2/25/2026 Board of Education Workshop

001Um, I'd like to welcome you all tonight to this evening's the Augusta School Department workshop at CATC. We are here Wednesday, February 25th, 2026. And it is a little late getting started. It is 6:55. And our plan for this evening, I'll remind you that even though [cough] we're in a little bit different setup, it's the same as a board meeting with asking for permission to speak, please, just to make sure we don't step on each other. And with that, we have our name tags, so we don't need to make introductions. So, I will introduce Eric Wadell, who's here with us from the MSMA, Main School Management Association, which includes both the main school boards association and the main schools school boards association. So, welcome Eric. And with that, I'm gonna let you take it away.

002>> Yeah, thank you so much. Thank you all for um sticking hanging in there right after a really exciting presentation from your uh from the architects for your new school. That's so exciting. Uh I was going to say that you know there are some superintendents who I I was a high school principal for 14 years. So there are high school principles who um who maneuver their careers around avoiding uh uh NAS accredititation [laughter] and there are superintendents who maneuver around building >> I know I missed that. So, the fact that that Mike is sticking in there with you uh through through what looks like a really exciting project for a new uh um really age three to grade eight grade eight grade six uh school. That's really exciting. So, congratulations to you. Uh that's that's

003that's wonderful that you were selected first. Good deal, too. Um um as uh as Muffy said, my name is Eric Wedell. I'm the uh executive director of main school management association as well as the main school superintendent association and the other organization that's housed uh under our roof uh right over there by the civic center is the main um school superintendent association. So three organizations under one roof and you may be thinking well why have three organizations? Well, um, the Maine School Boards Association is self-explanatory. We're here to serve and support our over 1,700 board members from across the state of Maine, uh, including doing things like this tonight. And, uh, the main school super association supports the, you know, nearly 200 200 plus superintendent uh, in the state of Maine. and Main School Management

004Association is the host of those two organizations, but we also have uh five lines of um insurance that our members are in are um have access to and maybe Augusta taps into some of those as well. Uh flexible spending accounts, uh property and casualty, dental, uh short-term disability, long-term disability, and we have uh robust workers compensation program as well, all housed under one organization. So, uh, let me very briefly tell you a little bit about myself. Uh, I've been with the association now, uh, since July 1st, 2025, replacing Steve Bailey, who may have been here and may have done some workshops, uh, with you in the past. Uh prior to that I was the superintendent of schools um worked with Mike in the MSSA for eight years in Kery and uh really enjoy that job

005and uh and would still be there today in fact if it weren't for Steve Bailey deciding to finally decide to retire [laughter] although I do tap his knowledge uh pretty pretty much on a regular basis. Uh prior to uh my eight years as a superintendent of schools, I was uh a high school principal uh for 14 years at two different high schools at Trape Academy in Kiry and uh Prescott High School, which I understand if any of you are following basketball. Uh Cody and Prescott High School uh had I think a quarterfinal game or a semi-final game that that went in your direction. I would say I will say, but I was in Prescott High School for 20 years. um 10 years as roughly 10 years as the high school principal uh and then assistant

006principal and uh I taught for uh English for all those other years as well. Couple years in curriculum in RSU35 which is where we live. We live in South Burwick. Uh RSU35 is LA and South Burwick. And uh that's it. I guess that's it. My dad was my high school principal. You probably should know that. I I and he went on to become the superintendent. I was born and raised in Fort Kent and I was just there a few weeks ago during the school break to bring my kids skiing where I learned to ski. I could ski if I was we at the top of the hill. It wasn't a big one. Not don't don't picture, you know, a shirt or anything like that or Sunday river. A nice little tea bar and and my

007parents would say as they dropped us off, make sure you're at the top when the when the lift closes because we could ski home >> off the back of the hill. I What a great place to grow up. Um anyway, so that that was my home for um for growing up. I was born and raised there. Uh we won't I won't take too much time. I I don't think we need to introduce uh take the time to introduce you all but uh let me just say that board governance is a is an important is really an important part of what you all do. Um I know for for sure that you all engaged in a a very robust uh professional develop professional development opportunity I think in January. It was a on a Saturday a

008full day as I understand it uh including uh Carl Peas's um uh parliamentary procedure uh among I think maybe some other things that you were learning about that day. So that uh that's important that speaks very highly of um of the Augusta school department of the school board of the school committee I should say and um and the work that you're doing. Uh, I have a I have a slide deck and it's not the same one that Steve used and um I I will say that uh I've been last my last session I was in up in Holton in RSU 29 and we managed to get through about half of the uh half of the slides in in about two and a half hours. I they didn't want to leave and I was behind staying

009up there. My family has a lakehouse uh up there and and I was excited to go and check it out to make sure our our plow plow person has been actually uh clearing the snow out. Uh and uh so we we just get into these really exciting conversations around schoolboard governance and it's hard to stop. However, I know that you have been here for a long time and so we're we have a hard stop at 8 o'clock, I promise. And anything we don't get to, I can come back. Um, you know, unlike the other unlike driving up to Holton, Maine, I can scoot over here at any time. I and I coordinate that with Mike or with uh Muffy or or whoever is responsible for coordinating your professional development school. >> Yes. >> Oh, no.

010Want to interrupt? >> No, I was going to ask you if I have to happen to by chance uh be talking about lonesome pines. >> Lonesome pine trails. >> I was I just got back to Port Sunday. I was snowmobile. >> You snowmobile. We got to keep you guys on track. [laughter] >> Can I talk? No. No. We may not. We may not. >> I love making those connections. Um, all right. So, schoolboard governance is uh such an important uh part of what you do and uh it can make for very smooth meetings and and my sense already and I'm just getting to know Mak now, but I have a feeling that she runs a a pretty tight ship, which I think is probably a very good idea. And if any of you were at

011my pre-conference last October for the uh the pre-conference for those who it was the board chair training or board chair um wannabes. I said anyone who is even contemplating becoming a board chair comes to can come to this workshop that we had at pre-conference of our fall conference. And one of the things that I said at that conference was I made I made a reference to a soccer referee. My my two boys and I are soccer referees. I don't I don't enjoy soccer refereeing. I I coached youth soccer forever. That was very difficult. Uh if any of you have been down that road before, it's it's challenging. Um and I made it through eighth grade and then I handed them off to the high school. And uh but I as my kids, we have four

012kids, 22, 19, 17, and 15. And I was finding as they get older and get a driver's license, it's harder and harder to spend time with them. So there was a and any time that particularly my senior in high school shows any glimpse of of spending any time with me of any kind, I I jump right on it. So he a couple years ago said, "Hey dad, you want to take the the soccer referee course?" So he did. We referee soccer games together and we sometimes we even drive there together and and maybe if his earbuds aren't in we can even talk. Uh so I compared uh at that board show workshop I compared a board meeting to to what a soccer referee does or or doesn't do and how the effects are exactly the

013same. So, as a soccer referee, my my job when I arrive at the field, uh, I'm setting the tone for that game. I, uh, I'm in uniform, my socks are pulled up, um, my shirts tucked in, I arrive, I look professional, uh, I make sure the field is ready, the nets are in place, all those things. And um and that that level of professionalism that that that I and I try to I try to get my sons to buy into that too. Although I do get some eye rolling uh from time to time and and they're absolutely refusing to pull their socks up because that's certainly not uh cool for uh a 15 or 16 or 17 year old. But I explained to them that that you know, you set the tone for the game

014uh by the by when you arrive in the parking lot and walk onto the field and and um and how you carry yourself during the pregame and how you interact with the coaches. All of that impacts how the game goes. The same is true for a board meeting. uh you know how you making sure as as a as a former superintendent making sure that the room is set up before people arrive making sure that uh the agendas are prepared properly and copies are made and that uh everyone arrives well in advance and just setting that tone of professionalism sets the tone for the whole meeting. It's not foolproof. And there are times when you can, you know, there were times when I had when when my sons and I did that for a soccer game

015and and you know, the the game, you know, unraveled and we may have had to throw up a few yellow cards. Uh it's not perfect, but it's certainly uh it's certainly better than than not doing any of those things because when you don't uh it really it it really does have a negative effect on the camp. As I said, same is true for a board meeting. Um, and it is it always going to prevent your meeting from from going a little bit sideways? No. And I know that you have experienced that and it's not it's it's not fun. Uh, but we learn from it and we move forward and um we we continue to add little tools of board governance so that uh we become better and better at it. So, but board governance [clears

