At town hall, Ozark school board answers questions in effort to connect with parents

For a solid hour Tuesday evening, the entire Ozark school board took questions from parents and community members. They took turns answering each one.

Board members were asked about recent votes, fall breaks in the calendar, the superintendent search, the future of specific programs, and much more.

There were pointed questions about how the district plans to retain teachers, intervene when students are bullied, and protect students' personal information. There were also questions about how much guidance the board seeks from the Missouri School Boards' Association.

The members answered questions on the spot with just three administrators — the interim superintendent and two assistant superintendents — on standby if their expertise was needed.

The town hall meeting Tuesday, the first during the 2023-24 school year, offered the type of interaction and access to a school board that is rare, if not highly impractical, during the agenda-driven monthly meetings.

Board president Sarah Adams Orr said the public can reach out by phone or email but there is limited time set aside for public comment in meetings.

Ozark, like many area school boards, designates time during meetings for public comments on the meeting agenda but members rarely, if ever, respond. But given the number of agenda items to be presented or voted upon, boards often limit the number of speakers and how long they can speak.

"We thought we'd give more time to patrons being able to speak because during our regular business meeting each month, that is to get school business done," said Orr, a 1987 graduate of Ozark High School.

The board has committed to hosting four town hall meetings this school year and the next one is Dec. 7. The public can also attend finance committee meetings called "Bang for the Buck."

"It is another opportunity to have a partnership with our parents and our citizens and our senior citizens," Orr said. "I love meeting the new people in our community. Our community is growing so fast."

The moderator for the town hall was parent Cindy Kinser, a PTA member, who alternated between calling on patrons to ask questions in person and reading others submitted online.

The rules were straightforward and minimal. Patrons were told not to discuss students or staff by name or to bring up personnel matters. There were no topics listed as off-limits.

Two minutes were allocated for each question or comment. The board was given three minutes to respond.

Interspersed between questions, patrons made suggestions on how to shorten the length of board meetings, urged the board secretary to post the agenda earlier, and asked for more detailed end-of-year budgets.

Board member Christina Tonsing agreed with a patron asking that meeting agendas be made public earlier, arguing it will give community members more time to prepare and comment.

"I've long advocated for an agenda being ready earlier for board members and for the community. I think that is quite the work in progress," she said. "There might some danger of it needing to change after being posted ... but maybe it should be posted that it is tentative."

Board vice president Mark Jenkins added members also want as much advance time on the agenda as the public. "We all have jobs ... we're all busy."

The Tuesday town hall was sparsely attended — a little more than 20 showed up — but others submitted questions in advance.

"I was surprised there weren't more questions but it was nice to come together as a community and the board and talk," Orr said. "It gives people who like this format better than emailing or calling a chance to speak and maybe put a face to a name."

More: Ozark interim superintendent values interactions. Here's where you might see her

Board member Patty Quessenberry, first elected in 1997, used the town hall to dispel a myth about the role of the governing body.

She said the public erroneously assumes the board interviews all job applicants and makes hiring decisions for all staff from bus drivers to classroom teachers.

"We do not do that. The only one we interviewed is the superintendent. That is in our job duty as a board member," she said.

Board member Aaron Johns said members ask a lot of clarifying questions of administrators before meeting, which sometimes means less discussion before a vote. "This board does not rubber stamp nothing."

Asked about retaining teachers, board member Amber Bryant said pay was recently increased and the district offers a competitive salary and benefits package.

She said the district is conducting exit interviews when employees retire or resign and meets with new staff regularly to offer mentoring and ask what challenges they are facing.

"We're listening to teachers and staff more now," she said.

More: Ozark school board issues 'rebuke' of member who hosted solo 'town hall' meetings

Quessenberry said the district also offers specialized training, tuition reimbursement and an on-site master's degree program.

A parent wanted to know how the superintendent search was going and when the community will know the names of finalists. Lori Wilson, the interim superintendent, is expected to be a candidate and applications will be accepted through Nov. 26.

The board is expected to review candidates Nov. 28 and start formal interviews in mid-December. Orr said there has been high interest.

"We haven't seen the candidates yet either," Jenkins added. "We are not that far into the process."

Claudette Riley covers education for the News-Leader. Email tips and story ideas to criley@news-leader.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: At town hall, Ozark board takes questions, connects with parents