place of such meeting at least twenty-four hours before such meeting is to take place; and no act authorized to be done by the district board is valid, unless voted at a meeting of the board. A majority of the members of the board at a meeting is necessary for the transaction of business (4671). ELIGIBILITY TO DISTRICT OFFICES. Any qualified voter in a school district whose name appears upon the assessment roll, and is the owner in his own right of the property so assessed, shall be eligible to election or appointment to office in such school district, unless such person be an alien. (Act 184, Public Acts of 1899.) ACCEPTANCES. Within ten days after their election or appointment, the several officers of each school district shall file with the director written acceptances of the offices to which they have been respectively elected or appointed, and such acceptances are entered in the records of the district by said director (4670, 4737). In township districts the officers file acceptances within five days after being notified, and such notification is made within five days after election or appointment. VACANCIES. A district office may become vacant by: 6. Election or appointment being declared void by a competent tribunal. 7. Neglect to file acceptance of office, or to give or renew any official bond as required by law. TEMPORARY ABSENCE. Temporary absence of an officer does not create a vacancy in the office. If his family continues to reside in the district, he retains his residence. (Atty. Gen., Feb. 8, 1882.) FILLING OF VACANCIES. BY THE RE- BY BOARD OF In case any one of the district offices becomes vacant, the two remaining officers shall immediately fill such vacancy, or in case two of the offices be come vacant, the remaining officer shall immediately call a special meeting of the district to fill such vacancies. In case any vacancy is not filled as herein provided within twenty days after it shall have occurred, or in case all the offices in a district shall become vacant, the board of school inspectors of the township to which the annual reports of such district are made shall fill such vacancies. Any person elected or appointed to fill a vacancy in a district office shall hold such office until the TIME OF HOLD- next succeeding annual meeting, at which time the voters of the district shall fill such office for the unexpired portion of the term (4668). In graded districts the trustees have power to fill any va cancy that may occur in their number, until the next annual meeting (4747). The same is true in case of a vacancy on the township board of education (4827). ING OFFICE. VACANCY IN POWERS AND DUTIES OF DISTRICT BOARD. It is impossible to enumerate in detail all of the many duties which the officers of a district are called upon to perform. Below is given a summary of their most important duties, followed farther on by a similar summary of the powers and duties of each individual school officer: RECORD BOOKS ERY. AMOUNTS TO 1. To purchase a record book and such other books, blanks, and stationery as may be necessary to AND STATION- keep a record of the proceedings of the district meetings and of meetings of the board, the accounts of the assessor, and for doing the business of the district in an orderly manner (4672, 24 Mich. 353). 2. To purchase or lease, in the corporate name of the district, such sites for school houses as have SCHOOL SITES. been lawfully designated; to build, hire or pur chase such school houses as may be necessary, out of the fund provided for that purpose; and to make sale of any site or other property of the district, when lawfully directed by the qualified voters (4673). 3. To estimate the amount necessary to be raised, in addition to other school funds, for the entire support of such schools, including teachers' wages, fuel and other incidental expenses, and for deficiencies of the previous year for such purposes. In districts having less than thirty scholars, such estimate, including the district's share of the primary school interest fund and one-mill tax, must not exceed the sum of fifty dollars a month for the period during which school is held in such district; and when such amount has been estimated and voted by the district board, it is reported for assess ment and collection, the same as other district taxes. When a tax has been estimated and voted by the district board under the provisions of this section, and is needed before it can be collected, the district board may borrow to an amount not exceeding the amount of said tax (4674). 4. Between the first and third Mondays in September in each year, to make out and deliver to the township clerk of each township in which any part of the district is situated, a report in writing of all taxes voted by the district during the preceding year, TO BORROW ANNUAL RE. SCHOOL ANNUAL RE TRICTS. and of all taxes which said board is authorized to impose, to be levied on the taxable property of the district (4675). 5. To apply and pay over all school moneys belonging to the district, in accordance with the provisions of law regulating the same. 6. To present to the district at each annual meeting, a report in writing containing an accurate statePORT TO DIS- ment of all moneys of the district received by them during the preceding year, and of the disbursements made by them, with the items of such receipts and disbursements, such report to contain a statement of all taxes assessed upon the taxable property of the district during the preceding year, the purposes for which such taxes were assessed, and the amount assessed for each particular purpose. Said report is entered by the director in the records of the district (4677). 7. To hire and contract with such duly qualified teachers as may be required, all contracts to be in writing and signed by a majority of the board on behalf of the district ( 4678). 8. To have the care and custody of the school house and other property of the district, except so far as the same, by vote of the district, be specially confided to the custody of the director, including all books purchased for the use of indigent pupils; to open the school house for public meetings, unless by a vote at a district meeting it shall be determined otherwise: Provided, That said board may exclude such public meetings during the five school days of each week of any and all school terms, or such part thereof as in their discretion they may deem for the best interest of the schools ( 4679). 9. To specify the studies to be pursued in the schools of the district (1680). CONTRACT CUSTODY OF RECORD OF INSTRUCTION AND HYGIENE, 10. On making a selection of text-books, to keep a record thereof in their proceedings; and text-books once adopted shall not be changed within five years, except by the consent of a majority of the qualified voters of the district present at an annual meeting or at a special meeting called for that purpose. 11. To require each teacher in the public schools of such district, before placing the school register in IN PHYSIOLOGY the hands of the director, to certify therein whether or not required instruction in physiology and hygiene has been given in the school or grade presided over by such teacher; and it is the duty of the director of the district to file with the township clerk a certified copy of such certificate. Any school board neglecting or refusing to comply with this requirement is subject to a fine or forfeiture, the same as for neglect of any other duty pertaining to the office. This applies to all schools in the state, including schools in cities or villages, whether incorporated under special charter or under the general laws (4680). 12. To purchase at the expense of the district, such text books as may be necessary for the use of children when parents are not able to furnish the same, and to include the amount of such purchase in the report to the township clerk or clerks, to be levied in like manner as other district taxes (4681). 13. To have the general care of the school, and to make and enforce suitable rules and regulations for EXPULSION OR its government and management, and for the preservation of the property of the district. Said board may authorize or order the suspension or expulsion from the school of any pupil guilty of gross misdemeanor or persistent disobedience, whenever, in its judgment, the interests of the school demand it (4682). (See also Chap. X.) PURCHASE SUSPENSION. |