016throat] before I launch into this board governance is oftenimes people want uh board governance to be rooted in statute. And I will say that that's almost never the case [snorts] that even today for example I received three different phone calls from three different board chairs uh from across the state seeking to clarify something in statute. Um, and and I'll just give you one one quick example. Um, there was a um a board chair who was at odds with a another board member um and the superintendent was trying to help them navigate and it had to do with the statute. This was in statute that permits uh that that that gives the board um the the the the statutory option to authorize the superintendent to um move within the 11 cost centers up to 5% of

017that cost center uh into another cost center or or or you can split split it into several cost centers. And the statute is very very short. And the um the board chair wanted uh wanted me to tell her that uh it it's in statute that that u the board can can essentially give the one annually uh give the superintendent authority to do that through the whole year. uh because there was a board member who felt that that had that should be done every time a transfer is done with from within a cost that should be done every time and I said the the statute doesn't say it either way and she wanted me to because she wanted to be able to go back to that particular board member and say see this is what it

018says and that is very often the case with a lot of um with a lot of our board governance challenges that they're not rooted in statute and So we have to use best practice or we have to refer to policy or we refer to just um past practice within within the work that the board does and that can be a little challenging particularly when you find out that well at next door at the at that school board they do it differently and so um I often launch these workshops by saying that if you're if you're looking for a legal reference one after another after another after another you're you're not going to really find that. There's not there's no place in statute that says that your chair um should should uh make sure that the

019boardroom is set up perfectly and the DAS is neat and tidy and that the the agendas are are are are printed and ready to go at the door as people walk in because all of that sets a positive tone for the meeting and and typically results in a positive productive meeting. There's no statute that says that. That's just good practice and that's often what uh board governance is. So, let me tell you what's in your folder because we're not going to get to everything. If I couldn't get through it in two and a half hours with RSU 29, I'm definitely not going to be able to do it here today. >> Just a question. Are we Can we go till 8:30, Mike, because that's what I have on the time. >> We could go We

020could go to 8:30. Whatever. >> We'll see how things are going. There's an option there. So, if you're doing really well, we let you keep going. >> Sounds good. >> You blow the whistle at 8:00. There's no overtime >> and then you'll know >> that sounds good. If you pull the plug at 8, I'll know that this didn't go well. Perfect. Okay. I'll absolutely I just didn't want to uh I know you some of you have been here a while. So, all right. In your folder, um I want to tell you what's in your materials. All right. So, this is an example of one that you have on the the right side pocket. As you're looking at it, you'll see that there are copies of the slides. So, you can have those and and take

021notes as you go. Um, you know, I prepared this a week ago and and um during the storm I was making a few modifications to the to the slide deck. So you it's 95% what what you'll see here today. Behind that are copies of all of the policies from the from the Augusta School Department that are ref that will be referenced in here. I'm probably not going to actually click on them in the in the uh in the slide deck. it exits out of the out of the the PowerPoint. Uh I might do once or twice, but it's important for you to know that they're there. And if you and if it's not if one particular um policy isn't there, I I replaced it with our um with the MSMA sample policy, which if you

022haven't uh discovered uh our sample database, our sample policy database, uh it's really worth that alone is worth your membership to MSMA. um and and ha and knowing how to reach Charlotte Bates, our uh policy advisor and uh resident attorney in in the office. Um so I if your if your policy is not there, I'll I slipped in our policy and and uh you don't you know there are only a certain number of policies that are required by statute. Others are, you know, nice to have uh and uh and if you don't have one of those, but I make reference to it. I used our sample policy. In the other pocket on the on the left side, uh there's some materials that I just wanted to share with you uh just to tell tell you

023a little bit about our association. And behind that, there are seven case studies. Now, you can pull them out, but don't get them out of order because we're going to get to some of these. I should have numbered them, but they're all they all have a title, and I'm going to refer to them. Now, I should tell you this. The case studies are prepared and I I made them myself based really on situations that I've been introduced to since I became uh since I came to the association in July. Uh they're all the the identities of the school boards and the and the board chairs and the superintendents have been have been changed to protect their um their identity and their uh sanity. Uh but the stories themselves are uh true. these all seven of

024these actually have happened since July 1 and uh and I think that they really uh will anchor what it is that I'm trying to get at with all of you here tonight. So, um, so I I don't think Steve, uh, I don't think Steve used case studies in his presentation, but I find that, uh, we'll do a little bit of this, a little bit of the slide deck, and then we're going to launch into a case study. And, um, as I was going to say, the case studies are are really uh, I prepared them so that you could do them on your own. Uh, you could do, you know, that Muffy could lead you in a case study if you wanted to do that. Um and uh so so there are you know discussion questions

025and things like that. Some things you may decide to use uh in a in a future workshop like you just had last month and as and and I didn't and we're not going to get to all all seven of them tonight. All right. So any questions? All right. Let's launch into this. I I do want to I'm going to fast forward though. I'm coming back to all this this green slide. I'm going to go I'm going to talk about this first and I hope you can see that. Okay, I really really want to kind of customize this in the time that we have together about what it is that you want to learn about. So the black bullets are topics that are in the slide deck. They're in the presentation. The role of the school

026committee member versus the role of the superintendent that begins on slide seven. I can go right to that if we want to. There are three case studies that um that align with that particular topic. It's a big topic and it it comprises about 17 slides in the net. Uh the next one, ethics, conflicts of interest, and nepotism. It's a big topic. Maybe not an issue here for you. So if it's not, then we won't need to we won't need to necessarily talk about that one. Email and social media begins on slide 23. And the case study for that is the bus scene photo. Uh complaints from constituents. Another big topic that we I often am asked to talk about. So that begins on slide 25 and uh the the case study that aligns with that

027is the baking isle test. Uh next public comment slide 27. Um school committee self-evaluation is slide 29. And I can uh show you an example of one that we did very recent that I did recently with the main educational center for the death deaf and heart of hearing. Uh next one, where do we go wrong? Slide 30. Uh these are things that uh typical mistakes that boards are making. Uh as it relates to their governance. Can I can I talk about this confidentiality and executive sessions slide 33 and then uh the case study that goes along with that and we're going to definitely do that one is while we're here then just do this and you'll be fine. Begins on slide 37. and maybe we'll we'll go right into that at around 8:25 as as

028time is right now. And then finally some professional development uh options uh for you for you all uh that the association is going to offer. So think a little bit about this, but we are in fact going to go right into can I talk about this confidentiality and executive session begins on slide 33 and we're actually going to go right into the case study itself because the case study focuses on all of the key components of um this particular uh situation. And I believe it's the very top um case study in your materials, the very first one. It's called While We're Here. Right on. It should have been right on the top. All right. I was an English teacher. I understand the different modalities of learning, visual, auditory, tactile. And so, we're I'm going we're

029going to read this together. I'm going to read it to you and then we're going to go from there. Here we go. Here's the background for this particular case study. Uh it relates to you too, Mike. So, you'll I think you'll get um you'll be able to relate Excuse me. There's one more packet by any chance that we can give >> to Dr. Sakora so she can follow on because who knows what her aspirations are. >> Yes. >> I'll give you this one. >> One. Okay. >> Superintendent of training. >> What's that? She's superintendent training. >> Ah, good for you. >> Okay. in case. Just in case. >> Oh, you know what? >> Just in case, Kayla. >> All right, here we go. While we're here, uh you are a member of the local school

030board. At a recent regular board meeting, the board prop uh properly voted to enter executive session under the statutory exception related to negotiations and real estate matters. Yes, that is in fact uh uh an allowable permissible statutory reason to go into executive session. If you were in the process of purchasing real estate, you wouldn't want to have to discuss that in public session because it would provide an unfair advantage to someone who might be trying to compete with you. Okay. The purpose of the executive session, as stated on the record, is to receive an update from the superintendent regarding a recent bid on a parcel of land that abuts the school campus. The property uh could be cleared, paved, and used to re uh relieve long-standing parking issues during school events. Neighbors have raised repeated

031concerns about street congestion during home basketball games. Here's the executive session. During the executive session, the superintendent provides an update on the bid, discusses timing considerations, and answers board member questions related to the potential acquisition uh and the use of the property. So far so good. As the discussion winds down and before the board returns to open session, one board member asks, "While we're here, can you give us a quick update on a recent suspension that I heard about from my daughter who attends the high school? Without objecting or pausing, Superintendent Tracy, this proceeds to [clears throat] number one, share details of the suspension. Two, provide background information. Three, offer his opinion about the students conduct and the appropriateness of the discipline. Answer several follow-up questions from board members. I know Mike would never do

