Ann Arbor school board holds goal-setting workshop, highlights teamwork, norms and fiscal literacy

The Ann Arbor Public Schools Board of Education held a study-session goal-setting workshop facilitated by Julie Kaminski from the Michigan Association of School Boards that focused on the board’s role as a governance team and on establishing 2–3 achievable board goals for the year.

"We will work on collaborative and effective communication in the 2024–25 school year," Kaminski said as an example of the broad statements trustees might adopt; she also recommended operational norms and protocols be developed and embedded into meeting practice. (Julie Kaminski)

Trustees brainstormed internal priorities: improved interpersonal communication among members, fiscal stability and literacy (including MASB 100-series training for trustees), equity and inclusiveness, team-building and support for the superintendent. Several trustees suggested the board adopt concrete norms and regular monitoring cadence (quarterly progress checks) and commit to a small number of focused goals to keep progress measurable.

Kaminski committed to provide sample norms and protocol templates and to send a polished summary of the workshop to Superintendent Parks, Vice President Dupree and the board’s assistant to support the next steps. Trustees agreed to continue the work at a follow-up session and to use the bond-related engagements and community feedback to inform priorities.

Separately, trustees approved a narrow policy change to Transportation Policy 3760 (changing the elementary walk zone from 1.5 to 1.25 miles to match current practice) and accepted presentations on bond-related contract recommendations for Mitchell Elementary and pool locker replacements at Huron and Pioneer High Schools.

What happens next: facilitator will provide draft norms/protocols and the board will be asked to draft 2–3 broad board goals for adoption in a subsequent meeting.