FIRST TEST OF NEW PROCEDURE TO ADDRESS ROCKWOOD'S SCHOOL BOARD IRONICALLY PROPOSED CHANGING THE MAKEUP OF THE SCHOOL BOARD
Thursday was the first time, since the procedure was established this summer, that Rockwood had a "Resident Agenda Item" presented at its regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting. A resident agenda item is one that is put on the meeting's agenda by a resident, instead of the district.
The item, 8.01, proposed the creation of six subdistricts in Rockwood, that would ultimately change the way we elect Rockwood's Board of Education (BOE), and also determine the makeup of the BOE.
The BOE is Rockwood's elected school board. There are seven members (also called directors).
QUICK BACKGROUND
The resident agenda item is part of a controversial change the board made in June, when it took away patrons' ability to speak at board meetings about anything other than items on that meeting's agenda.
The item, 8.01, proposed the creation of six subdistricts in Rockwood, that would ultimately change the way we elect Rockwood's Board of Education (BOE), and also determine the makeup of the BOE.
The BOE is Rockwood's elected school board. There are seven members (also called directors).
QUICK BACKGROUND
The resident agenda item is part of a controversial change the board made in June, when it took away patrons' ability to speak at board meetings about anything other than items on that meeting's agenda.
Previously, when patrons were allowed to speak on any topic they chose, some of the comments resorted to vulgarities and disparaging remarks about individuals, some of whom are on the school board.
In order to allow residents to speak about topics that aren't placed on the agenda by the district, Rockwood updated its policy to include a way for residents to put an item on the agenda and then come speak about it.
Policy (0411), and its corresponding rules (regulation 0411), spell out the process. Getting an item on the agenda can take 20 or more days. The steps are outlined below.
SIX SUBDISTRICTS
The proposed subdistricts on last night's agenda would be based on the district's six middle schools. There would eventually be one board member from within each middle school's boundaries. Crestview would have two board members because it's the largest, bringing the total to seven.
Rockwood resident (and former Board of Education director), Tom Dunn, is the one who put the subdistricts on last night's agenda.
Mr. Dunn told us, "It would make it easier for the community to know their Board of Education Director and represent their area accordingly."
Dunn's presentation included the slide below, which shows that two of Rockwood's proposed middle school subdistricts have had no representation on Rockwood's school board for the past 5 and 7 years.
Conversely, a majority of the 7-member school board has come from just one proposed subdistrict for seven of the last eight years: Rockwood South Middle School.
In order to allow residents to speak about topics that aren't placed on the agenda by the district, Rockwood updated its policy to include a way for residents to put an item on the agenda and then come speak about it.
Policy (0411), and its corresponding rules (regulation 0411), spell out the process. Getting an item on the agenda can take 20 or more days. The steps are outlined below.
SIX SUBDISTRICTS
The proposed subdistricts on last night's agenda would be based on the district's six middle schools. There would eventually be one board member from within each middle school's boundaries. Crestview would have two board members because it's the largest, bringing the total to seven.
Rockwood resident (and former Board of Education director), Tom Dunn, is the one who put the subdistricts on last night's agenda.
Mr. Dunn told us, "It would make it easier for the community to know their Board of Education Director and represent their area accordingly."
Dunn's presentation included the slide below, which shows that two of Rockwood's proposed middle school subdistricts have had no representation on Rockwood's school board for the past 5 and 7 years.
Conversely, a majority of the 7-member school board has come from just one proposed subdistrict for seven of the last eight years: Rockwood South Middle School.
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| Courtesy, Rockwood resident Tom Dunn |
Dunn's subdistrict proposal would make the school board election similar to other elections, in that residents would only vote for people from their district, or in this case, subdistrict.
The rest of Dunn's slide presentation can be seen below.
As is standard with patron comments, no board member asked Mr. Dunn questions or made any comments. You can see Dunn's presentation in this recorded video of the meeting, just before the 14 minute mark.
HOW WOULD IT HAPPEN?
Dunn tells us, to create the subdistricts, 4 board members would have to vote yes on the subdistricting, or he would have to collect signatures from 10% of those who voted in the last school board election, to get the item on the ballot for voters.
THE PROCESS
Dunn says the process to get the item on the BOE meeting agenda was "easy." It involved filling out the forms included in the policy.
The first form prompted the required meeting with Rockwood Superintendent Dr. Curtis Cain, which had to take place within 20 days. Because the subdistrict issue couldn't be decided on in that meeting, Dunn filled out the second form, which got the item on the agenda for the October 19th meeting.
Click here to see the forms Mr. Dunn filled out as part of the new process.
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The steps to get an item on the BOE agenda:
1) Fill out form to meet with superintendent or designee.
2) If not resolved, fill out the second form to get it on the agenda.
Details on the rest of the procedure are spelled out in the policy below, including reasons the board can refuse to put an item on the agenda.
The rest of Dunn's slide presentation can be seen below.
As is standard with patron comments, no board member asked Mr. Dunn questions or made any comments. You can see Dunn's presentation in this recorded video of the meeting, just before the 14 minute mark.
HOW WOULD IT HAPPEN?
Dunn tells us, to create the subdistricts, 4 board members would have to vote yes on the subdistricting, or he would have to collect signatures from 10% of those who voted in the last school board election, to get the item on the ballot for voters.
THE PROCESS
Dunn says the process to get the item on the BOE meeting agenda was "easy." It involved filling out the forms included in the policy.
The first form prompted the required meeting with Rockwood Superintendent Dr. Curtis Cain, which had to take place within 20 days. Because the subdistrict issue couldn't be decided on in that meeting, Dunn filled out the second form, which got the item on the agenda for the October 19th meeting.
Click here to see the forms Mr. Dunn filled out as part of the new process.
-----------------------------
The steps to get an item on the BOE agenda:
1) Fill out form to meet with superintendent or designee.
2) If not resolved, fill out the second form to get it on the agenda.
Details on the rest of the procedure are spelled out in the policy below, including reasons the board can refuse to put an item on the agenda.
