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Policies » Section B: School Board Governance & Operations » BAAA: School Board Policies And Administrative Procedures

Policy Date: 02/20/2024

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HSD File: BAAA
HOOKSETT SCHOOL DISTRICT
SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

Generally

The policies of the Board are intended to establish the general and overall rules within which
day-to-day operations of the school district are to be governed. Procedures for carrying out and
implementing the broad policies of the Board on a day-to-day basis are to be fashioned and
adopted by the administration, under the direction of the Superintendent. As applicable,
members of the district community are expected to comply with both board policy and
administrative procedures, subject to the limitations and exceptions set forth herein. However,
the failure of the Board or the Administration to comply with policy shall not invalidate any lawful
action taken.

Contents of Board Policy and Administrative Procedure

The policies of the Board shall be composed of:

1. The policies contained in this Policy Manual.
2. The contents of administrative job descriptions adopted by the Board.
3. All formal Student Handbooks.
4. All formal Employee Handbooks.

Administrative procedure is not part of the board policy and may be altered by the administration
without board action. Administrative procedure, however, may not conflict with board policy.

Limitations of Policy

Neither the policies of the Board nor the procedures of the administration are intended, nor shall
they be construed, to supersede or preempt any applicable laws, whether constitutional,
statutory, regulatory, or common in origin. Consequently, all board policies and administrative
procedures shall be given both an interpretation and application which is lawful. The Board shall
have the final interpretation of its policies and the administration shall have the final
interpretation of its procedures.

As the board policies and administrative procedures are limited by legal constraints, so too are
the rights of those to whom the board policies and administrative procedures apply. Neither the
policies of the Board nor the procedures of the administration are intended to expand the rights
of individuals beyond those established by law or to give to any individual a cause of action not
independently established in law. Enforcement of board policy shall rest exclusively with the
Board, and enforcement of administrative procedures shall rest exclusively with the
administration.

Board policy and administrative procedure shall not preempt, create, supplant, expand or restrict
the rights or liabilities of students, employees, taxpayers, or others within the school district
beyond those that are established in law and are not intended to restrict or limit students,
employees, or other members of the school district community from pursuing any claims or
defenses available under law.

Exceptions

Exceptions to any policy or the application of any policy may be made if requested or
recommended in accordance with the following procedures:

1. Any person may request an exception to any board policy or the application of same by
submitting a letter to the Superintendent. The request shall identify:

a. The name, address, and telephone number of the person making the request.
b. The policy for which the exception is being requested.
c. The action that the requesting individual desires.
d. The rationale supporting the need for an exception.

2. The Superintendent or his/her designee shall conduct a sufficient investigation of any request
for an exception and make a determination. Among the factors to be evaluated are the
relevant facts related to the request, the rationale of both the policy and the request for the
exception; and the disposition of prior requests for exceptions to the same or similar policies.
Should the parties involved disagree with the Superintendent’s decision, an appeal may be
made to the Hooksett School Board.

3. The Board shall have final and exclusive authority to determine whether to grant any request
for an exception and shall be the sole judge of whether the rationale for the exception is
sufficient, taking into consideration the recommendation of the Superintendent. Moveover,
the granting of exceptions in the same or similar cases shall not constitute binding precedent
or practice inasmuch as the prior grant of an exception may establish that the granting of an
exception is ill-advised.

4. Exceptions to administrative procedure shall be made in accordance with the procedures
established by the Superintendent.

Adopted: November 6, 2001
Reviewed: February 20, 2024