Ready, Set, Govern: The Key Work of School Board Members
In today's high-stakes educational environment, the daily pressure on governance leaders is enormous. The more effective the board team, the better a school district's students perform.
The Key Work of School Boards provides a framework that reflects 'best governance practices' that are traceable to high-performing boards and high-performing school districts. This session provides an overview of a relevant and reliable governance guide to a board during times of conflict and ideas to become a stronger team.
This session, though not required, is also the beginning of the Ready Set Govern track, a series of sessions for both newly elected members and those individuals wanting a refresher on core areas of board work.
Presenters: TBD
A Strong Superintendent–Board Team: Your Path to Effective Board Governance
Effective board meetings are more than a place to conduct business—they’re a reflection of a strong, collaborative board–superintendent team. When this team functions well, the entire district benefits—from better decision-making to community confidence and student success. Participants will explore what it takes to build and sustain a high-functioning superintendent–board team by using real-world scenarios and best practices in governance. Attendees will assess team dynamics, identify growth-areas, and learn strategies to enhance collaboration, define roles, and build shared accountability.
Learning Objectives:
- Increased understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the school board and superintendent.
- Explore strategies that build trust and collaboration between the school board and superintendent.
- Gain tools to carry out effective board meetings.
- Be equipped with practical tips and strategies to bring back to your school board
Presenters:
- Jenni Lefing, Membership Services Manager, Association of Alaska School Boards
- Jamie McPherson, Deputy Director of Leadership Development, New York State School Boards Association
- Peter Hoepfner, Board Development Coordinator, Association of Alaska School Boards
AI Basics for Educational Leaders: The Strengths and Pitfalls of AI Use at a District Level
AI is already shaping classrooms, operations, and expectations in your district—but many boards feel unprepared to lead the conversation. This beginner-friendly, hands-on session equips educational leaders to understand AI’s strengths and pitfalls, experience common generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT, Microsoft CoPilot, and Google Gemini), and identify the right questions to guide equitable, responsible AI use at the district level.
Learning Objectives:
- Define generative AI and describe current uses in K–12 education.
- Identify at least three district-level risks and three benefits of AI adoption.
- Use generative AI tools (ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) at the district level, such as drafting communications and policies, and analyzing school data.
- Formulate key questions boards should ask about equity, privacy, and strategic alignment when evaluating AI tools.
- Articulate the board’s role in modeling transparent and ethical leadership around technology use.
Presenter:
- Michelle Ihrig, Founder & CEO, Growth Mindset Collaborative
Classism 101: Understanding the Impact of Socioeconomic Status in Our Schools and Classrooms
Class and socioeconomic status are often invisible in equity discussions, yet they deeply influence student achievement and well-being. In this interactive session, board members and educators will explore five levels of class and examine how economic disparities shape school experiences. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of class identity and a customizable professional development framework to use in their own districts.
Learning Objectives:
- Recognize class and socioeconomic status as social identities that influence school climate and student experience.
- Reflect on and articulate their own class background and how it shapes their perspective.
- Identify and define the five levels/classifications of socioeconomic status and classism.
- Engage in structured, meaningful dialogue with peers on the impact of class in education.
- Develop an initial action plan or set of strategies to advance equity efforts related to classism in their district.
Presenters:
- Michael Dodge, Trainer/Search Consultant, Massachusetts Association of School Committees
- Stefania Raschilla, Superintendent, West Springfield Public Schools
- Kerry Martins, Executive Director of Family Engagement & Educational Services, West Springfield Public Schools
Sharing the Magic: Storytelling for School Leaders
Great leaders are great storytellers! In this dynamic preconference session, school board members will learn how to craft and share the powerful stories happening in their schools and communities. Through interactive activities and real examples, attendees will gain tools to craft authentic, engaging messages that build trust, inspire action, and foster pride. Leave with the confidence and skills to tell your district’s story with heart, clarity, and purpose. Each participant will leave the session with three well-crafted and practiced stories to share immediately!
Learning Objectives:
- Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to craft compelling stories that highlight the strengths of their school communities.
- Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to identify key moments and messages that build trust and engagement with stakeholders.
- Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to apply storytelling techniques in board presentations, media, and community outreach.
- Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to model and promote a culture of storytelling throughout their district leadership teams.
Presenter:
- Raymond Lauk, Associate Professor, Eastern Kentucky University
A Leadership-Driven Approach to Professional Development to Strengthen School Systems, Staff, and Communities, Through Immersive Learning
Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS) is an interactive and immersive experience that promotes a greater understanding of poverty. During the simulation, participants role-play the lives of low-income families, from single parents trying to care for their children to senior citizens trying to maintain their self-sufficiency on Social Security. During the simulation, participants role-play a month in poverty and experience the lives of low-income families. After the simulation, participants unpack their learning and brainstorm community change.
Learning Objectives:
- Will understand financial challenges and systemic barriers that low‑income families face when living month‑to‑month.
- Describe the financial, emotional, and systemic obstacles low-income families face during a month of living in poverty.
- Define how poverty impairs students’ learning by undermining nutrition, cognition, attendance, and emotional well‑being.
- Describe how poverty increases parental stress, reduces responsiveness, and disrupts parent–child relationships.
- Describe how educators gain insight into students’ home challenges by experiencing structural barriers, time constraints, and resource scarcity.
Presenter:
- Megan Bania, BA, CAPS Business Development Coordinator, Missouri Community Action Network