Board weighs public outreach and examines enrollment dip amid referendum planning

Board members discussed public outreach tied to future funding decisions and an apparent enrollment decline in October compared with last June. Members said the ad hoc committee has been developing a communication plan but expressed concern about waiting for external consultants. Several members proposed the board take the lead on quick, plain-language town halls and use high-attendance school events to reach parents.

Members flagged scope questions about a vendor referred to as “Golden Egg,” noting marketing firms are not necessarily referendum specialists. The board urged clarifying the consultant scope and suggested producing a short flyer or a website link to the presentation materials immediately while consultants finalize longer materials.

On enrollment, administrators displayed charts showing a drop in enrollment compared with the prior year for some grades and agreed to run withdrawals and enrollment lists to identify whether students moved to private, magnet, VOAG/technical programs, or relocated. Staff said they can pull withdrawal/enrollment data and report back, though the detailed individual-level work will take time.

Board members also discussed kindergarten waiver counts and noted preschool dynamics complicate cohort comparisons. The board requested follow-up data and suggested coordinating informational sessions with school events to maximize parent attendance before a potential referendum timeline is set.

A motion to enter executive session was later made and seconded and carried; the transcript records the motion but does not list a roll-call tally.