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Illinois School Board Journal
March - April 2001

Effective board meetings begin communication link

By Linda Dawson

During the 2000 Joint Annual Conference in Chicago, a panel of "experts" (all members of the Illinois Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association) provided handy bullet lists of information for school public relations officers. The key to many of the lists is communication, and one place to start is the boardroom itself. Running effective board meetings can go a long way to creating that important communication link.

The following tips for effective meetings, offered by Sharon Henderson, director of community information in Hinsdale Community Consolidated School District 181, reinforce the foundational governance principle of convening the community for two-way communication:

By establishing an agenda, sitting in assigned places and following parliamentary procedures, the board conveys a business-like atmosphere for meetings. By setting meeting policies, the board can determine when comments are allowed from the public and for how long. Knowing when and how closed sessions are conducted keeps the board in compliance with the Open Meetings Act.

Planning includes more than just preparing an agenda, although that's where it begins. Think of each meeting as a performance -- not because you're following a script, but so you are prepared for questions that may arise. If you know a certain item on the agenda could elicit controversy, you will be better able to define your position and defend it.

Your superintendent and/or board secretary should prepare a packet of information for you before each meeting. Make certain you take the time to go over the items and familiarize yourself with the issues. You may decide you need additional information or have questions the superintendent could answer before the meeting.

While it's important to allow time on the agenda for comments from community stakeholders who attend, board members should not feel they have a responsibility to respond to each and every item immediately, especially on complex problems. If a parent or community member brings something to the board's attention that needs research before an answer can be given, thank them for the comment, tell them the board needs time to research the issue and then give an approximate date when they can expect an answer.

The board president should retain control of the meeting at all times and not allow the board to be drawn into confrontations. If a board member or audience member gets off on a tangent, politely direct them back to the question.

Even though board members have the right to disagree on issues, once a vote is taken, the majority rules and becomes the stance of the board. Board members should stand behind the decisions of the board, especially when questioned by the media or community stakeholders.

When addressing fellow board members and constituents, remember the rules of grammar and try to avoid confrontational language. Also try to avoid technical terminology that can be misunderstood. Speak clearly and distinctly.

Don't rely on word of mouth or believe that school staff will read the minutes or the story in the morning's newspaper. Prepare summary sheets of board actions for distribution to all staff.

Don't let board meetings degenerate into something that looks and sounds like a "Firing Line" segment. Avoid raising your voice, even if the person speaking to you has raised his or her voice. By remaining calm, you may be able to diffuse the speaker's anger.