Public Comment Sessions

The Orono School Board provides community members in-person opportunities to address the Board.

Public Comment Session - first Board meeting of each month
- A Public Comment session will be scheduled for the first Board meeting of each month beginning at 7 p.m. This session will precede the School Board regular business meeting. This session is open to the public.

Registering for a Public Comment session

Public Comment sessions will precede the regular Board meeting and begin at 7:00 p.m. These are open to the public.
Sessions can accommodate up to 10 individuals speaking for approximately three minutes each.
Orono Schools students, parents/guardians, staff, and district residents are asked to register by Google form to be considered for a speaking slot during the Session. Unless otherwise posted, the Google form will be open beginning Friday at 9 a.m. before every Board meeting and close by 12 p.m. the day of the Board meeting.
If more than 10 individuals register to speak, the Board will select speakers with priority given to the following individuals: Orono students, Orono parents, district residents, and district staff. Priority will also be given to individuals who have not addressed the board in two previous meetings, and whose topic is on that evening’s School Board Agenda. If more than 10 individuals who meet these criteria request to speak, a random selection process will be used.

Speakers will be notified by email by 3 p.m. with their three-minute time slot beginning at 7 p.m. If you do not receive an email with a time slot, then you have not been slated to speak at the Board meeting. The Public Comment session is open to the public.
If there are no registrants for the session by 12 p.m. the day of the Board meeting, there will be no session that evening.
Sessions will be held in the District Office (DO) Assembly Room at 685 Old Crystal Bay Rd., Long Lake. Designated speakers should enter through Door E3, the DO main door.

The full School Board will be present for Public Comment sessions.
During Public Comment sessions, speakers will be seated in the Assembly Room and will be called forward during their designated time.
A presentation timer will be on the speaker’s desk to show the time remaining and help manage the Session schedule.
Once the sessions have concluded, speakers may attend the Board meeting in the Assembly Room, proceed to the IS band room (overflow room) and await a livestream of the Board meeting, or return home and watch the Board meeting online.
Public Comment sessions will not be livestreamed or recorded. School Board members will listen to comments, but will typically not respond during the session. All comments will be considered and, if needed, discussed with district administrators.
Professional decorum is expected at all times. If at any time there are any violations of the rules of decorum, the Chair reserves the right to call a recess or end the session.
If speakers have more content than can be communicated in three minutes, comments should be shared by email with the School Board.

Board meetings will start at 7 p.m. or immediately following the conclusion of the Public Comments session. As always, community members are welcome to attend a Board meeting in person, with limited seating in the Assembly Room. Overflow seating will be available in the IS Band Room through Door E4 near the IS playground. E4 doors will open at 6:45 p.m. Attendees will be expected to follow the rules of order.
Board meetings are also livestreamed beginning at 7 p.m. via the Orono School Board YouTube channel. The Board will maintain its customary practice of recording and posting School Board meetings on the district website.