Cape school board hosts community listening sessions

The Cape Girardeau Public Schools Board of Education hosted two listening sessions Monday, June 12. Community members were invited to give feedback regarding the creation of a Community Engagement policy for the district.

In both morning and evening sessions, participants were given an agenda with a list of nine questions meant to prompt discussion. The sessions also gave them an opportunity to provide ideas related to improving engagement between the district and its stakeholders.

Topics discussed included ways the board could better communicate with constituents regarding policies, where the public can find information on board meetings and the roles and responsibilities of board members.

Ramona Bailey, mother of a seventh and 10th grader at Cape Girardeau Public Schools (CGPS), wanted to know "who decides what issues the board addresses?" She also expressed concern and requested an examination regarding a "disproportionate number of minority students" placed in Cape Central Academy.

Mandy Brantley, parent of a sixth grader at CGPS, said she wanted to know more about the district's strategy regarding improving achievement levels. She also suggested the district's website was difficult to navigate and could be more user-friendly. She requested more clear and frequent "back-and-forth" communication between the district and parents regarding what their children are learning and their participation in activities.

Geneva Allen-Patterson, who works in nutrition services at Alma Schrader Elementary School, said she wanted to know how the board hears about the community's concerns and at what public events, besides the monthly meetings, the "face of the board" can be seen by community members.

In response to a question about how to "incentivize" parents to be "active participants in their child's educational journey," Bailey suggested events such as "diversity night," book fairs or career days.

"So people will know we are welcome at the school and you want our input," Bailey said.

Kristin Tallent, the district's communications director, said the she felt both listening sessions went well and they received "great feedback."

"We know if we do have the community and families involved in their kid's education that our students are going to be more successful," Tallent said. "We want them to be proud of it. We want them to know what's going on, and it's important to be able to have these kinds of honest conversations."

Tallent noted both participants and board members expressed interest in future opportunities for interaction beyond the monthly board meetings that tend to be more formal and bound by complicated rules. She said the board will decide for themselves whether it will commit to more meetings, similar to Monday's listening sessions. She added that, beyond the board, district staff and administrators are also looking for opportunities to host informational sessions for the community.

Tallent said the feedback received during Monday's listening sessions will be taken into consideration as the board meets to create the Community Engagement policy Thursday, June 15. This meeting is an open session and will take place at 7:30 a.m. at the district's administration offices located at 301 N. Clark Ave. in Cape Girardeau.