204.8 - Open Meetings of the School Board

Any gathering of a majority of board members, either in-person or electronically, in which deliberation of an issue within the scope of the board’s policy-making duties takes place is defined as a board meeting. A gathering for the purpose of social or ministerial action will not constitute a board meeting when there is no discussion of policy or no intent to avoid the purpose of the open meetings law. Meetings of the board will be conducted in an open meeting unless a closed session is authorized by law, or the meeting is exempt from the open meetings law.

All such meetings, unless specifically exempt from the open meetings law, are required to have proper notification, public access, open board discussion and voting by the board members on the issues properly before the board, and a public record of the proceedings in the form of written minutes. All public board meetings will be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Iowa law.

The board secretary will be responsible for public notification of all meetings, arranging for recording (when necessary), producing minutes of all meetings, and retaining appropriate minutes and records as required by law. The minutes will be kept on file as the permanent official records of school legislation for the district. The secretary will act as custodian of the minutes and will make them available to any citizen who wishes to examine them during usual office hours of the district. The minutes will be posted on the district's website after board approval.


Adopted: 9/85
Reviewed: 4/13; 8/14; 10/19; 10/22
Revised: 10/11; 9/16
Related Policy: 204.1-5; 204.16
Legal Reference (Code of Iowa): §§ 21; 279.1-2
IASB Reference: 211