032>> and I just want to say while we're live streaming, Eric Wel, I would never do such >> Absolutely. nothing to do with this than Augusta at all. >> Uh but it is [clears throat] >> this doesn't have to be taped, does it? >> Grounded in truth. >> We work we typically have unless we're in like a midyear workshop. >> I tried to say we are >> Thank you. No problem. No problem. >> Yeah, we're still rolling. >> The board then exits the executive session and resumes the public meeting, but only after the superintendent >> shared all those things after the aftermath. Several days later, the family of the suspended student contacted the superintendent. They are uh they asked whether it is true that their child was discussed by name with the school board during

033executive session. Top of the back page, the superintendent now faces an uncomfortable and potentially serious situation. So, as I said, I could go through seven seven slides on executive session and uh what that all means and and confidentiality, but much much more effective, I think, to talk about this. So, let's let's talk about this particular case there. There are about five things that went wrong. Where where would you like to start? I'll count them off for you, Rita. My understanding is statutoily it's obvious the um what executive sessions have to be for and so just the move to what was it that was related to negotiations and real estate matters. So a student's conduct would not be pursuant to that MRSA which I feel like is the like that's like the one thing we do

034have that's one thing but like actually rooted in in in statute stay on topic in an executive session because of how confidential the matter is >> precisely you can have backtoback executive sessions you can have three or four executive sessions con concurrently if you want the pro the only issue there is that you have to come out of executive session each time you don't need to take action on that you might do M I don't know if you take action to leave executive session. You don't need to. You can just leave executive session. You don't need a vote to that on that and then enter back in to call the meeting in call the meeting to order in public session. And then you would immediately then read make your make the uh make the motion

035to enter executive session and again just use the proper uh statutory reference for whatever the topic is. But hopefully it's not to discuss a student disciplinary matter. Uh if that's the case and you're not in your head, um you you can discuss a a student disciplinary matter, but what has to happen in what who needs to be given the opportunity to be there? >> The student and their and their parent. Exactly. Exactly. Very good. All right. So, you're we're hitting on some biggies here. Uh any concerns around so any concerns around any of you by the way have um children who are in the school system? >> One. Yes. Excellent. I was at Bangar School. >> Grandchildren. Perfect. I was at the Bangar School Committee doing this workshop and all seven members had kids in

036school. I had never seen anything like it before. Yeah. It was impressive. So yeah. So the trick there though is remember I had mentioned that my father was a high school principal and so um and many opportunities to uh to mention things to him at the dinner table that night or uh uh and he was always very careful about saying you know what we shouldn't let's not talk about same goes with you as a board member if you have a child or a grandchild who is who is uh chatting with you about what might be or what might not be happening in school. Uh, you know, you can have that conversation, but then for you to take that as fact and then bring it to uh into the to your work as a school board

037member is uh is just not okay. So, um, all right. What other issues did we have going on here? There's a real big one. >> Yeah, the stu the students confidentiality. Yeah, we definitely talked about that. that you can't talk about that. First of all, you know, a suspense, it's a suspension. Who knows? Maybe the superintendent maybe it's going to rise to the level of a potential expulsion. But what if it does? What if this particular situation does rise to an expulsion? >> Oh, I don't know the answer to that, but the >> Go ahead. >> Well, I was just going to mention that the superintendent had used um their personal opinion. [sighs] >> Yes. So, that's the problem. If this uh if this particular disciplinary matter is elevated to an expulsion hearing, it doesn't

038mean the student's going to be expelled, but it if there's going to be an expulsion hearing, you are the judge and jury of that and you're supposed to go in there just like a juror with no bias or no, you know, very little information. But what has happened what what the superintendent has shared his personal opinion about this. And so if it ever did go to go to that way, it would be um it would be a u a latigious disaster really for the school board. The last big one though, the last big one has to do with what something that happened. What happened two days later? >> The parent found out. >> Yes. Let's say let's say let's say all of this did happen, right? All these mistakes were made. The superintendent shared his

039in opinion. One of you brought raised, you know, raised the issue uh because you heard it from your your high school age daughter and and you know all these rule you talked about something in an executive session about real estate that has nothing to do with real. Let's say all those things did happen. But really, if all of you had followed the the statute, um >> No one would know. No one would know. And uh and there you go. So, and in the case study, if you want to take a look at it, there's some um alternative endings. And I can't remember which one is the uh is the best one. I think [laughter] it might be C. Uh or or maybe even let's start. Let's look at alternative ending B. The superintendent pushes back.

040I just want to say that that's very hard for a superintendent, by the way. I just want to make that clear. And and and it that really kind of explains why these sorts of situations do happen because remember a superintendent, particularly a new superintendent, first of all, may not understand h how it works and may think that, oh wow, this is executive session. This is like this is a like the inner inner sanctum. this is this is us being really uh honest with each other and and no one's supposed to talk about it anyway. So often times that that does happen and it's very difficult for a a superintendent particularly a new superintendent to push back against the board because remember the board is the superintendent's employer, their boss. Uh you as a board do

041very few things. One of them is to hire and and um evaluate and in some cases dismiss the superintendent. So So this particular superintendent, let's assume that that they're maybe first year, maybe second year, um is going to push back against a experienced board member who's who's asking about this. It's hard to do. That would have been a good opportunity for the experienced board chair to say, "Hold on, hold on." So, but but anyway, let's look at um I think it's letter C. The superintendent begins answering the question and provides some background. After a few minutes, the chair realizes the conversation has drifted and says, "Let's stop right there. This is not what we intended. Uh we intend we we went into executive session for the board moves on and some but some details have

042already been answered." The gold standard would be if if the if the superintendent had pushed back or if if they don't feel like they can do that, then the board chair would have said, you know what, that's not what we're here for. Um, and we shouldn't be discussing uh that matter in this executive session and and and leave it at that. Any questions about that? >> I I don't have a question about that >> or comment, >> but I have a question about executive session. Go ahead. >> So, let's just say this didn't happen here, but if you enter executive session and one of your board members gets out their phone and you're like, whoa, wait a minute, phones don't be belong in executive session, to which the board member responds, where does it say

043that? Yeah, I'm not sure I'm not sure there's a statute that's that says uh that says anything about phones being out in executive session. So, I'm assuming you're you're implying that the the meeting was the executive session was being recorded. >> I I don't know. I don't know. I don't know why the phone was >> Yeah. you know that would be a perfect thing to do and this is great for any you know anyone who might be watching this after afterward too is um these types of things are best discussed when we're not you're not in the throws of it right so much easier to discuss what's the proper protocol for how are we going to run our executive sessions this year much better to do that during a summer retreat or a January retreat

044>> right now when we got you here >> right right exactly um so here here's what I would have done as a superintendent. I had a board chair for all eight years. You you met her. She was on the panel uh at the at the session in October and um you know she had very clear expectations for executive session. No one brought anything into executive session. Now I understand that in some cases the board stays uh at the dis and you clear the room. So that that's a little more difficult. In my case, in the cases where that I'm more more uh familiar with the board, everyone could stay, the people in the audience could stay, the board would leave the room and go into a conference room. And then the the rule was you

045don't bring anything, including your phone. And any handouts that you might need for the executive session will be provided by the superintendent and left uh behind on the table. No one's going to collect uh you know, salary scales or not. Not that those aren't public uh information anyway, but um you know, anything that that might be um compromising, we leave it right there on the table. And that was just the culture in in K in Kery where I was. Um yeah, >> well, it's very clear they were not supposed to talk about anything that happens at executive session. So, wouldn't having a communication device out even at all be a violation? Because you can record, but you'd also have somebody else on the line or you can text somebody. You'll never believe what just happened

046in executive. >> Sure. Those are all >> Exactly. There's But there's no statutory requirement for that. And what we might hear is, uh, well, uh, my daughter is sick and we have I have a we have a babysitter home and I just need to keep an eye. The babysitter said she was going to text me if I needed to leave and and go over things. that that those sorts of things um might might happen. But, you know, you're right. When you see a phone, you automatically assume it might be recorded and you know, you you can't you can't do that in executive session. Um you you just can't it it's uh yeah, you can't do that. I might that might be part of the slide. Um, so I just have like more or less not

047a question but an idea theory uh moving forward just anybody ever that wants to run for anything on you know a lot of times people get on the an elected position no idea what's happening you don't know the policies procedures structures um I think it'd be helpful moving forward is once you win your election once you win that seat if somehow there could be like a slideshow some type of training program put into your uh online Google drive the emails that we receive and then we have like an onboarding session weeks before we even ever ever even get sworn in sometime before you're actually on you're up on the dice right because in this instance I want to present option H right because you have to g option H is that the parent that was

