Smyrna School District Board of Education Public Comment Rules

Time has been allocated at the beginning of most board meetings for individuals to address the Smyrna School District Board on issues of general concern. 

Due to privacy requirements, no individual persons may be identified during Formal Public Comment. 

As a reminder, public comment session is for issues of general concern. If you have concerns about the district’s personnel, facilities or services, you are welcome to share those concerns with the board in writing in accordance with the following board policies, which are all listed on the District website:

Policy 1313, complaints about school personnel

Policy 1314, complaints about school facilities and services 

Policy 1315, public complaints

During the course of formal public comment, the Board of Education, at our discretion, may enter into Executive Session to hear matters of a sensitive or private nature. 

Please remember that public comment is not a question and answer session.

Each group should choose one representative to speak, and comments must be limited to no more than five minutes. All other individuals are limited to 3 minutes. Speakers may not cede their time to others. Speakers will be recognized by the Board President in the order you signed up. 

For meetings that include Zoom, all participants’ cameras and microphones are turned off.  The chat feature has been turned on, however, participants will only be able to chat with the host in order to sign up for public comment.  If you are interested in speaking during Public Comment, you may either sign-in on the provided sheet if attending in person, or by providing your full name and topic you wish to address in a chat to the host.  Chat will close when the Public Comment begins.  We ask that you are able to use your device’s camera and microphone. 

If we have large number of people have signed up to speak, the Board President may at her discretion, limit the number of persons allowed to speak based upon order of sign up. Our public comment session will not exceed 1 hour.  

Once your name is called for public comment, in person attendees will stand to speak.  Those on Zoom will be asked to unmute and to activate your camera. Once you start to speak, your time begins.  When your time is up, you will be muted and your camera will be turned off.