Board Member Boot Camp

Fresh training prepares new recruits and those wanting to master the fundamentals.

Make the grade by reviewing the essentials of good boardsmanship. NSBA enlists the leadership skills of first-class trainers who will get you in shape to take on the challenging and rewarding role of a school board member.

Please note that pre-registration is required for all pre-conference workshops.

Friday, March 28 - Pre-Conference Session

1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Board Member Boot Camp Early Bird Session: Ethics, Board Meeting and the Role of a School Board Member
This interactive session focuses on ethical and appropriate behavior of school board members. A mock school board meeting lets you interact with your colleagues to examine what works and what doesn't. Please be sure to register by checking Board Member Boot Camp on your registration form.

Facilitated by: Kitty Blumsack, Director of Board Development, Maryland Association of Boards of Education, Terry McCabe, Director of Member Services, Maine School Boards Association, and Barbara J. Coyle, Deputy Executive Director, Virginia School Boards Association. Mock School Board Meeting conducted by members of the NSBA Board Member Boot Camp Faculty.

All registrants of the Friday, March 28, 2008 Early Bird programming are invited to attend a preconference reception. Join your colleagues for networking and relaxation from 4:30 t0 5:30 pm.

Pre-registration is not required for the Boot Camp programming presented Saturday-Monday

Saturday, March 29

8:00 AM - 9:15 AM
Leading Even When You're Not in Charge
Knowing how to lead is fundamental to getting things done. Wherever we go in life we can't accomplish all of our goals by ourselves. In school board work, collaboration is key, but it is difficult to achieve. We will look at leadership styles and tools for leading laterally when working with a team. Attendees will practice hands-on techniques for working with their school board to achieve positive change.

Presented by: Betsy Miller-Jones, Associate Director Leadership Services, Oregon School Boards Association

2:00 PM -3:15 PM
Parliamentary Procedure — Basic Survival Skills for School Board Members
Running a school board meeting can be a challenge, from handling out-of-control board members and citizens to dealing with provocative motions. Use parliamentary procedure and Robert's Rules of Order to make your meetings shorter and more organized. Join NSBA Parliamentarian and attorney Jim Slaughter—who is also a Certified Professional Parliamentarian and Professional Registered Parliamentarian—for a fast-paced and entertaining look at running effective board meetings.

3:45 PM - 5:00 PM
The Key Work of School Boards - An Overview The Key Work of School Boards framework provides school board members with tools and information for improving their leadership in raising student achievement. Learn about the eight Key Action Areas for school leaders, and apply them to your own district.

Presented by: Kitty Blumsack, Director of Board Development, Maryland Association of Boards of Education and Kanisha Jones, Educational Services Director, National School Boards Association

Sunday, March 30

8:45 AM - 10:00 AM
No Child Left Behind—Legal Implications
Join this crash course in some of the critical legal issues for school districts in implementing NCLB, with a focus on the school board's role. What questions should you be asking your administration? What issues have come up in other districts? What issues may be on the horizon? How do these challenges relate to others your school district and your board confront? How do your decisions at the local level play out in the national debate over NCLB? Take part in the discussion.

Presented by: Thomas Hutton, NSBA Senior Staff Attorney

2:00 PM - 3:15 PM
Targeting Student Learning — The Key Work of School Boards
Are you interested in knowing more about the board's role in student learning? Find out about an exciting process your board can use to focus its policy work on student learning, align policy to practice, and ensure participation of community and staff. Examine how to make policy work in your district and how to meet public demands for education reform and improved student achievement through policy development.

Presented by: Illinois Association of School Boards

3:45 PM - 5:00 PM
Data-Driven Decision Making
Find out how your board can use data to effectively meet assessment and accountability challenges associated with NCLB. Join Kathy Gemberling, Educational Consultant, for an explanation of the power of decision making based on accurate and understandable data. Participants in this session will become familiar with the most useful formats for NCLB data requirements, understand how to ask the right questions and to interpret the responses, and learn the newest tools and methodologies being used by school districts including data warehousing and business intelligence tools.