048at the table that heard that evidence that info from their child already is aware that it's not okay to then bring into that because some people have no idea what is happening or even when you're in an like executive session what that team means, right? Sometimes they happen your first week on they tell you and they don't and you're just like, "Okay, we're in it." You don't even not with me, right? But option H is that the parent says, "Okay, [snorts] thank you for sharing that." And you don't do like any of that. So that never gets really, you know what I mean? That's >> Yeah. >> That they take the parent takes the high road. You mean is that is that >> it's not even just the parenting high road. I just mean just

049like the policies, procedures, things like that within your duties of this role. A lot of people get elected and they don't even know and then next thing you know you're in it, right? And then you're expected to abide by X Y and Z. >> Yeah. It's such a good >> So way to avoid I've noticed and I've only been here for a year and I'm still learning every day. >> Yeah. Board train is constant. >> Onboarding new board members is a is not easy. Yeah. And I I you know I've done this workshop just with just one person uh a new board member. We sat together for a couple hours and went through it. So you can really dig into these topics including um executive session. Um you know for sure that you are required

050to um after you're elected and before your first meeting you're required to do a freedom of access training which unfortunately is um you know MSMA has a has a short video and a slide deck. The requirement is simply the the statute requirement is simply to read on the uh uh the department's uh department of labor website there are frequently asked questions pertaining to freedom of access and uh as long as you read through the the frequently asked questions then you can print off the uh completion certificate but I'm not sure it even gets into um I'm not sure it's not nearly as thorough as even Robert's rules of order policy like the whole thing is it's extremely indepth And then the way things are it's it's very uh it's intricate and it's deep, right? Uh

051I'm sure even after my third my end of my term, I'll still be learning every day, right? Um >> yeah, >> just it would be very helpful >> to protect everybody, right? >> So for specifically for executive session or for just everything like right now, what is happening right now? What you need to know about >> playlist short videos different questions. >> We'll push them out for you on our >> Okay, >> let's get let's keep going. >> We'll sell them. [laughter] Well, wait a minute. I can sell them. >> Um, I'm gonna back up a little bit and say first of all, the first thing you do when you're uh elected, you take the oath of office. Um, every oath based on whatever your organizational structure is, you have you're you're a municipal school

052district just as Kery was. Uh, so you're a school committee as school committee, right? Are you a school committee or a school board? You are a school board. Okay. Um depending on what your structure is, RSU, AOS, CSD, union, um >> municipal school, yeah, municipal school union is what you are. Um statutoily requires a certain l some certain language with for your oath of office. that all it all includes one main factor and that is that you'll um uh you'll fulfill the duties incumbent on you as a school school director according to the constitutional laws of the state of Maine and that's a lot and right now in our country there's tension there there's tension between the the laws of the state and and the president's executive orders >> we know that and So there's

053a little tension there and uh I think what what our advice is at the association is to be patient. just over the over the um last week uh there was a case in New Hampshire where uh one of the executive orders of the president when he took office was to put essentially put a moratorum on on um uh diversity, equity, inclusion in instruction or initiatives in schools and the state of New Hampshire uh uh challenged that in court and um New Hampshire won. And so now that court case in uh impacts all the other 16 uh states that had that had also um filed uh a suit uh to put a stop to that. And so we I my point is that we need to be patient uh when we we know that there's some

054tension as I said between several of the president's executive orders and state statute and um let's let that play out in court. That will inform uh how we move forward. In the meantime, our advice to you uh to our 1700 plus board members is to do what you took the oath that you took and man is to follow the laws of the state. [clears throat] Uh school board and school committees in Maine are the governing bodies from for the school administrative units or SAU. You hold statutory powers and duties for the school administrative unit unless there is no statute pertaining to whatever issue uh that may arise and then you fulfill your mission as the governing body by acting within its policies including BBA school board powers and responsibilities and that's a you know if

055you were assembling um you know Mike if you were you and and your chair were putting together this might be a good project too for for a rising superintendent to put together uh training for a uh for a new board member. I would start with BBA, schoolboard powers and responsibilities. Uh that it's a it's a great um policy that's yours. It's uh in your materials. Um that would be a great place to start there. I'll say that two or three more times during this presentation. Effective board members understand that they serve as a member of the team. They have no authority except when acting as part of the majority of the board. I'm going to speak to that in a second. uh but they may as an individual board member and only by a vote

056of the board be delegated authority to act on behalf of the board. So I'll give you a great example of this that applies to the meeting that you just had. Um that's a I'm assuming that committee was a building construction committee. >> Uh and there were some and I don't think were all of you there? >> No, it's it's a subset of school board and then some city and some parents that yes so you were assigned to that. Um those of you who were there were assigned to that by the chair and and um at least in my experience in Kery the chair would make all of the standing committee assignments annually and that that would be uh then um there's you don't need to take action on that but it's it's formalized at a

057board meeting. So, so essentially, uh, those of you who were there, I know Sam, you were there and and Rita and others, um, and Susan, you were there, uh, because you had been essentially deputized to do that. Uh, you you couldn't just do that on your own, although that was a public meeting and you definitely can, uh, >> we did have board members there as members of the public. >> Of the public, yes, that's perfectly fine. Absolutely. Let me give you a better example of that. I was doing a workshop um this year and uh it was a big district um you know many little towns I think a 17 member board and um during during uh at one point during the meeting a board member said um yes I'm really enjoying going to the

058um to the um just trying to think of a little town. I just drove through Phillips to go to Saddleach over the weekend. Um, I really enjoyed um attending the Phillips uh select meeting and uh giving update on behalf of this of the school board on what's going on. They asked me to do that and uh and I'm just going to do that all the time now because they really enjoyed it. And there were some members who said, "Well, wait a minute. You what are you doing now?" And she went on to explain it was all good intentions. It wasn't nefarious or or underhanded or anything. And um and the the the board chair said, you know, technically you in order for you to do that, you would need to have been um that would

059require an action of the board to sort of deputize you to attend the select meeting uh on a routine basis to update them on what's happening within the um within the RSU, let's say. And uh oh, she didn't realize that. And uh so the board took action on that to make to formalize that. And in fact, it was such a good idea. I know it went over so well. They they put some structures into it and and that made sure that every town within the nine towns of the RSU had a board member assigned to them and they were all kind of delivering the same information. Um but that's a great example of that uh that you really don't have any authority to act on your own as a board member even though you are

060a board member and that the only time that you can uh act as an individual board member is is uh really requires action of the board um to do that. just an important uh an important thing to keep in mind. That's hard for some people, right? because they feel like they're uh I I I oftentimes listening to um uh Dan Rose from from one of [clears throat] our legal adviserss who would often say to the Kery school committee, you are a school committee member only when the school committee is in session and meeting or when you have been uh assigned by vote by action of the school committee to do something on their behalf. That's the only time you're a school committee member. Okay, everyone got that? Yes. Then he'd step over and he'd say

061you're always a school committee member and conflicting messages, right? But I think you understand, right? To to do the work of the school committee, you are um is is really when this group is is um meeting. Um, but you have to be mindful of the fact that people are always going to view you as a member of the school board. And um, that might bring us to the next uh, our next topic that I that I want to talk about um, is how to balance the uh, the uh, complaints and concerns you might get as a board member uh, at the supermarket or at the lacrosse field. Did you have a question? >> No, I just more of a comment justifying my statement earlier that part of that 10-minute training pre uh pre- swearing. >>

062I think by the time we're done, I think it's going to be longer than 10 minutes. But I know it's little things like that. >> Yeah. Let's go to um let's go to complaints from constituents. That's a tricky one and and uh and then we'll do a case study that's related to that. So, slide 25, public concerns and complaints. It's a real challenge for board members. I definitely understand that. Uh how you address it though can really um help that help you sink or swim as a member of the of the Augusta school board. So the first thing you do and I think I have two slides of this. Yeah, they say essentially the same thing. So here's what you do when when someone comes to you with a com with a complaint or a

063concern. Encourage or insist on a resolution at the ground level. teacher, coach, advisor, depending on what the issue is, in accordance with the communications guidelines. Um, and I I didn't link this here, but there was another district that I worked with, RSU 72. It's the Fryberg area. It's a massive district. Uh, and uh, that board has 22 members, believe it or not. So, if you think Muffy managing this group might be a challenge for you, imagine 22 board members. It's huge. Um, so Jay Robinson, the superintendent, actually created for them if I if this is the complaint, this is who you send them to. Like because they the word was so big, they didn't know who exactly who to refer them to, who Well, I know you it's a complaint about lunch. I don't even

