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BULLYING, VIOLENCE & VANDALISM / 28LESSONS FROM LOSSES / 12STUDENTS COME FIRST / 9ALSO:
vol.29 | no.1 | february.2011A PUBLICATION OF THE IDAHO SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION
TELASFEBRUARY 16-17
ayD Hillon the
2011
2 FEBRUARY 2011 • SLATE
February 16 & 17, 2011
ISBAayD Hillon the
Accommodations
For More Information
The Grove Hotel - $85 room rate, plus tax245 S. Capitol Blvd., BoiseReservations: (888) 961-5000 Ask for the ISBA Room Block
Go to www.idsba.org for a full scheduleand registration information.
ISBA Office: (208) 854-1476 or (866) 799-4722or [email protected]
(morning)
HighlightsFebruary 16 (afternoon)
• Senate Education Committee Meeting• Legislative Q&A
• House Education Committee Meeting• Luncheon with Legislators
February 17
SLATE • FEBRUARY 2011 3
Subscription to the SLATE, published five times per year, is by membership to the Idaho School Boards Association. The material
contained herein is for informational purposes only and may be quite divergent in point of view and/or controversial in nature. It is
the belief of the Association that the democratic process functions best through discussions which challenge and stimulate thinking
on the part of the reader. Therefore, this material does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Association or its members.
Editorial Office Mailing Address: P.O. Box 9797, Boise, ID 83707-4797
Phone: (208) 854-1476 • Toll-Free: (866) 799-4722 • Fax: (208) 854-1480
Visit our Website: www.idsba.org
Advocacy Tips for School Board Members
Connect Students to Hagerman Resources
Executive Board Meeting Highlights
Ten New Year’s Resolutions for School Board Members
The Financial Cost of Bullying, Violence, and Vandalism
Annual Convention Review
Scholarship Trust Auction
Awards Banquet
Business Session Report
18
Citizen School Boards16
A PUBLICATION OF THE IDAHO SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION
FEBRUARYin this issue
v o l . 2 9 n o . 1 f e b r u a r y. 2 0 1 1
IN EVERY ISSUE FEATURES 2010 CONVENTION
FROM THE DIRECTOR’S CHAIR Who, What, When, Where, How, and Why is ISBA?
5
PUBLIC INSTRUCTIONStudents Come First: Three Pillars of a Customer-Driven Education System
9
GETTING TO KNOW THE ISBA EXECUTIVE BOARDMeet Todd Wells
15
12 SAFETY NOTES Lessons from Losses
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGEA Great Leader
8
FROM THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATIONNew Ideas; Is the World Really Flat or Just from Our Vantage Point?
11
ASK ISBATrustee Zone Boundaries and Census Data
14
19
20
26
28
22
23
23
24
4 FEBRUARY 2011 • SLATE
ContributorsTELAS
PRESIDENT
PRESIDENT-ELECT
VICE PRESIDENT
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
Dallas Clinger, American Falls Jt. School District
Vacant
Anne Ritter, Meridian Jt. School District
Wayne Freedman, Council School District
E X E C U T I V E B O A R D O F F I C E R S
E X E C U T I V E C O M M I T T E E
E X E C U T I V E B O A R D
Karen Echeverria
Misty Jones
Jessica Harrison
Shoni Pegram
Liz Killpack, Donagene Turnbow, Drew Meyer
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
MARKETING & EVENTS MANAGER
POLICY & GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COOR.
COMMUNICATIONS & BD. TRAINING COOR.
