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Board discusses retreats, Open Meetings Act training and team-building plans
Summary
Trustees discussed options for board development, including Open Meetings Act training, DISC assessments, superintendent evaluation training, and team‑building events; board asked staff to schedule an Open Meetings Act session and consider timing for retreats and team-building.
Trustees discussed board development Feb. 11, considering inside‑the‑boardroom training, offsite team‑building and the frequency of professional development for the board.
The topics trustees raised included a refresher on parliamentary procedure, Open Meetings Act training (with suggestion to use the board’s legal counsel or MASB), DISC behavioral assessments to help new and returning trustees work together, and superintendent evaluation training required by policy. Trustee McLean and others recommended using the district’s lawyers for an Open Meetings Act session because of the lawyers’ direct role in advising the board. Trustees also discussed the possibility of using MASB (Michigan Association of School Boards) for some trainings.
For offsite team-building, trustees floated options such as escape-room activities, cabin retreats, the OAC facility and other group events. Members noted open‑meetings constraints and cautioned that social events must avoid creating prohibited private gatherings among a quorum; several trustees suggested conducting legal training first and then scheduling team‑building activities.
Trustees proposed a cadence for development activities — suggestions ranged from quarterly sessions alternating training and team‑building to biannual sessions — and discussed aligning these sessions with the board’s earlier strategic development and retreat work. Staff agreed to compile prior planning notes, coordinate schedules, and pursue options for an Open Meetings Act training in the coming months, with other team‑building events to be planned for summer or August when schedules permit.
No formal action was taken; the discussion produced direction for staff to schedule training offerings and to bring options back to the board.
