KPS board approves earlier start time to monthly meetings

KALKASKA – The Kalkaska Public Schools Board of Education is trying to get a jump start on its to-do list.

At its regular monthly meeting Feb. 11, board members unanimously approved moving the start of already scheduled school board meetings from 7 p.m. to 6 p.m. The change went into effect immediately.

And, according to KPS officials, the reason for the change to an earlier time is so that the board meetings aren’t adjourned so late.

“The fact that we have had some lengthy board meetings these past months – coupled with lots to discuss like our school's data and our new strategic plan – has resulted in some conversations with the board and administration,” said KPS Superintendent Terry Starr. “For example, a board member suggested we maybe not require all principals to report to all board meetings in an effort to give them a break and speed up our delivery of information.

“(And) at least one board member sometimes has to leave town after meetings for work, so our ending time is a point, for her sake. We try to keep a close eye on it.”

To help resolve such issues, Starr added that district administrators suggested exploring potentially shifting the start of meetings to an earlier time.

In the end, though, the primary purpose of the change is to get people attending the meetings home sooner.

“We are trying to get folks out for the evening at an earlier hour, get our kids who present or are present as KHS representatives home earlier, allow for people who want to come to our meetings to potentially get to other events after our meetings – like sporting events especially as spring and fall approach – all while accomplishing all the business a board is responsible for doing,” Starr said. “The good news is, if the new time start does not seem to work well, we can and will re-adjust.”

And, the changes might not end with a new start time.

Read the full story in our regular edition of The Review. To subscribe to the paper for just $34 a year, which includes access to our full online e-edition, please go to the subscription page on this website at: http://www.antrimreview.net/subscribe/