The Springfield school board typically meets twice a month and the district has made it easy for the public to watch, in person or online, and to communicate with the governing body in writing or by signing up to speak.
Here is a quick how-to guide for members of the public who want to track the discussions and decisions of the board or to engage with the elected members.
When does the board meet?
The board typically meets twice a month, almost always at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays.
The first meeting each month, a study session, typically includes longer presentations and more discussion, including agenda items being presented for the first time.
Most votes happen during the regular or a combined meeting, which are scheduled on months without a separate study session.
The board is not scheduled to meet in July. Here are the scheduled meetings through the end of 2024:
- Aug. 20 − Combined meeting
- Sept. 17 − Combined meeting
- Oct. 8 − Study session
- Oct. 22 − Regular meeting
- Nov. 5 − Study session
- Nov. 19 − Regular meeting
- Dec. 17 − Combined meeting
As needed, the board also schedules retreats to allow time for deeper discussion.
Where are the meetings?
Except in rare situations, board meetings are at the Kraft Administration Center, 1359 E. St. Louis St. There is ample parking on site with overflow available in an adjacent lot.
A year ago, the district renovated two large meeting rooms on the north side of the office building into a new board room. The new board room is larger, with its own entrance. There are large screens throughout the board room that display the agenda and a timer for speakers.
Starting at 5 p.m. on meeting days, visitors may enter the board room from an exterior door on the deck just north of the main entrance of the building. The door is accessible from either stairs or a ramp.
How to watch virtually
All meetings — study session, regular and combined — are livestreamed on the district's YouTube channel and are posted on the district's website the day after the meeting. A link to the livestream is typically posted on the district website and X, formerly Twitter, in the hours before the meeting starts.
Interested in catching up on previous meetings? The sps.org website includes a link to all the recorded meetings since September 2012.
What is on the agenda?
Board secretary Tammi Harrington typically sends a news release to local media outlets on Thursday or Friday before a Tuesday meeting. The releases are also posted online in advance.
The posted agendas note if an executive session, or closed-door meeting, has been scheduled and the Sunshine Law exceptions cited. For example, the board can meet out of public view to discuss certain legal, real estate and personnel matters.
The public meetings typically start with roll call, the Pledge of Allegiance and the approval of an agenda.
Following public comments, the board often votes on a consent agenda — a list of business matters often approved with a single vote during regular or combined meetings — and then moves into any new business and information reports.
Most meetings include an update on bond projects. There is time set aside at the end of meetings for a report from the administration, board comments, and notice of any upcoming meetings.
At the start of regular and combined meetings, the board allocates time to celebrate students and employees.
At least a day before each meeting, a more detailed agenda — with links to presentations and proposals — becomes available on BoardDocs.com. To access, click on "enter public site."
How to communicate with the board
The district provides a general email address and mailing address for any written correspondence with the board. The email is boardcommunication@spsmail.org.
The board can also receive mail at 1359 E. St. Louis St., Springfield, MO 65802. Any mail that comes in for the board is provided to the board president at the next meeting.
The phone number listed for the board is the same as the board secretary: 417-523-0026.
According to the district, the correspondence that comes in is shared with all board members and becomes public record, meaning it can be accessed through a Sunshine Law request.
How to sign up to speak at meetings
For each public comment period, the board allows for up to 10 speakers.
The sign-up time starts at 8 a.m. the Monday before the meeting and closes at noon on the day of the meeting — or as soon as the 10 spots are filled, whichever comes first.
Individuals can use the online form at sps.org or call the board secretary at 417-523-0026. However, if the district is closed due to a holiday or inclement weather, the online form is the only option.
The board president calls on speakers in the order they signed up and no substitutions are permitted. Each speaker is limited to three minutes.
At the start of each public comment period, a statement is read that includes the following: "Comments must be acceptable for a business and family-friendly environment. Inappropriate language, gestures or personal attacks will not be tolerated. It is inappropriate to address the board about individual students or individual staff members by name in open meeting. If you have concerns about individuals, these concerns should be addressed through the appropriate administrative supervisors, either in the schools or in the district office."
Who is on the board?
Members of the board are elected to serve three-year, at-large terms. Elections are staggered with voters selecting two or three members each April, depending on the year.
The current board members include:
- Danielle Kincaid, an attorney and partner with the Elder Law Group, is starting her second year as board president. She was elected to a second term in April, which expires in 2027.
- Judy Brunner, a retired Springfield principal and the chief education officer of Edu Safe LLC and Instructional Solutions Group LLC, is in her first year as vice president. Her first term expires in 2026.
- Kelly Byrne is the principal and managing partner of the Say You Can companies that specialize in real estate investment and development. His first term expires in 2025.
- Steve Makoski, a retired U.S. Navy veteran, is director of compliance for Rapid Roberts Inc. His first term expires in 2025.
- Maryam Mohammadkhani is a retired pathologist who trained in the Harvard medical system before joining CoxHealth. She was elected to a second term in April, which expires in 2027.
- Susan Provance, a retired Springfield teacher and coach, was elected to her first term in April, which expires in 2027.
- Shurita Thomas-Tate, an associate professor at Missouri State University, is in the second year of a second term, which expires in 2026.
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