Election Letter to Arcadia Community

Greetings, Arcadia Families!

Here we are again at the beginning of another school year!  While you are getting your family ready with new items and new schedules, the staff is preparing the building and curriculum, and the school board is setting goals.  We're all looking forward to a productive year.

The school board is holding 2 elections this year.  Last spring, the board voted to change the schedule of elections so that new board members would be elected in the spring and start their terms in September as opposed to holding elections in the fall.  According to the previous policy, new members began their terms over 2 months after school has started.  With this new schedule, current and incoming board members will all take part in planning for the new school year.  (An attached copy of the policy further explains the process.)

In addition to changing the time of the elections, the board has clarified the composition of the board.  Our bylaws had reflected the minimum requirements as required by charter school law: at least 1 teacher, 1 parent, and 1 community member.  The board felt it important to balance the make-up of the board by setting the following guidelines for membership:  3 teachers, 3 parents, 1 community member, and 2 at-large (either a parent or community members).  Below is the pertinent section of the bylaws:

ARTICLE IV – BOARD OF DIRECTORS -- Section 1: Board Role, Size, and Composition: The Board is responsible for overall policy and direction of the school and is accountable for its outcomes.  The Board shall hire—by a two-thirds majority vote—and delegate responsibility for day-to-day operations to the school’s Executive Director. The membership of the school board consists of nine elected directors, and will consist of three licensed teachers employed at the school, three parents or guardians of student(s) currently enrolled at Arcadia, and one interested community member who is not employed by Arcadia and does not have a child enrolled at the school and two at-large positions to be filled by either parents or community members.  The Board shall not include more than one member of a family; this includes spouse, partner or children.

You will find attached to this e-mail a copy of the new election policy, an announcement regarding the fall election, and an application for the election.  This fall we need 2 teachers, 1 parent (3-year term), and 1 at-large (1-year term).  In the Spring, the open positions will include 1 teacher, 2 parents, and 1 at-large member.

Please feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions.

Best of luck to all of you as you prepare for the start of school.

Tammy Prichard

Board Chair, Arcadia Charter School