Most board members only get notes of complaints, not compliments. Also, invite the members to the media center to see how it operates. Ask them to participate in local school staff development, and even provide them with a schedule of events. And by all means, don t put them on the spot. No one likes to be blindsided.
School boards are responsible for the budget of the entire system.
It is good planning to have your request to the board before budget approval, especially if your request is expensive. Large systems usually set priorities for equipment purchases and designate which school will receive the allotment. Be prepared with a budget proposal, timeline for implementation, and a schedule of staff development classes and how the materials can be integrated into the classroom. Remember to include the community into the proposal. Parents are just as excited about new technology and materials as the students, thus designing a partnership between school and community is good planning.