NJ School Boards Association trains Wayne board on oversight role, code of ethics

Kelly Mitchell, field representative for North Jersey at the New Jersey School Boards Association, delivered a training presentation to the Wayne Board of Education on April 18 about the board’s role, the district’s code of ethics, and lines of responsibility between the board and superintendent.

Mitchell (speaker 9) described the board’s role as an oversight body, saying, "We're not down there on the dance floor," to underline the difference between governance and day-to-day administration. She summarized the board’s primary functions as policy, planning and appraisal, and urged members to avoid actions that could create ethics violations, such as intervening in operational matters or speaking for the board outside of the board table.

During the presentation the administrator reporting to the board (speaker 3) also provided operational context including a report on investigations: "There had been 7 incidents of HIB investigated since the last report, and none of these cases were deemed to meet the criteria of HIB," and noted that represented a 41 percent reduction compared with the previous year.

Mitchell advised board members on communication practices, chain of command, handling social media accounts, and avoiding ex parte contact with vendors that could create conflicts. She repeatedly urged a collaborative board–superintendent relationship and emphasized the value of transparent communication so that there are "no surprises at the board table."

The presentation was billed as training for both board members and the community and will be followed by additional training and offers for retreats or board self-evaluations, Mitchell said.