School District Governance
By Mark Cross
Board of Education Membership and Authority
The authority to govern local school districts in Illinois is delegated from the General Assembly to local Boards of Education within the parameters established by the Illinois School Code. The seven members of the Peru Public Schools District 124 Board of Education are citizens and taxpayers of the district. By statute, Board members are elected to staggered, four year terms of office and receive no compensation for their countless hours of work in their roles as advocates for children and representatives of local taxpayers in providing oversight and governance to the school district. The Board of Education also appoints a treasurer, Mr. Eric Heagy, and a secretary, Mrs. Julie Brown. Mr. Mark Cross has served the Board and District as Superintendent of Schools since July 1, 2005. The Board of Education generally meets at 6:00 p.m. on the third Wednesday of every month (click here for the 2009-10 schedule).
Board of Education Member Role and Duties
Board of Education members cannot technically act in their roles individually; rather, their role is established in their collective authority at a public Board of Education meeting. Specifically, the Board sets the educational tone for the district, establishes goals, determines the District's educational policies, establishes and adopts the annual budget, oversees the expenditures of funds, determines the local tax levy for the District, and employs a the Superintendent to carry out all administrative functions of the Board and District.
Superintendent Role and Duties
The Board of Education and Superintendent constitute the management team for the District, with the Superintendent acting as chief executive officer. The Board hires, evaluates, and seeks the recommendations of the Superintendent in all matters of district operations. In cooperation with all stakeholders and with the Building Principals, the Superintendent develops plans, programs and procedures needed to implement the policies and direction of the Board of Education, and is directly responsible for the management and leadership of the District's educational programs, personnel, finances, facilities, and daily operations. Specified functions and duties are delegated to the Building Principals, who act in their critical roles as the instructional and educational leaders for each building, while working within the framework of Board of Education policies and District goals.
