At the Aug. 5 workshop the Martin County School Board discussed multiple policy items, with sustained attention on evaluation of administrative personnel and the process for committee appointments.

Board member Miss Roberts proposed inserting a sentence in policy 6.04 (evaluation of administrative personnel) stating that, unless the superintendent grants a written exemption, an employee can receive an effective or highly effective rating only after successful completion of all components of their published job description. Several board members supported stronger accountability and warned against evaluations that simply "check boxes."

Human Resources and district staff cautioned that rigidly tying ratings to a static job description could be impractical; supervisors sometimes reassign duties, and job descriptions may need updating. Superintendent John Maine and director of professional learning Heather Platt told the board that evaluations are already paced through the year and that reviews provide a natural opportunity to examine and, when necessary, update job descriptions. Platt outlined the evaluation cadence for school administrators: deliberate-practice plans in September, a midpoint review in January, a final review in May and another review after student-growth scores are returned.

On committee appointments, board members asked staff to identify which committees are mandated (by statute or policy), which could be phased out, and how committee terms should align with the school year. The board directed staff (Miss Falls and Miss Falls' team) to present a committee-by-committee review at the September workshop; policy changes would be advertised and then could return for board action per the normal timeline.

Other policy items were discussed in brief: field-trip language was recommended to be revised so the boardnot the 75-mile threshold alonereviews trips that keep students out of the district overnight or out of state, and the board asked that itinerary changes during trips require superintendent-or-designee notification when studentshealth, safety or welfare is affected. The board also agreed to pause approval of the physical education policy to allow insertion of language related to the presidential fitness test.

No final policy amendments were adopted at the workshop; staff will return revised language for board consideration.