About the Board of Education
Welcome to the Schenectady City School District Board of Education Page!
The Board of Education is made up of seven unsalaried citizens elected to serve a three-year term. The board’s powers and duties are derived from the New York State Constitution, the laws of New York State and the rulings of the New York State Commissioner of Education. The Board of Education’s main areas of responsibility are:
Establish district policies.
Develop an annual budget for public approval.
Vote on the Superintendent’s recommendations on personnel matters and contracts.
Review courses of study and textbooks.
Act as a communication link between residents and the Superintendent.
No person or group of persons acts in the name of the board. All motions require a majority vote before the Board can act. A board member is in an official capacity only during an official Board meeting. The Board employs a Superintendent who is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the district and administration of Board policies. The Superintendent develops policies, programs and plans for Board action.
Board of Education Meeting Schedule
Board of Education meetings will begin at 6:30pm.
BOE Work Sessions
In addition to regular school board meetings, the board also convenes in work sessions and other special meetings (i.e. committee meetings). The school board holds work sessions to engage in dialogue and discuss specific topics in greater depth. Work sessions are open to the public but comments are not accepted unless otherwise noted. Please review the agenda to see if public comments are welcomed at the session for which you intend to speak. Effective September 11 , 2024, regular board meetings and work sessions will be held at 530 Liberty St. Please review the board schedule for the topics to be discussed at the meetings.
Meeting Agenda
We are committed to keeping you informed about the business to be conducted at meetings of the School Board. Therefore, 48 hours in advance of each regular board meeting, we will post the agenda on BoardDocs for your review.
If you have questions regarding the Agenda, please contact Michelle Eden, Clerk of the Board at edenm@schenectadyschools.org.
The public is welcome to attend in person or view via a one-way stream for School Board Meetings. The link for the stream will be posted on the district website, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook pages prior to the meeting. If you would like to view videos or prior meetings, you can do so on our YouTube page or here.
Public comments can be in regards to agenda items or general comments. A second opportunity is given at the end of the meeting to share comments.
Public Participation Procedure
The Board welcomes speakers to sign up to speak at all regular board meetings. Please be reminded that all speakers’ remarks must be limited to three minutes or less.
The Board is here to listen. Accordingly, please do not expect the board to respond to your concerns and questions at the BOE meeting. The public comment period is not designed to be a discussion between the BOE and the public. We will however, respond to your question and concerns at a future meeting, or have the proper staff member get back to you a the appropriate time.
1. The sign-up sheet is located on a table as you enter the SHS auditorium between 6:00-6:30pm.
2. Sign up to share your comments by legibly writing your first, last name and other information as indicated on the form.
3. You will be asked to speak in the order that is on the comments form.
4. You will be allowed a maximum of 3 minutes to share your comments. Your comments will be included in the minutes.
Reminder:
Community engagement and participation are important to Schenectady’s BOE, and maintaining a respectful, open dialog is crucial to an informative public comment period.
Comments of a personal nature, directed at an individual, such as an employee or BOE member either by name or inference will not be permitted. If this occurs, you will be asked to end your comments.
Please submit your written comments to the Board Clerk in person or submit to edenm@schenectadyschools.org.
