Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Workforce Education Partnerships topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board hears proposal for local Business Advisory Council; members raise governance and duplication concerns
Summary
Board member Zach Duffy proposed creating a local Business Advisory Council to expand internships, career exploration and employer partnerships for Big Walnut students.
Board member Zach Duffy outlined a proposal on Jan. 13 to establish a local Business Advisory Council to strengthen ties between Big Walnut schools and local employers, expand internships and career exploration, and inform curriculum planning.
Duffy said a local BAC could complement regional efforts by the educational service center and cited Dublin City Schools' model for locally administered business engagement and credentialing. "The local BAC provides a local footprint and feedback," Duffy said, describing benefits such as internships, job shadowing and industry-informed curriculum.
Other board members raised concerns about overlap with an existing BridgeEd partnership the district approved in May 2024. "It seems like BridgeEd is doing exactly this," one member said, asking whether Duffy's outreach in the community was as an individual or on the board's behalf. Board members also noted compliance paperwork the Ohio Department of Education requires for a BAC and observed that the ESC currently handles those filing and administrative burdens for the district.
Doug Crowell said the district could maintain both regional ESC activity and a separate local BAC if the board wished to do so, but emphasized the need for clarity about roles and communication to avoid confusing the public. Several board members asked the administration to report back on BridgeEd's current activities, how a local BAC would differ, and what filings or formal board resolutions would be required.
The board did not take formal action. Members asked that administration add a discussion of board protocols, bylaws and committee procedures to the February agenda so the board can review how to receive, vet and advance proposals from individual members. Several members suggested further research, including use of Boffman Street (an existing district facility) as a possible career‑and‑trade annex that could be paired with employer partnerships.
