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7: Presenting the Plan to the School Board
The purpose of making a presentation to the school board is three-fold: 1) A well-organized formal presentation gives weight and substance to the content of the proposed plan; it demonstrates creative thinking and articulates a clear rationale for every recommendation. 2) A presentation which utilizes shared speaking roles among team members acknowledges the multiple perspectives that have come together in the development of a viable plan. 3) A public presentation provides a useful summary of what is usually a very complex series of planning steps, giving listeners the opportunity to get the “big picture” thinking in a clear, concise manner.
The specific presentation format will of course be dictated in part by the culture and norms of each particular school board. Several approaches that have been successful include PowerPoint presentations highlighting key aspects and priorities of the plan, student demonstrations of arts learning or arts performances (videotaped or live), or brief oral reports accompanied by a well-organized written report. In all cases, the plan should be placed in a context that highlights what currently exists in the school district and what the Community Arts Team recommends as a plan of action.
The following written report format will form the basis of the public presentation. The written report is typically provided to school board members in advance of the meeting. The report sends a clear message that your team has carefully considered the current status, deliberately formed consensus around priorities and is ready to move forward with implementation of the plan!
Recommended Written Report Format:
Section 1: Executive Summary
The Executive Summary provides an overview of the planning process and describes the background of the project, the context for arts education planning and the expected outcomes of the project.
Section 2: Highlights of major findings.
Areas may include:
- Current status of arts education programs in the district
- Identified key priorities
- Program areas that need improvement (identification of gaps)
- Key recommendations for phased in plan
Section 3: Funding Outlook
- Description of current funding (from all sources)
- Proposal for new funds required (from the district)
- Budget that shows proposed funding from all sources (optional)
Section 4: Community Arts Team Roster
A listing of co-chairs and team members with their affiliations
Section 5: Arts Education Action Plan
- Focus area/strategic directions
- Implementation tasks
- Preliminary budget implications
- Person(s) responsible
- Time frame or phase
Section 6: Appendices
- Board policy
- Job description for Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator
- Supporting materials: Information about the Visual and Performing Arts Framework, etc.
- Other data collection charts / summaries if needed
School Board Report SAMPLE (PDF:150K)