A few weeks ago, my brother and I sifted through boxes of papers and artifacts my parents collected. I came across some items I thought I lost long ago – my report cards from kindergarten through sixth grade as well as many from junior high through high school. I read through the comments my teachers wrote from year to year. Inquisitively I sought out my sixth-grade report card to review the comments there. Why sixth grade? When I became a school board member, I recall reconnecting with that teacher at a VSBA Conference; she was a current school board member and now so was I. I cannot explain why my former teacher being a school board member impressed upon me as it did; however, from the day of that VSBA conference to the moment I write this article the adage “Excellence in the classroom begins with excellence in the boardroom” resonates as I consider how I am scoring on my “school board report card.”
The hard truth as I reflect on my K – 12 days, I remember almost every teacher I had. I remember the name of every principal. Nuggets of wisdom from bus drivers and encouragement from cafeteria workers and custodians still bring a smile to my face. I had the same school superintendent from first grade through graduation; his name I remember too. Interestingly, I do not recall the name of a single school board member. An argument can be made not remembering the names of individual school board members is a positive outcome; the school board acts as a body, it is to function as team, correct?
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It is an honor serving as president of the Virginia School Boards Association. Thank you for granting me that honor for 2019 – 2020 – “the pandemic presidency” <smile>. Back in 2013, when Ms. Elsie Dennis of Surry County thrust me into the role of Tidewater Region Vice President little did I know the opportunities to meet, to work with, and to come to remember so many dedicated and diverse individuals from around the Commonwealth dedicated to provide “excellence in public education” via an association of school boards.
During the Annual Convention, I look forward to sharing specifics about the work we accomplished together as the Virginia School Boards Association under the dynamic leadership of our Executive Director Gina Patterson and her highly productive team and strong guidance of your Board of Directors. What a year of leadership, advocacy, and support! Student Growth, School Shutdowns, School Reopening, Staff Retention, COVID-19, Culturally Affirming Curriculum, Collective Bargaining, Confederacy, Diversity, Digital Learning, Discipline… Zoom, Zoom, Zoom…
I write this final article as your VSBA president as I began it, “We Can Make It… Together!” In fact… we must.
-RAJ
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Rodney A. Jordan
VSBA President
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Issue Highlights
Interview with Beth Hardy, 2019 Advocate for Education Recipient
2020 Virginia Teacher of the Year Announced
Legislative Updates
Take Your Legislator to School Month
School Board U FAQ
Top 10 Reasons to attend the Virtual Annual Convention
Tour the Annual Convention Virtual Platform
Women On Board- Female leaders speak out on the challenges and rewards of board service
Spotlight Article- Prince Edward County Public Schools
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Executive Director
Gina G. Patterson
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FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR |
The VSBA Annual Convention is being held Virtually this year from November 18-20. The Convention has been the largest educational gathering for school board members and superintendents in Virginia for years. Though we know that meeting virtually doesn't feel the same as gathering together in Williamsburg we have worked to create a virtual event that includes all of your favorite parts of the convention.
The event will be jam-packed with learning opportunities for school board members. This means more breakout sessions, lunch and learn sessions, hot educational topics, and more like-minded people to discuss your issues and successes with and to give new perspectives. The staff has worked very hard to select an exciting lineup of breakout sessions to capture the interest of ALL attendees. Breakout sessions will occur on Thursday and Friday this year. The BEST part is that these breakout sessions will be available to conference attendees for 30 days after the Convention. Though you can only be in one place at a time, through the virtual event you can come back and watch or re-watch breakout sessions when your schedule allows after the convention concludes.
Prepare to be inspired by the three keynote speakers, who will expand your perspective and motivate new levels of leadership as well as shed light on important education issues in Virginia. The convention will kick off with Alex Sheen, Founder of Because I said I would, a social movement and nonprofit dedicated to the betterment of humanity through promises made and kept. Thursday’s General Session features J.T. Kessler and Stacy Haney, who will be addressing Collective Bargaining in Virginia. The Convention will wrap up with Joe Ehrman, who will speak about how schools can redefine and reframe the educational value of sports as a platform to develop the human potential of students.
This year’s Early Bird Session featuring Dr. Jeffery Smith, and his team at Hampton City Public Schools, they will address Student Achievement and Success During Times of Uncertainty. There is a giveaway for the first entire Governance team that registers for the Early Bird Session.
