The educational interests of the state, as defined by 10-4a, shall include, but not be limited to the following:

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1 The Lyme/Old Lyme Board of Education shall maintain good public elementary and secondary schools; shall implement the educational interests of the state as defined in section 10-4a, and/or in compliance with orders from the Commissioner of Education arising from hearings held under 10-4b, shall provide all the children of the school district as nearly equal advantages as may be practicable; and shall provide such other educational activities as in its judgment will best serve the interests of the school district. The board may, at its discretion, secure such education opportunities for its students in other school districts in accordance with state statutes. The educational interests of the state, as defined by 10-4a, shall include, but not be limited to the following: 1. Each child enrolled in the school district shall have, for the period prescribed in the General Statutes, an equal opportunity to receive a suitable program of educational experiences; 2. The school district shall finance at a reasonable level, at least equal to the minimum expenditure requirement pursuant to the provisions of j, an educational program designed to achieve this end; 3. The school district recognizes the importance of educational opportunities for its students to interact with students and teachers from other racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds, in order to reduce racial, ethnic and economic isolation; 4. The school district recognizes mandates in the General Statutes pertaining to education within the jurisdiction of the State Board of Education, and will cooperate with the State Board as directed in the implementation of such mandates. The Lyme/Old Lyme Board of Education shall provide an appropriate learning environment for its students which includes: 1. adequate instructional books, supplies, materials, equipment, staffing, facilities and technology, 2. equitable allocation of resources among its schools, 3. proper maintenance of facilities, and 4. a safe and sanitary school setting. Other specific Board of Education responsibilities enumerated in state statue include: 1. preparing of an annual budget (10-222); 2. monitoring and directing budget expenditures and prevention of overexpenditure of the total appropriation to the Board by the Towns (10-222); 1

2 3. provisions for each resident child of school age to attend public school for the period required by law (10-222); 4. insuring that each child five years of age and under eighteen years of age attends schools in accordance with state requirements (10-220)(10-184)(PA ); 5. provision of at least one hundred eighty days of actual school sessions each year; a minimum of nine hundred hours of actual school work in grades 1-12 and at least four hundred fifty hours of actual work in kindergarten (10-15)(10-16); 6. determination of the number, age, and qualification of the pupils to be admitted into each school (10-220); 7. determination of the required number of credits to be earned for graduation through a proscribed course of study 8. acting as a body corporate with powers to sue and to be sued; to purchase, receive, hold, and convey, real and personal property for school purposes; to build, equip, purchase, and rent schoolhouses and make major repairs on them, and to supply them with fuel, furniture, and other appendages and accommodations; to establish and maintain schools of different grades; to establish and maintain a school library; to make agreements and regulations for establishing and conducting of schools consistent with regulations of the member Towns; to employ teachers in accordance with section or authorize the Superintendent of Schools to employ teachers; as a regional school district through its Board of Education, the Towns of Lyme and Old Lyme are authorized to lay taxes and borrow money for educational purposes and to make agreements and regulations (10-241); 9. provisions of textbooks, supplemental books, and library books, supplies, materials, and equipment to meet instruction needs in Lyme/Old Lyme Public Schools, and loaned and furnished to pupils free of charge subject to Board and Superintendent rules of care and use (10-228); approval of new textbook adoptions by at least a two-thirds vote of the Board of Education, notice of such potential adoptions having been given at a meeting at least one week previous to the vote (10-229); 10. establishing rules for school attendance (10-220); 11. provisions for reasonable and desirable student transportation to Lyme/Old Lyme Public Schools (10-220)(10-220c); to state vocational and state vocational agriculture schools (10-97), and equivalent transportation for students in grades K-12 attending nonpublic nonprofit schools in Lyme/Old Lyme when a majority of such students attending the nonprofit nonpublic schools are residents of Connecticut (10-281), and for such purposes of student transportation may make contracts not to exceed five (5) years in duration; 2

