Public Participation
Overview
Welcome to a Rockport School Committee meeting. The purpose of the meeting is for the Committee to transact the business of the School District, as mandated by state law and published in this agenda. This is an official business meeting of the School Committee, conducted under a prepared and limited agenda that is distributed on the Friday prior to the meeting. This meeting is not a public hearing, but rather a meeting conducted in public. The goal is to accomplish District business within a productive, respectful atmosphere in a reasonable timeframe. For your convenience, we have provided the public participation rules from the School Committee Policy Manual (section BEDH). A copy of the Policy Manual is available for review in the Superintendent’s office.
Public Participation Rules and Procedures
1. At the start of each regularly scheduled School Committee meeting, individuals or group representatives will be invited to address the Committee during the Public Participation segment. The Chairman shall determine the length of this segment.
2. Speakers will be allowed three (3) minutes to present their material. The presiding Chairman may permit extension of this time limit.
3. Topics for discussion must be limited to those items listed on the School Committee meeting agenda for that evening.
4. Improper conduct and remarks will not be allowed. Defamatory or abusive remarks are always out of order. If a speaker persists in improper conduct or remarks, the Chairman may terminate that individual’s privilege of address.
5. All remarks will be addressed through the Chairman of the meeting.
6. Speakers may offer such objective criticisms of the school operations and programs as concern them, but in public session the Committee will not hear personal complaints of school personnel nor against any member of the school community. Under most circumstances, administrative channels are the proper means for disposition of legitimate complaints involving staff members.
7. Written comments longer than three (3) minutes may be presented to the Committee before and after the meeting for the Committee members review and consideration at an appropriate time.
The committee appreciates your attendance this evening and encourages your continued interest in its work on behalf of the children of Rockport.