Sounding Boards Podcast

OSBA Sounding Boards is an occasional exploration of school system issues with education experts and passionate advocates. You can listen to episodes by clicking on the titles below or through your favorite podcast app.

ODE Director Charlene Williams: “Accountability matters”
The wide-open spaces of Malheur County impressed upon Oregon Department of Education Director Charlene Williams some of the differences between Oregon’s rural and urban schools, shaping her agency leadership. As she approaches her second year as director, she wants to change the narrative about public Oregon education while taking into account the state’s varied needs.

Protecting a town’s heart
The Oregon Seismic Rehabilitation Grant Program supports school district projects to make old buildings safer in an emergency. The Powers School District is using $1.5 million from the program to protect and restore a century-old town landmark. To read more about the work, visit OSBA’s News Center. 

End of naming, shaming and blaming
The Oregon Department of Education is here to help school districts and education service districts as the Student Success Act adds public education program funding and puts new demands on school leaders, says Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction Colt Gill.

Preventing threats before students are lost
John Van Dreal, an internationally recognized school safety expert, explains how the Salem-Keizer Threat Assessment System he helped pioneer can be used to guide educators to identify potentially dangerous situations and intervene before they escalate to tragedy.

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1 week ago

Oregon School Boards Association
Amazing, innovative and heroic stories take place in Oregon’s schools every day. OSBA wants to share some of the work that shows public education is #OregonStrong. Today we have a story from Malheur Education Service District: Youth Team Helps Homeowners Prepare for Wildfires Ontario High School instructor teaches high school graduates and helps local residents keep their homes safe during a fire emergency. Read more: tinyurl.com/bx46nes8 #Oregon #Education #publicschools #StudentSuccess #WildfirePreparedness ...
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The Oregon School Boards Association election season is open, welcoming official school board nominations for regional representatives to the governing body. The nominating period closes Sept. 30. Read more: www.osba.org/osba-elections-season-opens-inviting-engaged-governance/#Oregon #education #publicschool #schoolboard #elections #electionseason #BoardGovernance ...
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2 weeks ago

Oregon School Boards Association
Amazing, innovative and heroic stories take place in Oregon’s schools every day. OSBA wants to share some of the work that shows public education is #OregonStrong. Today we have a story from Eagle Point School District:Eagle Point High School FFA Students Shine at the Jackson County FairRead more: tinyurl.com/fxbrkutc #oregon #education #publicschool #studentsuccess #FFAstudents ...
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Today we have a story from Eagle Point School District
Eagle Point Middle School Student earns international writing recognition

Read more: https://tinyurl.com/mrfxhm6n

#OregonStrong #oregon #publiceducation #studentsuccess #educationmatters

The Corvallis School District is visiting graduating students who were featured in the OSBA Promise of Oregon. The OSBA campaign spotlighted students while advocating for public education funding.

Read their stories: http://www.csd509j.net/news/fulfilling-the-promise-class-of-2026-profiles

Today we have a story from St. Helens School District
St. Helens High School Students Attend Columbia County Future Workforce Fair (Facebook) 

Read more: https://tinyurl.com/yvk22kcj
Video: https://youtu.be/ZJIv_vCjZ5I

#OregonStrong #oregon #publiceducation @StHelensSD

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