ROCKVILLE, MD – The Montgomery County Board of Education is pleased to announce significant changes to enhance the operation of its Business meetings, beginning with its September all-day Board meeting.

“These changes will ensure that business meetings encourage input from the community on issues that are being specifically addressed by the Board at its meetings,” said Board of Education president Nancy Navarro. “They will also permit the Board to have more in-depth discussions of key issues that are aligned to the school system’s strategic plan – Our Call to Action: Pursuit of Excellence.”

The Board will reserve ten of the fifteen slots for public comments for speakers who wish to comment on issues that are on the agenda for that day’s Board meeting. The other five slots will be reserved for speakers who wish to comment on other issues that are not specifically on the agenda. The Board of Education Office will be accepting phone calls on the Monday before the Board meeting. The time period from 10:00 to 10:30 a.m. will be for speakers who wish to speak on issues relating to the day’s agenda, and 11:00 to 11:30 a.m. will be for speakers who wish to speak on other issues. Individuals wishing to provide comments should call the Board office at 301-279-3301 at the appropriate time to reserve a slot.

In addition, the evening Board meetings will now begin at 6:00 p.m. immediately after the Board’s closed session at 5:30 p.m. with adjournment scheduled for no later than 9:30 pm. Each evening business meeting will be focused on a key issue that is aligned with the strategic plan in order to provide the Board ample time for in-depth discussion and appropriate action.

If you have any questions on these changes, please call the Board of Education’s Chief of Staff, Mr. Roland Ikheloa, at 301-279-3617.

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