[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6304849,"mediaKeyId","2453076-574cea61f4cfb0337873d903716f1657","parentId",2453076,"title","Board sets two candidate forums: March 13 (in person) and March 20 (online)","audioSeconds",843,"startMs",8872000,"endMs",9715000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2453076-574cea61f4cfb0337873d903716f1657&start=8872&end=9715","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2453076-574cea61f4cfb0337873d903716f1657/thumbnail_8872000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6304849/Washington/Board-sets-two-candidate-forums-March-13-in-person-and-March-20-online","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304849-812ddff78ff4553d5d7751058a884b28/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437623&Signature=V2FlRFt7xnNzO5ak8jFItFQFFB3MCr1pxPiwLM3d6ULiyBNxeNfoVDKQTXNObhBJBCJOCEZ3DHshuuIDKIw6sCTRbZ5Wg-cxPjSWaTOJRj1mLRbZItPu0U1KLrTllCLKiPCC7F2uRQYfVgBq~kmGXlpiHSx93p6jY1wXZ01OpEBs7QQXjX99fxJzYziJeLO~1~cR5JkCg4AS6CLhle9R0Dg-pi~D6VwHBQKdzvRVWWxq4fiMKlGfObkJHblraJVmBOxTWWOX6tlAfhRT3JKjuoI7J7kVVVabOJalvzRqa3yN3vZqIhLAfDLlRrC~1FdeiJpo3XMlbzBnmBaW~PwleA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mercer Island School District, WA","date","2025-03-01T04:52:21.753Z","article","Following its policy requirement to provide candidate information opportunities, the Mercer Island School District Board of Directors scheduled two candidate sessions ahead of the filing period.

The board selected March 13 for an in-person information session at 4 p.m. and scheduled an online session for March 20 at 7 p.m. Directors said the two-session approach—one daytime and one evening or online session—has been used in the past to accommodate differing schedules among prospective candidates and community members.

Staff confirmed they will publicize the dates through routine district communications channels and that sessions will be recorded for later viewing. Directors said the sessions will include presentations and an opportunity for attendees to ask questions. No formal policy changes were adopted.

Directors discussed timing and format; several favored one earlier and one later session to reach parents, working adults and others who might not be able to attend during the day.

The board did not vote on these dates in a formal roll-call motion; the times were confirmed by consensus during the meeting and staff will proceed with outreach and scheduling logistics.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025-2-24 MISD Board Special Mtg Study Session","oneSentenceSummary","Per district policy requiring candidate information opportunities, the board set two dates for candidate sessions: an in-person session on March 13 at 4 p.m. and an online session at 7 p.m. on March 20.","taxTitle","Mercer Island School District, School Districts, Washington","taxId",57180,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6304854,"Board debates AI meeting summaries, opts to pilot a short \"Board Buzz\" update first",1100,7400000,8500000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2453076-574cea61f4cfb0337873d903716f1657&start=7400&end=8500","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2453076-574cea61f4cfb0337873d903716f1657/thumbnail_7400000.jpg","/articles/6304854/Washington/Board-debates-AI-meeting-summaries-opts-to-pilot-a-short-Board-Buzz-update-first","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304854-fa77593fc59d43315fe425c9a700b235/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437623&Signature=QqpFswa-UC8p634xISoWotkZEpL325jtudQg1WCAJLLFBWQg9uX4C0vyRNXaZjAnlEL~zrOXSHpnholgFwqoXPUdMkcOriBcv75xuM0HvjbPZ0zz7gDGJ2nEHLhf08~Jz6uqubO0gWqYZS0OhhQmJiikZMHqkW-1Y02aV9JieVaTEF8ZmM1Ci~eEcr2HlOYtMP5DDL1fEaW4Gw2HBgTLUGYdtKnBr-tiD~QwI9pXKVA62XPF6qBG4jyjnz7t2vLzC7SBjaT1npzyQBT8PEGRDsxbVlmfRCLDnf7TsOQP-3DXsgwgPvcpMHBDFxlHWxhxZlgrgoZPIuLwHdeSIuNGvQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mercer Island School District directors considered whether to use artificial-intelligence tools to produce public summaries of board meetings.

