Community Involvement Committee - Sept 1, 2006

[Guest sullinss]

Billings Public Schools

Minutes of the Community Involvement Committee

Friday, September 1, 2006

12:00-1:00 p.m.

 

Present: Rachel Staag, Kathy Kelker, Jack Copps

Absent: Sandy Mossman

 

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss next steps following the Community Breakfast held on July 28 from 7:30-9:00 in the Granite Room at the Sheraton Hotel. It was agreed that the discussion at the breakfast was worthwhile, but that it did not give much direction for next steps. The participants at the breakfast provided feedback on the reasons they felt the district has trouble in passing a mill levy. Suggestions ranged from failure of communication on the part of the Board to inherent problems with the Montana tax system.

 

The Community Involvement Committee agreed to send personal thank you letters to all the Breakfast participants. Their names will be added to the database that Malcolm Goodrich is creating. Breakfast participants have also been providing Malcolm with additional names of positive individuals who would help the district in passing a mill levy.

 

As another next step, the Committee discussed providing information to parents who attended the Ice Cream Socials and Open House at the beginning of the school year. Kathy and Rachel have already provided a one page flier for the Washington School Open House on August 29th and all of the middle school open houses on August 31st. It was decided that the same flier that was used in August should be provided to all the other schools to distribute to the parents who attend their events at the opening of school. Jack will see to the printing of the materials and their distribution.

 

The Committee also discussed reconvening the “Breakfast Group” with some additional people. After some debate, the Committee decided instead to invite a smaller, but very active group to a luncheon in September. The date selected was September 29th, a time when Lyle Knight would be available to attend. The invitees were to include: Steve Corning, Jennifer Brevik, Mike Gulledge, Josh Stagg, Ron Sexton, Jim Duncan, Chuck Aragon, Karen Long, Gary Buchanan, Scott Asay, Spence Griffin, Doug Bennion, Bob Merchant, M.D., Jane McCracken, Jase Norsworthy, Greg LaMotte, Monty Wallace, and Mary Underriner. Kathy Kelker will write the invitation and get it to Cindy Curnow. Cindy will be asked to send out the invitations.

 

Other suggestions discussed by the Committee included: monthly Op-Ed pieces in the Gazette, Speakers Bureau, and meetings with staff in the buildings. The Committee discussed at some length how to get more of the staff and parents registered to vote. Since the November election has no school issues, it seemed appropriate to distribute registration cards and absentee ballot cards in the schools. Jack said he would look into doing this type of distribution.

 

A question that came up in discussion was how to interface with the Budgeting for Results process. In order to prepare for a mill levy, the Committee will have to know a long way in advance whether a mill levy will be proposed and what is likely to be paid for with mill levy dollars. This topic will be brought up at Agenda Setting for discussion.

 

 

The meeting was adjourned at 1:25 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Katharin A. Kelker