BoardDocs to help streamline District 202 board meeting communication

Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202 is using the Internet to provide better communication about Board of Education meetings. BoardDocs, a service that will debut on the district's Web site for the upcoming July 17 board meeting, makes meeting documents available electronically, replacing the old method of compiling, printing, binding and distributing a limited number of paper copies. By making agendas and supporting documents available online, District 202 will distribute documents more quickly and efficiently.

Electronic distribution will not only save time and resources, but also provide unprecedented public access to some of the information that board members use to make decisions. Through District 202's Web site - www.psd202.org - the public can view agendas and certain supporting documents associated with board meetings, allowing interested parties to review and print information prior to the meeting. After the meeting, individuals can review agenda items and see action taken by the board, complete with voting. All documents associated with the meeting are automatically archived and can be accessed by meeting date or by using the comprehensive search feature.

As meetings approach, board members will be able to see materials as they are added to the agenda, increasing the time they have to review information and enabling them to better prepare for meetings. Under the old system, meeting packets could not be distributed until each document had been prepared and submitted. District staff would spend considerable time and energy assembling the documents into packets and distributing the information to board members and members of the media. The new system will allow documents to be published to the online agenda as they become available, extending the time that board members have access to the information by several days. Additionally, board members will have access to a vast database to gain knowledge of initiatives other school districts have considered and implemented.

District 202 will use the same technology to publish the district's policies and procedures on the Web. Currently, paper versions of the manuals are distributed throughout the district, and the public can review these publications in the schools. By publishing the policies and procedures online, the district will assure that personnel and the public alike will have access to the most up-to-date information. On-line distribution will reduce the time and expense of distributing policies and procedures.

Media members are invited to a participate in a trial of BoardDocs on July 17 at 3 p.m. at the Administration Center, located at 15732 Howard Street in Plainfield.

BoardDocs was developed in partnership with K-12 administration and board members to ease the process of assembly and distribution of board packets and supporting documents to board members. First used in January 2001, BoardDocs has enabled organizations to publish board agenda items, supporting documents and policies to the World Wide Web. It is specifically designed to meet the unique needs and legal requirements of public school boards, county commissions and municipal governments. Many school districts across the country, including Clark County (Nev.) School District, Fairfax County (Va.) Public Schools, Frederick County (Md.) Public Schools and Olathe (Kan.) District Schools, use BoardDocs to manage their meetings. Click here to learn more about BoardDocs.

For more information, contact District 202 Director of Community Relations Carla Erdey at (815) 577-4008.