Corvallis School Board holds table-rotation dinner to hear district departments' goals and progress

The Corvallis School Board on Jan. 22 held a table-rotation dinner during which departments from the district office shared their goals, aligned actions and progress with board goals, and answered questions in small-group settings.

Superintendent Ryan said the rotation was a first for the district and was intended to give board members a less formal chance to engage with department leaders and to see how district-office work connects to board goals and school improvement efforts. "This is the first time we've done that... it's an opportunity to have a less formal interaction with our leaders at the district level," Ryan said.

Board members and attendees praised the format and the information they heard. One attendee said they were impressed by the number of students involved in the earlier walkout and by the clarity and intentionality of department work; another board member thanked staff and emphasized the departments' focus on student outcomes and communication.

Comments from board members underscored that the rotation gave them updates without surprises and surfaced new details about departmental work. "I learned new things, but I didn't hear surprises," a board member said, praising cross-department communication. Another praised the communications plan and the level of transparency shown by staff.

The board did not take formal action during the dinner; members expressed a desire to repeat the format in future months and to continue strong communication between departments and the board.

The meeting adjourned at 7:55 p.m.