You've heard, "Work expands to fill the time allotted". Right?
The problem is long school meetings. Why? Poor Planning.
Plesae re-read, "Poor Planning." By the board chair and the superintendent.
The agenda for each meeting is finalized by the board chair and the superintendent. Two people with no concept of time-management. If they did have such a concept, NO meeting would ever run four (4) hours. That's one hour for executive session plus three (3) hours for the business of the board.
What if good management practices were followed? The board could meet in executive session for 30 minutes, followed by not more than 90 minutes in open session.
How would they do that? Declare a Schedule. Commit to following it.
By not only having an Agenda but having a Schedule! Example:
6:30PM Call to Order (one tap of gavel is sufficient). Chair plans ahead and remembers to turn on her tablet. (It should have been already on from the Executive Session.) Roll Call by Secretary.
6:31PM Inspirational Moment, Pledge of Allegiance (by McKie? never. No "shows")
6:35PM Approve Agenda, including additions, changes, corrections.
6:39PM Consent Agenda (including time to amend Minutes for corrections, errors)
6:43PM Public Participation (10 x 3 min.) (eliminate chair's opening threats; shorten interval between, by having next speaker approach). Say, "The next speaker is _____, followed by ______."
7:15PM Voting on Executive Session items (fix the broken delay in announcing votes)
7:25PM Old Business
7:30PM New Business (Shorten Supt. Highlights; Shorten dog-and-pony shows by staff; eliminate praise and thanks by board members; chair to thank)
7:40PM Agenda Items for next meeting. (Eliminate unnecessary reading of Draft Agenda by Supt. Address only the flexible items) To add items: Motion, Second, Discussion on the Motion only, Vote.
7:52PM Board & Supt. Comments (1 min. each) Eliminate grand-standing. Severely shorten superintendent's comments. It's not his show. He is not the Center of the Universe.
8:00PM Adjourn
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