Responsibilities
As the official governing body of the schools, the West Allegheny School Board is responsible under Pennsylvania school law to:
- Establish policy while the administration implements policy and supervises school operations.
- Employ and evaluate the school superintendent. The school board is responsible for hiring and evaluating all chief administrators who oversee the operations of the school system.
- Approve the appointment of teachers and staff members upon the superintendent's recommendations.
- Authorize the development and revision of the curricula.
- Secure finances to operate the schools. This responsibility includes authorizing expenditures and building programs. The school board is the authorizing body which approves the annual district budget.
- Work with the superintendent in establishing the district's educational standards and goals.
- Interpret the needs of the community regarding the educational program.
Background
The school board is comprised of nine residents elected to terms of four years each. Three members are elected from each municipality-Findlay Township, North Fayette Township, and Oakdale Borough. School board members are not paid for their service to the school district. At the end of a four-year term, members may run for re-election to successive terms. Voting takes place at regular primaries in May and at general elections in November. If a vacancy occurs in the middle of a term, the school board names an appointee. This individual serves until a successor is elected at the next general election. The solicitor, secretary, treasurer, and auditor are appointed directly by the school board.