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June 2009 – Board Membership
June 11, 2009 | | Leave a Comment
In the elections last month, individuals had run for different board positions within the Milton Area School District. These positions are available in Area 1: the 1st, 2nd and 3rd wards; Area 2: 4th & 5th wards and West Chillisquaque Township; and Area 3: White Deer Township, Turbot Township and East Chillisquaque Township. There may be some additional vacancies on the school board in the coming school year due to not enough candidates running for various positions. Individuals who would like to run with a write-in campaign need to be aware of the qualification requirements for school board membership.
According to our District Policy, each member of the Board shall meet the following qualifications:
1. Be of good moral character, be eighteen (18) years of age, shall have been a resident of the district for at least one (1) year prior to the date of his/her election or appointment, and shall not be a holder of any office or position as specified in Section 322 of the School Code; not shall the individual be a member of the municipal council.
2. Shall not have been removed from any office of trust under federal, state or local laws for any malfeasance in such office.
3. Shall not be engaged in a business transaction with the school district, be employed by the school district, or receive pay for services from the school district, except as provided by law.
4. Shall take and subscribe to the oath or affirmation prescribed by statute before entering the duties of the office.
5. Shall file a statement of financial interests with the State Ethics Commission before taking the oath of office or entering upon his/her duties.
If an individual decides to run with a write-in campaign, the above qualifications need to be met.
At other points in time during the school year, if a board member leaves and area or is unable to fulfill the position, there is a procedure that must be followed by the board to fill vacancies. “A vacancy shall occur by reason of death, resignation, removal from a district or region, or otherwise. Such vacancy shall be filled in accordance with the Sunshine Act and by appointment by a majority vote of the remaining members of the Board within thirty (30) days of the occurrence of the vacancy. The Board member so appointed shall serve until the first Monday in December after the first municipal election occurring more than sixty (60) days following his/her appointment. When a majority of the memberships are vacant, such vacancies shall be filled by the Court of Common Pleas of Northumberland County.”
One thing that the district has done over the last couple of years to help members get oriented to the school, if they are first-time board members, is provide a board member orientation. Here the district demographics are reviewed with board candidates so that they can get an understanding of the interworking of the school system prior to their arrival as a sitting board member. Once an individual is placed on the board, they need to be immediately involved in decision making. They cannot abstain from voting just because they are not aware of the situation. They need to become voting members and do their best to stay appraised of where the district is with certain issues. Individuals who serve on the board do not receive compensation for their service, and may require hours of tireless dedication to review district information in order to make decisions that are in the best interest of the community, school and students.
All board members who donate their time are much appreciated by the district administration, students, teachers, staff and community as they put themselves out there in a manner that allows them to work as a collective group to make the decisions that will impact the Milton Area School District in a positive manner.
