Lakota Schools board retreats to clarify roles, build trust and prioritize student achievement

Members of the Lakota Schools Board of Education opened a retreat that combined team-building exercises with a practical review of governance duties, communication protocols and strategic priorities. The meeting featured small-group activities designed to surface common ground and a review of a “top 10” list of board responsibilities drawn from OSBA guidance.

The facilitator framed the retreat as time to “calibrate together” on how the board will work, encouraging members to send questions in advance for agenda items and to rely on a consistent Wednesday leadership meeting to shape the Friday-published agenda. On priorities, the facilitator said the board must “put our big rocks in first” and keep student achievement and student opportunities at the center of decisions.

Discussion stressed the difference between policy and operations: the board sets policy and strategic direction while the superintendent and executive team handle procedures and day-to-day implementation. Board members voiced a shared interest in avoiding micromanagement and in using recurring agenda templates so critical items are reviewed at appropriate times.

The retreat closed with agreement on follow-up work, including pulling historical records and expenditure data on board-funded community-event attendance (the authorized public-purpose expenditures list) and reworking the master facilities committee calendar. The session adjourned after a final roll call.