CANDIDATE GUIDANCE

Guidance for Candidates - General Expectations

Prior to opening the nominating period for applications to either the Governance Board or School Accountability Committee, the Recruiting Committee will typically prepare guidance for candidates designed to help set expectations about the process associated with applying for an open seat and/or running for election.

In general, candidates can expect the process to include:

Application Form - anyone interested in applying for a seat on the Stargate Governance Board or School Accountability Committee must submit a Candidate Application Form. Visit the Elections page for information about dates applications are being accepted and a link to the application form. You may also contact recruiting@stargateschool.org for more information.

Background Check - a background check is required for all candidates seeking an elected office at Stargate. In order to complete that background check, candidates will be asked to securely provide:

    • Full legal name (including middle name)

    • Date of birth

    • Social Security number

Given the sensitive nature of this information, we typically ask candidates to communicate this information verbally, usually to the Board member serving as liaison to the Recruiting Committee. The information is NEVER stored, shared or used in any way except to complete the background check. Candidates who do not complete this step cannot be included in the final slate of candidates.

Candidate Photo – we publish candidate photos on the Stargate website, as well as on the actual Simply Voting ballot. Candidates should plan to email a head and shoulder image of themselves to recruiting@stargateschool.org. A professional headshot is ideal, but definitely not necessary.

School Website – candidates will be notified via email when their information is posted to the website, typically 2-5 days after nominations close. All candidate information will go live at the same time. Once posted, candidates are encouraged to review their information and confirm that it matches the information submitted on their Candidate Application Form. As noted on the application form, once applications are submitted, answers may not be changed.

School Events – each spring Stargate hosts an annual State of the School meeting where, among other things, the Board typically reports progress against the key performance indicators (KPIs) in its strategic plan. Subject to event timing and the event agenda, Board candidates may be provided 1-2 minutes each to introduce themselves during the meeting. Details will be provided each year, closer to the event and are subject to change.

Candidate Forum – the Recruiting Committee may organize a forum for candidates to introduce themselves to the Stargate community. For more details, visit the Forum page.

Expectations for Governance Board or School Accountability Committee Candidates– candidates for an elected position should understand the role of that position at Stargate. It is expected that candidates will have familiarized themselves with:

  • General Expectations for Governance Board Directors or School Accountability Committee members

  • Stargate Bylaws

  • Stargate Policy Book

  • Board Handbook and Governance Board Orientation Policy or School Accountability Committee Charter

  • Self Governance at Stargate, from Charter School 101

  • Oversight and Accountability, from Charter School 101

  • Finance 101, from Charter School 101

Beyond these basic elements, if elected, a formal training plan with specific courses, deadlines, etc. will be communicated.

Voting Period and Results – election dates will be communicated via the Stargate Events calendar, stakeholder emails, the Stargate website and, when possible, school newsletters.

Community Outreach during the Election Period – Stargate has not typically set guidelines regarding candidate outreach to community members during elections. However, candidates should exemplify the integrity, honesty and respect expected of elected office holders at Stargate. It is hoped that anyone volunteering to run for a Governance Board or School Accountability Committee position will behave in a manner that demonstrates dedication and commitment to the vision of Stargate School as their top priority.

Term Length – the number of open seats and term length will be communicated by the Recruiting Committee prior to opening the nominating period. When seats for different term lengths are up for election, elected candidates typically decide amongst themselves after the election which candidates will take which seats.

Candidate/Voter Eligibility - rules are documented in the Stargate Bylaws and in Stargate's Election Policy, both accessible from the Handbook and Policies page. As defined there:

  • Parent/Guardian Board or SAC seats - parents/guardians whose child has attended Stargate school for 20 calendar day are eligible to apply for open parent seats and to vote electronically, unless they are also a full-time employee of Stargate. Full-time Stargate employees may seek a SAC staff seat, but are ineligible to apply for parent seats on the Board or SAC.

  • Staff SAC seats - faculty and staff who are employed full-time by Stargate are eligible to apply for open staff seats and to vote electronically in the SAC election 20 calendar days after their start date.

  • Independent seats on the Board - individuals may apply for open positions if they are not (and have not been within the past year) a parent/guardian of a child attending Stargate or a staff member employed by Stargate. Positions are voted on by Board members.

More Information – contact recruiting@stargateschool.org with additional questions or requests for information.