These manuals contain the governance and school district policies of the Fort Zumwalt Board of Education, and the major administrative procedures and forms intended to implement the policies.

Policy development in a modern, forward-looking school district is a dynamic, on-going process. New problems, issues and needs give rise to the continuing obligation to develop additional policies or to revise existing ones. This is why the Board employs the looseleaf format for its policy manuals. The format allows for ease in updating the materials.

To better serve our patrons, staff, students, and community, the Policy Manual is also being made available here, in PDF format. Translating the looseleaf format to PDF, or Portable Document Format, provides the same ease of updating the manual in an electronic, online version. To access the manual via our web site, patrons will find it necessary to download Adobe Acrobat Reader to their computers. This is a free software program, and is available by clicking here.

How to Use These Manuals

The Fort Zumwalt School District operates according to policies established by the Board of Education. The Board, which represents the state and local community, develops the policies after careful deliberation, and the school administration implements them through specific procedures and forms. The Board then appraises the effects of its policies and makes revisions as necessary.

In the interest of harmony, efficiency, uniformity of interpretation, coordination of effort, and in fairness to all concerned, the Board makes these manuals available to all who are affected by its policies and procedures.

How The Manuals Are Organized

The manuals are organized according to MSBA's modified coding system of the National School Boards Association (NSBA). Because that system is designed to accommodate the needs of all 50 states, NSBA material contains a Section H which relates to negotiations. Since Missouri is a non bargaining state, this section does not apply to the districts MSBA serves, and is therefore not included in the manual. The system provides an efficient means of coding, filing and finding policies, administrative procedures and other related documents.

Eleven major classifications, each bearing an alphabetical code, are utilized in the MSBA Classification System. The 11 major classifications are:

A	Foundations and Basic Commitments
B	School Board Governance and Operations
C	General School Administration
D	Fiscal Management
E	Support Services
F	Facilities Development
G	Personnel
I	Instructional Program
J	Students
K	School-Community Relations
L	Education Agency Relations

Subclassifications under each heading are based on logical sequence and alphabetical sub coding. For example, policy CB is used for a general policy statement regarding the school superintendent. Policy CBA relates to the more specific topic of qualifications and duties of the superintendent. Policy CBA, therefore, is a sub code of CB, and CB is the "superior" code of CBA.

How To Find A Policy

There are several ways to find a policy, procedure or form after opening the manual in Adobe Acrobat Reader. The sections currently available in this format (Sections A, B, C, D, E, F, G, I, J, K, L) have been created as separate files. Having them open for viewing simultaneously is possible, but cross-referencing is not currently possible. In other words, they cannot be searched as an entire manual, but must be searched as individual sections, using the following methods:

1. A master index is located at the front of each Section. You may select any of the policies, procedures or forms by moving your cursor over a title and clicking. That title will then open in your window. Move your cursor over the "actual size" icon of your menu bar and click to read the text.
2. The index for each section is also presented in a Table of Contents (TOC) form located in the "Navigation Pane" of Acrobat Reader. Choose "Show/Hide Navigation Pane" from the "Reader" menu bar, scroll down to the appropriate document, and click its title.
3. It is possible for you to do a word search. For example, if you are searching in Section A for information regarding the use of tobacco in schools, you may select the "Find" icon (a pair of binoculars) from the "Reader" menu bar, type in the word "Tobacco", and click "Find". Reader will locate the first reference to "tobacco" in Section A.
4. Utilizing the same "Find" icon (Binoculars) you can enter the code designation (AC, AC-R, etc.). This is a less satisfactory method, however, because the search engine frequently presents you with word configurations which include, but are not relevant to, your topic, (i.e. ACtion). In a pinch, though, you might give it a try!

