WSSDA 2024 Annual Conference

A key role for school board members and additional education leaders is influencing others by advocating for their students, school districts, and K-12 public education. As you learn about the systems that support and drive state policymaking, this workshop will help you build comfort and confidence as an advocate. Join this engaging and educational session to practice techniques for effective advocacy and leave equipped with skills and goals for the next legislative cycle.

*Requires pre-registration

Learn about the critical relationships and roles in school governance. Understand how board members govern, the superintendent leads, and the CFO manages the budget. Discover how to balance these roles, navigate budget cycles, ensure transparency, and adapt to enrollment changes for effective decision-making.

The Arlington school board team is utilizing layers of student, staff, family, and community perspectives and voices to make better decisions, increase partner involvement, and foster educational equity to support student learning and achievement. You will hear from our student advisors and board members about the valuable understanding gained as a board team, the actions being taken, and the positive impacts.

Are you looking to create a new strategic plan that will elevate student learning while (re)building trust within the community? Learn from this collaboration between the Bellevue School District and the Center for Innovation in Education how your board-superintendent team can apply innovative, inclusive design principles to your next strategic planning process to help you accomplish both.

Despite mounting evidence that the prevalence of cell phones is negatively impacting student outcomes and school culture, many districts are hesitant to enact bans on personal devices. Hear how the Peninsula School District effectively engaged students, teachers, and families to craft one of the first district-wide cell phone bans in Washington state, and how students and teachers are already reporting noticeable gains in student engagement, classroom participation, and improved school climate after only one year.

Learn how the Ferndale School Board collaborated with the Bond Oversight Committee to manage and oversee bond-funded school projects, ensuring accountability and transparent use of funds. They maintained regular communications with the District/Board, providing updates and insights that supported informed decision-making on infrastructure improvements. This consistent and open communication was a key strategy to restore trust among stakeholders, fostering a community that was actively involved and informed about the progress and use of bond funds. Their efforts culminated in the construction of a beautiful new high school, enhancing the educational environment for the community.

This session will provide an overview of educational programs and operations levies, capital projects/technology levies, and school construction bonds. This presentation will include facts and data regarding tax rates and assessed valuation changes, recent election trends, and best practices for communicating this information with your local community.