Board members call for systematic review to update antiquated Hampshire County Schools policies

Members of the Hampshire County Schools board said the district needs a clearer, more regular process for reviewing and updating its policies.

"We're supposed to be nothing but a policy maker. We're not supposed to be involved in the day-to-day operation," a board member said, arguing that the board's role should focus on policy oversight rather than operational details.

The discussion centered on how often policies are revisited. One member said staff have previously recommended a periodic review and that a staff member named Jeff "tries to look at it like every three years." Several members added that some policies look antiquated; one said she recalled policies that had not been reviewed since the 1970s.

Members suggested a more proactive approach so that directors and staff can keep routine policy language current and bring only substantive changes to the board for review. A member said the goal would be to "reinvent" the cadence and make the review process less ad hoc.

Board members also noted the lack of a state statute mandating renewal cycles for county policies, so the district must set its own schedule. No formal motion or vote to change the district's policy-review schedule was recorded during the session.

The discussion ended with general agreement that the board should examine and formalize a review process; staff follow-up and an agenda item were implied but no outcome or deadline was announced.