Superintendent Contracts: NJSBA and NJASA Issue Statement

Governor Calls for Review of Superintendent Contracts

Senate Committee May Hear November Election Bill

NJQSAC Finds Half of Districts Are 'High Performing'

Education by the Numbers

NJSBA Looks for New Ways to Go Green

More Reasons to Attend Workshop 2008

School Board Member of the Year Nominations Now Being Accepted

Scenes from the Annual Special Education Week Celebration

Summary of May 17 Semiannual Delegate Assembly

NJSBA Executive Committee to Meet

Calendar

Click here for a pdf version of this issue of School Board Notes

2008 Annual Communications Competion entry form

In recent weeks, much of the attention surrounding Workshop 2008 has revolved around successfully obtaining the Commissioner of Education’s waiver for the training event, to take place from Oct. 28-30 in Atlantic City.

The core reason for the commissioner’s approval was the strength of the professional development offered at Workshop. The state’s major conference for education leaders will not only provide board members and administrators with more than 160 training and learning opportunities, but it will also enable board members to meet the training mandates of the School District Accountability Act.

Some of the highlights of Workshop 2008 programming will include:

New Member Orientation  On Tuesday, Oct. 28, board members and charter school trustees in the first year of their first term in office can attend the New Board Member Orientation, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and meet the mandates of the School Ethics and School District Accountability Acts. Attendees will learn about the law, policy, finance, curriculum, labor relations, superintendent evaluations, and the New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum (NJQSAC) school monitoring system. Separate registration is required.

Advanced Member Training  The accountability act also requires training for board members in the second and third years of their first terms in office, and board members in the first year of any subsequent term. Board members falling into one of those categories may attend one of the courses (Governance 1 – NJQSAC for second year board members; Governance 2 – Finance, for third year; or Legal Update for reelected or reappointed board members), on either Tuesday, Oct. 28 or Thursday, Oct. 30.  Separate registration is required.

Group Sessions, Action Labs  The focal points of Workshop’s training programs are the 25 Group Sessions and 45 Action Labs. Group Sessions are larger, formal presentations followed by question and answer sessions, while Action Labs are smaller hands-on sessions designed to help board members develop skills related to their roles. All are 90 minutes. Watch School Board Notes for further information.

Curriculum Fair and Question-and-Answer Roundtables  On Thursday, Oct. 29, Workshop attendees can sit down in an informal setting with experts in curriculum and administrative matters to discuss how the showcased programs might benefit schools.

Special Programs  Workshop also features training and learning opportunities that include the General Sessions’ keynote speakers; the Critical Issue Session; a Labor Relations Mini-Workshop; State Legislative Update; Public Relations Mini Workshops; Urban Boards Group Session; and more. Check out the Workshop Preview Guide coming out this summer.

Networking  Join your colleagues for a Welcome to Workshop Reception hosted by MetLife on Tuesday evening at the Sheraton Inn. On the exhibit floor Wednesday, meet friends and vendors at the Exhibitor-Sponsored Luncheon.

Exhibit Hall  Meet hundreds of vendors whose products and services can benefit your district and its operations. The exhibit hall is open on Wednesday and Thursday.

Attendance at Workshop must be approved by a majority of the full voting membership of the board. For more information and registration, go to NJSBA's online Workshop resources.