Policies
Middletown Public Schools No. 1051
Middletown School Committee Public Participation at Meetings
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT MEETINGS
Regular, special, and emergency meetings of the School Committee are open to the public. The School Committee, as an elected representative body of the community, wishes to provide an opportunity for citizens to express interests and concerns related to the public schools. The public is cordially invited to attend School Committee meetings.
School Committee meetings are conducted for the purpose of carrying on the official business of the school district. The meetings are not public forum meetings, but are meetings held in the public. All meetings, except executive sessions, will be open to the public. The minutes of each meeting will record the action taken at each meeting, and the action on each item presented for action. The journal of minutes is open and available to the public during normal business hours, posted at Town Hall and Middletown Public Library in accordance with State Law.
Orderly conduct of a meeting does not permit spontaneous discussion from the audience. Individuals or organizations desiring to make requests, presentations or proposals to the Committee will be provided that opportunity.
In accord with State Law, unless an item has been posted as an official agenda item discussion and action may be considered inappropriate.
In order that the Committee may fairly and adequately discharge its overall responsibility, citizens desiring an item to be placed on the agenda for a specific Committee meeting should direct requests to the Superintendent of Schools or the Chair of the Committee.
Requests for an item to be placed on the agenda will be submitted in writing no later than close of business on the 10th working day prior to a scheduled meeting of the Committee. The request will state the name of the individual or group submitting the request, the address, the purpose of the request and the topic to be addressed.
The Superintendent will confer with the Chair of the Committee concerning approval to place the requested item on the agenda, and to determine the appropriate forum for such discussion. The requesting party will be advised of the meeting at which the item will be a part of the agenda.
Presenters may be scheduled by the Superintendent of Schools to address subjects, which are included in the agenda.
Citizens desiring to address subjects, which are included on the agenda of a meeting of the School Committee, will advise the Superintendent of Schools or the Chair of the Committee prior to the scheduled starting time of the meeting.
A single spokesperson will be selected by groups or organizations to address the Committee on an agenda item.
Speakers will be introduced by the School Committee Chairman at the appropriate time during the agenda and invited to make comments on the agenda topic. Speakers may offer objective comments of school operations and programs that concern them. The Committee will not permit in public session any expression of personal complaints about personnel nor against any person connected with the school system. Persons with personal complaints of personnel will utilize the “Administrative Regulation for Complaints about School Personnel” as a means of resolving concerns and disposition of these issues.
Presentations by speakers are limited to five minutes, although the School Committee may wish to extend the time through question-answer time, or through discussion.
Individuals or groups desiring additional information about any item on the agenda should direct such inquiries to the Office of the Superintendent. Appropriate response will be initiated by the Superintendent, or the Superintendent’s designee.
Persons making presentations at a Committee meeting will address remarks to the School Committee Chairman, and may direct questions or comments to Committee members or other officers of the school system only upon approval of the Chairman. Members of the Committee, the Superintendent and appropriate staff members may have the privilege of asking questions of any person who addresses the Committee.
The intent of this policy is to allow a fair and adequate opportunity to be heard, to allow the Superintendent to take action when policies have been established by the Committee on the subject of the request, to provide adequate time for the Committee to obtain necessary information concerning the subject, and to see that time so devoted to the discussion does not interfere with the fulfillment of the scheduled agenda of the Committee.
Reference
RI Gen. Laws § 42-46-4 - Closed Meetings
RI Gen. Laws § 42-46-7 - Minutes
Revision – January 15, 2009