April 15, 2016 at 7:22 p.m.
Work session is positive for board
Editorial
Here’s an idea worth borrowing from our neighbors to the north.
Early on Tuesday morning, members of South Adams School Board gathered for a work session. Their chore: Observe and interact.
For the better part of the day, the five of seven board members who were able to attend visited classes, listened to lessons, watched teachers in action and talked with students.
The day took them from the high school to the middle school to the elementary level. They sat in on English classes, math classes, science classes and vocational classes.
Then at 4 p.m. they convened their regular board meeting and did the usual things school boards do.
But they did those usual things with an unusual degree of understanding how the schools under their charge actually function on a daily basis.
It was, a friend observed, much like industrial management spending time out on the shop floor, observing the processes first hand.
Because it was a work session, the school board couldn’t take official action. But work sessions are open to the public, and the press could have followed along if reporters had wanted to.
Ask a Jay Schools teacher when he or she last had a school board member spend significant time in the classroom. Chances are, you’ll get a blank stare.
Board members do a good job of attending school events. They’re at ball games and holiday programs and the occasional science fair. But few go beyond that.
The late Max Wolford, who truly relished being on the Jay School Board, was the rare exception. Max loved getting into the classroom, listening to teachers and visiting with kids. And it made him a better board member as a result.
For South Adams School Board, Tuesday’s work session was its fourth in four years. It’s an annual event.
Here’s hoping the Jay School Board finds room on its calendar for a similar work session of its own. It’s a simple step toward becoming a better board. — J.R.
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