Talking to Your School Board

Posted: October 01, 2008

Our board members volunteer many hours of their time for the benefit of our community’s students and children. They know they represent large numbers of citizens who elected them to their positions, and they want to hear from those citizens about issues that are critical to all students they represent. At the same time, they are very much aware that their role is to hire the superintendent, set policy and adopt goals; the superintendent and other administrators are responsible for day-to-day operations.

When you are considering taking a concern to a board member, ask yourself if the board is the proper place for this concern. Here’s a quick checklist to help you with that decision:

  • If I am concerned about something, have I already talked to those closest to the problem and tried to resolve it there? If it wasn’t resolved there, have I followed the chain of command through the superintendent or president? Is it still unresolved?
  • Is my concern something that affects all students in my district or region, rather than one student, one classroom or one school?
  • If my concern is an idea, comment or question about daily operations, have I talked with the appropriate administrator?

If your answer to these questions is "yes" but you are still not satisfied that the problem has been solved, you have probably followed the right "chain of command" and should think about contacting the board.

While anyone is welcome to speak to the Board of Trustees, please keep in mind that there are also other channels available to individuals who have a question or concern. The following points are good examples of how to use the “chain of command”:

  • A classroom question or concern should be discussed with the classroom teacher. If the issue is not resolved at the classroom level, the issue may be brought to the attention of the principal.
  • A school-level question or concern should be discussed with the principal (or department supervisor). If the issue is not resolved at the school level, the issue may be brought to the attention of the assistant superintendent or superintendent.
  • A district-wide question or concern should be discussed with the assistant superintendent or superintendent. If the issue is not resolved, the issue should be brought to the attention of the board.

If you want to talk or write to school board members, call the school district office at (208-436-4727) for the board members’ names, addresses, phone numbers and the zones they represent. Trustees email addresses can be found on the Internet at the District website at www.minidokaschools.org.  

The Board of Trustees also welcomes public comment at the regularly scheduled meetings. People who want to talk about an item which is on the agenda may be called on at the time that agenda item is discussed. Those who want to speak about an item that is not on the agenda are usually called upon during a time set aside at the beginning of the meeting.  Each person who wishes to speak during this time must complete a “Request to Address the Board" form, which can be obtained from the board clerk prior to the meeting. In order to give everyone a fair chance in the time available, there may be a time limit of three minutes placed on each person who speaks. Comments should be in good taste and demonstrate consideration for others. Comments regarding specific individuals are inappropriate. You will want to organize your thoughts and be ready to stay within the allotted time.

If you want to work with our board for the benefit of the students in our community, invite board members to attend community events and meetings. Ask them to describe what is going on in the local schools and discuss education issues. You can also volunteer to serve on a board-appointed committee.

By: John Fennell, Assistant Superintendent