Effective Board Meetings = Improved Student Achievement Susan Salter Director of Board Development

School boards are groups that take hours to produce minutes. Mark Twain (Attributed)

The Meeting

Pop-Quiz

Pop-Quiz Field Trips School Bus 21 st Century Classroom

Pop-Quiz Field Trips School Bus 21 st Century Classroom 10 Minutes 20 Minutes 40 Minutes

Pop-Quiz Field Trips School Bus 21 st Century Classroom 10 Minutes 20 Minutes 40 Minutes

Pop-Quiz Field Trips School Bus 21 st Century Classroom 10 Minutes 20 Minutes 40 Minutes

Pop-Quiz Field Trips School Bus 21 st Century Classroom 10 Minutes 20 Minutes 40 Minutes

The Board Meeting During a difficult budget session, the Nutmeg Board of Education dropped the football program, at 1 a.m. At the next board meeting, 200 angry citizens arrive, each expecting to address the board in public comment, their intention … to SACK the board. You walk into the boardroom and …

Tips: The Board Meeting School board meetings are meetings in public, not public hearings! The purpose of the meeting is to accomplish the agenda. Stick to the agenda and limit discussion to those items. Public comment is not a debate. Dont react! Decisions made under pressure are often bad decisions. If you need to, table it to a later meeting.

The Board President

Nutmeg Board President Oak Board President

The Board President Nutmeg Board President Oak Board President Strong chair Overpowering Makes decisions for the board Does not allow board members to speak In cahoots with superintendent to run school system

The Board President Nutmeg Board President Oak Board President Strong chair Overpowering Makes decisions for the board Does not allow board members to speak In cahoots with superintendent to run school system Weak chair Doesnt stop debate Allows unlimited dialog Lets public walk all over the board meeting Wont stop confrontations between board members

The Board President Do you recognize either of these presidents on any board youve ever served on? How did their performance effect the performance of the board? What can you do as a board member to focus the board on student learning?

The Board President Choose your president wisely. Talk to your president about your concerns. Discuss board operations in a self- evaluation. Develop a meeting evaluation form.

The Board President Learn Roberts Rules of Order. The rules work for everyone, but they work best for those who know them best. The board can override the decision of the president with a majority vote.

Meetings/Agenda

Peter Procrastinate shows up to the board meeting in the middle of Sally Sciences curriculum presentation. After the 45-minute presentation is completed, Peter apologizes for being late and launches into 30 minutes of questions that were already answered in his board packet and in Sallys presentation. You read your packet. You were on time. Meetings/Agenda How do you react?

Meetings/Agenda Call to inform of late arrival and request item be moved if critical. Board member may request quick summary. Lateness does not give the right to dominate. Come prepared (read the packet!)

Meetings/Agenda Ensure agenda items are relevant Link to goals Refer some decisions to policy

Meetings/Agenda Start meetings on time. Dont abuse New Business. Use a timed agenda or consent agenda. President should limit discussion to topic. Superintendent should limit staff reports. Superintendent should prepare adequate board packet.

Procedure

Bob Bluster, a long-time disgruntled board member, tends to spend a great deal of time trying to convince fellow board members to change their minds and support his ideas. Tonight, he is in rare form, has gone on for 20 minutes and has strayed from the agenda. You know two other board members will reiterate his speech. Procedure How do you get the board back to the agenda item ?

Procedure In a case like this, Roberts Rules of Order is your best bet. A point of order can interrupt the speaker and let you remind the chair that then speaker is no longer speaking about the item on the agenda (or the motion on the floor).

An alternative to Roberts Rules is to request the speaker stay on task. Your comments should be to the members of the board, not the public (or the press). Procedure

If you agree with prior speakers, just say I agree. Debate the issue, not the person. Leave your kids and neighbors at home. Ask questions focused on the motion and related directly to the decision you are making. Procedure

Refrain from this type of behavior yourself. Do not waste your time explaining your vote after the motion has been voted on. Listen, Listen, Listen!!! Procedure

Board Relations

There has just been an unusually contentious election for seats on the board. Several board members were accused of stealing lawn signs, and some questionable photos were placed on the Internet. After the smoke clears, the majority party is now in the minority, and the new majority is in the backroom electing new leadership. You are in the middle of one camp, and this is your first board meeting after the change. How do you feel?

Remember its not personal! Dont rehash the election. If you are in the majority, allow the minority party to save face. Each person has a constituency base and you have a responsibility to respect that members participation. Board Relations

Accept that your board is a team and you are a team member. Dont retreat to your comfort zone or your political zone. Remind yourself that your relationship with the board is professional, not familial. Expect the behavior you would expect from any professional organization. Board Relations

Top 10 ways to Hold effective meetings

The Top 10 1.Remember - Meeting in public; its not a public hearing. 2.Limit presentations/speakers. 3.Use timed/consent agenda. 4.Stick to the agenda. 5.Do your homework (read the board information packet).

6.Elect an effective president. 7.Use Roberts Rules effectively. 8.Hold board retreats to just TALK. 9.Regularly conduct the board self- evaluation. 10.Disagree agreeably. The Top 10

11.Appreciate the different strengths each board member brings to the table. 12.When you have a position, state it clearly and dont hound it to death. 13.If you lose a vote, accept the fact, at least for the time being, and move on! The Top 10 13

Effective Board Meetings = Improved Student Achievement Susan Salter Director of Board Development