School Board

The Austin Area School District is guided by elected board members who dedicate their time to ensuring that the needs of its students are always first. AASD is comprised of three regions, with three representatives for each region:

Region 1 – Austin Borough
Region 2 – Keating and Sylvania Townships
Region 3 – Portage and Wharton Townships

School Board Officers

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School Board Members

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School Board Meeting Policy & Guidelines
Board Policy #903

Purpose
The Board recognizes the value to school governance of public comment on educational issues and the importance of involving members of the public in Board meetings. The Board also recognizes its responsibility for proper governance of the district and the need to conduct its business in an orderly and efficient manner.

Authority
The Board adopts this policy to govern public participation in Board meetings necessary to conduct its meeting and to maintain order.[1]

In order to permit fair and orderly expression of public comment, the Board shall provide an opportunity at each open meeting of the Board for residents and taxpayers to comment on matters of concern, official action or deliberation before the Board prior to official action by the Board.[2]

The Board shall require that all public comments be made at the beginning of each meeting.

The Board shall allow public and press to make statements at the conclusion of the meeting based on the contained guidelines. Comments by the Board at the conclusion of the meeting shall be for clarification purposes only.

If the Board determines there is not sufficient time at a meeting for public comments, the comment period may be deferred to the next regular meeting or to a special meeting occurring before the next regular meeting.[2]

Delegation of Responsibility
The presiding officer at each public Board meeting shall follow Board policy for the conduct of public meetings. Where his/her ruling is disputed, it may be overruled by a majority of those Board members present and voting.[3][4]

Guidelines
Whenever issues identified by the participant are subject to remediation under policies and procedures of the Board, they shall be dealt with in accordance with those policies and procedures and the organizational structure of the district.

The Board requires that public participants be residents or taxpayers of this district, any district employee, parents/guardians of district students, or any representative of a firm eligible to bid on materials or services solicited by the Board.

All individuals wishing to participate in a public Board meeting shall register their intent with the Board secretary in advance of the meeting and shall include the name and address of the participant, topic to be addressed, and group affiliation, if applicable.

Participants must be recognized by the presiding officer and must preface their comments with an announcement of their name, address, and group affiliation if applicable.

Each statement made by a participant shall be limited to two (2) minutes duration unless the presiding officer allows for more time.

No participant may speak more than once on the same topic, unless all others who wish to speak on that topic have been heard and with the presiding officer’s approval.

All statements shall be directed to the presiding officer; no participant may address or question Board members individually.

The presiding officer may:

  1. Interrupt or terminate a participant’s statement when the statement is too lengthy, personally directed, abusive, obscene, or irrelevant.
  2. Request any individual to leave the meeting when that person does not observe reasonable decorum.
  3. Request the assistance of law enforcement officers to remove a disorderly person when his/her conduct interferes with the orderly progress of the meeting.
  4. Call a recess or adjourn to another time when the lack of public decorum interferes with the orderly conduct of the meeting.
  5. Waive these rules with the approval of the Board.

Electronic recording devices and cameras, in addition to those used as official recording devices, shall be permitted at public meetings under guidelines established by the Board.

We do not permit placards or banners within the meeting room.

The meeting agenda and all pertinent documents shall be available to the press and public at the meetings.

[1] 65 Pa. C.S.A. 710
[2] 65 Pa. C.S.A. 710.1
[3] 24 P.S. 407
[4] Pol. 006
[5] 65 Pa. C.S.A. 701 et seq