NJSBA’s Virtual Workshop will feature more than 100 sessions, including more than 50 sessions on education during a pandemic. The event, co-sponsored by the New Jersey School Boards Association, the New Jersey Association of School Administrators, and the New Jersey Association of School Business Officials, will take place from Oct. 20 – 22.

“The Virtual Workshop 2020 will be an indispensable resource as we address the unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic,” said Dr. Lawrence S. Feinsod, NJSBA executive director. “Programming will be accessible for a full year and will benefit school leaders and district staff throughout 2020-2021 and well into the future.”

A sampling of sessions are listed below. The full agenda will be released soon.  

What We Learned in Virtual Classrooms During COVID-19 School closings in March forced us all into a critical test of our capacity. Join this session to examine effective remote digital practices from the field, assess the growing body of research, and take a critical look at equity, pedagogy, content selection, and the use of technology for learning. 

The Pandemic Crisis: Where are We Now? The COVID-19 pandemic continues to substantially impact school district operations and the ways in which the board oversees those operations. In this presentation, NJSBA attorneys will highlight the most recent developments with regard to health and safety concerns for employees and students. The session will also cover board obligations in the developing landscape of the most recent state and federal statutes, regulations, and guidance. In addition, the discussion will include the most recent developments from the EEOC, CDC, OSHA, and both the state and federal departments of education.  

Labor Negotiations in a Pandemic Join us for an interactive presentation on how to handle virtual labor negotiations. Presenters from the law firm of Florio, Perrucci, Steinhardt, Cappelli, Tipton and Taylor, led by partner and co-chair Lester E. Taylor III, will host a simulated virtual labor negotiation. This unique opportunity will provide administrators, school board and union members alike an in-depth look at how to negotiate in a remote setting. Presenters will provide insight on the process, including the pros and cons of virtual negotiation. 

From Adversity to Advantage  (When Life Gives You Lemons…) The past months in education have been challenging, and boards have had to be strategic in their short-term planning. Those challenges may also have created windows of opportunity moving forward.  Join NJSBA field service representatives as we discuss recognizing and embracing opportunities and putting them into practice as we journey through these evolving times. 

About NJSBA’s Virtual Workshop 2020 NJSBA’s Virtual Workshop 2020 will offer multiple tracks of live training sessions over three full days. It will also feature compelling keynote speakers, an interactive exhibit floor, and exciting special events. 

365-Days of Conference Access for the Entire Team NJSBA’s Virtual Workshop sessions will be available to watch on-demand for a full year. Registrants may also access the virtual exhibit floor and all of the conference resources. Think of it as a full catalog of 100+ hours of on-demand training for the entire team, including school board members, superintendents, school business administrators, IT staff, facilities managers, curriculum directors, and other district staff. 

Affordability/Registration To make training accessible to more members of the district, NJSBA is offering a special group rate of $900 for up to 25 team members. That’s only $36 per person. The individual member rate is $199 per person. School business administrators must handle registration for their districts. Review the registration instructions before starting. To learn more, visit https://virtualworkshop.njsba.org/