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Medford SD 549C board adopts operating agreement after rejecting amendment on school visit limits
Summary
The Medford SD 549C Board of Education adopted a Board Operating Agreement May 21 with a 6-1 vote after rejecting an amendment that would have altered a 1.5-hour classroom visit limitation; Director Michael Williams voted against the final motion.
The Medford School District 549C Board of Education voted 6-1 May 21 to adopt a Board Operating Agreement after defeating an amendment that would have softened a proposed limit on school visits. Sandra LaNier McHenry moved to adopt the agreement; Lilia Caballero seconded.
Director Michael Williams offered an amendment to insert the word "classroom," remove the phrase "not to exceed," and instead specify visits "to be scheduled for" 1.5 hours. Williams said teacher feedback favored longer visits and that the MEA polling he cited showed most teachers welcomed visits beyond 1.5 hours. The Board discussed trust with building leaders, the need to act in good faith, and the possibility of revisiting the agreement at a summer retreat.
On a roll-call vote the amendment failed 3-4 (Johnsen: Yea; Williams: Yea; Zbikowski: Yea; Caballero: Nay; LaNier McHenry: Nay; Spicer: Nay; Ferguson: Nay). The main motion to adopt the Board Operating Agreement then passed 6-1 (LaNier McHenry: Yea; Spicer: Yea; Williams: Nay; Caballero: Yea; Johnsen: Yea; Zbikowski: Yea; Ferguson: Yea).
The discussion preceding the votes centered on administrators' survey results and union input. Chair Kendell Ferguson noted the Board had asked the superintendent to survey principals about visit durations; those survey results indicated principals preferred visits not exceed 1.5 hours. Director Williams said the MEA feedback differed and that teachers did not view extended visits as disruptive.
The Board did not amend the agreement further and adopted the document as presented. The Board plans to discuss broader governance and visit practices at the upcoming summer retreat.
