Check Training Hours Member Portal Contact Us Search

KSBA's 2018 Annual Conference

Board members can get an early start on charter training, mandated courses

Kentucky School Advocate

January 2018

By Matt McCarty
Staff writer

Kentucky School Boards: Adapting and Achieving

School districts across the Commonwealth are having to adapt to a changing educational landscape with charter schools, pension reform and probable budget cuts on the horizon.

School board members and other educational leaders will be able to learn about these topics and more at the 82nd KSBA Annual Conference, March 2–4 at the Galt House in Louisville. This year’s theme is “Kentucky School Boards: Adapting and Achieving.”

KSBA will also be adapting, as the legislature won’t take action on charter school regulations until some time in January. Those regulations outline charter school training requirements for board members. (See story, page 11)

“We’re hoping to include charter school training credits at the annual conference but we don’t know exactly what topics will be offered,” Laura Cole, KSBA’s director of Board Team Development, said last month.

Cole said each of the five breakout sessions during the 2018 Annual Conference will likely have a charter school clinic, but final details will be added later this month.

There will also be a session that will discuss the implications of pension reform on district finances and school board decision making. The session, led by Bellevue Independent Superintendent Robb Smith and Bellevue Independent Finance Director Jennifer Pierce, will outline the impact proposed pension reform will have on budgeting, staffing and long-term planning.

Board members will have the opportunity to get all of their mandated finance, ethics and superintendent evaluation courses during the annual conference. Each of the five breakout sessions will offer an ethics class, a superintendent evaluation class and two finance trainings. In addition, a three-hour preconference session will offer one hour of training for each of the three mandated subjects. The preconference session is a separate fee.

“With the additional charter school training needed, it’s a good opportunity to get ahead of the curve and not be scrambling to get mandated topics at the end of the year,” Cole said.

Registration information will be available on our website, www.ksba.org, later this month.

Friday’s Opening Session features a former stand-up comic who is a dynamic speaker, Cole said, while Saturday’s Plenary Session focuses on the serious topic of poverty and Sunday’s Brunch Session is motivational. “I think it’s a good balance across the board,” she said.

Friday Opening Session
Jessica Pettitt combines 20-plus years of stand-up comedy and diversity education to get audiences laughing, reflecting, learning and taking action. During the opening session of the KSBA Annual Conference, Pettit will talk about how to handle situations and conversations by using attitude, heart and mind. “It’s being cognitive of the fact that you have to add all three in to make it a good conversation,” Cole said.

Pettitt has earned the Certified Speaking Professional designation from the National Speakers Association, which is a designation held by fewer than 800 people worldwide. She has a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in education.

Saturday Plenary Session
Bethanie Tucker works with the aha! Process, which was founded by Ruby Payne. Tucker will discuss Payne’s seminal book, A Framework for Understanding Poverty, including 10 actions schools can implement in the classroom to improve the success of students dealing with poverty.

Tucker has been an educator since 1972 and has been with aha! Process since 2000. She has been a teacher and program director in public schools.

Sunday Brunch Session
Alex Sheen is the founder of a social movement and nonprofit called “Because I said I would,” which is dedicated to bettering humanity through promises made and kept. Sparked by the loss of his father in September 2012, Sheen began sending promise cards reminding people of the importance of keeping commitments to anyone who requested one at no cost. Since then, Sheen and his organization have sent over 8.4 million cards to more than 150 countries.

Sheen, who has appeared on many national news outlets, from CNN to NPR, once walked 245 miles across the state of Ohio in 10 days to fulfill a promise. He also volunteered at 52 nonprofit organizations in a year and gave children with cancer trips to Disneyland.

“It’s talking about becoming a better person by making promises and keeping your promises,” Cole said.