The DeKalb County Board of Education passed a measure on first reading last week to allow school board members who are unable to attend regular or special meetings due to health problems, family emergencies, military service or work-related absences will be able to attend meeting electronically.
The board voted unanimously to adopt the new school board meetings policy on first reading Thursday night.
Charles Robinson, board member from the Second District, proposed the idea of electronic attendance to help allow Third District Board Member Kenny Rhody, who has been absent due to a medical condition for some time, to participate in bord meetings.
“I know I can't speak for Mr. Rhody, but I know Mr. Rhody is very serious in his duties and responsibilities as a school board member,” Robinson told the assembly. “I think this might interest him in being able to attend school board meetings electronically due to the fact that with his medical condition it might be a long process before he can actually attend a school board meeting. I would like to make a motion that we adopt it on first reading because it will make us in compliance with state law and it would give a board member an opportunity to participate if he wishes.”
Robinson’s motion was seconded by Sixth District Board Member Doug Stephens.
Electronic attendance will be allowed in the case that a board member can not attend a meeting due to the hospitalization of the board member, or the death or hospitalization of the member's spouse, father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, step-son, step-daughter, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law.
Work-related absences will also qualify board members for electronic meetings. To qualify, the board member must be out of the county because of their job. The member wishing to attend electronically must give the Chair and director at least five days notice prior to the meeting of the member's desire to participate in a meeting electronically.
If absences are due to military service,  board member will be allowed to attend meetings electronically as often as needed, but may not participate electronically more than two times per year if absences due to work and or family emergencies. A quorum of the Board must be present at the meeting in order for any member to attend electronically.
Technology which permits the chairman to visually identify the member must be employed.
Meanwhile, the school board’s of annual evaluation of the Director of Schools and a School Board self evaluation wil be conducted on Jan. 28. Director Mark Willoughby's evaluation will be held at a 6 p.m. workshop, and the board's self evaluation will be done at a special-called meeting at 7 p.m.
The evaluations are performed every January. Willoughby's contract dictates states his evaluation be done by Jan. 31. The board will evaluate the director's performance, his  relationships with the community and his staff, educational leadership, business, finance, and planning skills, and the working relationship between the director and the board. A four-page evaluation form with 52 areas of evaluation must be completed by the board members.
Willoughby, who has served as Director of Schools since 2006, is under contract until June 30.
During the self evaluation of the board, members will rate the board's performance in several categories on a scale from one to six, with one being the lowest score, and six the highest.
The board also adopted a policy to help reduce concussions and increase awareness about the traumatic brain injury in youth sports on second and final reading.
While the measure requires adoption by the board, it is not an optional plan.  The measure is also a state law, which went into effect on Jan. 1.
The policy applies to public and private school teams and recreational leagues for children under 18 that require a fee. It requires administrators, coaches, parents and athletes to learn about the dangers of concussions, and to sign a document affirming that they understand the possible harm before competing.
Athletes showing the symptoms of a concussion will be required to be removed from competition, and athletes suffering a concussion will not be allowed to play or practice until cleared by a doctor, osteopath or neuropsychologist.
While members of the board wanted clarification as to who will be liable for  youth leagues programs not connected to the school system who use school facilities, Assistant Director of Policy Services and Staff Attorney for the TSBA Loniel Greene, in an email to Attendance Supervisor Joey Reeder, opined that “Based on my interpretation of TCA 68-55-502 (state law), each LEA (school system) is only responsible for system sponsored athletic activities. Thus, there is no responsibility for youth leagues that are not sponsored by the system.”