Mountain View Whisman trustees spend hours on self-evaluation, map out study sessions, town halls and governance calendar changes
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Summary
Trustees completed a detailed self-evaluation discussion that identified a need for measurable board goals, more regular budget and facilities study sessions, and at least one community town hall; staff will return with a proposed governance calendar and community engagement recommendations.
Trustees at the Mountain View Whisman School District spent the bulk of a special meeting on a board self-evaluation and follow-up governance planning.
Staff presented results from a 15-question, 1-to-10 scale self-evaluation survey and highlighted items with notable variance: whether the board has established measurable goals for student learning and equity, whether the superintendent gives direction to the full board rather than individual trustees, and whether confidential information is handled consistently. Trustees used the exercise to debate the board's role in setting measurable goals, how those goals should connect to the strategic plan and LCAP, and how the board should monitor progress.
Several trustees urged sharper, smaller sets of measurable goals — not numerous subpoints — and called for regular cadence and reporting (a "scorecard" or periodic study sessions) to track progress. Trustees discussed using study sessions and topic-specific town halls to gather community input earlier in the decision-making cycle and proposed embedding recurring governance items on the governance calendar (budget briefings, facilities/master plan updates, committee reports) rather than treating them as ad hoc items.
On budget oversight, trustees recommended scheduling budget study sessions earlier in the year (fall or January) so the board has timely information before March decisions rather than relying on second interim reports. Trustees also discussed rotating school-site liaisons, formalizing liaison expectations, and creating themed liaison buckets (community engagement, student services, financial oversight, external relations). Some trustees warned against overreliance on informal consensus as direction to staff and urged public clarification when direction is intended.
The board asked staff to return with concrete proposals: a governance calendar that embeds study sessions and town-hall formats, a plan for prioritized measurable goals, and recommended timing for budget and facilities briefings. The meeting produced no formal policy action on these items; trustees said they will revisit outcomes and check whether follow-up steps are completed.