BOARD TRAINERS
I S B A S T A F F
Board Officers & Executive Director
Regional Representatives, Board Officers & Executive Director
I D A H O S C H O O L B O A R D S A S S O C I A T I O N222 N. 13th Street | Boise, ID 83702PO Box 9797 | Boise, ID 83707PH: 208.854.1476 | FAX: 208.854.1480 | TOLL FREE: 866.799.ISBA (4722)WEB: www.idsba.org
I D A H O S C H O O L B O A R D S A S S O C I A T I O N
ISBA Calendar
Day on the Hill
NSBA Annual Conference
ISBA Annual Convention
Feb 16-17, 2011
Apr 9-11, 2011
Nov 10-12, 2011
Karen Echeverria
Tom Luna
DallasClinger
ISBA President
Superintendentof Public Instruction
Executive Director
AllanRanstrom
Moreton & Company
!Calendar
RichardWesterberg
President, State Board of Education
R E G I O N A L R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
REGION I REPRESENTATIVES
REGION II REPRESENTATIVES
REGION III REPRESENTATIVES
REGION IV REPRESENTATIVES
REGION V REPRESENTATIVES
REGION VI REPRESENTATIVES
REGION VII REPRESENTATIVES
REGION VIII REPRESENTATIVES
Larry Brown, Lakeland School DistrictMargie Gannon, St. Maries Jt. School District
Dawn Fazio, Moscow School DistrictJohn Menter, Troy School District
Jackie Hopper, Caldwell School DistrictRichard Cook, Notus School District
Todd Wells, Castleford Jt. School DistrictLucinda Rogers, Gooding Jt. School District
Susan Fletcher, American Falls School DistrictDavid Andersen, Oneida Co. School District
Nancy Arnold, Teton Co. School DistrictJ.D. Tolman, Blackfoot School District
Judy Lish, Butte Co. Jt. School DistrictDeb Foster, South Lemhi School District
Barbara Dixon, Meadows Valley School DistrictMargie Chipman, Weiser School District
SLATE • FEBRUARY 2011 5
Continued...
from the director’s chair
Welcome to the 68th Annual Convention
of the Idaho School Boards Association.
We are glad to see you here and hope
you find the convention informational and
worthwhile. We appreciate you made the
decision to be here despite the cutbacks
in education funding. We all know and
appreciate that training for board members
is an important aspect of your continued
success. We are confident that the program
we have put together will provide you with
some very pertinent, time-sensitive, and
important information. We hope that you
feel the same way.
While all of the information you will
gain here at the Convention is critically
important, I would also like to take some
time to discuss the structure of ISBA.
During the last ISBA Board meeting, the
members of the Board had a discussion
about ISBA. Who we are? What is ISBA?
When and where do we have meetings?
Why do we exist? How do we operate? In
other words, the Board had a discussion
about the basics of ISBA. With the new
Board members being elected or appointed
and changes that have occurred with ISBA,
we thought it might be a good idea for me
This article, a message from the ISBA Executive Director, is reprinted from the 68th ISBA Annual Convention book. The Convention was held November 11-13, 2010 in Boise.
to write about the basics of ISBA. For those
of you who do not have the opportunity to
read this article in the Convention book, it is
going to be reprinted in the February issue
of the SLATE.
Who Is ISBA?
So let’s start at the beginning. Who is
ISBA? ISBA was formed in 1942. It was
formed by board members such as you
so that board members would have a
professional organization. An organization
where you could meet with other board
members to discuss issues pertinent to the
work you do. It was also an attempt to form
an organization that could lobby on your
behalf for education issues and funding.
Since ISBA’s inception, we have continued
to provide those two major functions. In
addition, we have also grown to take on
other functions as well.
How is ISBA Structured?
ISBA is made up of eight regions. Each
Region has a Chair and Vice Chair that
are elected by the trustees in that region.
The Vice Chair serves a two year term
and then automatically accedes to the
Chair position for another two year term.
The ISBA Executive Board is made up
of those sixteen Chairs and Vice Chairs
and four officers. That makes a total of a
20 member board. The officers consist
of the Vice President, President-Elect,
President, and Immediate Past President.
The Vice President and President-Elect
are elected each year at the Business
Session of the Annual Convention by the
trustees in attendance. The President-Elect
automatically accedes to the President
position. All of these positions are volunteer
positions. They receive no remuneration for
the time they spend meeting on behalf of
the Association. They are only reimbursed
for travel expenses.
The function of the Executive Board is to
make governance decisions about the
operation of the Association. They approve
the yearly budget, review and approve the
yearly audit, hire the Executive Director,
make recommendations on programs
and services and legislative issues, meet
with legislators and other education
stakeholders on behalf of the association,
and make decisions on funds and buildings.