3 12. employment, evaluation and dismissal of certified and qualified personnel in Lyme/Old Lyme Public Schools in accordance with state statues and Board of Education policies (10-220); 13. continuing study of the need for school facilities and of a long-term school building program and, from time to time, making recommendations to the towns (10-220); 14. care, maintenance, and operation of buildings, lands, apparatus and other property used for school purposes (10-220); 15. adoption and implementation of an indoor air quality program (10-220); 16. insuring all buildings and all capital equipment against loss in an amount not less then eighty percent of the replacement cost (10-220); 17. provisions of in-service training for certified teachers, administrators, and other personnel (10-22a); 18. provisions of United States flags for each schoolroom to be displayed therein each school day, a U.S flag of silk or bunting not less than four feet in length and a suitable flagpole on which such flag may be displayed on school grounds in good weather and inside of the school building in inclement weather (10-230); 19. saving harmless Board members, teachers, or other employees from financial loss and expense, including legal fees and costs, arising from any claims, demands, suits, or judgments by reason of alleged negligence or other act resulting in accidental bodily injury or death of any person or accidental damage or destruction of property, as required by law, including, but not limited to, infringement of a person s civil rights which result in any injury as long as employee actions are not wanton, reckless, or malicious and are, at the time of such acts, acting in the discharge of his or her duties or within the scope or employment or under the direction of the Board (10-235); 20. saving harmless Board members and employees from financial loss and expense, including payment of reasonable medical expenses or other services, as required by law, as a result of an assault while the Board member or employee was acting in the discharge of his or her duties or within the scope or employment or under the direction of the Board, when expenses are not paid by an employee s insurance, workers compensation, or any other source not involving an expenditure by the employee (10-236a); 21. conducting a public hearing on any issue specified in a written petition within three weeks of receiving the petition signed by one percent of Lyme/Old Lyme voters, or fifty voters whichever is greater; such public hearing shall be held at a time and place designated by the Board of Education (10-238); 3

4 22. granting the use of rooms, halls, school buildings or grounds, or any other school facilities, for voting, whether or not school is in session, subject to reasonable restrictions the Board of Education may impose (10-239); 23. submission of required reports to the Commissioner of Education or State Board of Education, including: a) not later than September 1st of each year, of all receipts, expenditures, & statistics required by the Commissioner on such forms, with such documentation & in accordance with instructions of the Commissioner (10-227); such report to be certified not later than December 31st of the same year by an independent public accountant (7-392); b) each five years, in a manner prescribed by the Commissioner, (1) a statement of educational goals for the Lyme/Old Lyme Public Schools developed with parents, students, school administrators, teachers, citizens, local elected officials, and any other groups or individuals the Board determines, such goals to be consistent with statewide goals of the State Board of Education (10-220), and (2) a five year plan for the ongoing and systematic assessment and improvement of teacher evaluation and professional development related to student needs (10-151b)(10-220a); c) each year at the time and in such manner as the Commissioner of Education prescribes, attest that Lyme/Old Lyme s educational programs are based on educational goals previously developed and submitted as described above (10-220); d) by November 1st of each year, in a format as required, in a required by the Connecticut State Department of Education, strategic school profiles for each school (10-220); e) prior to each October 1st, the name, address of employment, and contractual annual salary of all certified employees (10-226); f) the name and address of a new Superintendent of Schools within seven days after his or her employment (10-226); g) at such time and in a manner prescribed by the State Board of Education, data on racial minorities in Lyme/Old Lyme schools (10-226a); h) annually, through enumeration or other means approved by the Commissioner of Education, on the form prescribed, a report of the number of children of compulsory school age in Lyme/Old Lyme (10-249); i) annually, on the condition of its facilities and the action taken to implement its long-term school building program and indoor air quality program (10-220); 4

5 24. development of written policies, procedures, and rules for: a) the management, studies, classification, discipline of the schools; selection of textbooks, rules of school library media centers, books, and educational media; approval of plans for school buildings; and school oversight (10-221); b) the governance of student conduct, the annual notification to all parents/guardians of such policies; the promulgation of all disciplinary policies & procedures at least annually to students (10-221)(10-233a-g); c) homework, attendance, promotion, and retention (10-221); d) student truancy (10-198a); e) use, sale, or possession of alcohol or controlled drugs by students on school property (10-221); f) youth suicide prevention and youth suicide attempts (10-221); g) the encouragement of parent-teacher communication (10-228); h) weighted grades for honors and advanced placement courses (10-81a); i) bullying within its schools (PA ); j) ensuring time for recitation of the pledge of allegiance (10-230); k) reporting complaints re: school transportation safety; and reporting of school accidents while traveling and at school bus stops (10-221c); l) the school district's use of repayments and insurance proceeds in the year of loss from lost or damaged textbooks, library materials, or other materials (net of any costs the Regional School District incurred, if any, for replacing such lost, damaged or stolen books or materials) (10-222a); m) the uniform treatment of recruiters, military and non-military (10-221b); n) protection of children from abuse as required by statute (17a-101 though 17a-106 inclusive). 5

