1120P Public Participation at Board of Education Meetings

1120P
2nd Reading - 2/8/22
                                                                       COMMUNITY RELATIONS

                              BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS

Public Participation at Board of Education Meetings

The regular and special meetings of the Board of Education are open to the public and
representatives of the press except that a part of any meeting may be designated an executive
session as provided by law.

The Board of Education welcomes participation of interested organizations and individuals.
Advance announcement of all regular and special meetings of the Board of Education is made
through posting the agenda, on the District website, through notices to newspapers, and
directly to citizens and community and professional organizations who specifically request such
notification. A reasonable charge may be made for those persons or organizations requesting
advance announcements of meetings and agenda backup materials.

Board meetings are meetings held in public and are not open hearings. Once the Board moves
into regular agenda the public may participate as allowed by the Chairperson and with the
following restrictions:

    1. Questions and/or comments are to be restricted to the specific agenda item being
       discussed;
    2. Public comment shall be allowed during the “Public Comment” agenda items only;
    3. Board members shall be recognized first for comments and/or questions;
    4. Questions and/or comments by the public may be restricted by the Board Chairperson,
       including the length of time for each comment; and
    5. The Chairperson may, at his/her discretion, curtail public discussion at any time.

Any citizen may appear before the Board to express his/her opinion concerning the educational
program of the district in correlation to any open agenda item for a specific meeting. The Board
encourages members of the public to address complaints concerning individual District
personnel through the proper chain of command. The Board agenda provides opportunities for
comments and questions from persons attending the meeting. Persons wishing to address the
Board should give their names and addresses.

Communications to the Board

Any citizen that is unable to attend a public meeting may address the Board in writing. Written

BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS                                                           Page 1 of 2
communication must be received at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled meeting. In addition,
no anonymous or “mass mailings” will be included in the communications section of the Board
agenda. Any communication regarding a specific staff member or student will be listed in the
agenda indicating the sender and the subject, but the actual communication will not be
included in the agenda.

Board Relations with Community Organizations

It is the intention of the Board of Education to cooperate fully with appropriate officials, Boards,
committees, or other agencies of the town, and with organized groups of interested citizens of
the town. Any such individual or group requesting a meeting with the Board of Education
should present its request to the Chairperson of the Board, or the Superintendent, in ample
time to allow for proper preparation of agenda items, notification of Board members, and
establishment of a meeting time and place.

(cf. 1312 - Public Complaints)

Legal Reference: Connecticut General Statutes

1 225 Meetings of government agents to be public. Recording of votes. Schedule and agenda of
meetings to be filed. Notice of special meetings. Executive sessions.
1 226 Broadcasting or photographing meetings.
19a 342 Smoking in public meetings in rooms of public building prohibited.
1 227 Mailing of notice of meetings to persons filing written request. Fees.
1 230 Regular meetings to be held pursuant to regulation, ordinance or resolution.
1 232 Conduct of meetings.
1 205 Denial of access to public records or meetings.
10 238 Petition for hearing by board of education.

POLICY ADOPTED: December 14, 1999
REVISED:        November 12, 2019
REVISED:        February 8, 2022

COLCHESTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Colchester, Connecticut




BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS                                                              Page 2 of 2