Library Citizens Advisory Committee

Dear Mat-Su Community Members,

Thank you for your interest in serving on the Library Advisory Committee. This is an update on what is happening and the next steps for this group. Please read this letter in its entirety as it includes important information and a survey that is required if you are still interested in serving on the committee.

On Wednesday, May 24, 2023 the School Board approved two agenda items that affect the committee. First, the Board passed a revision to BP 1220 Citizen Advisory Committees/Representative and Deliberative Groups:

The School Board recognizes that citizen advisory committees enable both citizens and educators to better understand the attitudes and opinions held in the school and community. As the need arises, the Board may establish citizen advisory committees to consider school problems, needs, and issues. Advisory committees shall serve in a strictly advisory capacity and shall not act as policy-making bodies. Committee members shall represent a cross-section of qualified people throughout the district, except in those cases where a committee is established to address the needs of a particular segment of the school community. With Board approval, the Chief School Administrator/Superintendent or designee may appoint committee members. All citizen advisory committees will expire June 30th of each school year unless renewed by the Board.

The School Board also passed the Library Citizens Advisory Committee which indicates:

Per Board Policy 1220, Citizens Advisory Committees, “The School Board recognizes that citizen advisory committees enable both citizens and educators to better understand the attitudes and opinions held in the school and community.”

Therefore, they are recommending that the community members of the library committee be representative of the elected School Board body. Each School Board member will be responsible for recommending a community member to represent their respective district. They are requesting that current valid applicants be contacted with an additional questionnaire to claim any employment connection with MSBSD. Employees will be appointed by the district in a separate pool. Also, per Board Policy, applicants must confirm knowledge that committee participation is public and committee findings are public. Applicants should have a copy of BP 1220 and be expected to follow expectations and guidelines of the committee.

The new Library Citizens Advisory Committee members will include seven (7) citizen members from the individuals that responded to the questionnaire that was open 4/13/23 - 4/21/23 and six (6) MSBSD Employees. Citizen Members cannot be current MSBSD employees or be employed with the school district for the 2023-2024 school year. SCHOOL BOARD MEMEBRS WILL REVIEW ALL QUALIFIED AND INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS FROM THEIR DISTRICT. School Board members will select one (1) interested and qualified individual from their district to bring forward for School Board approval. The employees will be appointed by the Superintendent or his designee. All members of the Committee will be included in a directory and available to the public. Recommendations, decisions and/or voting that the Advisory group brings forward to MSBSD Administration and/or the School Board will also be available to the public.

Committee Meetings will be held monthly on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 5pm at the MSBSD Administration Building at 501 North Gulkana Street in Palmer. The first meeting will be held Thursday, August 10th and meetings will be held through June 2024.

If you are still interested in serving on this Library Citizens Advisory Committee, please submit this short survey by June 8th at 12 pm.

As we move forward, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

The MSBSD Office of Teaching and Learning