OSBA Policy Services Director Spencer Lewis directs school district leaders in a complaint procedure exercise during OSBA’s first Summer School Session in Redmond on Friday, July 10. The conference brought together board members, district administrators and administrative professionals from all over Oregon for training and networking. (Photo by Jake Arnold, OSBA)
Location is not just key in real estate. It matters for training conferences too.
OSBA’s first Summer School Session was held Friday, July 10, in Redmond. Many attendees from eastern and central Oregon said the location and one-day format made the conference cost effective and convenient for them.
“Bless you guys,” said Tammie Parker, the Crook County School District executive assistant. She said the location helped make it possible for her to go to her first OSBA summer conference. “Budgets are tight, but I love the content.”
OSBA has changed its approach to summer training for school board members, administrators and administrative professionals this year. Single-day training sessions — the Friday one at Ridgeview High School and July 16 in Eugene — are replacing the Summer Board Conference, a three-day event that was held in Salem most recently. More Summer School Session locations are being considered for next year.
“The event was created in response to member feedback,” said OSBA Board President Dawn Watson in opening remarks. Watson traveled from her Phoenix-Talent School District in southern Oregon. “We heard your request for more training opportunities in different regions of the state, helping reduce travel time and costs for many of our members. … Thank you for being here and investing in your leadership.”
Bailey Johnston, a board member for the Desert Sky Montessori in nearby Bend, said he wanted to learn how to help his school thrive and the Redmond conference fit the bill.
“We don’t have the funds for the board to do much,” he said. “This is super cost effective.”
OSBA staff members offered their expertise to attendees in separate workshop tracks for school district leaders and administrative professionals.
The day started for school leaders with a Leadership Institute Gold Credit session on “Accountability in Action: Governance Systems for Student Success,” led by Kristen Miles, OSBA Board Development director. Members learned about using data for oversight, operating agreements and some of the expectations for them under the 2025 Education Accountability Act among other things.
Administrative professionals meanwhile learned about creating sustainable systems from OSBA Board Development Specialist Jenn Nelson as well as their peers in the workshop. Seasoned pros in the room shared some of their best practices.
Later in the day, both groups came together in a Leadership Institute Bronze Credit session on a wide range of school law and board policy issues. Haley Percell, OSBA deputy executive director and chief legal officer, and Spencer Lewis, OSBA Policy Services director, touched on topics including immigration policies school board members must adopt this year, the transgender athlete decision that came out in June, complaint procedures and board ethics rules.
“We want our members up to date on the latest legislation and policy requirements,” Percell said. “We also want to connect with our members, so they know who to talk to if they have deeper questions.”
Joan Starkel, a Jefferson County Education Service District board member, said she came to the conference to hear the latest on education issues, especially financing. She also wanted to learn what others are doing and build her network of peers and education experts.
She added that it helps that a one-day event is easier to fit into a busy family summer schedule.
Steve Lowell, an OSBA Board member who serves on the Klamath County School Board, said he was pleased to see OSBA training in communities outside the Willamette Valley core. He said he especially values the ways OSBA events connect school board members to the action in the Legislature.
“We need to hear what Salem has in store for us this year,” he said.
The day rounded out with regional talks designed to let attendees network with their peers and share knowledge on more local concerns.
The July 16 Summer School Session at Lane Community College in Eugene will have the same agenda. Online registration is closed, but attendees can still register on-site the day of the event.
“Our board members understand that effective leadership translates into student success, but they are also budget conscious,” said Miles, who leads planning for much of OSBA’s training opportunities. “Summer School Sessions are designed to give our members the important information they need in a more tailored package.”
– Jake Arnold, OSBA
[email protected]
