By RONI REINO rreino@fosters.com |
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
DURHAM — While Oyster River High School teachers were packing up their classrooms for the summer, School Board members were re-evaluating board and budget goals for the upcoming school year.
Although the board did not come to a consensus on how to approach next year's school department budget, members discussed how to continue open communications and efficient use of board time.
When discussing how to refine board meeting efficiency and protocol, members had a variety of suggestions, including having shorter meetings and covering more agenda items at meetings.
Member Jocelyn O'Quinn said the Board could reach out to other boards for advice on how to continue to have productive and efficient meetings.
"We keep trying to make things more efficient, but at some point you need advice," she said, adding the board needs to expand beyond itself.
Superintendent Howard Colter said it might be worthwhile for the board to consider having an annual meeting, on a scheduled day, to allow each committee — such as the Advisory Budget Committee or Wellness Committee — to present its progress. Adding presentations on already packed agendas has sometimes caused the board to create Special Meetings when they run out of time during regular meetings, Colter said.
Member Megan Turnbull said she agreed and thought it would provide broader community communications and inform the public when such presentations would be scheduled.
When talks turned to conducting a successful superintendent search and the subsequent hiring of a permanent superintendent, members wanted to strike a previously discussed notion of definitely using a hiring firm.
"I don't think we're ready to talk about that," member Megan Turnbull said. "I think it is one tool in the toolbox, but I prefer not to call it out yet."
Although members said they agreed, Co-Chair Ann Wright reminded the board that firms look to make presentations in June. If they wished to consider a firm in the fall during the permanent superintendent search, they would have to consider speaking with firms now to get an idea of their costs, procedures and availability.
The board included discussion from some Advisory Budget Committee members who were present during the workshop session to discuss how to move forward with budget goals.
However, O'Quinn said before pinpointing a specific budget requirement for administrators, she wanted to see what the anticipated budget climate and educational needs might look like.
With input from Business Administrator Sue Caswell, the Board discussed the potential need to focus on updating its capital improvement plan and anticipate for future programming changes.
Advisory Budget Committee member Tom Merrick said he would like the board to consider "fostering a budget" instead of giving a specific monetary request for administrators who would be planning budgets. He also added it would be beneficial if the board tried to keep a tight budget.
"Strive for a complete budget such that there is no surplus that leads you to over spend," he said.
Turnbull said she would like to see the budget include some of last year's priorities, including technology, world languages, ongoing professional development, high school music programming, maintaining class guidelines and analyzing bus routes for efficiency.
The board asked the business administrator and Advisory Budget Committee members to come back during a yet-to-be determined July workshop meeting to discuss how much money the district spent last year without "one-time" costs and to provide more input.
Although the board did not come to a consensus on how to approach next year's school department budget, members discussed how to continue open communications and efficient use of board time.
When discussing how to refine board meeting efficiency and protocol, members had a variety of suggestions, including having shorter meetings and covering more agenda items at meetings.
Member Jocelyn O'Quinn said the Board could reach out to other boards for advice on how to continue to have productive and efficient meetings.
"We keep trying to make things more efficient, but at some point you need advice," she said, adding the board needs to expand beyond itself.
Superintendent Howard Colter said it might be worthwhile for the board to consider having an annual meeting, on a scheduled day, to allow each committee — such as the Advisory Budget Committee or Wellness Committee — to present its progress. Adding presentations on already packed agendas has sometimes caused the board to create Special Meetings when they run out of time during regular meetings, Colter said.
Member Megan Turnbull said she agreed and thought it would provide broader community communications and inform the public when such presentations would be scheduled.
When talks turned to conducting a successful superintendent search and the subsequent hiring of a permanent superintendent, members wanted to strike a previously discussed notion of definitely using a hiring firm.
"I don't think we're ready to talk about that," member Megan Turnbull said. "I think it is one tool in the toolbox, but I prefer not to call it out yet."
Although members said they agreed, Co-Chair Ann Wright reminded the board that firms look to make presentations in June. If they wished to consider a firm in the fall during the permanent superintendent search, they would have to consider speaking with firms now to get an idea of their costs, procedures and availability.
The board included discussion from some Advisory Budget Committee members who were present during the workshop session to discuss how to move forward with budget goals.
However, O'Quinn said before pinpointing a specific budget requirement for administrators, she wanted to see what the anticipated budget climate and educational needs might look like.
With input from Business Administrator Sue Caswell, the Board discussed the potential need to focus on updating its capital improvement plan and anticipate for future programming changes.
Advisory Budget Committee member Tom Merrick said he would like the board to consider "fostering a budget" instead of giving a specific monetary request for administrators who would be planning budgets. He also added it would be beneficial if the board tried to keep a tight budget.
"Strive for a complete budget such that there is no surplus that leads you to over spend," he said.
Turnbull said she would like to see the budget include some of last year's priorities, including technology, world languages, ongoing professional development, high school music programming, maintaining class guidelines and analyzing bus routes for efficiency.
The board asked the business administrator and Advisory Budget Committee members to come back during a yet-to-be determined July workshop meeting to discuss how much money the district spent last year without "one-time" costs and to provide more input.
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