Essentially, they do the same things you do
in your local districts, just on a statewide
level. The Executive Board meets in Boise
in February in conjunction with Day on the
Hill; they meet in late April or early May, and
again in September. They usually have one
short meeting during the Convention, and
an occasional special meeting.
is ISBA?
Who, What,When,
and WhyHow,Where,
by Karen Echeverria
6 FEBRUARY 2011 • SLATE
What Does ISBA Provide?
In addition to the meetings listed above,
ISBA also provides many other services
and programs. Our services include legal
consultation – a free 20 minute consult
on any topic; policy services – quarterly
policy updates, policy manual review, and
complete policy rewrites; Ask ISBA – a Q&A
that posts questions on the website for your
review; training – we have three trainers
positioned around the State that can provide
training for your board, administrators, and
staff. In addition, we also provide some
programs that are available to the district,
your staff, and you as a board member.
from the director’s chair
Those programs include a property and
liability insurance program for your district,
home and auto insurance for you and your
employees, as well as a telecom and utility
cost recovery program, board meeting
management software, payment recovery
assistance, and an online employee
selection process.
When and Where Is
ISBA Available To You?
The easy answer, of course, is that we
are always available to you! However, in
addition to the services ISBA provides,
we also provide several opportunities
for you to meet together. We conduct the
Annual Convention in November of each
year. The convention used to be held in
Boise, Coeur d’Alene, and Sun Valley. As
Idaho has grown, so too have the number
of members attending the convention. As
such, there are only three venues large
enough to handle the Convention so it is
now only held in Coeur d’Alene and Boise.
ISBA also conducts our Annual Day on the
Hill in late January or early February, three
Summer Leadership Institutes around the
State some time in July, and 16 Regional
Meetings – one in each region in the fall
and one in each region in the spring.
With all the different educations associations, things sometimes
get confusing and turn into an alphabet soup of acronyms.
With that in mind, I will try to shed some light on some of those
organizations.
Idaho School Boards Association Foundation (ISBAF)
It is important to note that the Foundation is a separate entity
from ISBA. It has its own non-profit status, its own board, and
its own function. For the most part, the board consists of past
presidents of ISBA. It is staffed and run by these past presidents
who are all volunteers and receive no payment for their time or
work. Their purpose is to provide research and research data
to the trustees of Idaho. It is our hope that they will someday
become a fund raising arm of the ISBA.
Idaho Association of School Administrators (IASA)
This is the professional association for superintendents,
principals, and special education directors. This association
has several sub-groups that make up the bigger group. For
instance, there are two different groups for elementary and
secondary principals. Their purpose is to support the efforts of
their membership. These are essentially the people that trustees
employ to run their school districts.
Idaho Education Association (IEA) This is the statewide
organization that supports most of the local unions in your
district. The IEA is made up of BOTH certified staff (teachers)
and classified staff (maintenance workers, cooks, clerical, and
bus drivers.)
State Department of Education (SDE) This is a state
agency and the office run by the elected Superintendent of Public
Instruction. SDE staff is responsible for the distribution of both
state and federal funds, for the budget that is presented to the
Legislature every year, and for many of the programs operated in
your district.
United States Department of Education (USDE) This
is the federal arm of education run by Secretary Arne Duncan.
This office is responsible for all federal funds and programs.
For instance, No Child Left Behind, Race to the Top, Stimulus
(ARRA) dollars, all Title Programs such as Title I programs.
Dollars from the federal government flow to the SDE. While the
SDE distributes the dollars to school districts, they have very little
say in how those dollars are distributed or the restrictions placed
on them should you decide to utilize them.
Who and What ISBA is NOT?
SLATE • FEBRUARY 2011 7
State Board of Education (SBOE) This is an eight
member board made up of seven appointed members and the
Superintendent of Public Instruction. The seven members are
appointed by the Governor and, while not required to be, are
usually appointed on a regional basis. The SBOE is primarily
responsible for all higher education issues but also have some
input into K12 issues. For instance, all rulemakings proposed
by the SDE must be approved by the SBOE before being
implemented.