One director said commercially available AI transcription and summarization tools can rapidly convert recorded meetings into searchable text and short summaries. Other directors urged caution: transcript outputs currently can misattribute speakers, strip context, or be reshaped by prompts in ways that could change meaning. Several directors recommended preserving the raw meeting recording and minutes as the official source while treating any automated summary as an optional access tool.

Directors asked staff to pilot a short, factual one-page update (sometimes called a \"Board Buzz\") that would list agenda items, decisions and links to recordings and minutes. Staff said they would try a pilot for the March meeting cycle, provide an estimate of the time required to produce the summaries, and return with data on readership and staff hours. Directors agreed to revisit AI-generated summaries after observing pilot results and as the underlying AI tools evolve.

No formal decision was made to adopt AI-produced summaries as the official record. The board emphasized that any automated product would need board review before publication, and that transcripts and videos remain the primary archives.","Directors discussed using AI to generate meeting transcripts and summaries but raised accuracy, provenance and editorial-control concerns. Staff agreed to pilot a short factual \"Board Buzz\" summary and return with usage and time-cost data.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6304859,"Board debates social-media rules for trustees, flags First Amendment and public-meeting limits",3542,3842000,7384000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2453076-574cea61f4cfb0337873d903716f1657&start=3842&end=7384","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2453076-574cea61f4cfb0337873d903716f1657/thumbnail_3842000.jpg","/articles/6304859/Washington/Board-debates-social-media-rules-for-trustees-flags-First-Amendment-and-public-meeting-limits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304859-09158aec6b3899eb94d5117dbc2951a9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437623&Signature=XhRTZs2BlbWlUZM-~Gswlya8KMEZHfE1siTnMLZu8c~ZYsSGTDFwUb~yjiB8vUsknU1nT6GvvpFSD4x42ASYei-F9SlRhVcOczWwUGwQ8Bvt5bGV4L3XxiMdJGsPCPxynrEYpHLGVApPs5MQB61i3GxS5~pOgjce3MgrBeOANm749ZyOAZI~0AwBB~maY9KMKCAXBmQ-V6YClhSzbdEyWyYrCOpk2hMW0PDcBOfqHUf8hzQX3RV8mk3J30BTYbdRP4tR5B4geXcdwUdm~t2HdCgMkMOn5QagERKVVD1uTUh-nZYp9qPQxImTEWcoL2YWxO7rWqT8gv0-WDXyiBosaA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mercer Island School District Board of Directors devoted a second segment of a special meeting to the question of social-media guidance for trustees and for an official board presence.

Directors framed the discussion as three separate issues: (1) rules for official board social-media accounts; (2) guidance for trustees' personal accounts (for example whether a director may identify themselves as a board member in a personal profile); and (3) whether directors should engage with district-related discussion on personal pages and, if so, how to avoid legal or governance risks.

Members raised legal concerns tied to the First Amendment and to Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) rules. One frequent point: courts have treated some elected officials' social pages as public forums when the account is used to discuss government business; in those cases, removing constituent comments has led to First Amendment challenges. Directors also worried that public online back-and-forth among board members and the public could create serial-communication risks under OPMA if exchanges reach a quorum and amount to deliberation.

Some directors expressed skepticism about setting strict limits on personal speech. Others said trustees' conduct on social platforms has produced real operational distractions in recent weeks and argued for clear guidance to reduce misunderstanding and harm. Several directors proposed an orientation module for new trustees explaining how social media can be used and misused, and said a small set of clear guidelines (rather than punitive rules) would help prevent problems.

The board did not adopt formal restrictions. Instead, directors asked staff to prepare a draft policy and separate, nonbinding guidelines (staff suggested policy language for board-related posts and guidelines for personal usage) and to bring that draft back for further discussion. Directors suggested separating stricter policy language governing official board accounts from advisory guidelines for individuals. Several directors volunteered informally to help staff draft those materials.

