My name is Dr. Trudy Jermanovich from Ft Lauderdale.
I am addressing Topic 1, Policy NO. 01969.1
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT BOARD MEETINGS
I do not agree with the format of this agenda. Unfortunately, Topic 1 (Agenda Item 1) limits the way the public can effectively comment on policy changes. Even though it appears the NEOLA process provides templates, there are policies which are written with more public input needed. The way it is set up for this meeting, I can only easily give written feedback on one Policy and am being denied the ability to address many others in the written format. I cannot tell from reading over the Public Participation Policy that I would even be able to speak on each policy separately if I were able to attend the meeting in person.
I realize it would have been a long agenda to list every policy change separately with a short presentation, but it would have been possible for more written input to be given by the public and there would have been a short presentation to help us understand the Policy which is being proposed.
Since it was said that the NEOLA process would not be able to utilize the way “looping” was done in the past to really get public input from committees and advisories, we should have at least been able to submit written comments on each policy separately. I believe that there should be some change made to Policy NO. 01969.1 to indicate how each POLICY should be presented as a separate item on the agenda. Also, rule making has always allowed for questions to be posed to staff from the public. The time taken for staff to answer was NOT counted against the time for the public speaker’s 3 minutes.
“Topic 2 - School Board Policy 2000 - School Safety Requirements and Monitoring” is the format which should have been used for each policy separately.
I did not see this explained in the Public Participation Policy.
This is not a good way to begin the transition to the NEOLA format of policies if you wish the public to believe that transparency is the goal of the Board.
My name is Dr. Trudy Jermanovich from Ft Lauderdale.
I am addressing Topic 1, Policy NO. 01969.1
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT BOARD MEETINGS
I do not agree with the format of this agenda. Unfortunately, Topic 1 (Agenda Item 1) limits the way the public can effectively comment on policy changes. Even though it appears the NEOLA process provides templates, there are policies which are written with more public input needed. The way it is set up for this meeting, I can only easily give written feedback on one Policy and am being denied the ability to address many others in the written format. I cannot tell from reading over the Public Participation Policy that I would even be able to speak on each policy separately if I were able to attend the meeting in person.
I realize it would have been a long agenda to list every policy change separately with a short presentation, but it would have been possible for more written input to be given by the public and there would have been a short presentation to help us understand the Policy which is being proposed.
Since it was said that the NEOLA process would not be able to utilize the way “looping” was done in the past to really get public input from committees and advisories, we should have at least been able to submit written comments on each policy separately. I believe that there should be some change made to Policy NO. 01969.1 to indicate how each POLICY should be presented as a separate item on the agenda. Also, rule making has always allowed for questions to be posed to staff from the public. The time taken for staff to answer was NOT counted against the time for the public speaker’s 3 minutes.
“Topic 2 - School Board Policy 2000 - School Safety Requirements and Monitoring” is the format which should have been used for each policy separately.
I did not see this explained in the Public Participation Policy.
This is not a good way to begin the transition to the NEOLA format of policies if you wish the public to believe that transparency is the goal of the Board.