School Board to Hold Work Sessions in Brandon and Rowley

September 24, 2014 (Independence, Iowa) – At the organizational meeting in September, the board set the location of the regular meetings for the upcoming year to be held at the Administration Office.  During the 2013-2014 year, the board had held one regular board meeting in Brandon and Rowley.  Recently, the board voted to hold all regular monthly board meetings at the Administration Office. However, the board discussed their desire to hold at least one work session in both Brandon and Rowley each year to increase participation in those communities.

Public participation is limited in a regular board meeting due to the number of agenda items covered.  Work sessions, on the other hand, offer a more informal setting without many agenda items being covered in an evening.

If you are unable to attend a regular board meeting, you can now watch the regular meetings on the district’s website or Channel 8.  This has been very helpful for Brandon, Rowley and Independence residents wanting to watch the regular meetings.  The district is also in the process of setting up the administration office with the capability of streaming the meetings in real time.

School Board President Brian Eddy noted, “The Board changed the type of meetings to be held in Brandon and Rowley for a couple of reasons.  First, we believe community members are more inclined to attend a work session with more time allotted for public discussion.  Agendas are often lengthy at regular meetings so speaker participation is often limited.  Second, now that we are rebroadcasting regular meetings on Channel 8 and on the website, those meetings require the use of the sound and recording equipment.  Work sessions are not rebroadcast, which makes it more efficient to hold that type of meeting outside the administration office.”

The school district is seeking input from Brandon and Rowley residents on their preferred month for a work session in their area. Contact the administration office at 334-7400 if you have a preferred month for a work session in Brandon or Rowley.  The board and administration value input from all areas of the district.  The goal of the annual work sessions in Brandon and Rowley is to increase attendance at future meetings in those areas.

To view past board meeting videos, visit the ICSD website at www.independence.k12.ia.us, click on the District Information tab, choose Publications, and then choose Board of Education Communication and finally choose School Board Meeting Videos from the drop down menu options.

For information on past school board meetings, visit the ICSD website at www.independence.k12.ia.us, click on the District Information tab and then choose Board of Education from the drop down menu options.

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