6 25. Under permissive powers, Boards of Education may: a. establish and maintain summer schools on a voluntary basis and charge children a reasonable fee not to exceed the cost of programs, provided the Board may waive these charges for good and sufficient reason (10-74a); b. authorize teachers to remove from the classroom and administrators to suspend pupils, out of school or in-school, and/or also from bus privileges, for conduct that endangers persons or property, is seriously disruptive of the educational process, or violates a publicized Board of Education policy, and to also authorize administrators to recommend expulsion of pupils whose conduct endangers persons or property, is seriously disruptive of the educational process, or violates a publicized Board of Education policy (10-233c); c. insure against liabilities imposed by sections and (10-236); d. provide upon request by nonpublic school pupils, or their parents/guardians, residing in and attending a nonpublic school in Lyme/Old Lyme, textbooks for at least one semester s use (10-228a); e. provide intergroup relations teacher training and select a coordinator of intergroup relations, provide for workshops and training in intergroup relations, evaluate and recommend textbooks and curricula materials concerning racial and cultural minorities and implement programs of intergroups relations in the schools ( &10-227); f. establish, maintain and properly plan for all school funds and accounts within their jurisdiction, and to make returns of receipts, expenditures and statistics as prescribed by the State Commissioner of Education (10-237); g. provide for use of any room, hall, schoolhouse, school grounds, or other school facility for nonprofit educational or community purposes in accordance with Board policy (10-239); h. appoint and prescribe duties of licensed dental hygienists (10-213); i. regardless of whether school is in session, grant temporary use of rooms, halls, school buildings, or grounds, or other school facilities for public, educational, or other purposes, or for political discussions when school is not in session in accordance with Board policy (10-239); j. contract with federal governmental agency for funds to establish a demonstration scholarship program for up to five years (10-239a et. seq.); 6

7 k. take by eminent domain, upon approval of the legislative bodies of Lyme and Old Lyme, land for a site, or addition to a site, for a public school building (10-241a); l. provide transportation to a student attending a non-profit elementary or secondary nonpublic school outside of Regional School District 18 in the state of Connecticut which has been approved by the State Board of Education (10-289a); m. provide services of a school psychologist, speech pathologist, school social worker, and special language teachers for non-english speaking students to children attending private nonprofit schools within the town (10-217a); n. student savings programs at savings banks and/or Savings & Loan institutions (36-108, ); o. establish vocational guidance as part of the educational program and employ a vocational counselor (10-21); p. exchange professional personnel and students with institutions of other states and other countries, and conditions for such exchange (10-27); q. offer a half credit in community service supervised by a certified teaching professional, including fifty or more hours of non-school time, and with at least ten hours of related classroom instruction (10-221a); r. provide sanctions against pupils who damage or fail to return textbooks, library materials, or other educational materials, or other educational materials (10-221); s. establish a firm high school graduation date by one of the following procedures(10-262): at the beginning of any school year, the Board may set a firm graduation date which is not earlier than the 185 th scheduled school attendance day in the previously established school calendar for that year; or after April 1 st of any school year, the Board may set a firm graduation date which provides for 180 scheduled days of school attendance for its students. 26. compliance with all provisions of the following Connecticut General Statutes: 7

8 - Sections 1-13 thru 1-21k Freedom of Information Act on public records and meetings; - Sections thru Uniform Administrative Procedure Act on hearings; - Sections thru 7-396a Municipal Audits; - Section Political activities of classified municipal employees for elective office; leaves of absences; service on governmental bodies of the town in which the employee resides; - Sections thru Negotiations with non-certified (municipal) employees; - Section Conflicts of interest for Board of Education members; - Section 8-24 Municipal & school district improvements & municipal planning commissions; - Sections thru 9-206a Election of municipal officers & members of Boards of Education; - Sections 10-14m thru10-14r Educational evaluation and remedial assistance programs; - Section 10-15b Parental or guardian access to student records; - Section 10-15c Propitiation of public school discrimination among children; - Section 10-16a Silent meditation; - Section 10-16b Prescribed courses of study; - Sections 10-16c thru 10-16f Family life education; - Section 10-17e English language as the medium of instruction in all public elementary schools with exceptions made for bilingual programs; - Sections 10-17e thru 10-17f Required bilingual programs; - Section Required courses in United States history, government and duties and responsibilities of citizenship; - Section 10-18a Multicultural interests in selection of textbooks; - Section 10-18c Firearm safety programs and exemptions from participation; - Sections thru 10-19b Teaching about alcohol, nicotine, or tobacco; drugs and acquired immune deficiency syndrome and training of personnel; substance abuse prevention teams and advisory councils on drug abuse prevention; - Sections 10-21b thru 10-21e Programs offered by employers, programs offered jointly by boards of education and business firms, and school business forums; - Sections 10-29a thru 10-29b School observances of special days proclaimed by Governor of CT; - Sections thru High school observations and tuition; - Sections thru 10-63t Regional school districts; - Sections thru Regional vocational schools; - Sections 10-66a thru Regional educational services centers; - Sections thru Adult education; - Sections 10-94f thru 10-76ee Surrogate parent programs; 8

