The Portsmouth School Department is governed by a nine member School Board. The School Board is the governing body responsible for establishing policies and providing support for quality educational opportunities for all students. The current (2000-2001) members of the Board are:
An analysis of the Portsmouth School Department School Board Policy Manual and related documents indicates that the policies are organized into six broad categories and are generally clear and concise. The majority of the policies are ten years old; therefore, the Audit team recommends that there be a systematic review, and if necessary, a revision of all policies.
Several policies associated with effective schools have already been adopted in the following categories:
The above policies should be reviewed for completeness and possibly strengthened.
The site visit team notes that several policies related to effective schooling are not present or need to be strengthened. While some of the following topics may be addressed in other policies or within administrative procedure guidelines, or are practiced informally within the Portsmouth School Department, distinct policies in these areas are not apparent. The site visit team suggests that the School Board give attention to the development, strengthening, and/or expansion of effective policy in these areas. Model policy statements in each of the following areas (as well as other areas related to effectiveness, noted above) are included in Appendix E of this report for School Board review and consideration:
Creating an on-line (read-only) School Board Policy Manual is of particular importance. As the Portsmouth School Board Policy Manual is revised and improved, efforts should be pursued to keep an on-line manual current and available to all school department personnel as well as to community constituents.
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