School Board Meetings

School Board meetings are open to the public and all discussions will be held in the open, with the exception of executive sessions. There is time on the meeting agenda for audience participation. If you have questions about specific procedures, please check with one of the board members or a district staff member prior to the start of the meeting. Involved and informed parents and citizens are our best guarantee of excellence in our public schools.

We as a board recognize our responsibility to conduct the business of the district in an orderly and efficient manner and will therefore require reasonable controls to regulate public presentations to the board. The following overview will help you understand how best to participate in the meeting.

The Agenda

School board members receive a full agenda several days prior to the board meeting. The agenda may deal with curriculum, budget, hiring of personnel, facilities, school transportation, or long-range planning. The agenda usually includes written support material that helps us with our decision making. If it appears that we take quick action on an item, it may be because we have been studying the topic for several weeks or that we have had our questions answered in advance of the meeting. The agenda that is available to you tonight may not include all of this supporting material. However, if you wish to see a particular item, please see one of us, or the board secretary, prior to the beginning or at the end of the meeting.

2024-25 School Board Meeting Dates

Public Participation

Individual wishing to be heard at a board meeting shall advise the secretary of the board in advance. Business items suggested by patrons of the district shall be submitted in writing and received in the office of the superintendent at least seven days before the meeting in order to ensure inclusion on the written agenda.

Items for business may not be suggested from the floor for discussion and/or action at the same meeting except at the discretion of the President or the majority of board members present.

Items on the Agenda

Individuals wishing to express an opinion prior to board action on agenda items are asked to identify themselves by providing their name and address in order to be recognized by the president. Your comments will be as brief as the subject permits and in no case longer than 5 minutes per individual or 20 minutes per topic. The president of the board may interrupt or terminate an individual’s statement when it is too lengthy, personally directed, abusive, obscene, or irrelevant.

Items Not on the Agenda

At the beginning of the meeting, the president will allow any individual to speak to any issue not included on the agenda. Comments will be limited to three minutes per speaker and 15 minutes per topic (with a total of 30 minutes allowed for public comments). Comments directed at the performance of school personnel will not be allowed. The board will not take action on a citizen request made in this manner, but may refer the issue to the administration for further investigation or research. Alternatively, citizens may present a request to the superintendent 72 hours before a scheduled meeting to address a concern not otherwise treated on the agenda.

Types of Board Meetings

The Yelm School Board generally meets on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month. All board meetings will begin at 6 p.m. There are two types of board meetings. One is the monthly business meeting which is generally on the fourth Thursday of the month at the district office board room. The second type is a study session. These meetings are held at various schools on a rotating basis. Dates, times and locations of board meetings are always posted on our district website.

In addition to regular meetings, special meetings or emergency sessions are held on rare occasions to address urgent issues. Notices are provided to the news media, board members, and posted on the district web site 24 hours before such meetings are scheduled. All scheduled meetings are open to the public.

How to Communicate Questions or Concerns

Before coming to the School Board with a specific question, concern, or issue, we encourage you to begin with the staff member closest to the concern. Most complaints can be resolved by informal discussions with the staff member.

At each "step," the person with the concern should request the person at that level to assist them in the process of moving an unresolved question or concern to the next level.

Discuss the issue first with the teacher, guidance counselor or staff member closest to the concern.
If the issue is not resolved, visit with the principal (this may be the first step if it is a school-wide concern).
If still not satisfied, file a written complaint with the Superintendent’s office, describing the problem, all steps taken to resolve the issue and a suggested solution. The Superintendent will send copies to the principal and any staff member involved in the complaint. The Superintendent will then attempt to resolve the matter through a conference with the citizen, staff member(s), and principal.
If still unresolved and after all other avenues have been exhausted, the Superintendent will present the issue to the Board. The Board will attempt to make a final resolution of the matter. If the complaint is against a staff member, the Board may call an executive session to discuss the matter. Any formal actions by the Board will take place at an open meeting.

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