064I'm not even sure who the food school nutrition director is. And then so he provided them with this um this uh this guide. Um if it's not resolved at the lowest level then you appeal your decision. They they can appeal their decision to the next level. A supervisor of the building ground um supervisor of the buildings grounds of transportation for example or the principal the special education director depends on what the next element is. Uh still not resolved. That can be a bad appeal to the superintendent. That's fine. If as long as as long as these first two steps have been handled it can go there. still unresolved, a request that the matter be placed um in a in a school board on a schoolboard agenda. That's possible. It's not required. The um the chair

065doesn't have to necessarily honor that when she's developing the the agenda, but certainly that that would be the next level. Let's look at it a little differently with a little uh gent gentler, kinder um language. How to handle the concern or complaint from the public? Listen respectfully, clarify your role. You know, I'm I'm not a board I'm only a board member when the board is meeting, you know, but I absolutely would be happy to listen to you and uh that sort of thing. Avoid the promise of action. Hard to do for a new board member. Sometimes new board members will, you know, they think, "Oh my gosh, this is this is exactly why I read for the board. This is why I'm this is my role." uh so they start making promises that they can't

066keep. Um refer to the proper channels. We talked about that in the previous slide. While maintaining confidentiality and neutrality and notify the superintendent. Uh I put that in there because as a as a former superintendent, um you know, I always appreciated uh a quick call from a a school committee member who had fielded a complaint. uh not not not necessarily that I would do not not for me to take action on it necessarily, but it was just good information to have um particularly in case it did come to my level eventually. Um hearkening back to this part right here, you know, it might if if it doesn't get resolved here or here, this might come to me, it would be helpful for me to know a little bit about it before it um before I

067hear about it. And um I might also too as a superintendent uh and Mike may do may do this as well. If a board member would reach out to me, I I always first of all um I would encourage them to call me, not email to me. Give me a call because a phone call is not a public record, but an email is. Try to avoid public records as as much try to avoid creating public records as much as you can. Um, but uh, yeah, give me a call and let me know what it is and I might then have the opportunity to chat with the principal too who who may not know anything about it either and might be able might be helpful in helping to to remedy the situation if it's a coach

068because we know that our coaches by and large aren't teachers anymore, aren't educators. The vast majority of coaches who work for in our schools now are um, not like it was when I was in school. All the coaches also taught. It was very rare that a coach um wasn't working in the school. That's just completely flipped now in 2026. That's not the case. >> I ask that the board that the board member confronted by me as well in case I'm in case the person is calling everybody. >> Very good. >> Just to stop it and say, "Okay, I'll so and so is going to get in touch with with Mike on that so that >> he doesn't get nine calls." >> Absolutely. What a great practice. Yeah. What a great um procedure to have. A

069little clarification on the alternative ending A versus B. >> Oh, which one? >> Sound like a good idea. >> Which one are we on? >> I'm sorry. This one the the um whether executives >> Oh, still. [laughter] Okay. >> I'll be back in just a minute because about rules and when you said respect chain of command, that's what made me think about this >> because both of those sound like a pretty good idea. the chair intervenes immediately and says no we don't discuss it or the superintendent pushes back if the does that cut off the superintendent's well think >> which one >> which a >> A and B are you saying >> where the chair says we're not going to discuss that because it's executive session and the other one to be is the the

070superintendent [laughter] does it who should do it does it undermine the superintendent is the chair >> the chair doesn't step in is what you're saying. >> Doesn't step into the >> who should who should who should responsibility is to stop that? >> Well, I I'll tell you my the the superintendent is is there uh is the is the is the secretary of the board meetings. Uh the chair presides over the meetings including the executive sessions. >> So the sh the chair should say that. >> Yes. Absolutely. Yeah. So the gold standard in this case >> actually any member can say that as well but to the chair >> and that's it. >> Good dig into that earlier. >> Well I'm sorry I know we were on the next one but you mentioned the chain of

071command. >> That's go ahead. >> I'm going back to the baking aisle. >> Oh we haven't even gone there. Well, we haven't done I think but but you're right. Isn't that the uh isn't isn't the um the bacon test doesn't align with uh the complaints from a constituent. So, let's let's do it now, shall we? >> All right. Is it the next one in your pile? >> Yeah. >> Good. All right. again grounded in reality but uh all the names and and uh towns have been changed. All right, the Bacon Aisle test. You serve on the school board of a small close-knit main school district. It's the kind of town where the grocery store doubles as a community board. Everyone knows whose kid plays which sport and schoolboard members are rarely anonymous. The board itself

072is a mix of experienced veterans and a handful of new newer members who are still learning the boundaries between governance, management, and community expectations. You are one of the newer members elected with strong community support and a reputation for being approachable and willing to listen. On a Saturday afternoon, you stop at the local market to pick up a few items. As you're standing in the baking aisle comparing flower prices, a parent of a high school student approaches you. The parent quickly gets to the point. She's visibly upset and tells you she's angry with the high school basketball coach. According to her, the coach allowed team members to vote on the on team captains rather than appointing them directly. She explains that no player on the team has more experience than her daughter. Her daughter has

073played varsity basketball all four years and has been a starter since her sophomore year. In her view, the captain vote was nothing more than a popularity contest. She goes on to say that this there is jealousy among the players because of her daughter's experience and success. She strongly implies that this jealousy influenced the vote and result resulted in an unfair outcome. As the conversation continues, the parent leans in and adds, "I'm telling you this because I know you're new on the board." Finally, there finally there's someone who will actually do something about the politics in the high school athletic department. Now, all eyes, at least metaphorically, are on you. You are standing in the bacon aisle. You are a a school board member with maybe less than a year experience. You haven't had a really

074adequate orientation program. Uh and you must decide what to do next. Uh and there's so what was your what was your >> Oh, what do you think? >> Tell about an experience I had >> with a community member and how I >> how you handled it. Well, I I think I I thought I handled it well, but now I realize that I should have called the superintendent about that. >> Well, I I want to be I want to be clear. It I think that Mafia has made it made it clear that she prefers that you just run it through her first. >> It's a great idea, by the way. I love that. >> But but this had to do with cultural differences. >> Okay. And so the problem wasn't solved >> and >> at the

075lowest level. >> Correct. >> Yeah. >> And I I was under the impression that I shouldn't do anything more and I didn't. And because of the person's culture and because of her gender, she did not uh know that she needs to be pushy like I am >> to get an answer to a question. And so her daughter, that situation was not solved resolved for her daughter. [laughter] I I bet we have lots of other countries cultures here in our schools. >> Yeah, I bet you all have had experiences like that over the years as as board members challenges challenging situations like the one Susan just described and and they they can be very difficult and yes uh maybe even more complex with um with diver our growing diverse culture in in the state of Maine.

076But let's talk about this particular scenario here and what um what would you have done in this particular case? What what or what advice might you give this schoolboard member uh without flipping to the uh to the um alternative endings and reading those? >> What advice would you [laughter] >> I've been in this situation though. I think >> Reena, do you want to speak to it? Well, I've just I've definitely, you know, I've heard that like years ago when I was new, it was like, "Oh, you're new, so finally I want to say some stuff." [laughter] Like, and I I get that, right? You have neighbors and friends that know you, right? And so they're you're finally an access point. >> They probably helped you with your campaign. >> Exactly. >> Um, and they're wonderful.

