Three Part Board Meeting

SAMPLE LETTER TO THE HOST SUPERINTENDENT --- The following is a letter sent by an SDP associate to a host superintendent prior to the team's pre board meeting. I think it captures the essence of the activity's components. Please feel free to use/share it is you deem necessary.

Dear __. _____,

Thank you for agreeing to work with our Superintendent Development Program team over the next two weeks.  From our three meetings we would like to learn, 1) the process and strategies you employ in the development and use of the board meeting agenda; and 2) how you use the agenda – structure, process, timing, and review – to move forward the educational progress of issues, the district, your board, and individual board members. The experience will be very valuable to us as we move into the superintendency.

As arranged, the team will meet with you on ___day___, ___date___, 2005 at ____ PM for our Pre Board Meeting session. The team is interested in gathering information and knowledge about your agenda development process and strategies. We would like to ask a series of questions about the actual board meeting agenda, the process of communicating with board members about agenda items and motions, and how you control, structure, and time issues being brought to the board. Some of the questions we anticipate asking are enclosed with this letter.

We will attend the ___day___, ___date___, 2001 Board Meeting to observe and gather information about the meeting, the interaction between the Superintendent and Board of Education, and the interaction among board members.

Lastly, we will meet with you for a Post Board Meeting session on ___day___, ___date___, 2001 at ____ PM to discuss and debrief the information and observations we collected, and learn about the follow up actions and plans of the Superintendent after a board meeting.

We are in need of directions to your District Office from _______, and the meeting place within the school once we arrive. You can contact the team via ___name____ at ___telephone #___.

Again, thank you for agreeing to share your knowledge, insights and experiences with us. The _______ Team looks forward to working with you. Please rest assured that all our discussions will be held confidential.

Sincerely,

___name___, ___school district___, ___title___
The Superintendent Development Program, _____ Team

Enclosure