Windsor Locks School Officials Trying New Meeting Format

The is changing the format of one of its twice a month meetings.

The board decided on Thursday to use its second meeting of the month as a workshop. Officials said they will try the new format to see how it works.

Board Chairwoman Patricia King said during a presentation at  a Connecticut Association of Boards of Education Berlin school officials said they have a business meeting and a workshop meeting each month. King said she thought Windsor Locks school officials could use their second meeting of the month for meeting with administrators and staff to discuss programs and topics.

Superintendent of Schools Wayne Sweeney said it would still be a board meeting held in public. While there would not be public participation on the agenda, a parent or other member of the public could be invited to take part in the meeting, he said.

Board members would still be able to take votes on issues if they want to, Sweeney said.

The board could invite members of the superintendent’s parent advisory committee to take part in a workshop discussion, Sweeney added.

Board Member Margaret Byrne said she thinks the workshop is a good idea. The board could have more in-depth presentations and discussions about subjects that the normal business meetings don’t provide enough time, she said.

The board’s meetings are generally held at 6 p.m. in the library media center of on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month. The board may hold the workshops in a smaller room in the high school, officials said.

Parent Karen Giannelli asked that the board continue to hold all of its meetings in the library media center to make it easier for members of the public to remember where they are located.

Board Member Scott Storms said he believes the workshops are an interesting concept. Storms said school officials have to make sure they let the public know of the change in format.

Sweeney said if officials find that the workshop format is not working how they’d hoped, something else can be tried.