School board debates communications committee versus coordinator and looks to a monthly board digest
Summary
Board members debated forming a communications committee, hiring a part-time coordinator, or using interns; Chair proposed a coordinator/facilitator model supported by administration and a monthly "board direct" product to streamline messaging and limit extra meetings.
Board members discussed how to improve the board's public-facing communications and whether to create a standing communications committee, assign a coordinator, or hire part-time support.
Miss Rizzi urged the board to consider a "part time comms person," saying consistent, professional support would reduce workload on members. Miss Ricard and others recommended a small team or triad to share responsibility and avoid centering communications on one individual.
The chair proposed assigning a coordinator or facilitator to "oversee our collective goals as relates to community engagement by way of communication," using existing administrative templates and a monthly board digest to centralize content before distribution. Superintendent Kamras offered an administrative solution: produce a monthly "board direct" document that the clerk's office can transmit and that board members can amplify through their own channels.
Budget concerns and workload were recurring themes: some members preferred a low-cost internship model tied to CTE or curriculum programs, while others cautioned about uncompensated labor and urged budgeted, compensated support if feasible.
Next steps: Board members agreed to refine the approach and bring a proposal back (including a draft workflow and potential role description) for consideration at a future meeting, with a February follow-up discussed during the meeting.
