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New Board Member Orientation
December 11, 2020 - June 10, 2021
New Board Member Orientation (NBMO) provides the basics of board service for newly elected or appointed school board members. We have updated our NBMO format so that it includes two full days of content for this year’s group of new board members, provided in two, one-day events.
How to Register for an Event
2020-2021 Event Schedule
Learn About ASBA Events
New Board Member Orientation
Additional Information
NBMO Virtual Part 1 – December 2, 2020 or December 11, 2020
8:45 am - 9:00 am
Join Zoom
9:00 am - 9:10 am
Welcome
Dr. Sheila Harrison-Williams, Executive Director and Steven Chapman, President, ASBA Board of Directors
9:10 am - 9:30 am
ASBA Overview
Tracey Benson, Associate Executive Director
Who is ASBA? What do we do? Who are our members? How can we help? Our staff will give you an overview of our organization, their responsibilities and the services we provide to members.
9:30 am - 10:00 am
Students First: An Examination of Educational Equity and Arizona's Student Population
Nikkie Whaley, Board Support Specialist
Data on the makeup of AZ students and an examination of equity for board members to consider as we strive to ensure every student is successful.
10:00 am - 10:45 am
Legal Basis for Governing Boards
Chris Thomas, General Counsel and Associate Executive Diretor
From where do boards derive their power and what powers do boards have? Learn from our General Counsel why boards work the way they do, the work they do and the work they don't do.
10:45 am - 11:00 am
Break
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Open Meeting Law
Chris Thomas, General Counsel / Associate Executive Director
What is Open Meeting Law and how does it apply to governing boards?
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm
Lunch
12:30 pm - 1:00 pm
Where the Rubber Meets the Road - Your Board Meeting
Julie Bacon, Leadership Development Specialist; Nikkie Whaley, Board Support Specialist
Board meetings are more than board meetings--they are public relations events and the time to board has to discuss and vote on issues that will affect every aspect of the school district.
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
The Board, the Budget and Public Education Funding
Ken Hicks, Assistant Superintendent for Business Services, Dysart USD and Nikkie Whaley, Board Support Specialist
School district funding is complicated and, to the layperson, seems almost impossible to understand. This session will give you a baseline understanding of school funding.
1:45 pm - 2:00 pm
Your First Board Meeting: The Organizational Meeting
Chris Thomas, General Counsel / Associate Executive Director; Julie Bacon, Leadership Development Specialist
What is going to happen at my first board meeting? What is an organizational meeting?
2:00 pm - 2:15 pm
The Job: Welcome Aboard! What Now?
Julie Bacon, Leadership Development Specialist
What should newly elected and appointed board members be doing between now and taking office in January. We'll provide a very specific list is tasks and information you should know before your first meeting.
2:15 pm - 2:30 pm
Wrap Up and Final Questions
NBMO Virtual Part 2 – March 26, 2021 and June 10, 2021
8:45 am - 9:00 am
Zoom Log In
9:00 am - 9:15 am
Welcome
9:15 am - 10:00 am
Facilitated Conversation: What is the Most Surprising, Inspiring, and Difficult Thing You Have Learned So Far?
Nikkie Whaley, Board Support Specialist
This will be an opportunity to share your most inspiring revelation and/or the most difficult thing you have faced so far in your time as a board member.
10:00 am - 10:30 am
Teamwork: Essential Components
Nikkie Whaley, Board Support Specialist; Julie Bacon, Leadership Development Specialist
You are but one member of a team. And you need the rest of the team to get anything done. We will take a look at communication styles and the essential components of team dynamics.
10:30 am - 10:45 am
Break
10:45 am - 11:15 am
Communication is Key!
Effective boards have a set of expectations for communication and professionalism. We will give you a framework to utilize when discussing this with your board.
11:15 am - 11:45 am
Conflict or Not?
Chris Thomas, General Counsel and Associate Executive Director
You will hear a lot about conflict of interest but what is a legal conflict of interest in board service?
11:45 am - 12:15 pm
Lunch
12:15 pm - 12:45 pm
Funny, Uplifting and Illuminating Stories from School Board Veterans
Hear from a panel of veteran school board members about their experiences serving their districts. You will learn about a variety of experiences from remote, rural, suburban and urban school districts.
12:45 pm - 1:00 pm
What Does It Take to be Board President?
Chris Thomas, General Counsel and Associate Executive Director; Julie Bacon, Leadership Development Specialist
How is being board president different from being a board member? What skills are needed to effectively navigate the board presidency?
1:00 pm - 1:15 pm
Top 5 Advocacy Issues for 2021
Chris Kotterman, Director of Governmental Relations; Leigh Jensen, Governmental Relations Associate
What is the ASBA governmental relations team working on this legislative session? Learn the top five advocacy issues for 2021.
1:15 pm - 2:00 pm
Board Policy: The Who, What, Why, Where and How
ASBA Policy Team
Your policy manual is important but why do we need some of them? We will take a look at the pipeline from legislation to policy development.
2:00 pm - 2:10 pm
Break
2:10 pm - 2:35 pm
Evaluations: The Board and Superintendent
Nikkie Whaley, Board Support Specialist
The board has a legal responsibility to evaluate the superintendent. Best practices show us that boards need to evaluation themselves. We will take a look at both processes and how boards can navigate them.
2:35 pm - 3:00 pm
You Asked For It! Q and A with ASBA Staff
You probably have lots of questions from the first months of serving on your board. Our staff will tackle those questions and provide some guidance.
Additional Information
PART 1: The first day will be held twice on December 2 and December 11
ASBA will cover legal issues related to school boards including Open Meeting Law (OML), the importance of educational equity in the work boards do, school board meetings, funding, and tips and tricks to get ready yourself for your first term as a school board member. Attendees will also hear an overview of the services and opportunities provided throughout the year by ASBA to school boards statewide.
PART 2: The second day will be held twice on March 26 and June 10 (Registration now open)
ASBA will cover topics such as policy, conflict of interest, board and superintendent evaluations and working in a team. This event also includes a panel of veteran board members sharing their perspectives and stories of school board service. Individual board members will also have the opportunity to share their most difficult and inspiring issues so far in their service on the board.