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Trustees press for clearer roles and confidentiality rules with staff
Summary
During the governance session trustees stressed the importance of following the chain of command and keeping confidential matters within appropriate channels after several members described side conversations with staff and constituents.
Trustees spent a substantial portion of the meeting discussing the boundary between board members' communication and staff authority. Multiple members said they have received constituent complaints directly and some board-level commentary has happened outside formal channels, and they urged adherence to the process that routes concerns first to the involved staff or principal and then to the superintendent if unresolved.
One trustee framed the concern: if a parent has a school‑level problem, they should first address it with the principal rather than raising it directly at the board table. Staff and other trustees said that while some instances are small, recurring side conversations can undermine staff operations. The board did not enact a new policy during the session, but members asked staff to clarify and reinforce existing procedures so complaints follow the proper touchpoints.