Public Charter School Commission (PCSC) This is
a seven member board appointed by the Governor. Three
members must be current or former school board members;
three must be current or former charter board members, and
one member at large. Their responsibility is to oversee the
operation of all charter schools they authorize. They currently
oversee the vast majority of charter schools in Idaho. Except for
virtual charter schools, all charter schools must first go to their
local school district for authorization. For the most part, school
districts have been forwarding these petitions to the PCSC. It is
important to note that, in accordance with state law, the PCSC
MUST authorize any school that submits a petition unless they
can find a defect in the actual petition.
I hope this helps to clarify what ISBA does NOT do and who it
does NOT govern.
ISBA Executive Director [email protected]
S
from the director’s chair
Why Is ISBA Important?
With all that information about what we
don’t do, I hope after reading my comments
above, you will agree that ISBA is an
important and integral part of the board
members and school districts in Idaho.
Not only are we here to provide the
programs and services that are essential
to the betterment of trustees and the
management of school districts, but to stay
in close contact with all the other education
stakeholders in the state as well. With all
the differing opinions and associations, it
is important that trustees have a voice as
well.
Trustees are statutorily responsible for
running their districts – for hiring staff, setting
budgets, and conducting negotiations. I
have said it over and over again, and I
truly mean it. Board members have a tough
job and, I think, the most important in the
State. You do all of that on a volunteer
basis. All of the other organizations listed
above are either paid for their service or
paid a per diem amount for the time they
spend working on issues related to the
board on which they serve. You are all to
be commended and congratulated for the
service you provide.
Learn, Communicate, Exchange
Information, Rekindle
Friendships, But Most of All,
Have Fun
Thank you again for being here. We are
really glad you could make it. We hope you
learn a bunch and have an opportunity to
interact with your colleagues. We also hope
that you are able to have a little fun and
enjoy yourself while you’re at it.
As always, if you need anything while you
are here, please feel free to find one of
the staff members or an executive board
member to assist you.
8 FEBRUARY 2011 • SLATE
president’s message
by Dallas Clinger
continued on page 11...
Anyone can lead in times of stability
and prosperity, but it is particularly
challenging to be a great leader in times
of turmoil and uncertainty. Constantly
developing leadership skills will prepare us
to be better leaders.
A great leader needs to be honest.
Webster defines honesty as “fairness and
straightforwardness of conduct”. We need
to be honest with ourselves; with our fellow
board members; with our students; with our
administration, teaching staff and support
personnel; and with our patrons. Truth is
our greatest ally. It is said that “Truth lasts
forever. She is always strong; she never
dies and is never defeated.” We need to
make sure that we are always honest in all
our dealings. Deceptive behavior will never
inspire trust.
A great leader is competent. As school board
members, it is important to be constantly
learning. How can we be the education
leaders in our districts if we ourselves are
not always striving to learn and improve?
We, as school board trustees, need to make
good, sound decisions based on study,
thought, reason, and moral principle not
on childish emotional desires or feelings.
It is essential that we are competent in our
service.
A great leader has vision. We will definitely
need vision in the upcoming years to find
resolutions to the challenges that we know
A Great Leader
are on our doorstep. Even more vision may
be required for the unforeseen challenges
that have not yet presented themselves. We
have to develop vision to see beyond the
current problems and focus on the future
opportunities. People need to have a picture
of what their hard work will create. A great
leader helps people visualize success.
A great leader inspires others to greater
heights. There is synergism in our service
together. As we serve together as leaders
in our individual districts, the whole of
our members are greater than the sum
of the individual parts. A leader creates
experiences that inspire people to take
action. We as board members around the
State, inspire each other to greater heights
as we act to improve our schools.
A great leader communicates. Great
communications starts with listening. As
school board trustees, we need to listen
to the ideas of others and not think of our
own idea as the only plausible one. Imagine
that everyone is enlightened except for us.
In doing so, we become open to the ideas
of others. When we speak, it’s important
to be careful and express ourselves in a
deliberate, clear, and concise manner.
