At the KSD Board of Education work session Oct. 10, new district committees and ideas on how to improve overall BOE protocol were discussed. The meeting began with a moment of silence for Andrew Johnson, Tillman counselor, who passed away recently. 

KSD Superintendent Dr. David Ulrich proposed eight district committees for the 2022-23 school year, double the number of committees last year.  District committees act as an advisory board for the BOE, and inform them on relevant information before a vote takes place regarding the subject of their committee. The committees proposed included the budget and finance committee, communications committee, curriculum committee, wellness committee, calendar committee, safety and security committee, policy committee and the equity task force group.

Each group is headed by a BOE member and also includes relevant KSD teachers, staff, parents and patrons. An online form will be sent out at a later date for those who are interested in being part of one of the proposed committees. The BOE member in charge of each committee will be discussed and voted on at the next board meeting Oct. 24. Names of committee members, purpose statements, and dates for each committee’s first meeting will be discussed Oct. 24 as well. Committee meetings will be livestreamed and the public are welcome to join, but will not be able to speak. 

Ulrich emphasized the BOE involvement in each committee. Current board policy does not describe the makeup of the committee, or how committee members are chosen. Only the board member who is head of the committee requires approval from the BOE. 

At a date prior to the Oct. 10 meeting, the BOE was divided into groups to review sections of the current BOE protocol. This includes how board members receive information prior to each meeting, and how to respond to community questions. Only ideas were presented at this meeting, and nothing was officially voted on. Official changes will be made to the protocol at an unspecified later date.