Although JCSD#1 isn’t required to have a ‘public comment’ period, it’s become a means for parents and others to raise concerns, as well as keeping the community and the school district connected.
Recently, the board of trustees looked at how public comment period was working and decided it was time for a revamp.
Note: While the JCSD#1 Board of Trustees, like many other elected boards, can listen to public comments during the public comment session on the agenda, they should generally not respond directly to individual comments during that time. Their primary role is to listen and consider the feedback when making decisions, not engage in a back-and-forth dialogue with each speaker.
What’s New?
First, the public comment period has a new spot on the agenda. Instead of being at the beginning of the monthly board meetings, it’s now closer to the end.
But that’s not all. There’s an additional opportunity for public input. The board will now include public comments during their regular monthly work session. This meeting takes place on Wednesday before the usual Monday monthly board meeting. No decisions are made during the work session; it’s meant for detailed discussions on various issues. The trustees feel that hearing from the public during this session is better suited, than at the board meeting. They encourage parents and stakeholders to bring their thoughts and ideas to this session instead.
Want to know more about why these changes were made and how they might impact communication between the board and the community? Listen to Chairman Travis Pearson and Superintendent Charles Auzqui discuss these updates and some pointers about how best to use the public comment period.
