New Board Member Orientation

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

8:30 am - 9:00 am

Registration and Continental Breakfast

9:00 am - 9:10 am

Welcome/Announcements/Overview

9:10 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 as a board member.

10:00 am - 10:30 am

What Does It Take to be Board President?

Chris Thomas, General Counsel and Associate Executive Director; Julie Bacon, Leadership Development Specialist

How is being a board president different from being a board member? What skills are needed to effectively navigate the board presidency?

10:30 am - 10:45 am

Break

10:45 am - 11:00 am

From Bill to Policy: How Policies Happen

Chris Thomas, General Counsel and Associate Executive Director or Chris Kotterman, Director of Governmental Relations or David DeCabooter, Staff Attorney and Policy Consultant, Leigh Jensen, Governmental Relations Associate; Policy Team Member

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.

11:15 am - 11:45 am

Funny, Uplifting and Illuminating Stories from School Board Vetertans

Hear from a panel of veteran school board members about their experiences on their boards. You will learn about a variety of experiences from remote, rural, suburban and urban school districts.

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Lunch

1:00 pm - 1:30 pm

Conflict of Interest 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?

1:30 pm - 2:00 pm

Evaluations: The Board and Superintendent

Nikkie Whaley, Board Support Specialist; Julie Bacon, Leadership Development Specialist

The board has a legal responsibility to evaluate the superintendent. And best practices show us that boards need to evaluate themselves. We'll take a look at both those processes and how boards can navigate them.

2:00 pm - 2:15 pm

Break

2:15 pm - 3:15 pm

What is Your Team Member Style?

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. Learn your team members' style so you can be an effective, self-aware team member.

3:15 pm - 3:45 pm

Communication is Key!

Nikkie Whaley, Board Support Specialist; Julie Bacon, Leadership Development Specialist, Jesse Welsh, Superintendent, Paraside Valley Unified School District

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.

3:45 pm - 4:00 pm

What Is a Strategic Plan and Do Districts Need Them?

Tracey Benson, Associate Executive Director, Heidi Otero, Director of Communications

How will you know where you are going if you don't have a vision for your desired state? Strategic plans give boards and districts the framework to make student achievement possible.

4:00 pm -

Wrap Up