A great leader is broad-minded and seeks
out diversity. A great leader will come into
a room, extend his hand to someone he
doesn’t know, and strive to make them feel
important. At the same time, a great leader
sees the opportunities to learn and grow. We
can learn much from others.
A great leader is fair-minded. As school
board members, we need to always be
fair. Being aware of our own biases and
partialities allows us to be just leaders. It is
equally important to know all the alternatives.
We must make sure we are unbiased in our
decisions and that we have weighed all
options carefully.
A great leader does not criticize. Anyone can
criticize and complain, but it takes character
and self control to be understanding and
optimistic. We need to always look for the
good in all people and in all things. When we
look for the good, we will find it. The opposite
is also true. That is why it is imperative that
we constantly look for the good and avoid
criticizing.
A great leader is courageous. Courage
is a very important trait in these times of
uncertainty. As school board trustees,
we can’t look for the easy way to resolve
problems but rather the right way. It is
essential to be courageous and make the
right decisions even if it is difficult. We
need to be “Davids” when we are facing our
“Goliaths”.
A great leader is constantly training others to
take his place. A great leader expects much,
inspires greatly, and sets on fire those he is
called to lead. We need to train others with
Edgar Guest said, “The things that haven’t been done before are the
tasks worthwhile today; are you one of the flock that follows,
or are you one that shall lead the way.”
SLATE • FEBRUARY 2011 9
public instruction
On January 12, Governor C.L. “Butch”
Otter and I unveiled Students Come
First, a comprehensive plan to improve
Idaho’s public education system by ensuring
we have a customer-driven system that
educates more students at a higher level
with limited resources.
In Idaho, we must send a message that
students come first. While we have made
significant progress in raising student
achievement in recent years, it’s clear the
current system is not sustainable.
Consider this: over the past two years,
Idaho has cut or shifted $200 million from
the K-12 public schools budget. Even based
on optimistic revenue growth, it will take
us the next 10 years to backfill the budget
hole created in the past two years. That’s 10
years. We cannot allow a whole generation
of students to go through an underfunded
system, just so we can keep the current
system.
We all know the current system isn’t meeting
our students’ needs. We are trying to prepare
Idaho students for the 21st century using a
19th century model. It doesn’t make sense.
With input from locally elected school board
trustees across Idaho, the Governor and I
have proposed a comprehensive plan that
will change the system to match our current
economic demands, and more importantly,
to meet our students’ needs.
Students Come First:
Customer-Driven Education SystemThree Pillars of a
The Three Pillarsof a Customer-Driven Education System
Superintendent of Public Instructionby Tom Luna
The plan focuses on three pillars: 21st
Century Classroom, Great Teachers &
Leaders, and Transparent Accountability.
Here are the elements of the Three Pillars:
The 21st Century Classroom: The 21st
Century Classroom is not limited by walls, bell
schedules, school calendars or geography.
In a 21st Century Classroom, every student
has access to a highly effective teacher, the
necessary technology, and high academic
standards comparable with any in the world.
To create the 21st Century Classroom, the
state will invest $50 million over the next
two years in both hardware and software
for every Idaho classroom. Every 9th grader
will be given a laptop, and high school
students will be required to take online
courses to graduate. Idaho will raise the bar
by implementing college- and career-ready
academic standards that are comparable
with any country in the world. If a student
meets graduation requirements early, the
state will pay for dual credit courses in the
student’s senior year.
Great Teachers & Leaders: Students will
have a highly effective teacher every year
and a highly effective principal at the helm
of every school.
The current way the State of Idaho pays
teachers, based on experience and
education only, is archaic. To recruit and
The 21st Century Classroom: Not limited by walls, bell schedules, school calendars or geography. In a 21st Century Classroom, every student has access to a highly effective teacher, the necessary technology, and high academic standards comparable with any in the world.
Great Teachers & Leaders: Students will have a highly effective teacher every year and a highly effective principal at the helm of every school.
Transparent Accountability: Parents, taxpayers, and policymakers have current, accurate information on all student achievement results and financial matters in their schools and districts.
