Board waives first reading and approves policy change on administrator professional memberships

The Fairfield Union Local School District board unanimously waived a first reading and approved revisions to policy GCBC-2-R governing certified staff fringe benefits for administrators, changing the policy language so the district will pay for one professional organization membership per administrator and offering example organizations rather than a fixed list.

Superintendent Mike Bellville explained the change grew out of a need to allow flexibility when new professional organizations form or existing organizations change names. Bellville said the prior policy named four (or five) specific organizations; the revision would read that the district will pay for one professional organization for an administrator and provide examples, not an exhaustive list. He cited the special education coordinator’s request to join a professional organization that the old wording would not have covered.

Bellville asked the board to waive a first reading to expedite enrollment of the special education coordinator in that professional organization. The board approved waiving the first reading and adopting the revision by unanimous roll call.