9 - Sections Employment of properly certified professional personnel; - Section Employment of properly certified professional personnel; - Section a Access of teachers to personnel files; - Section 151b Evaluation of certified board of education employees; - Section 151c Confidentiality of teacher evaluations; - Section 153 Prohibition of discrimination among professional employees on basis marital status; - Section thru r Certified employee negotiations; - Section Superintendents: relationship to local or regional board of education; verification of certified status; written contract of employment; evaluation of superintendent by board of education; - Section f Prohibition of residency requirements for teachers; - Section f Reemployment of certified employees after military leave; - Section Cooperative arrangements among towns, teachers defined for purposes of this section; - Sections b thru nn Teacher retirement; - Sections thru Boards of education/pupil attendance; - Section School sanitation; - Sections and a Required student immunizations; - Sections and Appointment and duties of school medical advisors; - Sections , aa, b, , a, , Student health assessments; - Section Appointment of school nurses and nurse practitioners; - Section Administration of medicines by school personnel; - Section Vision, audiometric, and postural screenings: when required; notification of parents re: defects; and record of results; - Section a Eye protection for students; - Section b Compliance reports by Boards of Education; - Section Lunches, breakfast, and other feeding programs for public school children and employees; - Section a Boards to provide the same health services for children in private nonprofit schools within the town as for local public school children; - Sections c, d,10-217e,10-217f,10-271g Warning labels on art or craft materials or toxic substance or carcinogens, and a statement of safe use and storage for such materials; restricting purchases of art or craft materials by local or regional school districts without such labeling; 9

10 - Section Requirement for monthly fire drills in each building; - Sections thru School buildings projects; - Sections thru Operation, drivers, markings, etc. of school buses; - Section 16a-38 Energy utilization and conservation and life cycle cost analyses for new school construction; - Sections 17a-101 thru17a-106 Protection of children from abuse; - Sections 19a-332 thru19a-332d Carcinogens, asbestos abatement; - Sections a thru c Speech pathologists and audiologists; - Section 22a-449h Replacement of underground storage systems; - Section Regulations and prohibitions on use of certain fire extinguishers on school buses; - Sections thru Safety of public buildings; - Sections & Protection of employees & certain prohibitions on employment of minors; - Sections 46a-58 thru 46a-62 Prohibition of discriminatory employment practices; - Sections 46b-120 thru 46a-150d Juvenile matters, families with service needs, emancipation of minors, etc.; - Section Prohibition against barbed wire around public buildings; - Sections thru Statutory right of action and defenses, including the good Samaritan law as applicable to school personnel ; - Sections a thru Academic crimes; - Section 53a-18 Use of reasonable physical force; - Public Act An Act Improving Educational Quality and Diversity; - Public Act An Act Prohibiting Smoking in Public Buildings. (cf. Board of Education Policies sections 1000 through 9000) 10

11 Legal Reference: Connecticut General Statutes through 1-21lk Public records and meetings and FOI requirements through Uniform Administrative Procedure Act on hearings through 7-396a Regarding Municipal Audits Political activities of classified municipal employees through Municipal employee collective bargaining Conflicts of interest Municipal and school district improvements and municipal planning commissions through 9-206a Election of municipal officers and members of Boards of Education m through 10-14r Educational evaluation, remedial and municipal planning commissions Towns to maintain schools b Access of parent/guardian to student's records; inspection & subpoena of school or student records c Discrimination in public schools prohibited. School attendance by five year olds Length of school day a Silent meditation c through 10-16f Family Life Education English language as the medium of instruction in all public elementary schools with exceptions for bilingual programs e through 10-17f Required bilingual programs Required courses in United States history, government and duties and responsibilities of citizens a Selecting of multicultural textbooks c Firearm safety programs and exemptions from participation through 10-19b Teaching about alcohol, nicotine, tobacco, or drugs; and acquired immune deficiency syndrome and training of personnel; substance abuse prevention teams and advisory councils on drug abuse prevention b through 10-21e Programs offered by employers, programs offered jointly by Boards of Education and business firms, and school business forums Exchange of professional personnel and students a through 10-29b School observances of special days as proclaimed by the Governor through High school operations and tuitions through 10-63t Regional school districts through Regional vocational schools a though 10-66n Regional educational services centers through Adult education a through 10-76ee Special education. 11

