Getting The Most From Your Advisory Committee

1
Getting The Most From Your Advisory Committee
Alabama Summe Conference -- Birmingham

• Kevin Keith
• Local Program Success Specialist
• Northeastern United States

2
Formation of An Effective Committee

• The Advisory Committee should be representative
  of the community served by the program
• Business/Industry
• Production Agriculture
• Agricultural Professionals
• Agriculture Laborers

The Superintendents Advisory Committee on
Agricultural Education ?!?
3
As the School Districts Committee

• Appointed officially by school administrator
  and/or school board
• Develop nominees giving some options for each
  open position (generally two to three options of
  folks who have been asked if their name can be
  considered).

4
As the School Districts Committee

• Each member appointed for one, three year term
  with a limit of being reappointed once (maximum
  service 6 years)
• No One Wants a Life Sentence
• New ideas, input and support is good for the
  program

5
As the School Districts Committee

• Chair should be selected from those serving on
  last year of term
• Experience, comfort and familiarity with process
• Chair should meet with administrator rep and
  department rep prior to meetings to review agenda.

6
Set Annual Meeting Schedule For Inclusion in
School Calendar

• Only special meetings and/or committee meetings
  should be set outside school calendar.
• Recommend at least two regular business meetings
  per year
• One causes loss of interest and does not allow
  for specified follow- up

7
Agenda Should Include

• Curriculum and instructional offerings
• Budget recommendations
• Operations
• Capital Items
• Initiatives and program changes/special requests
• Classroom/Laboratory
• SAE
• FFA

8
Operate Meetings Via Parliamentary Procedure

• Members initiate business
• Chair assigns responsible parties for all action
  items (not school staff, although they should
  have consultative role) unless part of initiated
  motion.
• Keeps committee involved and limits overburden on
  teacher and administrators

9
Reporting/Recording

• Reporting should carry through to following
  school board meeting with business introduce to
  board via committee chair.
• Recording of meeting minutes should take place
  professionally and be shared with school
  board/administration prior to next board meeting.

10
Follow up is key to success

• Assign responsibility
• Chair
• Responsible administrator
• Specially assigned tail twister
• Organized and respected committee member.
• Share results with committee (Recorder/Correspondi
  ng secretary)

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Keys to Success

• Communication
• Respect
• Program Staff
• School Board/Administration
• Results
• Professionalism
• Accept and Implement Results

12
Available Resource

• Agriculture Teachers Manual
• Found in any recent edition of
• Local Program Resource Guide
• Annual CD Rom for LPS
• LPS Specialist
• Kevin Keith (kkeith_at_ffa.org or
• 317 709 0806)
• In State Resources