We invite your entire governance team to attend the Virtual Annual Convention. You will have the opportunity to spend time learning, with the opportunity to virtually collaborate and discuss session content, as well as find and share resources related to your team's vision and mission. We have over 30 exhibitors participating virtually who are looking forward to meeting with you throughout the conference.
To view information on all of the workshops, general sessions and activities going on at the 2020 VSBA Annual Convention, visit the conference website and view the schedule at a glance.
We look forward to meeting with you virtually in November.
-GP
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Q & A with the 2019 Advocate for Education Award Winner Beth Hardy |
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Award Recipient Beth Hardy at the 2019 VSBA Annual Convention |
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When did you first join the School Board?
I served two terms on the Goochland County School Board - 2012 through 2019.
Why did you decide to run for School Board?
Believe it or not, advocacy! I was always a very involved parent in my children’s schooling - room Mom, PTA president, etc. There were a couple of instances where I had to very vocally advocate for my child to ensure that they were getting the services and attention they really needed to succeed. It occurred to me that there were kids in our district who may not have that kind of support at home, for a variety of reasons. I really wanted to be the voice for every kid in our district - to ensure each of them was provided an opportunity to receive the very best public education possible.
What was one of the most memorable experiences during your tenure on the School Board?
There are so many! One experience that especially stands out is the opening of the Goochland Tech Center. We advocated hard with local government to get the funds to expand our career and technical offerings, culminating in a dedicated center for CTE. It was a proud moment.
What do you feel is the most important thing that school boards do?
I think the most important responsibility of school boards is to hire the best possible leader based on their district’s needs. While the Superintendent works for and reports to the school board, he/she is the face of the school district with so many audiences - local government, parents, staff, community, etc. Hire the best person for the job, provide them guidance and support, and then get out of the way!
What does the word advocacy mean to you?
To me, advocacy means being the voice of your constituents with various audiences - providing public support of the value and needs of public education.
Why do you feel that advocacy is important for school board members?
Advocacy is one of the most critical responsibilities of school board members. It goes to the very core of what we do - advocating to different audiences on the importance of public education. We advocate with local leaders to make sure schools get the necessary funding; we advocate within ourselves to make meaningful policy changes; we talk to our elected representatives to advocate for or against pending legislation.
What are some ways that school board members can get involved with advocacy at the local, state and national levels?
Because of our role as a school board member, we have the unique opportunity (duty?) of being in a position to advocate with credibility. VSBA does a great job informing and preparing its members to advocate successfully on behalf of public education in Virginia. Read the legislative updates they send. Attend the Advocacy Institute in DC. Take every opportunity to engage with your elected officials. Be loud and be persistent!
How can advocacy work continue when you are no longer a member of the board?
I’m still trying to figure this one out. While I won’t be in a position of leadership relative to advocacy, I still plan to be a vocal and involved advocate of public education. I continue to engage with school leadership and offer my services.
What did it mean to you to receive the 2019 Advocate for Education award?
Winning the 2019 Advocate for Education award was a wonderful surprise. I was honored and humbled as I felt I was just doing my job as an effective school board member. It truly made rotating off my local school board especially bittersweet. I am proud of the work VSBA and all the school board members have done advocating on behalf of public education in Virginia.
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Franklin County Teacher Named 2021 Virginia Teacher of the Year |
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Congratulations to Anthony Swann, 5th Grade teacher at Rocky Mount Elementary School in Franklin County Public Schools for being named the Virginia Teacher of the Year.
"Mr. Swann is so deserving of this award. His goal is not only to teach, but to serve children" stated Julie Nix, Chair of the Franklin County School Board, "He is the male role model for the children in his class that he himself didn't have growing up. I'm so impressed that he took his childhood experiences and turned them into something so positive for our children.
Mr. Swann begins each day with a song for his students. He grabs them from the very beginning and holds their attention so that they are learning before they even realize it.
It's obvious that he doesn't have students; he has children, and he treats them as his own. We are so incredibly blessed to have Mr. Swann here in Franklin County striving to help our children be the best they can be, both inside and outside the classroom."
