New Board Member Academy Series—Ready, Set, Govern! Workshops

Take advantage of the Ready, Set, Govern! series—all three workshops will set you on the road to success and include critical topics to focus on as a new board member.
 

New Board Member Onboarding Workshop

JAN. 6 WORKSHOP REGISTRATION IS CLOSED.
Wapello: Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, 6–8:30 p.m.
Meal served 5:30 p.m.
In-Person—Wapello High School, 501 Buchanan Avenue, Wapello, IA 52653

JAN. 12 WORKSHOP REGISTRATION IS CLOSED.
Indianola: Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022, 6–8:30 p.m. 
Meal served 5:30 p.m.
In-Person—Blake Fieldhouse Multipurpose Room, 403 S 15th St, Indianola, IA 50125 (east end of middle school)

JAN. 31 WORKSHOP REGISTRATION IS CLOSED.
Sheldon: Monday, Jan. 31, 2022, 6–8:30 p.m.
Meal served 5:30 p.m.
In-Person—Crossroads Pavilion Events Center, 301 34th Ave,  Sheldon, IA 51201

CANCELLED.
Bettendorf: Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022, 6–8:30 p.m.
Meal served 5:30 p.m.
In-Person—Mississippi Bend AEA, 729 21st St,  Bettendorf, IA 52722

CANCELLED.
Pocahontas: Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, 6–8:30 p.m.
Meal served 5:30 p.m.
In-Person—Prairie Lakes AEA, 500 NE 6th St, Pocahontas, IA 50574

CANCELLED.
Woodbine: Wednesday, March 30, 2022, 6–8:30 p.m.
Meal served 5:30 p.m.
In-Person—The Crew Center, 601 Snyder Rd,  Woodbine, IA 51579

This in-person workshop covers board roles and responsibilities, open meetings and government transparency laws and policy basics.

Governing 101—A foundational overview of board roles and responsibilities. We’ll review fundamental board responsibilities, how your role relates to district staff, and provide a framework for helping you learn critical information about the district.

Meetings and Transparency Laws—The work of the board occurs at its meetings, so we’ll acquaint you with handy information about common board meeting practices such as placing items on the agenda and other procedures. Plus, you’ll learn about government transparency laws (Iowa Open Meetings Law) which set explicit responsibilities for boards to ensure public access to meetings and deliberations of the board, minutes and executive sessions.

Policy Basics—Boards have the authority to lead their districts by setting policies. Learn what policy is, legal requirements for policy alignment with state and federal law, policy development and review, and the role the administration plays in the implementation of policy. A firm command of your existing policies will help you answer countless early questions of board service—this session will help you prioritize where to start.

Fee: $95 per workshop.

Register Now

Please reach out to Emily at boarddev@ia-sb.org with any questions.

 

Finance & HR Digital Workshop

Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022, 6–7:30 p.m.
Digital Offering via Zoom

The second workshop in the New Board Member Academy Series covers two critical topics—budgeting and personnel matters.

Board’s Role in the Budget—School finance is one of the most important topics for boards but can be one of the most challenging for new board members. We are here to help break down critical timelines such as publication, hearing, action and statutory deadlines for the budget; clarify the board’s role in budget issues; learn why it’s critical to unite under the same common messages when communicating to the public about the budget; and discover why audit reports are an integral part of the process.

Personnel Matters—Spring is the prime season for evaluating, hiring and terminating staff. Does the board have a role in this? Why or why not? How can the board make a difference, without undercutting the superintendent’s authority? Clarify the work of the board, superintendent and other administrators around personnel matters.

This recording is available for purchase for $45. Contact Emily Rhodes if you have additional questions.

Registration for this workshop is now closed.

 

Student Learning & Superintendent Evaluation Digital Workshop

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, 6–7:30 p.m.
Digital Offering via Zoom

The third workshop in the New Board Member Academy Series delves into high and equitable student learning and effective superintendent evaluation.

Student Learning—High and equitable learning is something boards strive to accomplish for all students. But what does that mean? And how can it be accomplished? You’re in luck—we’ll get you up-to-speed on the importance of beliefs, keeping the focus on student learning, and how to support conditions for success. Before you know it, you’ll be well on your way to setting clear, focused goals on student learning with your board.

Superintendent Evaluation—Iowa law requires boards to evaluate superintendents each year. This critical process includes many key steps, including a thorough review of the Iowa Standards for School Leaders, the evaluation process, and key dates. Additionally, it’s important that boards learn how to conduct the superintendent evaluation as a team. You’ll explore the board’s role in superintendent evaluation and leave with a clear understanding of how to ensure this process is successful.

This recording is available for purchase for $45. Contact Emily Rhodes if you have additional questions.

Registration for this workshop is now closed.