The Board commits itself and its members to ethical, businesslike and lawful conduct, including proper use of authority and appropriate decorum when acting as Board members.

Accordingly:

1. Board members will represent the interests of the citizens of the entire school district. This accountability to the whole district supercedes:
   1. any conflicting loyalty a member may have to other advocacy or interest groups;

   2. loyalty based upon membership on other boards or staffs;

   3. conflicts based upon the personal interest of any Board member.

2. Board members may not attempt to exercise individual authority over the organization.
   1. Members' interaction with the CEO and with staff must recognize the lack of authority vested in individuals except when explicitly authorized by the Board.

   2. Members' interaction with the public, press or other entities must recognize the same limitation and the inability of any Board member to speak for the Board except to repeat explicitly-stated Board decisions.

   3. Members will not publicly express individual negative judgments about CEO or staff performance. Any such judgments of CEO or staff performance will be made only by the full Board, meeting in executive session.

   4. Members shall maintain confidentiality appropriate to sensitive issues and information that otherwise may tend to compromise the integrity or legal standing of the board, especially those matters discussed in statutorily authorized executive session.
   
   

   Adopted:
   07.07.2003

   Revised:
   05.02.2005

   Monitoring Method:         Board self-assessment
   Monitoring Frequency:   Annually

   Lake Washington School District Board of Directors