Click on the appropriate section to access its contents:

Section A	Foundations and Basic Commitments	33 Pages
Section B	Board Governance and Operation	66 Pages
Section C	General School Administration	28 Pages
Section D	Fiscal Management	56 Pages
Section E	Support Services	58 Pages
Section F	Facilities Development	13 Pages
Section G	Personnel	153 Pages
Section I	Instructional Program	133 Pages
Section J	Students	149 Pages
Section K	School and Community Relations	51 Pages
Section L	Education Agency Relations	5 Pages

To reiterate, it is suggested that after a section has opened in the "Reader" window, you also open the "Navigation Pane" icon, if it is not already open. This will provide you with a complete listing of policies by name and letter designation (under the heading "Bookmarks") where active links to each policy exist. Or, you may utilize the links provided in the table of contents at the beginning of each section.

What if you can't find the term and/or file code for a policy, procedure, or form in the district's manual? This probably means that the school district has no written policy or important procedure in that particular area. All codes actually used in the manuals appear in the sectional table of contents. The Code Finder Index (Available in the looseleaf version only), however, contains codes that may not be in the current manuals but may inserted at a later date. There is also one other possibility. A brief statement related to the policy area you are seeking may be incorporated in a "superior" policy which covers the area generally. This "superior" policy will be coded under a general term. To find it, read "up" the classification system. For example, a policy statement which relates to all meetings of the Board of Education might be filed under "Board Meetings" (BD) rather than"Regular Board Meetings" (BDA).

Using the Signs and Symbols

Various signs and symbols are used in connection with the policy classification system. They are for use in locating and/or examining policies. Included in the signs and symbols are the following:

• -R - Regulation. This symbol following a file code indicates that the statement is a major administrative regulation, not a Board policy. Most often only a very few regulations are found. Regulations are step-by-step processes, however different from administrative procedures because they require Board adoption and contain legal material necessitating their placement in the policy binder.
• -AP - Administrative Procedure. This symbol following a code identifies material of a procedural nature. This type of information is necessary for implementation of policy, such as guidelines, steps, etc.
• -AF - Administrative Form. This symbol following a code indicates that the statement is an exhibit or reference document, such as a calendar, application form, etc., rather than a policy.
• Dates - Where possible the original and revised dates of adoption/approval appear immediately following each policy/procedure. In other instances an approximate date or reapproval date is used.
• Cross Refs - Certain policies/procedures relate to others. Cross references are provided following many statements to help the reader find the related information one may seek.
• Legal Refs - Pertinent legal references are given to tell the reader where one may find certain federal and/or state statutes that relate to a policy. Unless otherwise noted, all references direct the reader to the Missouri Revised Statutes. It is important to mention that additional laws and/or court decisions may also be applicable to a particular policy.

About Board Policies

Generally, the role of a Board of Education is to set policy and the role of the administration is to execute it. The basic definitions of policies and procedures, as set forth by the National School Boards Association, are as follows:

• Policies are principles adopted by the Board to chart a course of action. They tell what is wanted and may include also why and how much. They are broad enough to indicate a line of action to be taken by the administration in meeting a number of day-to-day problems; however, they need to be narrow enough to give the administration clear guidance.
• Procedures are the detailed directions developed by the administration to put a policy into practice. They tell, how, by whom, where, and when tasks are to be accomplished.

These definitions are serviceable most of the time. They reflect sound theory of governance and administration. But the real world does not always conform. For example:
As long as the administration operates within the guidelines of a general policy adopted by the Board, it may change administrative procedures without prior approval of the Board -- unless the Board has specifically asked for Board approval. however, only the Board may adopt new policies or revise old ones.

Order of Precedence

Board of Education policies and administrative procedures must be read and interpreted in the light of the Federal and Missouri State Board of Education/Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education regulations.

Wherever inconsistencies of interpretation arise, the federal and state laws and regulations shall prevail.

It is the hope of the Board of Education of the Fort Zumwalt School District that this collection of policies, procedures and forms will provide for greater harmony and efficiency in all areas of school operations. This will enable the Board to devote more time to its primary duty -- the development of long-range policies and planning for the future of the school district.

Fort Zumwalt is pleased to offer the public this online version of our Policy Manual. Keep checking out our site as more materials and information become available.