Topics for Whole Board Development Sessions
Roles and Responsibilities
We recommend this as the first session to participate in. Make sure every board member and the superintendent operate as a team, working on the ‘same page’. A pre-assessment is anonymously completed by team members and used to customize the session for you. This session covers basic roles and responsibilities of the board members and the superintendent. Dealing with difficult situations, micromanagement, evaluation, liabilities, and planning are some of the subjects discussed during this session.
Roles and Responsibilities II
This session reinforces the topics of the first one but also engages the team in new ways. Case studies are used to explore decision making skills and to build an understanding of how other team members think. This is a good follow up to session one or as an annual review of roles and responsibilities.
Great Boards have Great Meetings
Are your meetings the best they can be? Do they reflect positively on the school district to the community? Explore the Open Meeting Act requirements for school boards. Learn what agendas should contain. Executive sessions, public participation, minutes, etc. are discussed.
School Finance for Boards
Encumbrances, warrants, budgets, funds, etc. – so many things to learn about. This session helps board members gain a greater understanding of where district moneys come from and where they can be expended. By using your own district’s budget during the session, boards can see the application of the information more clearly.
Board Self-Evaluation
This facilitated program asks a board to consider how it operates both collectively and individually. The three hour session encourages continual improvement of communication among all members of the governance team. Many boards chose to do the self-evaluation annually.
Data First: Foundation new!
Data First was created with the idea that data matters. Education data, used well, can help school board members and everyone else who cares about education to make good decisions – ones based, not on the loudest voices or the latest theories, but on the facts about what students need and how they are currently doing. Consistent use of data and knowing how to interpret it strengthens school board leadership.
Data First: Teacher Quality new!
Building on the Data First foundation, this session looks at why teachers matter, what research-based characteristics to look for during hiring, how boards can align governance decisions to improve teacher quality and access.
Data First: High School and Beyond new!
Building on the Data First foundation, board members will understand data that can be used to determine graduates’ readiness for postsecondary education and/or good jobs; postsecondary data that can shed light on Pk-12 quality; and policies and practices the board can set t ensure all students graduate qualified for success.
Strategic Planning
Do you plan one year at a time? Do you react to situations rather than chart your district’s course? What would your ideal district look like? In three hours we will assist you in beginning your journey of strategic planning. Begin today to build your future. Not enough time? We also offer multiple session options with focus group work.
Planning and Bond Issues
Deciding a bond issue is necessary is not always the first step to getting one passed. How do you get the community involved and supportive? Discover ways to plan for the bond issue and bring everyone to the table.
More sessions are constantly being added. If you would like a session on a particular subject, let us know and we will customize one for you.
OSSBA Whole Board Development
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