077Thank you all. Um, but I think what I would do definitely is I would I know you can't promise action, but can you promise that [snorts] a promise, but can you you know you you sort of hear them out and you say like that I'm sorry that you're going through that. My role as a board member will be to go through proper channels if you have already not done so and your proper channels are in this policy. Um, so whether whatever has to happen first, if it's the school principal or if it's the athletic director or whoever it has to go to first, that's where I would prompt them. >> Good. >> And then say, you know, follow up with me if you've never if if if that chain of command was to, you know,

078Susan's point, it was broken somewhere and it didn't get resolved. Um, because I'd like to make sure that this is something that you can follow up on. >> Kind of closing her loop without making any promises. Without promises. Yeah. let me know how that I I really want you to go talk to the athletics director. Um it sounds like you have a it sounds like you're really upset about this now. You in your head you might be thinking give me a break. Uh you know but you know you're you're being a good a good supportive board member or friend or community member or you know sharing the sideline with another parent. Um, and you might say, you know, go talk to the AD um, and let me know how that let me know how that

079goes. And they might come to you and say, well, let me ask you this. What would you do? I mean, they come to you in the, uh, following week and they say, Rita, I went to the athletics director and I knew exactly hap what happened is exactly what I expected would happen. He said that the way that the coach decides to pick his the captains is completely up to him and that that's their that's his prerogative and that um you know I'm sorry your daughter didn't get to be the captain but you I'm certainly not going to overturn that like I knew he was going to say that then what he did >> anyone's [laughter] passing off to somebody else >> is it too late to hope the conversation >> you you would say >>

080the athletic KD then principal. >> Yeah. >> Superintendent. >> Would you ever um this again this is probably not aligning well with my with my advice here but it depends how how well you know this particular parent. Would you ever try to counsel them and just say, "Yeah, like >> you know sometimes, you know, disappointment is just kind of part of growing up and >> you know, because in your head you're saying, come on." >> Right. Every Yeah. It's a situation that happens with a lot of people, right? >> Yeah. Thanks. something I often do is I'm not a board member but I often even in my role will remind people when they call me is I'm not in the dayto-day my job is to see dayto day being done fairly the board's policies are

081executed appropriately the school administrator that you hire high dollar are doing their That's my job. So if you know and so if somebody comes to as Eric saying the athletic director and they're frustrated with what the athletic director is doing then the board's job would be to come to me and say we don't like our athletic director. We need we need you to be following policy procedure on evaluating athletic director appropriately. So you're you don't want to demote yourself to a position of overseeing um coaches not >> right. So and so for me often times and I'm not I'm I'm trying to not be dishonorable to our public like our public has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. is a right to a free and appropriate public education be treated well here

082and our jobs are to see that that's being done but what what I think I often I see my role as making sure policies procedures are being handled correctly that that the people whose job it is to oversee that I'm making sure they're doing their job that's where you know and then you're making sure I'm doing my job doing that so I I don't know if that [clears throat] explains things sort of the the dayto day um or I don't know if that helps define your role and my role sort of within the dayto day I don't know if that helps but oftent times looking at process versus the specific incident I guess is what I'm saying >> it was the process handled correctly this investigation about this matter will our job often times assistant

083superintendent superintendent is was this investigated properly? Was this handled properly? >> And in this particular scenario, um you know, was the athletics director um kind and and and did did she listen to you and um you know, may have and or or you or was she dismissive and and disrespectful and walk away? or did she say, you know, you're being ridiculous or things like that. You know, I I agree with you, Mike, completely. Um, you know, this this in this particular situation, it's highly unlikely unless there's a unless there's a schoolboard policy or a long-standing uh procedure within the athletics department on how we pick captains. It's unlikely that that's the case. And I doubt you have a policy, board policy on picking captains for sports teams. Um but but um so so certainly that's

084not going to be that won't be overturned. Um you can you can ensure that people are are you know being respectful and kind and and compassionate >> and I I should say it goes beyond that. I don't want to leave my board thinking that we're not thorough. So for example we we've had incidences that come to our attention then we reexamine the entire thing. So if if there's an inst we had an incident at the department of ed reach out to us earlier in the year >> and our job was to go back soup to nuts to make sure this matter was handled appropriately and that text was done correctly that the supervisor involved handled it correctly and we found some things that we coached people on. So so I just want to make sure

085that the board understands that those checks and balances are taking place. So, >> well, I think the difficult thing is is that the public or not always the board is going to know how we've handled those internal policies for personnel issues or student issues that they may be resolved, but the perception is they're not resolved or that could be a number of different things, but there's a lot of things we can't share in a public forum or with you all even at times. So when what sometimes if I get a report back to a board member and say I don't know what happened, I'll ask Mike what happened. If Mike says to me, we've taken care of it. I don't even ask for further detail. >> Yeah. >> It if it's been taken care of,

086that's my answer. And I might say it's been taken care of. And I don't have I first of all, I don't want to know. >> Yeah. >> I don't need to know. So I don't have anything to share back. >> And and I guess just while we're >> Yeah. In instances in in instances where a board member feels like a a constituent, a parent or a student matter wasn't resolved. Um I would encourage those people to go back through the chain of command and they can work their way up to us. So, um I I I I don't like hearing that um something was unresolved. So I I would encourage anybody who feels like something wasn't resolved at any level to go through policy K which identifies that chain of command and once it reaches

087our desk we deal with anything that reaches our our desk >> and to be mindful of the fact that resolution that Mike is referring to and the Shel is referring to doesn't necessarily mean that it's that the parent is going to be necessarily pleased with the result, right? They should be pleased with the way they were treated. They should be pleased that they that the responsiveness of the assistant superintendent was immediate. Uh they should be pleased that the athletics director was compassionate and kind. Uh that the principal was uh equally so. Uh but in this particular scenario, just stick to the case study. Um, you know, again, unless there's a policy or a long-standing procedure within the athletics department to select captains in a different way, you know, even if it does rise to the

088level of the superintendent or assistant superintendent, it's not going to be overturned. So then the resolution is that um the parent was heard they the parent was um was was respected the parent was given the necessary time to to explain and wasn't wasn't dismissed by anyone at any point. Um and that's so I I just think it's important to understand that as board members that you know that who who may get a complaint and and you know advise them on what to do and then you know loop back to me and tell [clears throat] me how how it went. You know just because they don't get the resolution they're seeking doesn't mean it wasn't um addressed effectively. Is that does that is that clear to me? Yeah. I think that's where the difficulty often comes

089is even being a community member. I hear lots um but within the the with policy and procedure there's a number of things of how things have to be handled of how we do things that are I'm not always that happy with that result. So addressing time >> and you're one of the resolvers. >> I know. [laughter] Let's shift gears. A big portion of this board governance uh and and and you doing your job effectively is understanding what your what your role is and what um Mike's role is and what your role isn't what his role is. Uh and I often times I've said many of the situations that I've come across, you know, over the seven or eight months that I've been doing this job involve um [clears throat] stakeholders who who are really not

090especially clear on what uh their role is as I work with boards as board members. So what what their role as a board member is. So I'm just going to take a little time. First of all, again, the second policy that I would include in the orientation uh for new board members is um policy BDD. That's board superintendent relationships. I took a look at it today. It's it's been there a long time. It's been there since 2011, but it's it, you know, it has stood the test of time as well. Um so, you know, again, a great um a great tool to review with a with a a newly elected board member. Well, let's talk about the roles and and I created this chart. I don't know how effective it is. The intention is obviously

091to to illustrate that on one side of the chart we have the school board who's responsible for governance and we have the superintendent and their their their team who's responsible for manage managing or in other in other words um the the school board is is the what and the superintendent and the leadership team is the how. And um and you can read that yourself. I don't need to read it to you. But just as an example though, it's your responsibility to set policy. And policy, I'm very protective of that word. As a former superintendent, uh you know, when I hear a [clears throat] teacher say, "Well, it's my policy." I I wouldn't say, "Well, no, no, no, no. You have you can't have policies. Only the school board can set policy. That's your practice or

092that's your procedure." Right. I would offer a variety of other P words other than policy. Your policies are your that's your domain. Statutoily you set policy. Um but in many cases there the pol inherent in the policy is a line that says that says something like it's the responsibility of the superintendent or their designate to to um to explain how that particular policy is going to be executed. Um, and in some cases as a board you might create you'll create a policy and you'll also create a a procedural policy or a dash r. So another thing for you to understand there if you ever see a dash r that that means there's a there that's a procedural policy that has a that has a connection to an actual policy. But that's not always the case.

