Lawrence Case Study Essay Examples

I attended the school board meeting at the Education Center on Thursday, March 26, 2015, at 5:30pm. The meeting lasted approximately one hour and was carried out in a professional, efficient manner. I found that the school board was very organized in how they conducted the meeting. They did not linger between topics unless it warranted further discussion.
They opened the meeting by welcoming everyone. The chairman of the school board asked everyone to rise and say the Pledge of Allegiance. This was followed by a roll call of all board members to account for everyone’s presence. The chairman announced that the school board met in an executive session to discuss personnel matters, CEO search, and financial matters. The board of trustees were addressed regarding the issues at large. The school board then put forth three agenda items that were up for a vote. Two of the three items were approved and one denied.
Following the voting procedure, the chairman of the school board opened up the floor to hear reports from various committees. One individual noted how successful certain students and schools at the grade level were in the district. She highlighted upcoming events that students will be involved in within the community.
One of the school board members gave a transportation budget report and noted that she reviewed the various school bus routes. Through much strategic planning she was able to eliminate two bus routes that the school board is currently not being reimbursed for that maximized a cost savings to the budget. She reported on measures that are currently being taken to conserve energy within each of the schools which will contribute to a positive budget reduction. She further presented a series of upcoming fundraising events that will be held to raise monies to offset budget expenditures.
The meeting continued with announcements and news from the floor from various individuals that offered reports of activities occurring at each of the schools. Following the public business, one of the school board members gave a financial report. He reported that cash increases were approximately $119K for the month and revenues and expenditures were in line with the current budget. Disbursements totaled $199K.
The chairman of the school board presented several resolutions that were put before the Board of Trustees. Resolution 1 pertains to the lottery application that the Board of Trustees approved. A motion was made and approved. Resolution 2 was proposed to seek out a new payroll company to replace the current one the school board was having issues with. The motion was made and approved. Several other less significant resolutions were presented and approved by the school board.
Lastly, the school board discussed the change in the school calendar and explained why they made the change to start the academic calendar year on August 31. The justification was that it would generate a huge amount of savings to the budget, while not compromising any requirements for completion of the academic year as per federal and state guidelines.
My overall impression of the school board was one of satisfaction and confidence. I felt the school board was diligent in its efforts to address concerns and issues that needed resolving. They appeared to be very proactive implementing necessary strategies for cost-cutting measures to ensure fiscal responsibility. One of the most impressive things about the meeting was the fact it was being videotaped and would be made available to the public immediately following the meeting. This idea behind this was to show transparency in the school board’s overall efforts that minutes do not always reflect. I learned much in the way of school board administration that will be most beneficial to me moving forward.