Jerome Joint School District No. 261

COMMUNITY RELATIONS 4105F

REQUEST TO ADDRESS THE BOARD

NOTICE

DUE TO THEIR SENSITIVE NATURE, COMMENTS AND COMPLAINTS ABOUT PERSONNEL OR INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS WILL ONLY BE HEARD IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. ADDITIONALLY, OTHER TOPICS DESCRIBED IN POLICY 1500 MAY ONLY BE APPROPRIATE FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION.   IN SUCH INSTANCES, THE BOARD WILL DETERMINE IF YOUR COMMENTS ARE APPROPRIATE FOR OPEN OR EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WILL NOTIFY YOU ACCORDINGLY.  THOSE ADDRESSING THE BOARD ARE EXPECTED TO ABIDE BY THE RULES LISTED ON THIS FORM. ANY PERSON MAY BE REMOVED FROM A BOARD MEETING IF THEY WILLFULLY DISRUPT THE MEETING TO THE EXTENT THAT  ORDERLY CONTACT IS, IN THE DETERMINATION OF THE BOARD CHAIR, SERIOUSLY COMPROMISED. ANY PERSON OTHERWISE ENGAGED IN ILLEGAL CONDUCT AT THE MEETING MAY ALSO BE REMOVED.

During all regular meetings and Board public hearings, The Board of Trustees encourages all citizens of the District to express their ideas and concerns on agenda items. The comments of the community will be given careful consideration.  In the evaluation of such comments, the first priority will be District students and their educational program. Public input on agenda items shall not be on any subject matter that would compel the Board to enter into executive session. The Board shall make a determination as to whether or not the subject matter a community member requests to comment on is appropriate in relation to the Board’s agenda and/or if a matter would require Executive Session. 

Any complaint about the District, including instruction, discipline, District personnel policy, procedure or curriculum, should be referred through proper administrative channels before it is presented to the board.  All complaints should be resolved through proper channels in the following order, and all channels must be exhausted before the Board may entertain the complaint:

1. Teacher or Staff

2. Principal or Supervisor

3. Director or Administrator

4. Superintendent

5. Board of Trustees 

If these channels have been exhausted, this form should be filled out and handed to the Board Clerk prior to the beginning of the meeting to indicate you wish to provide public comment.

The Board of Trustees follows a written agenda, a copy of which is available to assist you in participating in the meeting to indicate you wish to provide public comment.

You will have the floor a maximum of five (5) minutes.

The Board of Trustees encourages input from the public.  If you want the Board to receive more information than time permits, please reduce your concerns to written form and send them to the Board Secretary.  Written Comments must include your name, address, telephone number, and relationship to the District.

All individuals appearing before the Board are expected to follow these guidelines:

1. Address the Board only at the appropriate time as indicated on the agenda and when recognized by the Board Chair.

2. Identify oneself and be brief. Comments shall be limited to five (5) minutes.  In unusual circumstances, and when an individual has made a request in advance to provide public comments for a longer period of time, the individual may be allowed to speak for more than five (5) minutes, if additional time is approved by the Chair.

3. The Board Chair may shorten or lengthen an individual’s opportunity to speak.  The Chair may also deny an individual the opportunity if the individual has previously addressed the Board on the same subject within the past two months.

4. Speakers who are District students, parents/guardians of District students, District employees, and District residents will be given priority over speakers who are not members of any of these categories. 

5. The Board shall follow its written Board Operating Protocol to determine procedural matters regarding public participation.

6. Patrons and community members who are unable to attend meetings in-person, are encouraged to submit public comment in writing for agenda items at regular meetings or public hearings of the Board . The Board Clerk will provide written comments to the Board during the period of public comment. If the agenda item or comment is related to an item that can only be discussed in executive session, comments may not be provided to the Board at that time if there is a concern regarding due process rights for student and/or personnel hearings.

7. Presentations are to be civil and respectful. Public input shall not disrupt the public meeting. There shall be no intimidation against the Board, members of the Board, school employees, or students of the District. Shouting, loud statements, threats, name calling, profanity, or other improper conduct is strictly forbidden. Individuals engaging in inappropriate conduct will be asked to leave the meeting. Nothing in this policy shall prohibit the removal of any person who willfully disrupts a meeting to the extent that orderly conduct is, in the determination of the Board Chair, seriously compromised. Any person otherwise engaged in illegal conduct at the meeting may also be removed. Failure to leave may result in law enforcement intervention.

REQUEST TO ADDRESS THE BOARD

Date: ____________________

Name:_____________________________________________________________ (Please Print)

Address: _______________________________________________________________________________

Relationship to District (Please check all that apply):

___ Parent/Guardian of a District student ___ Resident of the District

___ Employee of the District ___ Trustee Zone of Residence ______

___ District Student ___ Other: ______________________

Is your comment related to an item on the agenda:   Yes_______   No_______

If yes, which agenda item do you with to address: ______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

If not, please submit your request for items to be placed on the agenda to the Board Clerk. Agenda items will be provided to the Board and may, at the Board’s discretion, be placed on a future agenda. 

Check if any of the below identified subject matters are matters you wish to address in your presentation to the Board:

____ The hiring of a public school employee.

____ The qualifications of any individual employed/prospective employee.

____ The evaluation or performance of any individual employed by the District.

____ A complaint or concern about any individual employed by the District.

____ A complaint or concern about any student enrolled at the District. 

____        Other: _________________________________________________________________________

**Please deliver a completed copy of this form to the Board’s Clerk prior to the commencement of the Board Meeting.

Policy History:

Adopted on: 10/24/2006

Revised on: 02/23/2016

Revised on: 05/23/2017

Revised on: 09/22/2020

Revised on: 02/28/2023

Revised on:07/22/2025