NJSBA Training Enters New Era

NJSBA Training Enters New Era

On the evening of Jan. 16, more than two dozen school board members attended an NJSBA training session on the New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum—or NJQSAC, the state’s new school monitoring process that focuses on governance and academic achievement. Ordinarily, board members receiving training would not be remarkable, but in this case, each of the board members participated from the comfort of his or her home.

Conducted via webinar, the session represented NJSBA’s first foray into real-time virtual training. Michael Kaelber, acting director of NJSBA’s Legal and Policy Services Department, and Diane Morris of the NJSBA Field Services Department conducted the 90-minute seminar from the Association’s Trenton headquarters.

As Kaelber and Morris talked about the local school board’s role in NJQSAC, participants transmitted questions that were answered either via an instant message or on camera by the speakers. In a poll of participants at the end of the training session, 100% of the respondents said they would sign up to take another NJSBA webinar course.

Fits Tight Schedules “We are thrilled to be able to offer training to our members in such a convenient format and delighted that our first webinar received such a good response,” said Marie S. Bilik, NJSBA’s executive director. “School board members have extremely busy schedules, and our training staff and our information technology staff have done a magnificent job of developing this new service for them.”

During the session, the on-camera trainers were supported by a team drawn from NJSBA’s technology, training, field services and legal staffs.

Under the 2007 School District Accountability Act, advanced training is mandatory for school board members in the second and third years of their first terms in office, as well as for returning board members in the first year after their re-election or re-appointment. The law specifically cited NJSBA as a provider of the training and encouraged the use of technology to deliver the programs. The Association’s seminar on NJQSAC is designed to meet the advanced training requirements for 2007-08.

Approximately 2,400 school board members will be required to take the training each year.

Additional Webinars The Association will also offer the NJQSAC webinar on Thursday, Feb. 7 and Monday, March 10 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. While the webinar is a live interactive program, a pre-recorded Web-based version of the program is now available for board members to take when their schedule allows. NJSBA has also provided the mandatory training through traditional classroom style programs.

To participate in the Feb. 7 and March 10 webinars, board members must pre-register at least three working days in advance. In addition, registrants must download materials prior to the webcast. Registration can be made through NJSBA’s Call Center by e-mail or by calling (888) 886-5722, ext. 5217.