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The Metro Nashville Board of Education is meeting for a board retreat today. I'll be here, periodically tweeting updates for The @Tennessean.
I'm mostly excited to be finally meeting some more @MetroSchools folks in real life!
I'm mostly excited to be finally meeting some more @MetroSchools folks in real life!
You can check out the agenda for today's board retreat here 
https://www.mnps.org/board-of-education-calendar/2020/10/2/board-retreat
https://www.mnps.org/board-of-education-calendar/2020/10/2/board-retreat
Newly named Board Chair Christiane Buggs kicked off today's meeting by asking board members and senior staff in attendance to reflect on and name a strength of the MNPS school board.
Some of the things named: the all-female, nurturing, empathetic board; the board's support for Director of Schools Adrienne Battle; and that there are teachers/former educators serving on the board.
Jennifer Hill of the Nashville Public Education is also here this morning, helping lead a conversation around how the school board can leverage governance and policy.
She's asked board members what are some opportunities (or challenges) for the school board.
She's asked board members what are some opportunities (or challenges) for the school board.
Board member Sharon Gentry, of District 1, begins by noting that the past few years has been frustrating for the board.
She adds that in the current situation with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the board could & should use this time to put some issues to bed.
She adds that in the current situation with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the board could & should use this time to put some issues to bed.
Board member Freda Player-Peters, of District 2: I think it's the time to truly advocate and we have a community who is listening or are about to be listening ... about what it truly takes to fund a school system.
Board member Rachael Anne Elrod, of District 2: I think we have a great opportunity to "tone set" what our role is and to do that for a budget.
Elrod notes that she hasn't felt the MNPS board has historically advocated for the district's budget, but she hopes to change that.
Elrod notes that she hasn't felt the MNPS board has historically advocated for the district's budget, but she hopes to change that.
While going over the responsibilities of the school board (selecting and evaluating the superintendent, setting policies, maintaining fiscal responsibility), Hill asks the board members if they feel like the community thinks that is what their role is.
Player-Peters immediately says NO. Most board members feel like constituents do not understand the actual role of board members.
Gentry: The other piece of that is that we often don't understand what our mere presence can say.
Gentry says even when a board member just pops into a school it can spread mistrust if it's known that the board member might have concerns about the principal. Says it's not helpful for board members to pop into schools if they aren't going there in a spirit of collaboration.
I'm super curious about what educators and constituents think of that.
A common critique (or praise) of board members that I hear from parents or voters is when they feel like their board member is engaged and involved in school communities.
A common critique (or praise) of board members that I hear from parents or voters is when they feel like their board member is engaged and involved in school communities.
As part of this conversation about how the school board works and the role of members in advocacy, board members note (and Chief Operating Officer Chris Henson) note that board members represent more citizens than Metro Council members.
Each Metro Nashville Board of Education member literally represents 1/9 of Davidson County and @MetroSchools in terms of student enrollment alone is about the size of Johnson City, Tennessee (which is the 9th largest city in the state - fact-checked and verified).
Next up, district officials are reviewing school board policies and responsibilities with the board members (like what financial disclosures board members have to make).
I empathize with not being able to take gifts!
I empathize with not being able to take gifts!
"If it sounds like it's special, accepting it is probably wrong."
Something that keeps coming up: The community's understanding of the school board's role.
Example from @ginipupo: The board never voted officially on how to reopen schools.
Example from @ginipupo: The board never voted officially on how to reopen schools.
Whose role is it to inform the community though? The board? The media? (The @Tennessean?) Civics classes in high school?
And even if the board doesn't officially vote on certain issues, is it a cop-out to say they have no influence over that decision at all?
And even if the board doesn't officially vote on certain issues, is it a cop-out to say they have no influence over that decision at all?
Oh hey, this is important: Board attorney is reminding board members of open meeting laws.
If the board is going to vote on something, technically board members need to discuss it publicly on the board floor. Not necessarily in an email exchange. Or outside the meeting.
If the board is going to vote on something, technically board members need to discuss it publicly on the board floor. Not necessarily in an email exchange. Or outside the meeting.
Note: I'd love to know if there has ever been a school board anywhere that hasn't broken these laws 
Next up on the agenda is a conversation about the @MetroSchools strategic plan, KPIs and director evaluations - and all those things in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Board chairwoman Christiane Buggs wants the board to brainstorm things in its stragetic plan that the board should have a greater emphasis on or things that might be hard to tackle right now due to the state of education and the pandemic.
Note: The @MetroSchools school board's most recent strategic plan was developed in relationship with previous Director of Schools Shawn Joseph and adopted in 2016.
Some background: https://www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/2016/11/30/lets-work-together-new-mnps-strategic-plan/94607058/
Some background: https://www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/2016/11/30/lets-work-together-new-mnps-strategic-plan/94607058/
Board member Berthena Nabaa-McKinney asks if the board will be able to have a conversation with current Director Adrienne Battle about what is appropriate for her evaluation since she didn't help develop the current framework.
Nabaa-McKinney raises some questions about whether the board needs to explore creating a new strategic plan since it has a new director.
Board member Gini Pupo-Walker, of District 8, says the current plan is measuring the right things. It wasn't created directory-specifically.
Board member Gini Pupo-Walker, of District 8, says the current plan is measuring the right things. It wasn't created directory-specifically.
Newly-elected board member Emily Masters, of District 3, notes that from her experience strategic plans can be reviewed when major changes occur: such as with a new director, a pandemic or a major tax referendum that could have a major impact on funding.
Masters' doesn't suggest creating a new strategic plan, but possibly reviewing it and being open to amending it.
Buggs is curious if there will be different priorities based on the challenges families (and the district) is facing because of COVID-19.
Gentry says she doesn't know if she's comfortable changing how the district measures success.
Gentry asks if that's the intention of the discussion. Buggs gives an example: Maybe they adjust what is considered successful regarding attendance (such as how it's defined for students attending virtually, etc.)
