Web Conferencing Resources

School Board to Being Webcasting Meetings

January 20, 2009 – 5:55 pm

The Trillium Lakelands School District is reviewing the idea of webcasting all of its board meetings to give greater, transparent access to everyone that is interested in participating. The board has been testing different solutions for the past couple of months, and have found that it is particularly useful during winter weather where not as many board members can physically attend the meetings.

The webcasts will be streamed live and then stored on the board’s website and available the following day. Archived videos will be stored for 3 months. While the board feels that this technology will be very useful, they’re concerned that people in rural areas won’t have access to a computer with a broadband connection to view the meetings.

TL Board Member, Norah Fontaine:

Hopefully, the technology will catch up to us. Not everyone can afford the higher-priced (high-speed internet) service.

The board also plans to replace the webcasting service with their current video conference service. Some board members are concerned that the webcasting won’t be as effective for board members that are on travel. Discontinuing the video conferencing, would also require less staff to support the technology. The board will make a final decision on whether or not it will permanently webcast its meetings later this May.