Board moves next community listening session to Oct. 21, considers focused topic format

The Greater Albany Public Schools Board agreed to move its planned September listening session to Oct. 21 to avoid an overlap with ongoing OSBA training sessions, and board members discussed changing the format to increase community participation.

Board chair announced the calendar change and asked for a motion; a board member said a later date might boost turnout because it allows more time after school starts for community members to surface concerns. The board voted in favor of the date change.

Members discussed using a mixed format for listening sessions: a focused topic to attract attendees plus an open comment period so others may raise unrelated issues. Several board members said a focused topic encourages attendance and productive exchange while still preserving the listening session's primary role as a forum for any community concerns.

Superintendent Andy Gardner and staff said the long‑range facilities timeline and possible facilities open houses could be natural topics for the October session; staff also recommended running online surveys and embedding listening‑session questions into the district's planned community perception survey to broaden outreach.

Board members asked staff to draft a communications plan for the listening session and the long‑range facilities outreach and to propose a focused topic for Oct. 21 at the next meeting. The board emphasized the sessions should include time for open public comment and suggested pairing topic presentations with a general comment period to preserve their listening role.

The board also discussed having student representatives and building liaisons participate in outreach and agreed to review attendance and adjust formats if turnout is low.