PTO volunteer urges Waterloo Local board to restore public-facing open forums

A PTO volunteer told the Waterloo Local Board of Education the district's fundraising committee is "going really well" and outlined plans to supply requested classroom materials and to host a teacher appreciation coffee truck on Nov. 19.

During the same public-comment turn, the speaker said the superintendent had emailed to remind community members that board policy requires statements to be directed to the presiding officer and discourages approaching board members or administrators individually. The commenter said that practice has changed the tone of public engagement and that "the optics aren't great when we tell our community they cannot engage publicly with our elected Board of Education." She asked the board to "reconsider this policy or at the very least consider scheduling open forums on a regular basis." (PTO volunteer)

A board member responded that the district is "looking at scheduling a couple open forms per year" and expected to implement some public forum opportunities next year. The board did not adopt an immediate policy change during the meeting.

Why it matters: Public comment procedures determine how parents and community members can raise concerns directly with elected trustees. The request raises a procedural question the board will need to answer as it finalizes meeting and communications practices for the next school year.

What's next: Board members said they plan to schedule at least one or two open forums next year; any formal change to the district's communication policy would require board review and legal vetting.