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St. Joseph board discusses formal communication protocol with incoming superintendent
Summary
Board members and outside facilitator worked through a proposed protocol for how and when trustees contact Superintendent Ashley McGinnis, stressing transparent, documented email and limited use of texts for urgent items.
The St. Joseph School Board spent much of its work session discussing how trustees should communicate with newly hired Superintendent Dr. Ashley McGinnis, focusing on who may contact her, what channels to use, and what demands immediate notification.
Facilitator Catherine opened the conversation asking, “Who communicates with the superintendent? How often? For how long? How should questions be handled?” The discussion framed communication as part of the board’s dual role to “support, monitor” the superintendent in her first year.
Board members described past practices as inconsistent and opaque. One board member said the previous superintendent “would just jump in and answer it,” which left other trustees uncertain what information had been exchanged. Multiple trustees urged that routine questions be sent by email and cc: the board secretary and the president or vice president so everyone has the same record. “If we all know, we can all be aware of what's coming in,” a board member said.
Trustees distinguished email, text and phone use. The group agreed brief, non-urgent queries can be texted, but asked that substantive or record-worthy questions go by email so the board secretary (as the record custodian) can retain a copy. The board also discussed that texts and personal-device messages may be subject to subpoena and advised trustees to consult counsel if unsure.
McGinnis said she prefers to receive emergency notices by phone or text but asked for “some grace” in expecting immediate replies during meetings: “If it's an emergency, text or call. I'm always gonna pick up the phone if I'm not right in with someone.” She added routine items can be handled by email and by scheduled check-ins.
Trustees and staff recommended a periodic check (roughly three months into the superintendent’s tenure) to evaluate how the communication protocol is working. The session ended with a plan to formalize a protocol that: routes regular questions by email (cc: board secretary and president/vice president), reserves texts/phone calls for urgent items, and asks McGinnis and staff to flag items that merit district-wide notification.
Board members asked staff to draft written norms for review and to bring the item back for discussion in a future meeting.
