If there was one thing that Oxford Schools Superintendent Dr. William Skilling walked away with after the two public forums on the potential Chinese dormitories, it was a need for better communication to the public as a whole.
‘Had it not been for the board recommending two community forums, I never would have even attempted to schedule those,? Skilling said. ‘Another lesson learned.?
As a way to be more proactive, Skilling will be starting up his ‘Superintendent Forums,? which will be held once a month. Skilling noted that he originally started the Superintendent Forums years ago after the holding forums concerning the privatizing of custodians, he simply continued them. However, when interest started to wane and no-one was showing up he decided to stop.
‘I’m not sure if it will be successful and people will want to come. Unless there is something that somebody is really emotional or passionate about, generally they don’t show up,? he said. ‘I don’t blame them and I’m not saying anything negative about that, but it’s just human nature. I wouldn’t go to a forum unless there is something I really was concerned about or wanted to share or wanted to support as well.?
The Superintendent Forums will cover whatever current events and issues are going on in the district at that time, such as budgets or curriculum changes. Then it will be opened up for a question and answer period.
‘Whatever the public has questions or concerns about or want to give input on,? he said.
Skilling believes that board meetings can sometimes be intimidating for members of the public to come share their thoughts, whereas the superintendent forums will be a more relaxed setting and he said that board meetings aren’t the place for questions and answers back and forth between the board and the public.
‘A board meeting is a meeting (of the board) in the public,? he said. ‘The conversations are really among board members, not board members and community.?
At the end of the board meeting, by law (we’re) required to give the community an opportunity to speak with the board and share their concern or whatever they have on their mind, you’ll find that in any government meeting,? he continued. ‘It’s not an opportunity to start getting in a dialog and debating an issue or why you’re doing this or that. (That’s why) you’ll hear the board president say you can follow up with the superintendent or the superintendent will follow up with you. That’s why (we) get their name, address, phone number, so forth.?
However, Skilling did point out that if there was an action item on the agenda that a member of the public wanted to address that they could request to speak on that item prior to it being voted on.
He also said that it was pointed out at the second public forum that only 25 percent of families have children in school, which creates a communication gap for those who don’t receive regular communication from the schools as parents with children do.
‘It’s (actually) closer to 20 percent or less,? he noted.
Parents in the district receive regular updates from the school via school messenger whether by e-mail or phone. Outside of that Skilling said they try to regularly communicate to the public through their website oxfordschools.org, their Oxford Community Schools facebook page, district-wide newsletter ‘The Wildcat Review? and coverage through local newspapers. Skilling also hosts a regular ‘Superintendent Coffee Connection,? at the various schools each month to allow members of the community to have informal conversations and updates in the district. His next one will be 9 a.m. at Clear Lake Elementary on Nov. 11. If members of the public have more suggestions of how to better get and give input and information, Skilling said he welcomes those suggestions.
‘I learned a lot from the community and hearing things back (at those two meetings),? he said. ‘I guess my take away is that I have to get even more proactive and think more about how to communicate and get people into a forum in which to give input.?

Supt. Forums
? Tuesday January 20, 2015
‘Tuesday, March 17, 2015
‘Tuesday, May 12, 2015
* All meetings will begin at 6:30 p.m. and be held in the school board meeting room at the administration building, located at 10 N. Washington Street.