In a recent special meeting, President Cynthia Elliott wasted no time diving into the crucial matter of the superintendent search, or at least that's what she would like everyone to think. With a sense of urgency that could rival a high-speed train, she called the meeting to order and promptly announced that there were no speakers. Yes, you heard that right—no speakers at a meeting dedicated to such a pivotal topic. The suspense was palpable.
As she moved to bundle resolutions 203, 204, and 205, the vice president, LeBron, stepped in with a motion that was seconded by Commissioner Simmons. The board members seemed excited, or at least as excited as one can be when discussing mandated services. There was an awkward attempt at camaraderie when Commissioner Santiago joined via Zoom, bringing a digital face to an otherwise mundane gathering.
Commissioner Malloy took a moment to express gratitude to the staff for providing additional information, which was necessary for the commissioners who had missed the last meeting. Almost as if to say, "We appreciate you for doing your job," Malloy assured the room that she would vote yes, because who could oppose mandated services?
Then came the real highlight of the evening—dissecting the nuances of mandated services with all the enthusiasm of a tax seminar. Commissioner Simmons chimed in, expressing happiness at being part of the mandated services discussion, while Commissioner Griffin insisted that every contract should have deliverables and data to ensure that students were getting the support they deserved. You know, just the small matter of making sure the board is helping kids.
The conversation escalated into a delightful round of “who can outsmart whom” as Commissioner Santiago, with a heavy heart, reflected on how sad it was that some resolutions had fallen in the previous meeting due to what she deemed trivial information. Who knew that accountability could be so emotionally taxing?
Then, the board members began to engage in a lively debate about whether they were “in the weeds” or not—because nothing says “we’re serious about education” like arguing about the depth of their discussions. Vice President LeBron attempted to steer the conversation back to the mandated services—because those are important, right?—but it quickly devolved into a back-and-forth about who should be responsible for what kind of information.
As the discussion dragged on, it became clear that the board members had undergone extensive training but struggled to apply it. They were all about focusing on the goals but seemed to be lost in the weeds—an ironic twist for a meeting meant to streamline the search for a superintendent.
In the end, the meeting ended with a vote on the resolutions, and everyone seemed relieved that they could finally move on to the next agenda item: the discussion on the search plan for the new superintendent. This was led by a consulting firm, Hazard Young Attea, and Associates, who expressed excitement about the opportunity to assist the board. They laid out a four-phase process that included engagement, recruitment, selection, and transition—because who wouldn’t want a roadmap for finding the next person to lead the district?
As the meeting adjourned, one couldn’t help but feel a sense of déjà vu; after all, this is a school board meeting—where the same conversations seem to circle back like a boomerang. The only difference was that this time, they might find a new superintendent who could navigate the weeds just as adeptly as they did.
Comments