As I highlighted in my last letter, throughout the Nation education is a tumultous topic. During the Corona virus, educators faced the challenges of educating todays youth with remote means, while parents juggled work and school schedules with the various degrees of success. Some good changes did occur during the global pandemic, with some school districts becoming more transparent to the parents and communities they serve with digital platforms for meetings and agendas. During a recent informal phone survey of local and statewide school districts- a vast majority of schools polled, from Class C schools to AA, report utilizing a digital platform for informing the students, parents, educators, and taxpaying citizens of the school boards decisions, meetings, agendas, and final minutes. In Musselshell County- Melstone Public Schools continue to use Zoom, and post their meeting agendas and minutes online. Roundup Public Schools reported limited digital meetings during the pandemic and has sense ceased broadcasts, doesn't appear to post any agendas or meeting minutes digitally, and requires the public contact their offices for the information. The vast majority of school districts contacted report posting their schools information on Facebook, their schools websites, around the community, newspapers, and the local radio stations. As questions about educational mandates and agendas by local boards become more apparent, one would hope the communications and transparency from the tax funded districts keep up with the times and keep their constituents informed of decisions in which they pay for.
Gary Van Dyke
Roundup
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