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J.T. Kessler, Government Relations Specialist |
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Virginia General Assembly Special Session Update |
The Special Session of the Virginia General Assembly is wrapping up after lawmakers approved revisions to the Biennial Budget and passed several pieces of legislation relating to criminal justice and policing reform. The VSBA Government Relations team actively participated in this unprecedented virtual special session providing committee testimony via ZOOM and talking with key legislators about important legislation being considered in the House of Delegates and Senate of Virginia. Thank you to each school board member and division administration that answered our Action Alerts during the Special Session. Your prompt response assisted our lobbying efforts and was instrumental in the success we were able to have during this special session.
Much focus of the special session was devoted to discussing the fiscal health of the Commonwealth and how to address the unallotment of all new spending in the Biennial Budget that occurred earlier this spring at the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic. As you recall, Governor Northam amended the budget passed by the legislature in March to include the unallotment of new spending pending a special session of the General Assembly where the fiscal impact of the pandemic could be assessed allowing the legislature to adjust the budget.
Following weeks of debate between budget writers, the House of Delegates and Senate of Virginia were able to pass a budget that included areas of reallotted spending. At the time of this article, the budget is awaiting action by the Governor. The Governor can amend or veto line items in the budget prior to the General Assembly reconvening later this year.
The following K-12 budget highlights were agreed to by both Chambers:
- Redirects $8.9 million the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief funds (GEER) provided through the CARES Act to support technology needs and internet access for virtual learning resulting from school closures. (Item 141 #1c).
- Authorizes school divisions to use textbook payments in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 to address costs related to school reopening or virtual learning and waives the local match requirements for these funds. (Item 145 #1c).
- Provides for semi-monthly payments to school divisions would not be reduced in January because of reductions in September average daily membership counts. This language prevents school divisions from experiencing reductions in state payments in the middle of the fiscal year and allows the issue to be revisited after average daily membership is calculated in March. (Item 145 #2c).
- Allocates $95.2 million in FY 2021 from taxes on “gray machines” (“games of skill” temporarily allowed to continue operations, subject to a monthly tax on each machine) to hold school divisions harmless from losses that would otherwise be incurred as a result of the sales tax reforecast.(Item 145 #3c, Item 479.10 #1c).
- Allows for $220.1 million in Coronavirus Relief Funds to school divisions to assist with costs associated with the pandemic. (Item 479.10 #2c).
- Restores $35.2 million in FY 2022 for the At-Risk Add-On that was unallotted from the budget during the Reconvened Session in April. (Item 482.20 #32c).
The VSBA Government Relations team was successful at preventing various pieces of troubling legislation from advancing through the General Assembly including HB 5028 (Jones) which would have established a presumption that COVID-19, causing the death or disability for public sector workers, including school board employees, as an occupational diseases compensable under the Workers' Compensation Act and HB 5116 (Guzman) which would have required public and private employers to provide eligible employees 14 days of paid quarantine leave.
The VSBA Government Relations team will continue to monitor the legislative process in Richmond and will alert the membership if any additional advocacy is needed on the budget, etc. Please be sure to continue to check the VSBA Legislative Update Blog, VSBA Social Media outlets, and your email for important updates.
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Don't Miss out on the FUN!
VSBA Annual 5k Fun Run/Walk
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Join us for the 17th Annual/1st Virtual VSBA 5K! Even though we can’t all be together in Williamsburg, that doesn’t mean we can’t still run or walk “together.” Let’s show our VSBA pride by running or walking a 5K in your own community sometime before November 19.
Rules are simple –
1. Register before November 18. Be sure to provide your home or business address where a t-shirt can be mailed to you. T-shirts will be mailed out to individuals the week you register. First 100 to register receive a t-shirt.
2. Map out your own 5K course (3.1 miles) and then report back to us on your time and whether you ran or walked. Once you finish, submit your time. All times must be posted no later than 10 am on November 19.
3. Post a photo on social media with the hashtag #virtualVSBA5K or email your photo to jessica@vsba.org and VSBA will post on their social media. If you post your own photos don’t forget to tag VSBA.
Print out the “I did it” poster (color | b&w) and capture that in your photo.
Categories and prizes (don’t forget that you must be registered to be eligible):
- The fastest runner and walker in each age group for men and women.
- New – most hilly – send a photo of your hilly climb.
