We recommend you watch the videos on-line, but if you don't have time, here is a summary:
Q: What do Florida School Boards Association facilitators do?
A: Facilitators like Kelly Owens are educational consultants who use research-based techniques to coach school boards.
Q: What are Ms. Owen’s qualifications?
A: Ms. Owens has coached 18 of Florida’s 67 school districts. She’s an FAU graduate, served on a Florida school board for 8 years.
Q: Did this meeting affect the accreditation status of the district?
A: If successful, communication among board members and the superintendent will improve and the whole governance team will become more effective. Accreditation agencies sometimes recommend FSBA board development groups for boards that are struggling. The fact that our board invited a facilitator so they can do their job better will likely be viewed positively by any accreditation agency.
Q: What kind of research is the training based on?
A: Bruce Tuckman’s research on stages for team development applies. Whenever a new team comes together, it moves through these different stages.
When a board is moving through the storming stage, the board chair can provide structural clarity, address conflicts, and review ground rules.
In the norming stage, boards work together effectively. Roles are clear, and differences are valued, not suppressed. Boards begin to focus on developing a way to work by establishing procedures. Trust begins to form, then collaboration occurs. Conflicts are resolved with compromise.
Q: What’s the main mission of the school board, as it functions as a governance team?
A: The board’s main mission is continuous improvement in student achievement.
Q: One procedure addressed at this meeting was how board members can add new items to the board agenda. What did the board and superintendent agree on?
A: The superintendent asked board members to provide 3 weeks notice to add an item, and the staff will make every reasonable effort to get the new item on that month’s board agenda. The item will be put on the following month’s agenda if, for example, it takes staff longer than 2-3 weeks to prepare, if there are many requests, or that month’s meeting already has a full agenda.
Q: What are some of the “best practices” in other districts shared by Ms. Owens?
A: Ms. Owens mentioned a “way of work” document that might be helpful to establish procedures. Pinellas County has a good board procedures manual. It’s an agreement, not a policy. Changes can be made then without the board having to go through a formal change in policy, which can take a long time.
Q: What are some of the procedural issues that were addressed at this meeting, but not fully resolved?
A: Can meetings be restructured in a way to allow citizens ample opportunities to comment, but without making the meetings last so long? It was mentioned that it might be a good idea for board members to hold individual town hall meetings in his or her respective district.
