Workshop will have a new look in 2006, and it starts with the General Sessions. There will be three of them, rather than two.

The Opening General Session will take place on Wednesday, October 25 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. It will feature a musical performance by a student group; recognition of New Jersey’s Teacher, Superintendent, Business Administrator and Board Member of the Year; and a keynote address by Dr. Phillip Boyle, president of Leading & Governing Associates, Inc., of Carrboro, North Carolina, who will speak on Boards and Administrators: Connecting to Public Values.

Advocacy in Hard Times Faced with shrinking support for education, school boards and the communities they serve are often at odds. Dr. Boyle will offer dynamic insights on how boards can engage their communities, facilitate public problem-solving, and foster positive relationships during difficult times.

His organization is a governance and education consulting practice that helps public officials engage their communities and each other in public problem-solving and decision-making. Dr. Boyle designs training programs tailored to individual jurisdictions, conducts board and management team retreats, and facilitates stakeholder planning and engagement efforts.

Dr. Boyle formerly served as a full-time faculty member in the School of Government at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, where he taught in the Master of Public Administration Program and directed the school’s programs for local elected officials, working closely with the North Carolina School Boards Association, the N.C. Association of County Commissioners, and the N.C. League of Municipalities.

Student Achievement New is the Thursday General Session, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Workshop attendees will have the opportunity to hear Dr. Pedro A. Noguera, a professor, activist and author, discuss Making Connections to Student Achievement. Diversity, violence and social and economic conditions all have a direct impact on how well students perform. Dr. Noguera will share his findings on each of these issues, discuss their impact on student achievement, and reveal ways that will enable districts to improve student outcomes.

Dr. Noguera is a professor at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Education. His scholarship and research focus on ways in which schools are influenced by social and economic conditions in the urban environment. Noguera has served as an advisor and engaged in collaborative research with several large urban school districts throughout the United States. He has also researched issues related to education and economic and social development in the Caribbean, Latin America and countries throughout the world.

Celebrate Success And if that isn’t enough, Workshop 2006 will offer an all-new Closing General Session on Friday, from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Join your colleagues as Workshop presents awards to individuals achieving Master Board Member certification, to boards that have earned Board Certification and to the winners of the School Communications Competition. Also learn about New Jersey’s Readiness Curriculum, a cooperative venture of NJSBA, NJASA, and the state Department of Education—plus have a chance to return home with some fabulous door prizes.

Future issues of School Board Notes will feature more information about new, exciting changes to Workshop.