Three Board Terms to Expire in June
There are three seats on the current board that will expire on June 30, 2023. If you are interested in running for a three-year term on the board, candidates should contact Board Clerk Tara Mitchell (tmitchell@bhbl.org) to obtain a Board Candidacy Packet. Signed petitions are due by 5 p.m. on Monday, April 17.
Voters will decide who the next board members will be at the annual school budget and board election vote on Tuesday, May 16.
Residents will also get to know more about the board candidates at Meet-the-Candidates Night on Tuesday, May 9 at 7 p.m.
Criteria for Board Candidates
In order to qualify to run for a seat on the BH-BL Board of Education, state law requires you meet the following criteria:
- Must be able to read and write
- Must be a qualified voter of the district:
- You are a citizen of the United States
- You are at least 18 years of age
- You are not adjudged by a Court to be mentally incompetent
- You are not a convicted felon (Election Law 2012, Section 5-106)
- Must be and have been a resident of the BH-BL Central School District for a continuous and uninterrupted period of at least one year immediately before the election.
- Must live in the BH-BL Central School District.
- Cannot be employed by the BH-BL district or live in the same household with a family member who is also a member of the same school board.
All BH-BL school board members serve at large for no pay. The candidates who receive the highest number of votes on school budget day will be elected to three-year terms of office.
Requirements of School Board Members
The seven members of the BH-BL board attend meetings in the evenings twice a month during the school year, plus some additional evenings (particularly during budget season) and typically once a month in the summer.
They also attend training sessions held by the NYS School Board Association, liaise with the various BH-BL PTAs, and volunteer to work on other initiatives and with other groups as needed throughout the year.
The NYS School Board Association states: “As with any important role, school board service brings a steep learning curve. In fact, it will likely take you several years to fully comprehend the role of an effective board member.”
Newly elected board members will need to begin with some basic training. New York State law requires new school board members to take mandatory training within their first year of service. This training includes the essentials of school board governance and a minimum of six hours in fiscal oversight, accountability and fiduciary responsibilities of a school board member. Follow this link to learn more about the state-mandated training classes.
While you’re learning about your new role, you’ll also want to brush up on New York State’s Open Meetings Law, which governs school board meetings and the use of executive sessions. Follow this link to download a PDF of NYSSBA’s “School District Obligations Under the Opening Meeting Law: Fact and Fiction.”