GOVERNANCE PHILOSOPHY

As a department of Teachers College and as a public school corporation in the state of Indiana, Burris Laboratory School recognizes that its policies and procedures must be in compliance with the guidelines and policies established by these organizations.  Given these parameters, the philosophy of governance of Burris is firmly rooted in the following set of beliefs.  Foremost among these beliefs is that the faculty and staff of the department consists of a community of professionals who have the right and obligation to involve themselves fully in those decisions necessary and critical to the well-being and effective functioning of the department.  Collegiality in organization, thought, and action are valued and will be practiced to the fullest extent possible.  In a democratic society, institutions need to display a commitment to those organizational and decision-making modes that implement the widest possible participation of all members of the department in its governance while respecting the dignity and rights of all individual members.  All of these beliefs, as well as the policies of Ball State University, Teachers College, and the State of Indiana will guide the operation of Burris Laboratory School.

GENERAL OPERATION OF COMMITTEES

Unless required otherwise by university, college, or departmental policies, all committees are expected to:

• Keep minutes of each meeting.  Each committee member will receive copies of these minutes digitally.  Other faculty may request minutes at any time.

• Prepare an annual report of the committee's activities each spring and file this report with the administrative coordinator.

• Conduct all meetings following accepted parliamentary practice procedures.

• Report committee progress at monthly departmental faculty meetings.

• Request agenda items for monthly committee meetings.  The chair(s) must receive agenda items at least two working days in advance.

• Request items that require faculty action to be placed on the agenda for faculty meetings.  Such items shall be in the form of a motion for faculty consideration.

• Committees will meet monthly.

• All members of the departmental faculty should attend and participate in faculty meetings, subcommittee meetings and special committee meetings to which they were elected, appointed, or volunteered for.

STANDING COMMITTEES

Principal's Advisory Council – elected committee – minimum of 5 years of Burris experience

Composition:

• 5 member committee with representatives from
  • Primary grades
  • Intermediate grades
  • Middle School
  • High School
  • Specials

Functions/Roles

• Advise the principal on faculty matters
• Provide Burris faculty with a mechanism for communicating concerns to the administration
• Communicate administrative concerns to faculty

Faculty Welfare Committee – elected committee – minimum of 3 Burris years of experience

Composition:

• 6 member committee with representatives from
  • Primary grades
  • Intermediate grades
  • Middle School
  • High School - 2
  • Specials

Functions/Roles

• Evaluate the 2007/2008 committee structure
• Oversee the updating of the faculty handbook
• Coordinate the faculty evaluation process
• Plan and implement professional development

(act as the NCA "professional development committee")

Curriculum Committee

Composition:

• Representatives from each level – elementary, middle school, high school
• Representatives from fine and practical arts and special services
• Designee from the principal's office
• Representatives from Teachers College
• Parent Representative
• Student Representative

Functions/Roles

• Review policy and procedure for creating new classes to be offered
• Review and suggest enrichment classes to be offered at MS
• Recommend revisions in K-12 curriculum
• Review proposed curriculum changes
• Assure compliance with State guidelines and requirements for courses
• Assure Indiana Academic standards are being addressed at all grade levels
• Assist in developing a means to articulate the K-12 Curriculum
• Coordinate the review and revision of curriculum guides
• Review and recommend professional development activities to support curriculum initiatives

Research & Development Committee

Composition:

• membership of 4-5 people, K-12

Functions/Roles

• Encourage research and development of curriculum and teaching materials
• To aid, when asked, in refining research proposals and research activities of Burris faculty
• To assess research proposals submitted from outside Burris

Social Committee – volunteer committee

Composition:

• membership of faculty & staff

Functions/Roles

• Plan social activities for the department
• Carry out appropriate actions in the cases of illness or bereavement

Technology Committee – volunteer committee

Composition:

• Technology coordinator, chair
• Representatives from each level – elementary, middle school, high school
• Representatives from fine and practical arts and special services
• Media Coordinator
• Designee from the principal's office

Functions/Roles

• Review current usage of Technology at Burris
• Develop a three to five year plan for the school wide use of technology that allows Burris to model the use of technology as a teaching and learning tool
• Help plan and coordinate on-going professional development to support the increased use of technology
• Assist in determining the most beneficial use of funds for the purchase of technology
• Develop a plan for the continued support of technology equipment and software

School Improvement Committee – volunteer committee – follows PL221 and NCA  guidelines

Composition:

• Principal
• Assistant Principal or Administrative Assistant
• One or two faculty from each level – elementary, middle school, high school
• One representative from fine and practical arts
• One representative from special education
• One representative from counseling
• One or two parents
• One or two representatives from Teachers College

Functions/Roles

This is the major school oversight committee and sets a direction for the school and assures compliance with federal and state law, national accreditation agencies, and the requirements of Ball State University.

• Assure compliance with No Child Left Behind
• Act as oversight committee for NCA
• Review and revise Burris PL221 plan
• Set overall direction for school improvement
• Other duties as determined by school needs
• Act as the NCA "assessments" committee

Student Services Committee – volunteer committee

Composition:

• K-12

Functions/Roles

• be in charge of working with the administration on the student handbook
• monitor fund raisers
• update and accept social event planning forms
• oversee student clubs and organizations

Promotion & Tenure Committee

Tenured Faculty Salary Committee

Contract Faculty Salary Committee – elected from within the contract faculty

     Salary Committees will:

• recommend salary adjustments for all continuing faculty for the academic year
• follow salary documents approved by Burris faculty

ADDITIONAL COMMITTEES

Scholarship Committee -  The Burris Scholarship Nomination Committee meets on an as-needed basis, generally at least once a month and more frequently as scholarship nomination needs dictate.  The committee consists of five members including the Director of Guidance and Counseling, who also serves as committee chair, and representative instructors from each of the four core course areas in the high school: Mathematics, English, Science and Social Studies.  The Principal is also a part of the committee when a scholarship specifies the need for principal input or selection, or when a tie-breaking vote is needed.  In selecting scholarship or award recipients, the committee matches eligible students with the scholarship or award criteria, and then selects a nominee or nominees from the pool of eligible students.  The committee draws upon observations of the students in and out of class and personal knowledge of the students, as well as transcripts, college plans and Senior Profiles to match students to scholarship criteria and make recipient selections.  Senior Profiles are a form of a resume that seniors submit to the Counseling Center to assist in writing letters of recommendation and selecting scholarship nominees.

The committee selects nominees for scholarships and awards, as well as programs, conferences, and camps for which a committee nomination is required.

Emergency Management Committee – This committee is headed by the School Safety Director.  It is comprised of appointed members of the faculty/staff from each level.  The committee will activate and coordinate school initiatives for any situation that could affect the safety of anyone on the Burris school grounds.

Broad Based GT Committee - The Broad Based Planning Committee for High Ability Students follows guidelines under Indiana Code (IC20-10.1-5.1) and Administrative Rules related to high ability education, specifically Indiana Rule 511 from the Indiana Board of Education. Committee members are selected by the principal and are representative of educators, parents, students, community members and other stakeholders. The committee is "to design and monitor the continuous development and implementation of the levels of services program for high ability students."

May Term Committee – May Term is facilitated by the May Term Committee. A quorum is one member over 50 percent.

Composition

• Volunteer high school faculty members