Educators petition Johnson County board to start collaborative conferencing process

Casey Satterlund, president of the Johnson County Education Association, asked the Johnson County School Board to begin the collaborative conferencing process by submitting a petition bearing 114 educator signatures and requesting that the board appoint equal numbers of board members and professional employees to a special question committee.

Satterlund told the board the petition is required by state law to trigger a confidential poll of certified employees on whether they want to engage in collaborative conferencing. She asked that the board appoint representatives — including herself and two named educators, Michael Eggers and Kayla Hensley — at the meeting so the committee can meet and complete its work before the state deadline.

Board members discussed the district policy and timeline for implementing the process, noting a December 1 target for selecting representatives under local policy. One board member moved to accept the petition and appoint committee members; the motion was seconded and approved on roll call.

The board directed staff to follow the procedural steps required by the statute and the district policy, including removing administrators from the confidential poll and ensuring only certified employees are included. The next steps are for the appointed committee to convene, set particulars for the confidential poll, and then distribute the survey to eligible employees.

Satterlund framed the petition as an attempt to establish a formal collaborative process that “will help us assist in the establishment of maintenance of an educational climate and working environment that will attract and retain a highly qualified professional staff.” The board did not add conditions to the appointment; it approved the motion to proceed.