Sample Agenda #1 (Not the Ideal)

 

1. Superintendent’s report

 

2.  Report from Curriculum Committee

 

3. Results of standardized tests

 

4. New Business

 

5. Old Business

 

 

The Meeting “Liturgy”

 

1.  What is the issue?  (put in form of a clear question)

2.  How much time do we have to talk?

3.  What is needed as a result of our talking?

4.  What is the decision-making method?

 

5.   What is the agenda (the series of questions we will answer) to discuss the issue?

6.  Where will this go from here?  What is the context?

 

Questions to ask when deciding how to decide:

•     What is the issue?  What exactly needs to be decided? 

•     Who is the appropriate person/group to make the decision?

•     What is the process for making this decision? (be careful not to get into the discussion now, you are just developing the process, e.g.: first we gather this information, then we have this meeting, then we bring in this person, then we. . . )

Sample Agenda #2 (Ideal)

 

 

7:00    Overview of the purpose of the meeting

            Overview of the agenda

 

7:10    Where are the highlights of activity in the district?

·         Where does the Superintendent have concerns?

·         Where is there notable progress?

 

7:25    What does the external monitoring report indicate about the preparedness of our students for college, vo-tech, and work?

·         What were the results for the report?  (:30)

·         What conclusions can we draw about the effectiveness of our schools? (:30)

·         Do we need to investigate anything further and if so how will that get done? (:20)

·         Do we need to make any changes in our ends policies or our executive limitations and if so what will be the process for preparing the board for this discussion? (:20)

9:15    What should be the agenda for our next meeting?

 

About the Speaker

Susan Edsall presented this workshop at the 2009 VSBA/VSA Annual Conference in October.  She is a private consultant working with not-for-profit organizations on large scale systems change including organizational culture, strategic planning, conflict resolution, team learning and board development.  She serves clients in New England and the west coast.

 

She co-authored a book on board governance titled Policy Governance Fieldbook,  published by Jossey Bass and in June 2004 her memoir titled Into the Blue: A Father’s Flight and a Daughter’s Return  was published by St. Martin’s Press.

 

She works out of her office in Ennis, Montana.

 

Susan Edsall

P. O. Box 362

Ennis, MT  59729

406-682-3484

susanedsall.com

SJEdsall@gmail.com