No enforcement mechanism was adopted at this meeting; staff will return with draft material the board can consider in public.","Directors discussed three distinct questions: official board social accounts, personal social media by trustees, and whether trustees' engagement on social platforms about district matters creates legal or governance risks. They asked staff to draft a policy and guidelines and to form a small group to help prepare the materials.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":92,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6304863,"Mercer Island board asks staff to rewrite public-comment rules, keeps 3-minute limit",3744,98000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2453076-574cea61f4cfb0337873d903716f1657&start=98&end=3842","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2453076-574cea61f4cfb0337873d903716f1657/thumbnail_98000.jpg","/articles/6304863/Washington/Mercer-Island-board-asks-staff-to-rewrite-public-comment-rules-keeps-3-minute-limit","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304863-9aaef9eda8e94460d76f18d46c0895f5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437623&Signature=JgkQJLTKQqIkofhTwXRfvZe7wPGDYFlOE3RBkQ4c~QxFtl~sXXNP-QNLPd~qEJjDWBq-W4ArOVZ~R8p6UAlUG3btdDPpt1yOzWoIk2tK~0-iysq-gbvOhaNc2s5VBfnLlP7J0BVjmZKapCLb2f3dCUQjDiItCBnriem8B~oN3iXWpAS03t0QMGIh3PJNOyVAiJjUch1NyVICd1TezXe7FHPPx67x8FZZZtmmYd356MXC0hEQ9mjIuzeW~cPdf5E1bIf3u5JDXluTNvHStsoVhy6n4PvNZFsVw68QdK8of6vc-mnsa~eG~Gvx0ltpVcb-Aswsp1Ag5rPtNNn~UkTM0Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mercer Island School District Board of Directors spent the bulk of a special meeting reviewing its public-participation rules and asked staff to draft a revised policy and a new meeting script for board review.

Board President called the special meeting to order and the board approved the meeting agenda by voice vote (5-0). Directors then discussed the district's existing public-input statement, which several members said had not been substantially updated since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the meeting directors focused on several recurring issues: whether public comment should be limited to items on the agenda or remain open to any district-related topic; a consistent per-speaker time limit; how to handle repetitive speakers who return repeatedly on the same topic; whether profanity and targeted personal attacks should be explicitly prohibited; how to treat student speakers; and the mechanics of online sign-up and the posting of written comments.

Several directors said they favor keeping a 3-minute limit for individual speakers and enforcing an overall cutoff if necessary; others said the board should explicitly bar profanity and direct, personal attacks on individuals. Directors discussed a longstanding local practice of asking online speakers to sign up in advance for technical reasons and said that practice should be clarified in policy rather than left informal. The board also heard that written comments are currently read by the board and attached to BoardDocs after the meeting.

Directors debated whether student speakers should have a different standard. Several directors said they want to preserve or expand opportunities for students to speak or present, but to do so through a separate, predictable pathway (for example, a scheduled student report or recognition slot) so student presentations are heard and not cut off.

The board voted, by consensus, to have staff prepare a policy draft and an updated \"script\" (the language read at the start of meetings) that incorporates the board's preferences on time limits, civility, written comments and online sign-up. Staff said they would circulate the proposed new script to directors before the next meeting. Directors also asked staff to adjust the posted agenda order so student reports and recognitions appear earlier in meetings, before public comment.

No new disciplinary procedures or penalties were adopted at the meeting; the board's direction was to return with a proposed policy and draft meeting script for future public review and action.

Votes at the meeting: The agenda was adopted by voice vote, 5-0; the meeting was later adjourned by voice vote, 5-0.","Directors discussed changes to the district's public participation policy, including civility rules, a 3-minute per-speaker limit, student exemptions and online signup procedures, and asked staff to return with a draft policy and a revised opening script.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board sets two candidate forums: March 13 (in person) and March 20 (online)

Board debates AI meeting summaries, opts to pilot a short "Board Buzz" update first

Board debates social-media rules for trustees, flags First Amendment and public-meeting limits

Mercer Island board asks staff to rewrite public-comment rules, keeps 3-minute limit