What Does The Vermilion School Board Do?

With the local election tomorrow, I thought it was a good time to talk about the school board and the role it plays in our district. The school board is an essential link between the district and the community, but I don’t know if everyone is really aware of the board’s functions.

The Vermilion Local Schools School Board 

• Works to incorporate the views of the community when making decisions regarding school programming. 
•  Looks out for the students of the district. Education is the primary focus of the board.
• Is accessible to the public. All board meetings are open to the public, and we encourage students, parents and community members to attend school board meetings. General meetings also include two periods for participation, which is an opportunity for anyone to stand up and address the board with comments, questions, or concerns.
•  Is accountable for the performance of the district. The members of the school board are elected by the public. This makes them accountable for the decisions they make regarding the district.
• Act as the education watchdog for the district with the goal of ensuring every student gets the best possible education and access to educational resources. We aren’t just teaching students. We are preparing students to join the world as productive and engaging adults.

I encourage all parents to be aware of what is going on. You can: 

1.  Attend the board meetings – they are held the second Monday of every month at 7pm. Special meetings are scheduled as needed.
2.  Read the agenda and minutes for the meetings – they can be found HERE 
3.  If you can’t make the board meetings, watch them on Youtube. All of our regular board meetings are recorded and posted on the Vermilion Local Schools Youtube channel.
4. Know who your board members are. These are the people that the community has voted to represent the educational interests of our students. Find our current board members HERE. 
5. Contact me or a board member if you ever have questions regarding the role or actions of the board. I am always happy to sit down with students, parents, and members of the community to answer questions. 

Here are some online resources that provide more on the functions of a school board

National School Boards Association FAQ

State Board of Education

Ohio School Boards Association