Quail's Eye View
October 11, 2023
Quail’s Eye View - Message from the PPCS Board
Dear Families –
Can you believe it’s already October? Now that September is behind us and the new school year is well-underway, I wanted to write a note to introduce the Board’s purpose and make sure that you know how you can learn more, reach us, and share your perspectives.
What is PPCS’s Board?
As a school and a nonprofit organization, Palouse Prairie – like any other school district - is governed by a School Board. Did you know that we are our own school district? We are! Although we work in partnership with the Moscow School District, PPCS is technically its own small public charter school district, because we are chartered by the state of Idaho. The PPCS Board is elected by you and Board members serve for 3-year terms. Board members can be parents, grandparents, or community members at large who are dedicated to the success of our school.
This year’s Board of Directors:
Jessica Bearman (me) – Board Chair
Lauren Crawford – Vice Chair
Ryan Lincoln – Treasurer
Catherine Strickland – Secretary
Juan Albaitero
Christen Findley
Laura Heinse
Josh Hust
Mike Whiteman
What does the Board do?
The PPCS Board has four major roles:
Policy governance: We make sure that the school’s decisions are rooted in solid policies that prioritize student learning and well-being and protect the viability and vitality of our school. This includes decisions about curriculum, the school calendar, our pedagogical model, student safety, and much more, in line with our values and the law.
Fiduciary responsibility: ensure that our school is fiscally responsible and has the resources it needs to operate.
Strategic vision: create and hold a vision, mission, and goals for our school, in partnerships with the school community, teachers, and leadership.
Hire, supervise, and support our Executive Director.
How does the Board operate?
As a school board, our Board operates with almost complete transparency. Our meetings are conducted in accordance with Open Meeting Law, which means that anybody can attend a meeting and see the minutes from that meeting. The exception is when we go into a rare Executive Session to discuss matters that are legally private (about personnel or a student) or that would be detrimental to share publicly (such as sensitive information about safety, contracts, or negotiations underway).
How can I participate?
We meet monthly, usually on the fourth Monday of the month at 6 pm. Learn about upcoming Board meetings and review minutes from past meetings on the PPCS Website: https://palouseprairieschool.org/school-board/.
We welcome members of our PPCS Community to attend a school board meeting. As members of the public, you will be asked to be in “listen only mode” during the meeting, unless you have a comment to share during our public comment period. There is time at each meeting set aside for public comment, so if you have a suggestion, concern, compliment, or question, you can submit it in writing or you can speak to the board directly. Due to open meeting law, we will not discuss your comment with you at the meeting, but public comments often influence future agendas and discussions of the Board.
Stay tuned for upcoming editions of the Quail’s Eye View to learn more about our current priorities and what the Board is up to. If you have questions, feel free to email me at jbearman@palouseprairieschool.org.
Warmly,
Jessica & your PPCS School Board
For more information:
Email: office@palouseprairieschool.org
Website: https://palouseprairieschool.org/
Location: 406 Powers Avenue, Moscow, ID, USA
Phone: 208-882-3684
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PPCS.org/