Board of Education

The Lorraine School District are led by a seven-member Board of Education (BOE). The Board members are elected and serve four-year terms. The BOE has several functions:

Establishes policies for the district;
     · Sets short and long-term goals for the school system;
     · Selects and evaluates the superintendent of schools;
     · Holds the superintendent accountable for accomplishing district goals.
    · The BOE members work closely with the administrators, school staff, and the community to set district goals.

The Board of Education meets at District Office in Lorraine except for a meeting at each school once a year in the district at 5:30 p.m. on the second Monday of each month (unless otherwise noted) from July through June. The Board may also schedule special meetings at other times. These special meetings are generally reserved for unique or emergency issues and are limited to agenda items included in the meeting notice or as provided by law.

If a citizen has questions or requests for the Board, but cannot attend a Board meeting, he or she may use a letter of inquiry. Letters should be addressed to:

Lorraine USD 328 Board of Education
c/o Clerk of the Board
District Office
P.O. Box 109
Lorraine, KS 67459

All action of the Board takes place in public session and requires a motion, a second, and four affirmative votes. Each member is an equal representative of the public interest. All members, including presiding officers, may make motions and vote. The law records any abstention as a "no" vote unless the member leaves the proceedings and is therefore counted as "not present."

The Board may adjourn to an executive session, in accordance with Kansas Open Meetings Law, to discuss personnel matters, employee contracts, negotiation issues, certain legal matters pending before the Board, issues which affect specific students, issues regarding safety measures, and preliminary discussion related to the acquisition or sale of real estate (KSA 75-4319). Any action resulting from discussion in the executive session must be made during a public session when the Board reconvenes.

Each Board agenda also allows for community and citizen presentations before the Board. Patrons and concerned citizens are invited and encouraged to use this time to present their information or concern to the Board. The following guidelines will help patrons make the most use of this time:

•  Patrons wishing to be placed on the Board agenda should request a form from the District office and return it no later than 4:00 p.m. on the Thursday before the Board meeting.     
•  When you are called upon, approach the Board members and introduce yourself by stating your name, address and any organization you may be representing.     
•  Be brief in your remarks and avoid repeating the views of the previous speakers.     
•  If you are using a prepared statement, please provide copies for the clerk and the Board members.     
•  Special interest groups should appoint one spokesperson.     
•  Individual's presentations shall be limited to 5 minutes.     
•  If information the visitor wishes to provide the Board consumes more than the allotted time, the Board shall invite the visitor to return at the next regular or special meeting.

All presentations by visitors are expected to be orderly. Disorderly conduct will cause the presentation to be terminated.