The School Board generally meets first and third Mondays of each month at 7:00 p.m.. Dates are prepared a year in advance and are subject to change. Please see the School Board Calendar for up-to-date information.  To view the most recent agendas and minutes, please BoardBook's Public View page.  Past meeting recordings can be found on our Meeting Recordings page.

Public Comments During Board Meetings

In accordance with school board policy 167.3 the McFarland School Board welcomes public comment during regular meetings from individuals who are present at the meeting, participating virtually, or have sent an email to the Board President or Superintendent. Participants are required to register to speak upon arriving at that meeting, provide their name, address, and any group affiliation before speaking, address only topics within the legitimate jurisdiction of the board, recognize that the board will not respond to comments during the meeting unless the item is on the published agenda, limit their comments to under 5 minutes or 600 written words, and maintain decorum. 

This document provides additional details for those who wish to make a public comment.

• Register:  Participants are required to register their intention to participate in the noticed public comment portion of the meeting upon their arrival at the meeting and shall provide their name, address, and group affiliation if and when appropriate. 
• Topics:  Participants shall address only topics within the legitimate jurisdiction of the board. The board members will not directly respond to comments and may only take action on topics that are on the published agenda. 
• Time:  Participants are asked to limit their comments to five (5) minutes in duration. Written comments will have a word limit of 600 words. The portion of the meeting for public comments is limited to sixty (60) minutes unless extended by a vote of the board.
• Decorum:  Participants shall direct all comments to the Board and observe reasonable decorum.

Other important considerations: 

• Any person who needs an accommodation to provide comment is asked to contact the District Office at 608-838-4550 at least 3 business days in advance of the meeting to request assistance. 
• Public commentary should not be the first avenue for conflict resolution or complaints. Making a statement during the public comment period is not the only way, or typically the “best” way, to obtain broad input on an important question or to have fact-specific issues/complaints brought to the District’s attention. 
• The District cannot protect a speaker from any liability as a result of speech that is threatening, defamatory or harmful to another person’s reputation, so speakers should be cautious about making statements that could create personal liability for themselves.
• In accordance with the policy, the presiding officer may:
  • interrupt, warn, or terminate a participant's statement when the statement is too lengthy, personally directed, abusive, obscene, or irrelevant;
  • request any individual to leave the meeting when that person does not observe reasonable decorum;
  • request the assistance of law enforcement officers in the removal of a disorderly person when that person's conduct interferes with the orderly progress of the meeting;
  • call for a recess or an adjournment to another time when the lack of public decorum so interferes with the orderly conduct of the meeting as to warrant such action;
  • waive these rules with the approval of the Board when necessary for the protection of privacy or the administration of the Board's business.

Policy 0167.3 - Public Participation at Board Meetings