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Online registration now open for KSBA Winter Symposium for newly elected and veteran board members and superintendents; Nov. 30 – Dec. 1 in Lexington

From the school board’s fiscal oversight responsibilities to the latest research on charter schools, school leaders of any experience level should be able to find topics of interest and importance during KSBA’s 2012 Winter Symposium, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 30-Dec. 1 at the Marriott Griffin Gate Hotel and Conference Center in Lexington.

While open to all board members and superintendents for approved training, KSBA’s Winter Symposium specifically targets several groups of education leaders: new superintendents, board members-to-be who won in the November election and will take office in January, and those incumbent board members who need extra hours either to meet their state-mandated training credits or to advance into a new level of the KSBA Academy of Studies, the association’s tiered professional development program for board members.

Online registration is now available on the KSBA website here  http://portal.ksba.org/Public/Event/Event.aspx?EventID=5tBnLpFgCfM=.  Registration is $195 per person plus $15 for the Friday luncheon.  A Friday evening reception and Saturday breakfast are included. Hard-copy registration forms have been mailed to all board members and superintendents.

Here’s a thumbnail sketch of the Winter Symposium program:

Keynote Speakers:

Friday luncheon: Dr. Brooks Coleman Jr., member of the Georgia legislature; former assistant superintendent, administrator and teacher; and motivational speaker nationwide on leadership in a changing world.

Saturday morning plenary session: Dr. Gary Minton, professor of education at Western Michigan University, a researcher on school choice and charter school and education management organizations.

Clinic topics include:

Congratulations! You made the Team:This session will provide new board members with an overview of the skills and knowledge necessary to become effective members of their district board/superintendent team.

Leading Effective Meetings:  A Board’s Guide to Parliamentary Procedure:A review of the basics that apply to boards, including rules most frequently needed by boards, most commonly used motions, and strategies for moving on when discussion bogs down.

School Board Fiscal Responsibilities: Driving Success through Informed Decisions: Atwo-part (morning and afternoon) session on the broad fiscal responsibilities of school boards related to nonacademic issues (procurement, facilities, transportation, financial reporting and audits) and how school boards can support goals and prioritize resources that drive student achievement.

If You Tell It, They Will Come:How to use existing resources and low- to no-cost resources to get out the word about your district to target audiences.  Set the stage for developing a district marketing plan and create a setting where visitors know your focus is “It’s About Kids.”

LEEDEB – What is it?  Just Ask Ky.USGBA and Jessamine County Schools:Wilmore Elementary is the first Kentucky school to pursue the LEEDEB (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design,Existing Buildings) certification.

A Look in the Mirror: Board Member Self-Evaluation:High-performing school boards know how to build on strengths and address challenges by self-examination.  Participate in a positive, nonthreatening process designed to help any board function more efficiently and effectively.

Geothermal Wells; Is the EarthReallyHeating Up?:Geothermal heating and cooling is one of the most efficient systems being used today.  Participants will learn how to make their next geothermal system the most efficient for their district.

School Insurance and Risk Management:A comprehensive review of the various insurance coverages that school districts purchase as well as strategies for implementing an effective risk management program.    

HVAC for a Construction Project: How Do We Choose?: This session provides an overview comparing geothermal, VRV, VAV and chilled-beam HVAC systems, addressing installation cost, acoustics, operational maintenance and energy-efficiency differences among systems.

Health Care Reform:  What You Need to Know:Hear about the U.S. Affordable Care Act and how key elements of the new law will affect integration of wellness and employee productivity.

Successful Board Meetings: Explore basic elements to ensure engaging, effective board meetings focused on student learning.  Includes an overview of best practices for the meeting agenda, responsibilities of the board chairperson and discussions about how to make the most of your school district board meeting. 

Finance II: Dollars and Sense – Budgetary Decisions, Requirements and Timelines:Learn about the budgetary process, how to provide guidance and oversight of a fiscally responsible budget that supports the mission of the district and the different funding sources, including restricted and discretionary funds, and how to ask the right questions and identify budget “leaks.”

The Facts about Charter Schools:  Why Good Board Work is Even more Important:This session will look at the role of school boards as authorizers of charter schools.  The presenter also will share his observations of how charter school boards operate.

Crossing the Line: Sexual misconduct and abuse: This session will provide critical information about relationships and professional boundaries that must be maintained to reduce liability and assure students are protected from sexual harassment and abuse.

IamSomeone – Bullying in Our Schools:Students are the solutions to bullying; they just don’t know it yet.  This target-centered approach provides a whole new way of dealing with bullying.  By focusing on the targets as well as the bullies, we can make our schools much safer.

The Board’s Policy Making Role:Review the statutory basis for board policy, the policy adoption and amendment process, board policy versus administrative procedure, policy manual organization, policy format, and using an online policy manual.

Effective School Boards and Good School Board Members:This provides a review of the roles and responsibilities as well as the qualities of effective school board members, including guidelines for being an effective member of the board and behaviors to avoid as a good board member.

Focus on Nutrition =  Support for Health & Academics:High school students who eat breakfast are more likely to have better grades than those who don’t.  Hear how health and academics work hand in hand to develop healthy, achieving students. 

Your Association: What You Need to Know About KSBA and its Services: Since 1936 your association has been providing boards and districts with a variety of essential services ranging from policy to professional development. In this session, association officers and senior leadership will present an overview of KSBA’s services and resources.

Questions: contact Kerri Schelling [email protected] or Tammie Conatser [email protected] at 800-372-2962.