More than 250 Kentuckians already registered to take part in 2012 national training event

There will be a Kentucky theme in and around Boston next month when thousands of education leaders converge on Beantown for the 72nd annual conference of the National School Boards Association at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.

The highlight will be Boone County school board member Ed Massey’s elevation to the office of NSBA president. A former KSBA president, Massey is completing a year as NSBA president elect before becoming the first Kentuckian to lead the 90,000-member organization. A member of the Boone County board since 1989, Massey will be feted at the annual Kentucky Reception at the NSBA conference on Sunday, April 22.

The three-day conference program includes what could be a record number of Kentuckians making presentations, including Massey presiding over one of the general sessions.

Here is a list of the Kentucky presentations on the NSBA schedule:

Friday, April 20 (Preconference sessions, pre-registration required)

The Population Crystal Ball — Who Is Moving Where, When, and What Does It Mean for Me? 1-4 p.m. Ron Crouch, director of research and statistics, Kentucky Workforce Development Cabinet

New Board Member Boot Camp: Ethics, Board Meetings, and the Role of a School Board Member, 1:30-4:30 p.m. KSBA Board Team Development Director Kerri Schelling and staff of the Maine and Maryland school boards associations

Saturday, April 21

World Class Customer Service: Is it Possible in Public Schools? 8:30-9:45 a.m. Mason County Schools Superintendent Tim Moore, Assistant Superintendent Kelly Middleton and Instructional Supervisor Elizabeth Pettit

21st Century Board Meetings, 1:30-2:45 p.m. KSBA Policy Service Director Dara Bass, Senior Policy Consultant Katrina Kinman and staff from the Connecticut and Oklahoma school boards associations

Common Core Standards: Local Board Roles and Responsibilities, 1:30-2:45 p.m. KSBA Executive Director Bill Scott and Board Team Development Director Kerri Schelling

Developing Successful Media Relations and Community Outreach Strategies, 3:45-5 p.m. KSBA Member Support Services Director Brad Hughes and NSBA staff

Sunday, April 21

When Pigs Fly: Building Athletic-Like Community Support for Your Academic Endeavors, 8:30-9:45 a.m. KSBA Member Support Services Director Brad Hughes

Learning Lounge mini-sessions: Communicating through Social Media, 11:15 a.m. – 12:05 p.m.; 12:15-12:35 p.m.; 12:45-1:05 p.m. KSBA Member Support Services Director Brad Hughes

From the Court to the Courts: Safety & Liability Issues in Athletics, 1:30-2:45 p.m. KSBA Risk Management Director Myron Thompson

Formula for the Future: How One District Transformed Math Education, Ensuring All Students Are Ready for College and Career, 3:15-4:30 p.m. Boone County Schools Superintendent Randy Poe, Assistant Superintendent Karen Chesser and board member Steve Kinman

Technology Integration: Beyond the How! 3:15-4:30 p.m. Jefferson County Schools Director of Instructional Technology Sharon Shrout and Distance Learning Specialist Jana Hickey

Socially Speaking: Using Facebook and Twitter to Spread the Good News about your District, 3:15-4:30 p.m. KSBA Member Support Services Director Brad Hughes

Monday, April 23

Superintendent and Board Relationships: Partnering to Create Dramatic Improvement in Student Achievement, 8:30-9:45 a.m. Montgomery County Schools Superintendent Josh Powell

Testing! Testing! 1-2-3! 8:30-9:45 a.m. Jefferson County Schools Director of Instructional Technology Sharon Shrout, Distance Learning Specialist Jana Hickey, Computer Education Specialist Sharis Lattimore and school board Chairman Stephen Imhoff.

Implementation and Strategies Needed for a Performance-Based Education School District, 12:30-1:45 p.m. Taylor County Schools Superintendent Roger Cook and Assistant Superintendent Susan Kilby

Other Kentuckians with roles in specific sessions of the 2012 NSBA conference include KSBA President Tom Blankenship of Lincoln County, President elect Durward Narramore of Jenkins Independent, Immediate Past President Delmar Mahan of Whitley County, Hazard Independent board member Dennis Smith, KSBA Associate Executive Director David Baird and KSBA Superintendent Search Service Director Mike Oder.