agenda. Comments related to a specific agenda item may be held until that topic is addressed. Please be succinct and speak once for less than three minutes. Other limitations may be necessary. The School Committee may respond to your concerns at a later date by answering through the administration or by placing the item on a future agenda. Comments related to specific personnel should be channeled privately to the appropriate adminstrator. School Committee Duties and Responsibilities Maine state law charges School Committees with the responsibility to “manage the schools.” This is done essentially by selecting a Superintendent and providing him/her with authority and direction. It is not the duty of the School Committee to operate the schools but to see that they are well managed. The School Committee concerns itself primarily with broad questions of policy rather than with administrative details. The application of policies is an administrative task to be performed by the Superintendent and his/her staff, who shall be held responsible for the effective administration and supervision of the entire school system. Members of the School Committee have authority only when acting as a School Committee legally in session. The School Committee shall not be bound in any way by an action or statement of an individual member except when such statement or action is in pursuance of specific instructions from the School Committee. Superintendent Duties and Responsibilities The position of Superintendent of Schools is created by Maine state law to provide each School Committee with the benefit of advice from a professional educator. The state statutes and rules give the Superintendent the necessary authority to carry out the responsibilities assigned to the role by the School Committee. Executive Session If the School Committee makes a motion to enter executive session, the precise nature of business to be considered will be indicated in the motion. The items which may be discussed, by law, may include one or more of the following:
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