Additional Resources
May 2008, Conference Daily Special Wrap Up Edition
Print out the pdf for a complete copy of today's Conference Daily. Note: due to paper size difference from original copy font size will be smaller.
Teach civic literacy, O’Connor urges
Sandra Day O'Connor emphasized the importance of teaching civic literacy to America's students during her First General Session address at the NSBA Conference.
Lehrer shares stories and insights from decades in journalism
Jim Lehrer shared insights from decades in journalism -- and ideas for getting presidential candidates to focus on education -- with board members at the NSBA Annual Conference.
Poitier’s ‘snapshots’ of truth captivate audience
Oscar-winning actor Sidney Poitier held the audience at the Second General Session spellbound as he shared “snapshots” from his eventful life.
Keillor: Education is a moral imperative
Garrison Keillor brought the news from Lake Wobegon and stressed the importance of education at the Fourth General Session.
Barbara Bolas is NSBA’s new president
Barbara Bolas of the Upper St. Clair, Pa., school board took office as the 2007-08 president of NSBA at the close of the Annual Conference.
Delegate Assembly sets NSBA’s advocacy course
NSBA's Delegate Assembly passed resolutions that reaffirm the association’s commitment to the reauthorization of an improved No Child Left Behind Act.
Pink: Creative thinking essential
Futurist Daniel Pink informed the audience at his Focus on Education Lecture that three forces are driving the new marketplace: abundance, Asia, and automation.
Satcher: It’s time to ‘bridge the gap’
Former U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher told conference-goers that when it comes to children’s healthcare, it’s “time to bridge the gap between what we know and what we do.”
Peterson: Every child is special
In an anecdote-filled Focus on Education Lecture, 2007 National Teacher of the Year Andrea Peterson described how reaching out to individual students can make a huge difference in their lives.
Leaders should focus on relationships
Focus on Education speaker Simon Bailey believes emotional commitment is the key to leadership success.
Educators must inspire urban youths
Salome Thomas-El, the Council of Urban Boards of Education keynote speaker, said a key role of urban educators is to inspire and motivate inner-city students.
Anti-gang strategies proposed
Youth gangs are more commonplace and sophisticated than school officials realize.
Orange County schools share success stories with CUBE members
Officials from the Orange County, Fla., school district shared their success stories with CUBE members at site visits during the Annual Conference.
NSBA recognizes outstanding board members
The NSBA School Board Member National Recognition Program honored school board members from Alaska, Georgia, Louisiana, Illinois, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
Leadership requires flexibility, National Affiliates learn
The Sequoyah Group’s David Wallace told school leaders from National Affiliate districts that they must remain flexible when faced with obstacles.
NSBA welcomes more flexibility in No Child Left Behind
NSBA welcomes more flexibility in the No Child Left Behind Act, but still urges Congress to improve the law this year.
Students must learn 21st century skills
Ken Kay, president of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, said that schools must address such skills as creative thinking, problem solving, and global awareness.
Smith: ‘Bong’ ruling offers helpful tips
The Supreme Court’s ruling in the “Bong Hits 4 Jesus” case provides some helpful guidance to school boards.
Muñoz: Teach about Latino history
Carlos Muñoz said schools need to educate students about Latinos’ contributions.
Monroe: Set high expectations
Lorraine Monroe recommended putting an end to low expectations for students.
COSA honors Nancy Fredman Krent
Nancy Fredman Krent received the Council of School Attorney’s 2008 Award for Distinguished Service.
Rainer offers a message of hope
Howard Rainer said that board members have the “power of vision.”
Conference offers solutions to school board members’ concerns
School board members who attended the NSBA Annual Conference in Orlando brought home great ideas for dealing with issues in their districts.
Too much testing can be harmful
Author Linda Perlstein told conference-goers not to stop doing the right thing just because you don’t have data to prove that it works.
Magna Awards presented to outstanding school districts
This year's Magna Awards winners were honored at the Third General Session and at ASBJ's School Leaders’ Luncheon.
Wooten: Engage youths
In his last speech as NSBA President, Norman Wooten stressed the importance of adult engagement in the lives of young people.
Hispanic Caucus honors Gallucci
The National Hispanic Caucus of School Board Members presented its annual Abrazo Award to former NSBA President Jane Gallucci.
District honored for support of the arts
The Schenectady, N.Y., school board received the 2008 Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network award for support of the arts.
Newspapers give parents negative view of schools, survey finds
A new survey from the Council of Urban Boards of Education shows that parents who rely on newspapers for information about their local schools have a less positive view than parents who get their information from other sources.
NSBA President: Teaching global awareness is a key role for public schools
NSBA President Barbara Bolas believes that teaching global awareness is a key role for public schools.
Executive Director’s Report: We’re all in this together
NSBA Executive Director Anne Bryant says school board members and their state associations must work together to convince local governments that it is shortsighted to balance the state’s budget on the backs of schoolchildren.
May 08 Innovations
The “Innovations” section covers a program to track high school graduates; a district that helps teachers achieve national certification; “parent chats” to build support for local schools; a district’s yearlong plan for family involvement; NASA resources for teachers and students; and a school board’s plan for handling public requests.
Conference Daily, Tuesday, April 1, 2008