To say there is a growing buzz about the 2017 KSBA Annual Conference might be an understatement.
Consider:
· From the start of registration through Jan. 31, more than 600 school board members, superintendents and others have registered for the event. Registration is ongoing here.
· A full month in advance of the Feb. 24-26 event, all 70 vendor spots in the Exhibition Hall on the second floor of Louisville’s Galt House East convention center were sold out. More than 100 exhibitor representatives are signed up to discuss their company’s services with attendees.
· Chairmen of the General Assembly’s two education committees will join KSBA Governmental Relations Director Eric Kennedy at the Saturday 10:15 a.m. clinic session. Rep. John “Bam” Carney (R-Campbellsville) and Sen. Mike Wilson (R-Bowling Green) will discuss K-12 bills in the ongoing 2017 session.
· Education Commissioner Stephen Pruitt will bring greetings during the Saturday luncheon, which doubles as the association’s annual business meeting. The session will include ratification/election of a KSBA president elect and four members of the board of directors.
· Kentucky’s Outstanding Superintendent and Outstanding School Board Member as well as the recipient of the KSBA Friend of Education Award and the two students receiving the KSBA First Degree College Scholarship Awards will be introduced.
· There will be five Friday morning pre-conference sessions: on ensuring education equity for all students, on permitting armed educators in schools, on conducting effective news media interviews, plus two “all-in-one” sessions – one each for newly elected and veteran board members – encompassing the three state-mandated training topics of ethics, finance and superintendent evaluations.
· More than 50 clinics on elementary and secondary education are available for participants. Board members and superintendents will be able to earn required annual professional development hours by turning in their conference training cards. The sessions will be Friday afternoon, Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon (two sessions) and Sunday following the morning brunch.
Lodging reminder:
Guest room reservations must be made directly with the Galt House by Feb. 9 using this registration form http://filecabinet7.eschoolview.com/F4F6CCF6-0583-4517-AC34-E033459FC110/2017AC%20hotel%20reservation%20form.pdf. Telephone reservations are not accepted. Kenton - Woodford Counties are assigned to the Suite Tower (East) with a limit of six rooms per district on that side of the hotel. All other school districts and others are assigned to the Rivue Tower (West).
Day-by-day schedule of the conference’s four General Sessions:
Friday Opening Session (1–3 p.m.)
Keynote address by Psychologist/Humorist/Interpersonal Communications Specialist Bruce Christopher
Announcement of F. L. Dupree Outstanding Superintendent Award honoree
Meet your KSBA Board of Directors and Executive Director Mike Armstrong
Announcement of KSBA Friend of Education Award recipient
Saturday Morning Plenary Session (8:15–9:30 a.m.)
Keynote remarks by Dr. Bertice Berry, renowned sociologist/talk show host/author “with a comic edge”
Announcement of Warren Proudfoot Outstanding School Board Member honoree
Saturday Luncheon/Business Session (11:45 a.m.–1:30 p.m.)
Remarks by Education Commissioner Pruitt
Awarding of KSBA First Degree College Scholarship Awards
Remarks by outgoing KSBA President Allen Kennedy
Ratification of nominating committee’s slate: new president elect and four directors at large; passing of the gavel from Kennedy to President elect David Webster
Sunday Morning Closing Brunch (8:30–10:15 a.m.)
Keynote address by mountain climbing expedition leader Jim Davidson, whose story of survival was told in a book and an episode of “I Shouldn’t Be Alive”
Remarks by new KSBA President Webster
(Followed by the final group of training clinics)
For more information, please contact KSBA at 800-372-2962.