GONZALES — Gonzales Unified School District Board meetings are now going to be filmed, starting with the Sept. 26 board meeting.
The decision to film board meetings was approved by the school board members on Sept. 12. The filming will include at least two cameras, one facing the board and another facing the podium, with a third facing the audience.
“The idea actually started last year,” said Superintendent Liz Modena. “When we have the joint meeting at the City Council they are televised as that is the practice for the City.”
Modena said the filming of the board meeting was discussed with the Gonzales media students and how the filming could be more dynamic.
City Manager Rene Mendez asked the board to consider holding the board meetings at the council chambers, but that idea was soon eliminated because the public expressed concern about whether City Council chambers would be big enough to accommodate all those who wanted to attend the school board meetings.
Modena spoke with the new instructor for the media class, Jacob Jun, and he offered to investigate what it would take to have the equipment.
“There is an added educational value to this project,” said Modena. “It will allow our students in that class to have some actual field experience in their area of study.”
The videos will be linked on the Gonzales Unified School District website.
The filmed meetings will also ensure more transparency and educational opportunity for students.
