Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Communications Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee reviews draft communications policy emphasizing a single board spokesperson and complaint path
Summary
The committee reviewed a communications policy draft that groups internal board communications, board-to-community interactions, complaint routing, and recommends the board president as the single spokesperson for media inquiries as a best practice.
Committee members reviewed a draft communications policy that organizes board communications into five categories: internal board communication, board-to-community, board-to-superintendent, board interactions with those who report to the board, and board-to-staff. The draft draws heavily from materials provided by the Council of Great City Schools and by the superintendent's retreat materials, and it streamlines earlier text into clearer guidance about roles.
Key items in the draft include reminders to follow open‑meeting rules, a complaint resolution pathway that encourages members to try direct, restorative approaches before escalating to leadership, and guidance that the board president should serve as the single board voice with the media as a best practice. Committee members asked about adding explicit direction for staff who report to the board and whether school-visit protocols or committee-level communications should be woven into the policy. Several members suggested turning some staff-focused guidance into staff documents rather than board policy language.
The committee did not adopt the communications policy at the meeting but requested revisions to improve clarity on staff complaint pathways, school-visit practices, and template uniformity across policies.