093And in that case then it would be your responsibility to set the policy. Mike's and team and his team's responsibility to to execute the policy. And and so the bottom line is this, you know, effective governance requires alignment, not overlapping. So you're you're going to stay on your side of the chart as a board and Mike and his team will stay on this side of the chart as as the as the as the group or as the individual who's responsible for the day-to-day operations of the district. Let's keep going. Maintaining clear roles responsibilities yields trust and requires clear communication among board members uh and the superintendent. I I firmly believe that the way to build um to build trust is to is to maintain clear positive communication with each other. Um and when there's a

094lack of communication I often times will see a deterioration of trust and when that's gone then then respon board and two and responsibilities start to get really intertwined and um and that's where things start to really unravel. Let's let's dig into this even more deeply and apologies to Rita who saw this at the um board chair um training. Responsibilities of the school board are very clear. You set the vision, the mission, the goals of the district. Now, you don't you may not create them necessarily. You may be part of a team that creates the vision, the mission for the district, the or or the setting goals, but you're they can pro in Kiry, my leadership team and I would present um commitments or goals to the school committee in in July and but it was

095their responsibility to say yes those are the that's what we want to that's what we want to commit to this coming year. Uh so that's your job as a board. Establish policies. I already mentioned that. Approve the annual budget and ensure fiscal responsibility. Uh you're responsible for hiring, evaluating, and supporting the superintendent. Um you approve curriculum or graduation requirements uh typically in in policy in the form of policy. You authorize contracts, personnel nominations, and collected bargaining agreements. I'm not [clears throat] sure how you do it here. Muffin, you can clarify this. in um in in Kerry, the school board took action on uh what we refer to as unit A uh nominations. That's all the teachers, librarians, school nurses, and school counselors. They took act they took action on those along with all um uh

096administrators including managers like school nutrition manager, um facilities manager. Yeah, that was that was just how it was. Anything other than that, anything in in unit C, ed techs, school nutrition professionals, um, custodians, secretaries, those were all appointed by the superintendent and then I would announce those at the at the following board meeting. Um, so I I I I oftentimes hear boards that are getting into the weeds around hiring um like coaches and uh that can get really political and really tricky. So I'm I'm seeing mommy shaking her head. That's not the case here. >> Yeah, that's all done. That's you wouldn't really want to get into that part of it as a as a school board. Now bear in mind and if there if there are complaints around the you know around particular employees

097that that were appointed by Mike certainly you could pick up the phone and mention it to him and he's probably already on top of it. Um but uh yeah that's that's an arena that you want to um [snorts] stay out of. Um so it sounds like that's how you're doing here too. That's good. Um and then uh you're authorizing collective bargaining agreements as well as a board. You're ensuring a safe supportable learning environment. Um it's Mike's and his team's responsibility to actually create those. Um and that you it's as a board member, it's your responsibility, it's within your lane to represent the community's values and interests, presuming that you know what those are. Well, I think you do. You live here. you were elected uh by your um by by you know by this community.

098So you you should know that and if I think that if you if you act in a way as a member of the board that doesn't align with the community's values and interest then presumably you're not going to get reelected may not get reelected. >> Yeah. We've recently had sort of discussion um around kind of how the statute phrases the responsibility of the school board around like sort of the fact that we once were elected by the general 18 and over public of our town our responsibility is actually to the children and securing their education. And I will tell you, Eric, just based off of my experience, there's this like dichotomy, and it's probably a false dichotomy of communities, values, and interests versus student. And that's has to do with taxpayer funding, and it has

099to do, right? It has to do with like older, you know, folks who might not have kids in the schools and they're paying they're paying taxes for the schools and they don't see the value. And so I like I feel like this is that sort of that bigger umbrella of how does a school board sort of ensure that folks see the through line that your children's interests are by and large the community's interests. Um and I think that's been a struggle sometimes here >> here and and in many many communities for sure in Maine. Yes. >> I just want to say thank you for that. Um I don't know if you know but on your last slide when you talked about the difference between board and superintendent like the fourth bullet down it says in

100uh ensures adequate resources. I think that's exactly what we try to do and that's what that is is we need to make that's what our job is right to ensure that's not to ensure XYZ what that result is is different that is what we're supposed to do is ensure adequate resources for students >> like like trying to promote and support a a vote for a new school >> or a new workforce program if it costs funding or exactly or northeast programming if that's required yeah really kind of anything I you know so I think That's something that would be interesting to continue to kind of wrap around as MSMA is like how that sort of that how that statute is written is like it's for the stu the kids and and and really I can

101see how that's exactly directly for the community but not everybody can see that through line >> and what makes it even more complex is that you're absolutely right that's the statute very clearly stated um but for um other elected officials like town counselors or like That's not the case, right? They they do they do continue to represent their constituents. Um so you're you're Yes. It's hard to hear a board member say, well, you know, I I in talking to my constituents, they say that they're, you know, we don't have constituents as as a school board member. It's it's tricky. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Absolutely. Um and then then we have on the other side of that that table um we have Mike's responsibilities. Uh the superintendent is the chief executive officer of the district

102implements implements board policy manages day-to-day operations prepares manages the district budget recruits supervises and evaluates all staff. Uh they you you evaluate him. He evaluates everybody else um or his team does. provides curriculum leadership and ensures state standards are met, oversees facilities operations and safety. Presumably, I'm assuming Mike has a facilities director as well. >> A really good one. >> Assist with that. You're lucky if you have a great one for you. Um, you keep the board informed and make professional recommendations. Uh, you engage with staff, families, and the community on behalf of the district. Although there are times when you you'll see in um the board chair has a another whole set of responsibilities and Muffy those are in your materials and you can read those um we're running out of time and I

103want to do one more case study um but you do have the board chair has a very unique respon set of responsibilities and a very different relationship with the superintendent as well um and I know that for for some board members that's difficult they some board members have you know can see that as a favoritism and why how come she knows everything and I don't know all the details of that. Well, because by the very nature of the role of the board chair, the board chair does have a greater greater exposure to to the inner workings of the district uh of the of the school department. And in some cases, the board chair acts as a liaison between the board and the superintendent. Oh, actually to ensure a productive working relationship. And um I was

104you knowarkark hearkening back to Muffy's point earlier about um asking those sorts of uh those concerns to you know funnel those through me and then I can have a better understanding of what they are and I can communicate those to Mike more effectively and more efficiently. Um not such a big deal with nine board members but imagine the board you know poor Jay Robinson with 22 board members in in RSU 72. I mean that would be a full-time job just fielding questions. um you know from now. So >> um the last bullet about feeding a liaison back and I think about this I think Muffy and Mike or you know our chair and our super have a seems like a very professional working relationship. The other end of that is for this chair and between

105the four to go back to the board with any certain information but like we're not supposed to do board business via email. >> Very good. So, how would you recommend and this I I don't want to like but like for us as a board to really feel like we're getting at least from Muffy what like if we want a followup or a closeup even if it's bug off this is being dealt with but thank you like respectfully even if it's that what's the best way for her to do that because is it an individual call to every member is it like because I do think that's where we struggle is I think their communication's really strong but sometimes back to the board is where folks feel like maybe there wasn't n't enough, but that's I

106don't know what communication channels want to use, right? >> Because logistically it's challenging, right? You know, there there's a whole slide in here about email and um you know, I really discourage email. I think I've already said that. First of all, as I said, it creates a public record, which can be problematic, you know, years and years and years down the road. Um but also too um emails can get shared. What you think is a confidential email to someone ends up being screenshotted in Facebook. You know there's whole number of reasons not to not to utilize email to communicate. Um on the other hand, it is efficient and um you know I have from time to time as a superintendent communicated with with my board with uh with the support of the board chair uh

107through email with a very clear instruction. Never to re reply uh reply to it. Definitely not reply all, but certainly uh you know don't even reply to it, but and if you if you want to reply to it, just pick up the phone. You all have my cell phone or call or text me and say, "Hey, are you available? Can I give you a ring or can you call me?" Um >> because because we get into some concerns around freedom of access and uh >> I'm doing word business on email and I know that and yeah, exactly. So I my practice has been and I think most of you have experienced there has been sometimes I do an email and anytime I do an email to all of you I assume it can be on

108the front page of the KJ. >> Good idea. >> So if you get an email that's what that is. Sometimes I will call everybody individually but that's not the practice though there have been occasions when I have done that. And I always say if you ever have a question call me and I will answer. There's never a question that you can't ask. >> Good. >> So that we try to keep that that way. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> And and different board members have different levels of needs of information and that's [laughter] fine. >> That's good. That sounds like you have a that you have a good process. It's it can be timeconuming to to communicate out to the to to your board and it's also risky. And you're absolutely right. any email that you send

109out uh or that Mike sends out or anyone in the within the school district or within the Augusta school department sends out, you should presume is going to be picked up by the local news or um that it's going to be only partly screenshotted uh screenshotted. That's not grammatically correct, but um >> you only have five minutes >> and then okay and then put on a Facebook or or Instagram or something and that's that can be really that can be really tricky. Le let's do one. Do you have a question? >> Okay. Let's do [laughter] >> Let's do one more. Um let's do one more case study and it's the one that says um let's see. I think it's wearing two hats. This will address some of the um the points that we were just

