Holding the first of its planned informal sessions with the public last Saturday morning, members of the Wrangell Public School Board learned it might also have to be the last.
Resident and former school superintendent Woody Wilson stopped in to let the board know what it was doing seemed to be violating its own policies. Citing Board Policy 7320, he pointed out that minutes were not being taken and that the public had not been given due notice of a meeting. Under the parameters set out in BP-7320 and in BP-7012 regarding communication with the public, Wilson felt Saturday’s meeting did not meet the conditions of a work session or special meeting.
“It’s pretty clear in here,” he concluded. “If you’re not doing it in the public record, you could be heading into a problem.”
At its last regular meeting in November, the board decided to hold these “coffee” sessions with teachers and parents in order to improve communication. At previous meetings, staff and members of the public have expressed dissatisfaction with the board’s formal process for receiving comments, which are limited in time and cannot be discussed by the board when given.
So board members endorsed setting aside a half-hour or hour before regularly-scheduled meetings to discuss educational issues, trends and other problems in an informal atmosphere. Saturday sessions would also be held to accommodate parents who were unable to attend during the work week.
No actions would be taken as a result of these sessions, which would instead be used to open up discourse in ways
currently unavailable during the formal meetings. The only
topics that would not be taken up would be those related to personnel or individual students.
“It’s just a time to talk,” explained board member Aleisha Mollen, one of those participating in Saturday’s session.
Wilson said the board has different means at its disposal to receive input from the public, such as through its school advisory committees (ACs). Board member Rinda Howell pointed out they were in the process of improving communication with the ACs, which over the past year had stopped providing reports to the board’s monthly meetings.
Work sessions would also be an appropriate venue for public discussion, and could be held in conjunction with regular
meetings at the board’s discretion.
“You can do it before, you can do it during, you can do it after – there are any number of ways you can do it,” Wilson said of their scheduling.
“The formality is there for a reason. You guys deal with a lot of money,” he continued. Because of the board’s role with the budget and as the arbiter of administrative disputes, Wilson felt there should be transparency in public input but also some level of separation between the board and school administration.
In BP-1312 regarding complaints, a chain of command is outlined for receiving and responding to concerns by the public and faculty: “Complaints from members of the public concerning district operations or personnel shall be referred to the superintendent for initial investigation and response. If a complainant is not satisfied by the superintendent’s response, the complainant may request an informal hearing from the board.”
BP-7012 similarly requires that questions and communications to the board be submitted first to the superintendent. “Board member’s questions or communications to staff or about programs will be channeled through the superintendent’s office. If contacted individually, board members will refer the person to the appropriate channel of authority, except in unusual situations. Board members will not take private action that might compromise the board or administration.”
This extends to emails and to interactions with members of the public. Where school matters are concerned, Wilson said the appropriate response of individual board members is to refer the complainant to the appropriate party, either the superintendent or board president.
Mollen responded that the intent of the coffee sessions was to be more responsive to public communication concerns. In an age where Facebook and social media play an increasingly active part in how people interact and participate in public policy, she felt the school board would need to become more accommodating.
Wilson, along with current superintendent Patrick Mayer, recommended the board update its policies to formally reflect such changes. Mayer added he would confer with the school district’s lawyer about whether the informal sessions did indeed violate board policies. He anticipated a response by the time the board meets tonight, in Evergreen Elementary’s Room 101 at 6:30 p.m.
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