A Message From The FHUSD Governing Board
This message from the FHUSD Governing Board is part of a series geared toward communicating the
board’s purpose, duties, and priorities.
Greetings Falcon community,
In Arizona, a public school district’s governing board (aka school board) is the elected group responsible for the future direction of public schools in that community. In the Fountain Hills Unified School District (FHUSD), governing board members are elected to a four-year term. Board members are unpaid, non-partisan representatives, functioning together to support the best possible education for all students in FHUSD. The governing board acts as a body of one – board members have no individual authority over district or school matters and once a vote is cast during a meeting, that vote counts as a governing
board vote regardless of individual votes to form consensus.
Specific duties performed by the FHUSD governing board include approving and monitoring the budget; approving purchases and payroll vouchers; establishing and approving policies; adopting the school calendar; closing or constructing schools; monitoring progress towards district goals; and reviewing regulations for compliance with state policy.
Governing board members do not: become involved in employment interviews or evaluate staff, other than the superintendent; implement policy – the governing board advises and approves policy and the superintendent and district leadership carries it out; manage the day-to-day operations of the school district.
Decisions made by a governing board affect children and their parents, and the livelihood of district employees. Those decisions may have a wider impact on the overall well-being of a community. Each FHUSD governing board member takes their role as a representative decision maker very seriously. We look to our community – who communicate with us via email, responses to district-wide surveys, and public comment at governing board meetings – to understand the opinions of all stakeholders.
While the board values input from the community, we cannot respond directly to communication received for a variety of reasons. Some of those reasons include following district policy regarding proper protocol for student, parent, or staff grievances, and also to ensure the board does not violate open meeting law by discussing an issue outside of a public meeting. Please continue to share your feedback and insights with us, whether in writing or in person at a board meeting. Please know that to the best of our ability, we use input to make appropriate decisions for all stakeholders.
Sincerely,
FHUSD Governing Board