110talking about. Wearing two hats is the last case study we're going to do. That means Muffy, you have four other ones that you can do at some point uh during the workshop >> and we'll have a conversation just so that I know it's ending. There's probably a lot of questions you have, but uh we can investigate whether this is something the board wants to follow up with as well. >> Absolutely. >> Right. This doesn't have to be like a oneshot deal. >> My goodness. I can come back anytime. Absolutely. All right. Wearing two hats. Ready? You are a member of the school board for your local school administrative unit. Your daughter is a student at the district's high school. You are generally mindful of the need to separate your role as a board member from

111your role as a parent. Uh, but you are also deeply invested in your child's well-being and sense of safety at school. Here's the situation. One afternoon, your daughter comes home from school visibly upset and and in tears. She tells you that earlier that day, she was pulled out of her period 5 class shortly after lunch and taken to the office. She reports that the principal and the superintendent, both of them, told her they had received an anonymous tip that she was in possession of drugs. Uh, do you have an anonymous tip line in Augusta, Mike? Is there an anonymous tip line? >> It's so anonymous. We don't know. >> Students. Yeah. >> Well, that's the case in this in this particular case. >> This was an anonymous tip line. >> We have we've had previously

112I'm not sure how active it is right now. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Because everybody used to have a little magnet that would go on the back of their phones. It was anonymous tip line that they can use. >> Yeah. Yeah. That's it. So, that's what this is. This was >> I need to check my cam to see if that's where that's at, but I remember. >> Yeah. That's good to have for safety issues or you know in this particular case drugs that you have. >> The police had one because it was Carly's >> Excellent. >> Okay. She reports. Okay. They asked her to empty her pockets uh and backpack and conducted a search of her locker while she was waiting in the office. No drugs or paraphernalia were found. Your daughter says the experience was

113humiliating and frightening. She felt as though she was presumed guilty and treated like a criminal. She tells you uh she asked why she was being searched and was told only that there had been an anonymous tip. As her parent and a board member, you are furious. You immediately call the superintendent seeking an explanation. The question is, are you calling as a board as a parent >> or calling as a schoolboard? But the superintendent tells you that the proper chain of command is to speak first with the principal. All right. Although the superintendent was there too, which is >> I know we're not >> in implicitly a challenging situation. Um, let's assume it was a brand new principal who needed the help of a of an experienced superintendent who maybe was the principal before. Um, all

114right. His uh you you then contact the principal. His response feels rehearsed and vague. He tells you that the superintendent instructed him to respond by stating that the school has the right to conduct the search based on a reasonable suspicion, which is statutoily correct, and that the anonymous tip met that standard. When you attempt to press further, you find yourself bounced back and forth between the superintendent and the principal with no additional information provided. Feeling stonewalled, you contact the board chair. All right, Muffy, get ready. The chair expresses sympathy but reminds you that it is important to keep your parent hat separate from your schoolboard member hat and advises you not to pursue the matter through the board. On the back of the next page, you now feel dismissed, frustrated, and unsure where to turn

115next. You are simultaneously a parent concerned about your child's treatment and rights and also a board member responsible for governance, oversight, and maintaining appropriate boundaries with administration. We don't have time to go over the the the particular um uh alternative endings. We can look at maybe one. But does anyone have any comments about this particular situation? Are you all thankful that this is not you? That uh this situation if it were what what would you what would you do? Your child is is embarrassed, humiliated. She thinks that everyone in the school knows what happened. >> My answer would be, "Let me get back to you." >> I say, "Then I call Mike [laughter] and I say, what's going on?" And I don't know what Mike would say to me. Mike would say to me, >>

116"Well, I I we I really try to establish an environment built on dignity and respect." So even 99% of our time when we're conducting searches up here, we've called the parents ahead of time and said, "Do you want to be here when we search your child's backpack because of this reasonable suspicion?" We and that >> but you didn't on this one. >> No. So, how I would answer you here is I'd have I would have to get back to you because I would I would I would go investigate what what the situation is. If I felt that it was handled correctly, I would let the chair know I feel it was handled correctly and the parent should pursue principal through the chain of command. If I found something went ary that sometimes we do, >>

117then I would have to dig into it further and I I get it. We get involved. I I think what what Mike might say after he looked into it, say call her back and give her another shot and tell her I'd like to sit down and meet with her in person. That's what he would do because you quite often want to meet with someone in person and talk to them face to face. >> 100%. Particularly if it wasn't resolved. >> So, so and I'd say how about you I've talked with Mike if you'd like to like to give you give him a call and he wants to set an appointment to have a time to meet with you >> and and we try to say yes. I know you're trying to close. No, that's fine.

118>> We try to say yes to these possible. The biggest things I think I've dealt with where we've said no to families and parents, etc. are when I've walked Sand Hill myself for bus routes or when I've you know when I when we've vehemently looked through something and we said we just we don't have the capacity in this this way >> and and we try to have a understanding a rationale that makes sense. >> Sure. Yeah. had the signal. >> In this particular case, though, if we're really really drilling down in this particular case study there there's there were some opportunities to to mitigate this even before it got to where it did. So, first of all, imagine um what could have been prevented had the principal um I'm not saying this it's great that

119that Mike might might have given the parent the opportunity to come in while we do this, but that's not always the case. And sometimes that doesn't there's no time for that. Um but certainly after it happened and you know the the the student was absolved from any um wrongdoing. how much better it would have been for for the principal, as hard as this would have been to pick up the phone and say, "Look, I want to tell you what happened today because I know that um your daughter's going to come home and she's going to be she's she's she's not happy and let me tell you what." That would have helped to soften that a bit. Um and and you would do that for any parent. And and you know, I think at one of

120these one of these trainings I said you you would absolutely do it for a board member who's also the parent, but and the board will no you you should do it for it shouldn't matter. It shouldn't matter. You're you're right. It shouldn't matter. Um it should matter that you're also a board member. You should do it for for any uh parent, which would have again helped. So when the daughter came home, the parent could have been ready, you know, like I'm ready for this. But the other big problem with this and I know we're out of time. The other big issue here is that how going back to the very beginning of our training here and that not when we talked about dealing with complaints and concerns from um from constituents including parents and uh

121following the the sort of the chain of command. But how do you do that when both the superintendent and the principal were involved in this investigation at the same time? um probably would have been the the the principal would have been well advised to say um look here here's what you here's how you do it um bring in your assistant principal or bring in the school counselor so they're there with you and then call me when it's over and let me know how it goes and then I'll advise you but for the principal and the superintendent then to be there together there's no opportunity to the you know the chain of command >> we don't do it that way >> yeah I we we separate ourselves. >> And let's be clear, these case studies have

122nothing to do with they got stuff [laughter] about that. >> Oh, no. We're in another packet. >> Look, I know we're out of time. The la very last thing I want to bring up is the fact that there are some really great opportunities for you to uh lead to continue learning. We have uh board support and development meetings. Those last year used to be those are were called regional meetings, but now they're we're we're sort of taking the the regional part out of it. There are nine regions, nine schoolboard regions in the [clears throat] state of Maine. It doesn't matter. Those aren't relevant for these trainings. Come to any of the ones that um that works for your schedule. >> Zoom, right? >> Pardon? >> Zoom. >> They're Zoom, right? >> And and you already

123got the I think on Friday afternoon, you got the agenda for the March ones. Um and uh they're on different days of the week. So if you have a board meeting say on Mondays then you can look at the Wednesday or Thursday meeting. They're 90 minutes a hard stop. Uh and the May ones are also scheduled principles of parliamentary procedure with Carl who you know well >> oh we had >> anyone who's absent uh you can come join us on April 2nd from 6:00 to 8 or if you want a little refresher um Carl's going to do that again for for everyone again that's over Zoom. And then uh I want to make sure you have the date for the 53rd annual fall conference stronger together for main students. It's uh Thursday and Friday, October

12429th and 30th at the civic center. And the date before there will be a pre-conference for board chairs and aspiring board chairs. And this year we're adding a pre-conference for student representatives. >> Oh, and I saw you had >> and board members. It's a great opportunity if you can put that on your calendar and intent. It's well worth it. Even if you can attend one day or one or one of the two days, it's it's it's well worth it. So, as I said, and Muffy alluded to this, if you want me to come back at another time and f focus in on one particular uh topic, uh create I can create a case study that that addresses an issue that that has uh that may have been problematic here in the past or or you've

125heard, you know, asking for a friend kind of thing. and uh we can get a lot of learning done that way as well. >> Thank you so much. [applause] >> I think we're done with the workshop. >> I think we are andbody are we done? >> No, we have a special meeting. >> I'm sorry. Thank you.