(a) In the event that a teacher so notified shall within 10 days after the receipt of written notice of intention to terminate services request in writing an opportunity to be heard by the terminating board, the board shall set a time for such hearing to be held within 21 days after the date of receipt of said written request, and the board shall give the teacher at least 15 days' notice in writing of the time and place of such hearing. The hearing shall be conducted by a majority of the members of the board and shall be confined to the aforementioned written reasons as stated in the board's written notice of the board's intention to terminate the teacher's services. The conduct of such hearings and such rules of procedure as may be found necessary shall be left entirely to the discretion of the board provided that:
(1) The teacher shall have the option to indicate whether or not that teacher wishes the hearing to be public, by so stating in that teacher's own written request for a hearing; otherwise the hearing shall be private;
(2) The teacher may be represented by counsel;
(3) The teacher and the board may subpoena witnesses. Subpoenas shall be issued by the secretary of the board upon written request, and such subpoenas shall be directed to the sheriff of the county where the witness resides or is employed within the State, and, upon service of such subpoena, the witness shall be compelled to appear subject to the same penalties for failure to appear that govern subpoena proceedings before the Superior Court of the State;
(4) The teacher and the board and counsel for each may cross-examine witnesses;
(5) Testimony before the board shall be under oath;
(6) The testimony to be heard shall be confined to the reasons stated in the written notice of intent to terminate service. Any evidence shall be admissible during the hearing which is adjudged by the board to be pertinent to the reasons contained in the written notice which the teacher received and which stated the reasons for dismissal;
(7) A stenographic record of the hearing shall be taken and prepared by a qualified court stenographer and paid for by the board, and shall be supplied to the teacher and the board within 10 days following the conclusion of the hearing;
(8) The decision of the board shall be submitted in writing to the teacher within 15 days following the conclusion of the hearing;
(9) If the decision is in favor of the teacher, the teacher shall be fully reinstated and shall receive all salary lost as a result of that teacher's temporary dismissal or suspension.
(b) Any provision of this chapter to the contrary notwithstanding, the board may designate a hearing officer to conduct the hearing prescribed by subsection (a) of this section under rules and regulations promulgated by the board. The hearing officer shall submit a report with a recommendation to the board, within 5 days of the conclusion of the hearing, which shall become part of the record. A majority of the board shall convene to review the records of the proceedings and, within 15 days of the hearing before the hearing officer, shall submit to the employee its decision in writing.