News Photo by Reagan Voetberg Kelli Horst from the Michigan Association of School Boards discussed board governance with the Alpena Public Schools board of education Monday night.

ALPENA — The Alpena Public Schools Board of Education got honest Monday night as they discussed what board governance looks like, and the challenges they face in becoming an effective board.

Kelli Horst from the Michigan Association of School Boards provided training on board governance Monday night at the APS workshop meeting. Horst began the training by asking board members what the level of trust looks like. Board member AJ MacArthur said that the board members trust each other to be professional and courteous outside of the board room. When it comes to the public, he said he sees that they have preconceived notions about what the board is trying to accomplish.

Board member Eric Lawson said that hyper political initiatives started to seep into the school system and that himself along with others were elected to realign those initiatives with community standards.

He also said that multiple people in the community have pointed fingers at him and other board members for bringing politics into the district, but from his perspective, they are doing exactly the opposite.

He acknowledged that not everyone in the public is on board with changes being made by himself and others, and that has caused friction.

Board member Eric Hansen said he’s noticed that if an individual does not agree with the approach to solving an issue, even when there is agreement on the end goal, there can be hostility, often made worse through social media.

Horst talked about the common purpose that the board shares: wanting what’s best for the students.

“It’s also OK to say we may have different view points on how we get there,” Horst said. “We all showed up at the table with a mandate from our community in one way or another, right. Every single one of you at different times, you were all elected by your communities.”

The goal of Horst’s session was to help the board through the decision-making process when board members all come to the table with different values and perspectives.

Horst asked them what an effective board looks like. Board members shared ideas like improved student outcomes, fiscal stability, adequate staffing, and a good curriculum.

The board briefly discussed the strategic plan with Horst and how they are looking to create more specific and measurable goals.

One of the goals of an effective school board mentioned in the meeting is to be data savvy. Board members said that they do not have access to timely data and that needs to be improved.

Horst discussed superintendent board relationship, chain of command, budget, facilities, community relations, and other topics with the board.

IN OTHER BUSINESS

~ The board had their annual review of the code of conduct and student/parent handbooks for Alpena High School, Thunder Bay Junior High School, the elementary schools, multilingual students, and the Great Start Readiness Program.

~ The board discussed the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) membership resolution for the upcoming school year.

~ The board discussed Policy 5136, which addresses the use of personal communication devices.

~ The board discussed Policy 5511, which addresses student and staff dress and grooming.

Reagan Voetberg can be reached at 989-358-5683 or rvoetberg@TheAlpenaNews.com.