Fort Smith School District sets rules for meeting participation

Residents who wish to speak to the board have to complete a “request to speak form.”

FORT SMITH — In light of restrictions on large gatherings of people due to the covid-19 pandemic, the School District has outlined procedures for resident participation for the next board meeting.

The virtual meeting will start at 5:30 p.m. Monday. It will originate in the service center auditorium in Building B of the Fort Smith Public Schools Service Center Complex at 3205 Jenny Lind Road. No more than 10 people may be present in the auditorium at that time.

Board President Bill Hanesworth, School District Superintendent Doug Brubaker, Deputy Superintendent Terry Morawski, Executive Secretary Nadine Brooks and meeting presenters will attend the on-site meeting while six board members and the remaining members of the Superintendent’s Executive Council will attend online.

Residents who wish to speak to the board have to complete a “request to speak form,” which is available at bit. ly/request2speak, and submit it at least 72 hours, or three calendar days, before the meeting. The deadline would be by 5:30 p.m. on Friday. The board cannot accommodate day-of-meeting requests to speak due to preparations necessary for social distancing.

Speakers are asked to arrive at the auditorium no later than 5:20 p.m. on the day of the meeting and remain in their vehicle. A meeting moderator will call to notify the speaker when it’s time to enter the auditorium. The board president will recognize speakers shortly after they arrive. Speakers are asked to remain seated until then.

Residents, School District parents, students and staff are invited and encouraged to watch the meeting live on the district’s YouTube channel at https://bit.ly/34SRD0e or watch a recording of the meeting on the School Board videos webpage later in the week. The videos page is at https://bit.ly/34UyISD.

Zena Featherston Marshall, executive director of communication and community partnerships for the School District, said reporters can watch the meeting onsite.

The School Board will meet online until covid-19 restrictions are lifted, according to a news release. The board first met online April 13 for a called meeting.