10 FEBRUARY 2011 • SLATE
millions of dollars to restructure our public
schools.
By adapting the funding formula so money
follows the student and increases the
student-teacher ratio by less than two
students per teacher, on average, the state
can now invest in state-of-the-art technology
for every classroom, meaningful teacher
training, laptops for every 9th grader, fully
restored teacher pay, pay-for-performance
to reward excellence, and dual credit for
high school seniors.
Together, as elected leaders in the state of
Idaho, we can get this done. We can ensure
Students Come First in our public schools
and in academic achievement.
For more information, please visit our
website at www.sde.idaho.gov.
retain a great teacher and leader in every
classroom and school building, the state
will fully restore the instructional salary grid,
raise the minimum pay for new teachers
to $30,000, and implement a pay-for-
performance plan that builds on base salaries
to reward excellence. The state will continue
to empower great teachers and leaders
by ensuring all professional development
if focused and meaningful. The state will
phase out tenure in Idaho schools by
offering every new teacher and administrator
a two-year rolling contract. School districts
will no longer be able to use seniority as the
only criteria in determining teacher layoffs.
Districts must tie at least a portion of teacher
and administrator performance evaluations
to student academic growth.
Transparent Accountability: Parents,
taxpayers, and policymakers have current,
accurate information on all student
achievement results and financial matters in
their schools and districts.
The state must ensure school district
leaders are held accountable for student
achievement results and taxpayer dollars
at the local level. To do this, the state will
empower parents by giving them input
on teacher evaluations and access to
understandable fiscal report cards for each
district. Locally elected leaders now will
have more flexibility to manage from year
to year by streamlining collective bargaining
practices. In addition, the state will work
with every local district to ensure they take
full advantage of statewide purchasing
contracts, and will require that all taxpayer
dollars follow the student.
The Students Come First plan will be funded
through existing state dollars. Under this
plan, the state will use efficiencies and cost
savings found in the current system to invest
public instruction
S
Two years ago the Idaho School Boards Association announced its Group Auto & Homeowner Program for public education employees and school board trustees in the State of Idaho. Many of us are currently purchasing insurance for our personal auto, homeowner, renters, boat, recreational vehicle, and other kinds of personal property/casualty coverage. Through this program these types of coverages can be purchased more conveniently and often less expensively.
The ISBA Program currently offers a choice of three well known and highly respected insurance companies: MetLife Auto & Home, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, and
Travelers Insurance Company. The broker partner in the Program is Moreton & Company, one of the largest property/casualty and benefits brokerages in Idaho.
School employees can have their insurance coverage directly withdrawn from their paychecks. Plus, school board members
can take advantage of this great opportunity! This Program is set up to be convenient and easy for the school staff and provides a less expensive option for school employees and school board members.
For immediate information on the ISBA Group Auto & Homeowner Program, please call Moreton & Company at (800) 341-6789 and ask for Allan Ranstrom or (800) 594-8949 and ask for Greg Killilea.
See what one satisfied participant of this program said: “I received quotes from two of the participating insurance companies. One quote was over $600 less than I am currently paying each year for my home and auto coverage. I was very pleased to see such a competitive price for the same amount of coverage. Plus I will have coverage with a well-known company.”
Karen EcheverriaISBA Executive Director
-
INSURANCE PROGRAMHELP EMPLOYEES SAVE TIME AND MONEY
Group Auto & Homeowner
BUSINESS PARTNER
DIAMONDISBA
SLATE • FEBRUARY 2011 11
January brings many things to our lives; snow, cold temperatures,
thoughts of vacation somewhere nice and warm, the start of the
Idaho Legislature and this year- some new ideas.
And while we may have differences in whether or not we agree with
some of the new ideas presented during this year’s Legislative session
we must keep in mind the point of view from which we view these
issues. Trustees see things differently than educators who often see
it differently than the administrators who supervise them. We certainly
have a unique perspective as the governing board of all education in
Idaho as set forth in the Idaho Constitution.