12 10-94f Transportation to vocational schools Certificate necessary to employment. Forfeiture for noncompliance Employment of teachers. Definitions. Notice and hearing on failure to renew or termination of contract. Appeal a Access of teachers to personnel files b Evaluation of certified Board of Education employees by Superintendent of Schools c Confidentiality of teacher evaluations Prohibition of discrimination among professional employees on the basis of marital status a through r Certified employee negotiations f Residency requirement prohibited d Reemployment after military leave e Employees of Boards of Education permitted to serve as elected officials, exception Superintendents: Relationships to regional Board of Education; verification of certification status; written contract of employment; evaluation of superintendent by Board of Education Cooperative arrangements among towns. "Teacher" defined for purpose of this section Duties of local and regional Boards of Education re: school attendance. Hearings. Appeals to state board. Establishment of hearing board a Policies and procedures concerning truants Sanitation & a Vaccination and required student immunizations Appointment of school medical advisers , a, b, , a, , Student health assessments Duties of school medical advisors School nurses and nurse practitioners a Administration of medicines by school personnel Vision, audiometric, and postural screenings a Eye protective devices b Compliance report by local or regional Board of Educations Lunches, breakfasts and other feedings programs a Health services for children in private nonprofit schools and payments from state, towns, and private nonprofit schools e Purchase of art or craft materials by school districts Duties of Boards of Education, as amended by Section 1 of PA a In-service training for certified personnel, as amended by Section 1 of PA Boards of Education to prescribe rules a High school graduation requirements b Boards of Education to establish written uniform policy re: treatment of recruiters. 12

13 10-221c Policy for reporting complaints re: school transportation safety. Reporting of accidents at school bus stops a Boards to have use of funds from repayment and insurance proceeds from school materials Returns of receipts, expenditures, and statistics to state board. Verification mandated. Penalty Free textbooks, supplies, material, and equipment a Free textbooks loaned to pupils attending nonpublic schools Flags for schoolrooms and school Fire Drills a Definitions re: pupil suspension and expulsion b Removal of pupils from class c Suspension of pupils d Expulsion of pupils e Notice as to disciplinary policies and action f In-school suspension of pupils g Boards to report school violence. Reports of principals to police authority Indemnification of teachers, board members & employees in damage suits; expenses of litigation a Indemnification of education personnel assaulted in the line of duty School activity funds Petition for hearing by Board of Education Use of school facilities for other purposes a et. seq. re: demonstration scholarships programs Control of schools Powers of school district a Taking of site by eminent domain Enumeration of children of compulsory school age in school districts Report showing number of children enrolled a Transportation for pupils in nonprofit private schools outside school district Transportation for pupils in nonprofit private school within school district through Schools building projects through Bus operation, drivers, markings, etc. 16a-38 Energy performance standards & life cycle cost analyses for state buildings. Alternative energy systems. Approval. 17a-101 through 17a-106 Protection of children from abuse. Reports required of certain professional persons. When child may be removed from surrounding without court order. Reporting policy. 19a-332 through 19a-332d Carcinogenic substances and asbestos abatement a through c Speech pathologists and audiologists. 13

14 22a-449h Extension of time to replace underground storage tanks Fire extinguishers. Regulations through Safety of public buildings through Protection of employees & certain prohibitions on employment of minors and Student savings programs in savings programs in savings banks and/or savings and loans associations. 46a-58 through 46a-62 Prohibition of discriminatory employment practices. 46a-120 through 46b-150d Juvenile matters, families with service needs, emancipation of minors, etc Prohibitions against barbed wire around public buildings Condemning land; right of eminent domain and procedures through Statutory right of action and defenses a through e re: Academic crimes. 53a-18 Use of reasonable physical force. PA An Act Concerning Religious Freedom. PA An Act Improving Educational Quality and Diversity. PA An Act Prohibiting Smoking in Public Buildings. PA An Act Concerning Applicants for Employment; criminal record checks and fingerprinting. PA An Act Enhancing Educational Choices and Opportunities. Bylaw Adopted: April Lyme/Old Lyme Board of Education. 14