- New – most exciting encounters with nature – send us a photo of what you encountered on your run/walk.
- New – hottest or coldest run – Was it really hot or cold the day you participated? Share the temperature of when you ran or walked and we’ll award the brave souls who got out there even when it was hot or really cold.
- New – Team Spirit – most people from a particular division to run or walk – you don’t need to run or walk together, just the most people who register and then submit their times.
- New – Best Individual Spirit – send us a photo of your running outfit displaying your school/division pride.
- Most runs or walks between when you register and November 19 – just email us a total number of days that you ran or walked at least 5K. The earlier you register the more your chances increase.
***All awards photos should be submitted to Jessica Blythe at jessica@vsba.org***
All awards will be announced on Friday, November 20 during the VSBA Annual Convention Closing Session. Tune in to see if you won!
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November is VSBA Take Your Legislator to School Month |
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As the dust settles on the 2020 Special Session of the Virginia General Assembly, we must now turn our attention to the coming general session which begins in early January. There is no better way to prepare your delegation for the 2021 general session than to participate in the annual VSBA Take Your Legislator to School Month.
There are many benefits from participating in VSBA Take Your Legislator to School Month, including developing closer relationships between school divisions, local communities and our elected officials, as well as creating opportunities for productive dialogue so that educational and political leaders can work together to ensure that we provide the best possible education for our students. In addition, when legislators visit your schools as part of VSBA Take Your Legislator to School Month, local students will have the opportunity to interact with elected officials and learn about the important roles and responsibilities of Virginia General Assembly members. Almost like a field trip that is coming to your school, a visit by your local legislator creates many different “teachable moments.”
New this year, we have included ideas and resources to take your events virtual. We ask that you please share photos of your legislative visits with VSBA so that we can use them in future publications.
Thank you so much for all your advocacy efforts and your commitment to public schools in the Commonwealth. If there is anything I can do to assist you, please contact me at jason@vsba.org.
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School Board U FAQs
In September, VSBA Launched VSBA School Board U. School Board U is an area of the VSBA website filled with learning opportunities for school board members to explore important topics related to your service on the school board.
The topics are organized into six strands including:
- Governance and Leadership
- Fiscal Responsibility
- Student Achievement
- Hot Topics in Education
- Policy and Legal
- Advocacy
To access VSBA School Board U, please visit the secure section of the VSBA website. You will need a log in and password to access this section. School board members and division staff, please check your email to find the log in and password information.
We have received a number of questions related to School Board U and have compiled a FAQ for you. Please let us know if you have any additional questions.
Q: I am not a new board member but I am interested in working on a certificate within School Board U, is this possible?
A: Absolutely! The sessions within the certificates for School Board U are available to anyone serving on a school board in Virginia.
Q: Do I have to log on or watch the sessions at a certain time within School Board U?
A: No, the sessions are available on demand so you can review the session at any time that is convenient for you.
Q: Can my entire board complete a School Board U certificate?
A: Sure! While School Board U was created for individual board members, if the board would like to come together to discuss the topics or information presented within the session, you are certainly open to doing so.
Q: Can I attend sessions outside of the certificates?
A: Yes, in fact, we encourage you to. The sessions within the certificates are great starting points, but there are many sessions outside of the certificate programs that are available within School Board U.
Q: What if I have already attended one of the sessions in the past, can I receive credit towards a certificate?
A: To earn a certificate, you must view the sessions within 24 months. If you attended a session within the past 24 months and would like to claim credit for that attendance please contact VSBA. Please note that all other sessions must be completed within 24 months of attending the past session.
Q: How do I sign up for the courses within the certificate?
A: There are a mix of free and paid courses for each certificate program. You can begin on the free sessions today! In order to sign up for the paid sessions, please contact your school board clerk to register.
For additional information about VSBA’s School Board U, please contact Samantha Bosserman, director of communications and board development at samantha@vsba.org of 1-800-446-8722 x3.
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Take a Tour of the Event Platform |
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Things look different these days and like you, the Virginia Lottery is adjusting to the new norm. Virginia’s K-12 public school educators continue to be a focus for us. We continue to be committed to supporting professional development opportunities and have even transformed the Virginia Lottery’s tried and true teacher campaigns to accommodate digital platforms.
