Board of Education

Training Requirements

New board members are required by state law to receive 18 hours of training within their first year of service. Training covers topics related to student achievement, school law, school finance, board policy, board relations, board operations, goal setting and advocacy.

Time Commitment

Being a board member requires a great deal of time commitment. On average, Pattonville board members attend:

• More than 40 hours of board meetings per year,
• 56 hours in training and workshops,
• 12 hours in district planning, and
• 26 hours at special meetings and district-wide events. School board members also attend numerous school events, visit the schools and serve on district committees.

Major Responsibilities

Board members are elected to oversee the operations of the public school district, as mandated by state law. The primary roles of a school board are to set goals for the district, formulate and adopt policy, select a superintendent to implement policy, evaluate the results, and be a good steward of the community’s resources. The superintendent is responsible for the daily operations of the district. In Pattonville, board members make decisions centered on the district’s mission,“That ALL Will Learn.”

The Board’s general responsibilities include:

1. Formulating and interpreting policy
2. Delegating administrative duties
3. Making decisions on educational and budget matters
4. Making a continuous appraisal of the educational and administrative process
5. Administering district funds for education judiciously

The Board carries out its functions openly while seeking the involvement and contributions of the public, students and staff in its decision-making process.

Qualifications for Election to the Board of Education

Elections to the Board of Education are held the first Tuesday in the month of April each year. A candidate must be

• 24 years of age by the date of the election,
• A United States citizen, and
• A resident taxpayer of the district. A written declaration of candidacy must be filed with the secretary to the Board of Education during the legal filing period each December through January at the Pattonville Learning Center,11097 St. Charles Rock Road, St. Ann. For more information, call the superintendent’s office at (314) 213-8001.

Orientation for New Board Members

Once elected, Pattonville’s new school board members attend an orientation session with the board president and superintendent. This is an informal session in which many topics are covered. Some of the topics included are: Responsibilities, ethics, board policy, board and superintendent relationships, board communications and community involvement, time commitments, and the structure and responsibilities of the district’s administrative teams. 

Learn more at Missouri School Boards Association (MSBA)