Board meeting agendas: Staying on track

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At the eBOARDsolutions User Conference in March 2011, I co-presented with Dr. Valery Hall of the Forsyth County Public Schools in Georgia. In her role of assisting both the superintendent and the board of education, Valery is integrally involved in preparing the agendas for their board’s meetings. Thus, our session involved agenda preparation and effective meeting management since I served as board chair of my local system in Harris County, Georgia for eight years. The preparing of the agenda with appropriate input is critical in providing for focused meetings aligned to the plan of the school system. Valery’s board is using technology tools for this task; my former board does as well.

Managing the work of a school system can be a daunting task. And, board members can get “off track” and not adhere to their roles and responsibilities. As a board navigates through a carefully planned agenda and has immediate access to attachments with data and information for each item, the board can then make informed decisions. Student achievement stays at the forefront. A best practice is demonstrated in modeling why the business at hand is important and then trusting and empowering the superintendent and his/her leadership team to carry out the work.

Valery and I may have separate lenses through which we come to the table in our school system roles. But, most importantly, we share a common vision for what public education should be—equitable and excellent for all children.

Our contributor, Diane Sandifer

From local to state and national roles in public service, Diane Sandifer served on the Harris County Schools GA Board of Education from 1998-2008. Additionally, Diane was elected as president of the Georgia School Boards Association in 2006 and was a member of the National School Boards Association Board of Directors in 2007 and 2008. Diane advocates 21st century governance from the board room to the classroom through her passion for integration of technology as well as effective strategic planning. Diane represents school board members in statewide commissions and projects and has played an integral role in educational research through groups like the Wallace Foundation. Diane lives in Pine Mountain, Georgia and is currently the account executive for eBOARDsolutions.