Recently, we partnered with Washington, DC radio personalities Tommy McFly and Kelly Collis to celebrate teachers who are doing some amazing things in Northern Virginia. The Tommy + Kelly Show Fall Teacher Tour generates excitement by personally visiting the teacher’s school or home (using safe social distance and mask protocols) with an awesome delivery of gratitude from the Virginia Lottery. In addition, staff from each teacher's school get special prizes from the Virginia Lottery as well! There’s still time to nominate your favorite Northern Virginia teacher. Click here to submit your entry today!
Look for our annual Thank a Teacher Art Contest which will launch in mid-December. This campaign showcases artwork from three Virginia students and provides art supplies to the students’ respective schools. We still plan to launch our statewide Thank a Teacher note-writing campaign to remind Virginians to take time to thank their favorite public school teachers. You’ll remember this campaign for its two fabulous Virginia vacation packages and $5,000.00 in school supplies awarded to two well-deserving K-12 public school teachers.
Lastly, we’ve engaged Virginia Lottery employees by featuring “THANK YOU” sentiments to Virginia’s teachers on our Twitter and Facebook pages.
Though circumstances may have changed, the mission of the Virginia Lottery hasn't. Since 1999, more than $10 billion in lottery proceeds has been contributed to Virginia’s K-12 public schools for programs like school breakfast, early reading intervention, and career and technical education to name a few. We commend you, Virginia School Boards Association members, as you continue to promote excellence in public education through advocacy, training and services.
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VSBA Budget Services for Governance Teams
One of the most important functions of a school board is school budget and finance. When school divisions are preparing their budgets, it is important for all members of the Governance Team to understand the budget process, know the school board’s role in the process, and know how to communicate budget requests to their local appropriating body.
VSBA offers two types of trainings for school board members that take an in-depth look at the school budgeting process. One training is a half-day session available to individuals who would like to learn more about their role in the budgeting process. The most recent session was held virtually in April and a recording is available for purchase. Stay tuned for an announcement on the next training date soon. The second training features a full day discussion with your local school division where you will be able to take a deep dive into the budgeting process and ask questions related to your own situation. This training is available when it is convenient for your board. Both trainings are led by one of the top experts in the state on school board budgets, Dr. Michael Thornton. Most recently, the Williamsburg James City County School Governance Team participated in a full day personalized training session.
“The VSBA Budget Services Training was informative for new as well as seasoned school board members,” stated Lisa Ownby, Williamsburg James City County School Board Chair. “The format allowed for discussion and questions as they arose. I highly recommend this deeper dive into the school board budgeting process.”
If your board is interested in scheduling an individualized training session, please contact Samantha Bosserman, director of communications and board development at 1-800-446-8722 or via email at samantha@vsba.org
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NEW- Virginia Freedom of Information (FOIA) Training
Schedule now for training after November 30, 2020. Please note, all VSBA trainings are conducted remotely until further notice.
Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
The requirements of FOIA impact every school board meeting, from initial notice of the meeting to what must be included in the minutes. Board members’ thorough familiarity with FOIA helps school board meetings flow smoothly and shows the community that the board is committed to the principles of open government. Participants will have the opportunity to explore the requirements of FOIA in depth, including crafting motions required to enter closed sessions. Please note: this training does not satisfy the legal requirement for elected school board members to receive FOIA training.
FOIA training is scheduled when it is convenient for your board. The training will require 100% of school board member attendance along with the Superintendent. Appropriate staff are also invited to attend, including the school board clerk and FOIA officer.
For additional information, please contact Samantha Bosserman, director of communications and board development at samantha@vsba.org .
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Division Spotlight: Prince Edward County Public Schools
In each newsletter VSBA will spotlight a recent initiative or best practice taking place in a school division in Virginia. If you have a story you would like to submit for inclusion in the spotlight section of the VSBA newsletter, please contact Samantha Bosserman, director of communications and board development, for more information. We look forward to hearing about the great things going on in your divisions.
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Food Service Heroes
Submitted by Prince Edward County Public Schools
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Food service teams often go unnoticed and are under-appreciated. Covid-19 has taken these essential workers out of the backroom and into the spotlight.
