Superintendent's Communication Plan Regulation 2-15.1

School Board of the City of Virginia Beach
Regulation 2-15.1

ADMINISTRATION

Superintendent's Communication Plan

The Superintendent will initiate and encourage effective communications and community involvement through comprehensive outreaches designed to inform and/or engage employees, students, and citizens. Strategies such as face-to-face meetings, newsletters, direct mail, technological/interactive electronic communications will provide opportunities for sharing ideas, opinions, and information on education-related topics.

1. Employee Suggestions

   Employees with suggestions for changes and improvements in the School Division are encouraged to submit written suggestions to their immediate supervisor or to the department head in charge of the operation upon which they are commenting. Suggestions also may be submitted via School Division-sponsored communications tools, such as the Employee Input Process, on-line opinion board and discussion groups, project/program-specific surveys, and focus groups or forums established to gather employee feedback. Anonymous and inappropriate correspondence will be destroyed in accordance with applicable law or regulation. The immediate supervisor or the appropriate department head will acknowledge written suggestions.

2. School-Specific Issues

   An employee with a grievable concern shall follow School Board Policy 4-3, Grievances and Grievance Procedures, and School Board Regulations 4-3.1 and 4-3.2.

   An employee with a non-grievable school-specific or departmental concern may address the matter with the employee’s principal or director in accordance with Regulation 4-6.1, Communication and Maintaining an Effective Work Environment. Concerns regarding student achievement, working conditions, or school safety should be referred to the Principal’s Advisory Committee.

3. Financial Abuse, Waste and Fraud

   Fraud detection and reporting are important to any system of fraud prevention and deterrence. Fraud consists of theft or deception for personal gain. An employee who has knowledge of an occurrence of irregular financial conduct or has reason to suspect that a fraud has occurred, shall notify his/her immediate supervisor. If the employee has reason to believe that the employee’s supervisor may be involved, the employee shall immediately notify the Director, Office of Business Services and the Director, Office of Internal Audit. If necessary, additional communication can be made to the Director, Office of Internal Audit at Virginia Beach City Public Schools, P.O. Box 2242, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23450-2242, or by telephone or email. Not all complaints received result in a formal audit investigation and report. While the Office of Internal Audit is available as a resource, the prevention and detection of fraud is the responsibility of management.

Related Links

School Board Policy 3-46
School Board Policy 4-3
School Board Regulation 4-3.1
School Board Policy 4-6
School Board Regulation 4-6.1
School Board Policy 4-8

Approved by Superintendent: August 14, 1993
Revised by Superintendent: October 8, 1997
Revised by Superintendent: March 27, 2003
Scrivener’s Amendments: August 10, 2013
Revised by Superintendent: January 24, 2014
Revised by Superintendent: June 30, 2023