At the CASB 66th Annual Convention you will - Colorado ...

PRECONVENTION SESSIONS
Thursday, November 30
Spend an entire day focused on effective leadership. Whether you
are a new board member, veteran, board president or superintendent,
there’s something for everyone at the preconvention sessions.
Choose one full-day session or two half-day sessions.
Preconvention
Full-Day
Sessions
9:00 A.M. – 3:30 P.M. Choose one of 2
FOR BOARD PRESIDENTS AND SUPERINTENDENTS
Dispelling the Myth of the “Blob”: Superintendent and board
member relevance in student achievement
Tim Waters, Ed.D., president and CEO, McREL
As U.S. Secretary of Education, William Bennett asserted that
American education was burdened by a “blob.” The blob, he wrote,
consists of people in the education system working outside of the
classroom, soaking up resources without contributing to high levels
of student achievement; i.e. superintendents, district office staff and
school boards.
The belief that superintendents, district office staff, and school
boards only drain resources and don’t contribute to student
achievement is a myth. Researchers at Mid-continent Research for
Education and Learning (McREL) are dispelling this myth with data
from an analytic study of district-level leadership practices and their
effects on student achievement.
Join this highly-interactive session to hear the findings from
McREL’s research. Gather guidance on how to use these
findings, along with earlier findings on classroom and school level
practices, to optimize education systems through superintendents
and school boards.
FOR BOARD MEMBERS AND NEW BOARD MEMBERS
Introduction to Board Work: The CASB Core
Presented by the CASB Leadership Development Program Faculty
Join this session and get to the core of good boardmanship. This
info-packed workshop is designed to develop your awareness of
the skills and knowledge that make up the CASB Core, a researchbased
description of the core work, actions, and styles of effective
boards and their members. You’ll gain valuable information on the
following four CASB Core content areas:
• Relationships
• Leadership
• Student Achievement
• Finance
7:30 – 8:30 A.M. Early Bird CASB Coffee
Get up early and get to know your CASB representatives! Take this
opportunity to network with your colleagues in a relaxed atmosphere.
9:00 – 11:30 A.M. Preconvention Half-Day Sessions
Choose one of 3
1. Early Education for Later Success
Gail Wilson, board member, Lewis Palmer 38; Laurie Beckel, board member,
Clear Creek Re-1; Bruce Hoyt, board member, Denver Public Schools;
Sheila Groneman, board member, Summit Re-1; Sharon Triolo-Moloney,
assistant director, Prevention Projects, Colorado Department of Education;
Kathy Howell, early childhood coordinator, Colorado Springs District 11
Moderators: Scott Groginsky, board member, Gilpin County Re-1; Marge
Rinaldi, board member, Adams County 50 and CASB Director
(Members of the CASB Early Childhood Task Force)
Quality early childhood education experiences are critical to
school success for all children. Children with at-risk backgrounds
show significant improvement from quality early education and
child care programs and school districts are central to providing
these learning opportunities. How is your district set up to support
a good preschool program? Do you know what child and family
results your programs are producing? In this session, examine
school board members’ policy options, learn concrete education
approaches and district program strategies, and address child
and family outcomes. Also, explore the role of the Colorado
Department of Education in early childhood education.
2. Maximizing Rural Opportunities in an Era of Scarcity
John Knapp, CASB President and board member, Rocky Ford Schools;
Tim Macklin, resource conservation and development coordinator for
Southeast Colorado, U.S. Department of Agriculture; Jim Wilson,
superintendent, Salida R-32-J
Rural school districts face unique challenges. A declining young
workforce, continually-changing demographics and increased
educational needs mean rural school board members and
superintendents need to know and be able to do more than in the
past. Attend this interactive session to learn about the changes
taking place in rural communities and brainstorm how you can
meet those challenges. You’ll also have the unique opportunity
to connect with your colleagues from around the state about
similar issues in your area. Many rural communities face similar
challenges. Join this session to meet these issues head-on!
3. Learning for the 21st Century
Dr. John Box, vice president, JA Worldwide and vice chair, Partnership
for 21st Century Skills
Traditional school courses often fail to meet the demands of
an increasingly-competitive global economy, according to the
Partnership for 21st Century Skills. An advocacy organization,
the Partnership seeks to infuse 21st-century skills into education.
Through this interactive workshop, gain a thorough understanding
of the Partnership’s framework for learning in the 21st century,
assess the status of 21st-century learning in your school district
and identify strategies that you can use to ensure your students
are prepared for success in a globally-competitive society.
Through hands-on activities, you’ll also learn how one organization,
JA Worldwide (Junior Achievement), incorporated 21st-century
skills into its K–12 instructional programs.