Since Covid-19 struck and Prince Edward County Public Schools (PECPS) was forced to close, our food service department has served over 90,000 pre-packaged, take-out meals to the children of Prince Edward County. Prince Edward County Public Schools serves a community where 68% of families are identified as low-income. We are a Community Eligibility Provision(CEP)district, based on income data collected through the Virginia Department of Social Services and the Virginia Department of Education.
Heroes. This is the perfect word to describe our food service staff. They were not given any time to consider the impact of Covid-19 on themselves, their families, or their communities; instead, they just went to work. They cooked, packed, traveled, delivered, and partnered – they served our families - all so that our students were provided essential nourishment. They never stopped. They will not stop. They are heroes to our children, our parents and our community.
PECPS food service workers began by providing pre-packed meals to six different locations, spread across our 356 square mile county, two days a week. When we say they traveled and delivered, we mean it. Some of our meal pick up sites were more than 20 miles away. Many of our families lacked the necessary transportation to meet at sites, so in order to make sure our children were fed, our food service department made special exceptions to deliver meals to individual’s front doors.
Can you imagine the planning, time and organization that went into making sure that the children of our community were fed? Each day was spent cooking and packing non-perishables into hundreds of bags. On delivery days, perishable food was added to bags and bags were loaded into vans, cars, and busses. They were then hauled to the six different pick-up sites. Food service staff members set up an outdoor office and spent a large part of their day outside in the heat of summer, and the rain and cold of late, serving families. They adjusted the pick-up times to try to accommodate the many different schedules that our families have, and they did all of this with smiles under their masks. As soon as the last bag was put in the vehicle, they returned to school to prepare for the next distribution day.
Our food service department even took distribution days to the next level. They partnered with local community organizations to provide art and books to families with their meals. Again, imagine the endless paperwork necessary to make this all work. They documented the distribution of all of the materials and asked for age and grade information to make sure that families were given appropriate resources. They did all of this because they wanted to add a little extra joy to the lives of those they served.
As if that was not enough to show how flexible and accommodating the PECPS food service department is, it is worth noting that they have had to adjust and pivot their process three times since the pandemic began and schools closed on March 13th. After recognizing the varying needs of all of our families, they have adjusted days, locations and additional times.
This department, led by the Food Service Supervisor Bruce Davis, has developed an online meal ordering system. This new system has proven to decrease food waste so that the team doesn’t pack more bags than needed, and so that families can choose which pick up location works best for them.
In a time of great need, food insecurity, and social isolation, the food service department at Prince Edward County Public Schools has become our frontline and has filled a huge need. This team knows our children, and our families, and they see them multiple times a week, providing a smile, and a life-line of security and comfort - filling tummies and hearts in Prince Edward County.
**Please note photos without masks were taken were pre-mask ordinance.
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News Tidbits: Stories and Studies from Around the Country |
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New Education Data Underlines Challenges Facing High...
Newly released 12th-grade NAEP scores show disappointing declines in math and reading skills prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using data and lessons learned this year, we can all work together to support these students in leaving high ...
Read more
www.forbes.com
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Are The Risks Of Reopening Schools Exaggerated?
Despite widespread concerns, two new international studies show no consistent relationship between in-person K-12 schooling and the spread of the coronavirus. And a third study from the United States shows no elevated risk to childcare workers...
Read more
www.npr.org
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National School Boards Association Tackles Equity Issues ...
As part of its "Public School Transformation Now!" campaign, which aims to improve equity and access within K-12 public schools, the National School Boards Association (NSBA) hosted a virtual webinar to bring equity issues front and center.
Read more
diverseeducation.com
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VSBA Affiliate Member Profiles
In each Issue of the VSBA newsletter, we will feature three VSBA Affiliate Members.
Thank you for your support of the VSBA and Virginia's public education system.
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NSF Health Science, LLC
NSF International is a global public health and safety organization. We support Virginia schools in developing water safety plans, risk management procedures and help meet requirements of the Code of Virginia.
Dann Holmes
Phone: (734) 769-8010 (ask for Building Water Health)
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Rentacrate Enterprises, LLC
A leading national provider of workplace management services, products and technologies including pre-move planning, coordination, liquidation, rentals, supplies, etc.
Matt Benyo
Phone: (202) 276-2122
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Rethink Ed
Rethink Ed combines the power of technology and research to deliver innovative, scalable and evidence-based tools and resources to support the whole child.
