Immerse Yourself in Deeper Look Sessions

Fresh challenges met with in-depth discussion and analysis.

Saturday, March 29

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
A Deeper Look at… Youth in School Governance: A Guide for School Board Members to Involve Students as Decision Makers This session is for any board that is interested in expanding the representation of youth on their local school board. Across the country, an increasing number of previously adult-only boards are opening their ranks to youth involvement. Students are becoming involved in decisions about school and district programming, state and local graduation requirements, teacher hiring, teacher preparation, or even the lunch menu - all decisions that affect them. This session offers practical, user-friendly tools, resources, and guidelines for school board members to create, sustain, and celebrate the accomplishments of effective student representation on their board.

Presented by: Derek Peterson, Founder, Institute for Community and Adolescent Resilience.

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
A Deeper Look at… Advocacy: The Art of Community Leadership
As an elected official, you have clout, but do you use it? Do you take advantage of your community's perception that you are the lay expert on their schools? Or do you simply attend meetings, vote on motions and go home? Studies on the effectiveness of school boards agree that in addition to carrying out their planning and policy-making roles, school boards must be more vigorous in assuming their role as advocates for education. In this session, school board members will learn ways to strengthen their effectiveness by becoming more active in exercising leadership for education throughout the community and all sectors of society.

Presented by: Tammy Grissom, Executive Director and Randall Bennett, Associate Executive Director/Legal Counsel, Tennessee School Board Association

Sunday, March 30

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
A Deeper Look At… Schools and the Law
Part I- Student Freedom of Expression: Life After Morse
Come join a panel of national experts, including state association counsel representatives, in a lively discussion on what the Supreme Court's Morse v. Frederick decision means for student freedom of expression and the ability of school boards to regulate it.

Presented by: Thomas Hutton, NSBA Senior Staff Attorney

Part II- Diversity is Dead. Long Live Diversity: Addressing Alternatives in Student Assignments
Join a panel of national legal and policy experts in a workshop designed to address the problems with maintaining diversity following the Supreme Court's decision in the Seattle and Louisville cases. Work with fellow school board members from around the country to explore not only the question of diversity as an educational goal, but also to explore and uncover potential vehicles for maintaining voluntary diversity plans in your district.

Presented by Francisco M. Negrón, Jr., NSBA Associate Executive Director and General Counsel

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
A Deeper Look at… Financial Literacy Training
School boards are responsible for the financial governance of the school district. But how much does the average board member know about internal controls, auditing procedures, or financial statement analysis? Following the theft of millions of dollars from a school district, New York state requires all board members to receive financial literacy training. Learn more about the board's role in understanding the key components of financial literacy to help your board prevent and detect fraud.

Vincent D. Cullen, Accountant, Coughlin Foundotos Cullen & Danowski, LLP; Jay Worona, General Counsel, New York State School Boards Association; Greg Guercio, Attorney, Guercio & Guercio

Monday, March 31

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
A Deeper Look at… The Care and Feeding of Your Board of Education
The New York State School Boards Association has developed an orientation program for new administrators. Take a look at the proper roles, responsibilities and relationships of the Board-Superintendent governance team, and explore the many issues that can put pressure on a team.

Presented by: Timothy Kremer, Executive Director, New York State School Boards Association

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
A Deeper Look At… Pre-kindergarten and the Role for School Boards
Investing in high-quality pre-kindergarten education yields benefits for kids, schools, and communities. With generous funding from The Pew Charitable Trust, NSBA's Center for Public Education is working with the Kansas, Ohio, and Texas state school boards associations on a two-year initiative to inform local school board members, state policymakers, and the general public about the benefits of pre-k education and effective pre-k policies and programs. Learn about the progress of this unique partnership and hear from its leaders on the lessons they have to share. Presenters will discuss the successes, challenges, and hurdles that they have faced in working to implement high-quality pre-k programs in their states and districts. This interactive session will also provide tools and strategies that you can use to engage community support for pre-k.

Presented by: Patte Barth, Director, NSBA Center for Public Education and Chrisanne Gayl, Director, Federal Programs, NSBA.