ARCHIVES

of the Youth Initiative High School Waldorf Initiative

Viroqua, Wisconsin, USA

  
 

Proposed Process for the Clarification of Decision Making at YIHS

 

This task is one that Charlene Elderkin, Board President has set for the YIHS Community for this year.  The purpose is to clarify the decision making process at YIHS; to make it clear how, when and by whom our policies can be modified. Once the decision making process is clarified and agreed upon, there are many sections of our policies that need updating. We will be able to bring our documents into congruence with our practice as it exists and know who to go to if changes are needed.

 

Our goal is to divide the work of keeping policies in each area current between the different bodies, to allow each stakeholder in the community an opportunity to consider important changes and to prevent the Board from getting bogged down in long discussions of policy changes before input has been gathered from the groups that will have to live with those policies.  Public School Boards deal with this issue by requiring passage of policy changes TWICE – first to let people know exactly what is being proposed and then a month or two later, after people have an opportunity to offer amendments, they are required to pass it again.  We think that it would be best for the Board to send any policy discussions back to the Student, Faculty and Parent bodies for approval before the Board passes it.

 

We have divided our current document, which consists of several major sections into different documents. Topics will be grouped in a way that is different than it is now. The Vision and Mission Statement will remain the same. Guiding Principles has been simplified to reflect WHY we do what we do, the values that guide our decisions. This section will be given the same status as our bylaws, which can only be changed at an annual or all-school.

 

 The remaining sections will be policies – the HOW we do what we do. This will be grouped differently than what you now see in the school handbook. These sections would become the responsibility of different bodies in the school community and would include what specific steps would be needed to modify them. What is listed below is the first draft proposal.

 

The list may be confusing at first. The titles of each policy have been kept the same, even though they will be grouped differently. To know specifically what is described in the policy, please refer to your YIHS 2006-2007 Handbook.

 

Look at each section – Do you agree with the assignment of responsibility? Do you agree with who proposed changes should be sent to – and should they be sent for approval, or for feedback and review? Students, Parents and Faculty should select 2 members to communicate their feedback to the Task Force (currently Dawn Hundt and Charlene Elderkin).

 

We would like to have this document distributed in February to the various bodies for consideration. It would have to be approved by the Board in April and would therefore have to be approved by the Parent Body, Faculty and Student Body in March. We would like to have this project finished in time for the All School Meeting in May.

 

This is a rough draft and is just a proposal. All comments and suggestions are welcome.

Anyone wanting to take an active part in this process should get involved now and notify Dawn and/or Charlene. We would like to create a task force to gather input from the various bodies of the school.

Thank you,

Dawn Hundt and Charlene Elderkin

Feb. 11, 2007

 

Proposed Divisions of Responsibilities and Approval Needed for Changes.

  1. The Vision and Purpose Statement, Guiding Principles and By-Laws are the responsibility of the whole YIHS Community as represented in the Board.  Any proposed changes must be submitted to the Faculty, Parent and Student bodies in writing.  If approved by all and by the Board then it can be sent to the whole YIHS Community for approval at the Annual Meeting or at a Special All School Community Meeting.

 

  1. Transportation Policies will be the responsibility of the Board.  Proposed changes should be submitted in writing and require the approval of the Parents, Students and Faculty. Changes to these sections do not require the approval of the YIHS Community meeting together.

 

  1. The sections named Academics, Required Curriculum, Freedom of Choice, Homework Policy, Attendance, Guidelines for Independent Study and Senior Projects, Classroom Standards, General Building Behavior, Visitors, Student Body, Cleaning the Building, Closed Campus and Smoke Free Zones, Computer Use and Electronic Devices and Graduation Standards and Policies will be the joint responsibility of the Faculty and Student Body working closely. Proposals for changes may arise in either body.  Any agreed on proposed changes must be sent in writing to the Faculty Parents, Students and Board for approval.  Changes to these sections do not require the approval of the YIHS Community meeting together. This wide approval requirement does not mean that the faculty and students must get broad approval for minor day-to-day decisions needed to run the school. This decision-making policy refers to changes in the Guiding Principles of the school.  We trust that the Faculty and Students will make the day-to-day decisions in accordance with the Guiding Principles.

 

  1. The sections entitled Consequences and Purpose (of consequences) will be combined with portions of the Mentor and Liaison sections.  It will probably be renamed.  It may include the proposed “Conflict Resolution Process”  These are  the sections which deal with Care Groups  and community conflicts and are under discussion at this time.

 

  1. Enrollment Procedures, Readmission, Student Enrollment and Dismissal, Part Time Students will be overseen by the Admissions Committee, with proposed changes submitted in writing to Faculty, Students, Parents and Board for approval.

 

  1. Tuition Guidelines will be the responsibility of the Finance Committee with proposed changes sent in writing to the Faculty, Board, Parents and Students for approval.

 

  1. Faculty Staff Hiring and Dismissal will be the responsibility of the Personnel Committee. Proposed changes must be submitted in writing and have the approval of the Students, Parents, Faculty and Board.

 

  1. Severe Weather Policies are the responsibility of the Administration Group and changes and decisions can be made any time they want without talking to anybody.