Niquelle Cotton
Phone: (954) 665-6475
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UPCOMING EVENTS, WORKSHOPS, & WEBINARS |
Thursday, November 5, 2020, 9:00 AM- 2:30 PM
LOCATION: Virtual Conference
DETAIL: The Virginia School Boards Association would like to invite you to a workshop for school board members, education foundation professionals, volunteers and those interested in starting an education foundation in your school division. The workshop will feature education foundation representatives from across Virginia. Presenters will be addressing important topics such as: building blocks for starting an education foundation, the importance of building partnerships within their communities during the time of COVID-19, and communicating with the community about your foundation. Additionally, there will be the opportunity to hear from a panel of representatives about this work, and a time for idea sharing. Whether you are just getting started, or are well established, join us as we learn together and network.
Cost: $190 (multiple registrations needed if viewing from multiple devices/locations).
Thursday, November 12, 2020, 9:00 AM- 2:00 PM
LOCATION: Virtual Conference
DETAIL: Calling all School Board Clerks! You do not want to miss out on the Annual Fall Workshop for School Board Clerks. During this workshop you will receive important legal updates, an update from one of your colleagues on the new database with some tips & tricks, receive updates from a COIA council member, enter our door prize drawings, discuss some very relevant hot topics, and much more! In addition, all clerks who attend the conference will have the opportunity to attend ALL the VSBA Annual Convention general sessions
Cost: $175 (multiple registrations needed if viewing from multiple devices/locations).
Tuesday, November 17, 2020, 10:00 AM- 2:30 PM
LOCATION: Virtual Conference
DETAIL: For the past fifteen years, the Virginia School Boards Association has hosted the ever-popular student school board representative session. This workshop will feature various topics, including various break out sessions, advocacy, leadership, and serving as a student representative. This year the workshop will take place on Tuesday, November 17, 2020 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Students are also invited to join the Wednesday General Session, featuring Alex Sheen from because I said I would. Attendees will also receive a Because I Said I Would wristband for attending the student workshop.
Cost: $175 (multiple registrations needed if viewing from multiple devices/locations).
November 18-20, 2020
LOCATION: Virtual Conference
DETAIL: The VSBA Annual Convention is the largest and most anticipated VSBA meeting of the year. While this year our Annual Convention may look a little different, and we won't get to see your smiling faces in person, we hope you'll find our event schedule to be just as enriching and educational as always. This event brings together school board members, superintendents, and school division staff from across Virginia. There are plenty of opportunities for you to immerse yourself in learning. Attend general sessions, choose from over thirty hot topic seminars pertinent to public education issues, have the opportunity to meet with businesses dedicated to serving schools, and much more. We hope to see you there!
Cost: $260 per registration (multiple registrations needed if viewing from multiple devices/locations).
Wednesday December 9, 2020, 12:00 PM- 1:00 PM
LOCATION: Paid Webinar
DETAIL: Virginia public school budgeting will be discussed, including roles of elected officials, fiduciary requirements, stakeholders, and budget reports. Revenue categories will be explained, including state formulas, federal funding, local funding, and tax rates.
Cost: $160 per registration or $290 for the complete series (multiple registrations needed if viewing from multiple devices/locations).
Thursday, December 10, 2020 12:00 PM- 1:00 PM
LOCATION: Paid Webinar
DETAIL: Session two will explain expenditures including enrollment, staffing, salaries, and employee benefits. Also discussed will be "odds and ends" of school division finance including audits, school activity funds, quarterly reports fund balances, and misinformation.
Cost: $160 per registration or $290 for the complete series (multiple registrations needed if viewing from multiple devices/locations)
Tuesday, December 15, 2020 12:00 PM- 1:00 PM
LOCATION: Paid Webinar
DETAIL: Join us for a live webinar with Cynthia Hudson and Bradford King, attorneys from SandsAnderson as they explain the new collective bargaining legislation. This session will provide an overview of the new provisions on Virginia's new law enabling local governments and school boards to bargain collectively with "unionized" employees. You do not want to miss out!
Cost: $150 per registration (multiple registrations needed if viewing from multiple devices/locations)
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200 Hansen Road, Charlottesville, VA 22911
Tel: 434-295-8722 Fax: 434-295-8785
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