Published: April 14, 2023
PACE Day at Sunriver Resort on Thursday, April 13, required attendees to move between two buildings. It was brisk with snow hiding in the shadows, but cheerful conversations broke out during the short walk under bright skies. (Photo by Jake Arnold, OSBA)

PACE Day moved from Salem to the centrally located Sunriver Resort this year to give more people a chance to attend.

The annual conference is part of Property and Casualty Coverage for Education’s free training opportunities for members. PACE, which is jointly administrated by OSBA and the Special Districts Association of Oregon, is Oregon’s leading insurance pool for education, with more than 200 public organizations as members.

“We have the tools to help you,” PACE Administrator Dave Harvey said at the close of Thursday’s opening session.

The event near Bend drew more than 160 registrations. More than a dozen sessions and workshops covered important issues for public K-12 school districts, charter schools, community colleges and education service districts.

It provided varied scenes and experiences.

Emotional opening

PACE is emphasizing sexual abuse and molestation prevention. PACE Day opened with a powerful session challenging good people not to remain silent.

“Bad people do bad things,” said speaker Brenda Tracy. “What I cannot rationalize is the good people who do nothing.”

Tracy, a sexual abuse survivor, leads the Set the Expectation nonprofit, which works to prevent abuse.

“Children can’t end child abuse,” she said. “They are dependent on us.”

McKenzie Nix, SDAO sexual abuse and molestation prevention specialist, said the presentation was deeply affecting. With students coming out of the COVID-induced isolations, she wants schools to encourage and support people willing to blow the whistle if they see abuse signs.

“We are at a launch point to do some real good,” she said.

Kevin Jones, a loss control specialist for the Beaverton School District, said he would be talking with administrators about how to share the message of acting responsibly.

And the winner is …

The “Liability Determination Game Show” put some fun in risk management discussions.

Jens Jensen, SDAO claims manager, put multiple-choice questions on the screen based on real cases. The audience answered on a phone app. The facts were often surprising.

“No way!” shouted someone when an answer showed $0 liability for the district.

“Way!” Jensen replied to much laughter. “I’m so glad you did that. I’ve had that holstered forever.”

The group laughed often, gasped occasionally, muttered a few times and also dug into the fine details of liability. Jensen also stressed the importance of calling PACE before acting to save money.

Conversation starter

PACE Day prompted discussions before, during and after sessions in the wood-columned Great Hall.

SDAO risk managers Chris Hill, Dan Davenport and Troy DeYoung are often traveling away from the office. PACE Day gave them an opportunity to talk.

“It gets us all together in the same room,” DeYoung said.

The trio said they also expect more calls from PACE members after the conference. The various sessions prompt questions and requests for training, especially by Nix, they said.

– Jake Arnold, OSBA
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