I have talked in this column before about keeping our discussions
civil and respectful and now more than ever, we need to keep our
discourse beyond reproach.
The thought of massive reform to any system in which we are involved
can lead to uneasiness at best and cries of protest certainly. However,
we can look to history to see that we must continually work to improve
our education system to ensure that our students are prepared to
enter the global job market that awaits them upon graduation.
We must remember that students who enter our school doors as wide-
eyed, oft times timid kindergarteners will compete with not only those
who live in neighboring cities and states, but in countries around the
globe. Increased rigor in math and science is just one area where we
must push ourselves to improve.
And we must push ourselves to remember that the view of the world
changes depending on where one finds themselves.
The Idaho State Board of Education encourages each of you to
engage your patrons, engage those local, regional and state-wide
stakeholders. Their perspective, while potentially different than yours
may just open your eyes. You might learn the shape of the world is
changing.
President, State Board of
Education
by Richard Westerberg
Richard D. Westerberg is the President of the Idaho State Board of Education and a former trustee in the Preston School District.
from the state board of education
the expectation that they will surpass our
own abilities to lead.
A great leader is imaginative. We should
make timely and appropriate changes in
our thinking, plans, and methods. We are
imaginative as we think of new and better
goals, ideas, and solutions to problems. We
must be innovative.
A great leader is generous with appreciation.
We need to always recognize that we don’t
do anything alone and that everyone is
important. Expressing gratitude is one of the
strengths of a great leader. Feeling gratitude
and not expressing it is like wrapping a
present and not giving it. Acknowledge
others and thank them for their efforts.
As the president of the Idaho School Boards
Association, I am proud to be a part of this
great organization and humbled to serve in
a leadership role. In interacting with board
members around the state, I have been
impressed with your example of natural
leadership, your willingness to serve and
better your community. We are truly blessed
to belong to this association that provides
resources for us to better function in our
capacities as local educational leaders. May
we, as in the words of Edgar Guest not be
“one of the flock that follows” but be “one
that shall lead the way”. I look forward to
serving you this year.
DALLAS CLINGER ISBA President
S
New Ideas;
or Just from Our Vantage Point?Is the World Really Flat
...continued from page 8
12 FEBRUARY 2011 • SLATE
Butte County School District #111
On November 27th, a sprinkler valve broke resulting in water damage
to the school. The cause of this claim appears to be that a wet sprinkler
system was run through an unheated area of building. The district
acted quickly and extracted the water. The electronic paging system
and computers were damaged and the district is waiting to see what
else may have been affected by this claim of approximately $10,000.
Wendell School District # 232
On November 29th, the school alarm went off at 1:00 am, but
responders could not determine what the problem was. School
administrators called the sprinkler company, who came out about
4:30 am. When they arrived there was approximately an inch of water
throughout the building. A frozen sprinkler line was discovered.
Moreton & Company got the call from the school district and
claims representative, Barb Knapp, dove in to solve the problems.
Intermountain Claims was assigned immediately and the cleanup
crews went to work.
Ultimately one week of school was missed. The majority of the repair
work was completed over the Christmas break. The gym floor is the
only major item left to be repaired/replaced. 98% of the other work is
completed. The total cost of this claim is estimated at over $600,000.
Cascade School District #422
Who says lightening can’t strike twice in the same place? On
November 30th, a heating pipe separated resulting in water damage
to the north end of school building. The system is only four years old
with no prior problems or sign of leakage etc.
Once again, the ISBA Insurance Plan responded quickly and again,
there was no school closure due to loss. This claim is estimated at
$35,000.
South Lemhi School District # 292
On the evening before Thanksgiving an electrical short sparked a
fire in the boiler room coal bin that poured black smoke throughout
the building. Even though the call came in over the holiday, Moreton
& Company claims representative Vicky Elam and adjusters from
Intermountain Claims were able to help the district meet this challenge.
Wade Wilcox at Intermountain Claims spoke to school personnel that
evening and made sure an electrician got the wiring problem in the
boiler room patched up so they could get heat in the building. That
was important, since the thermometer dropped to 17 below zero that
night.
Meetings with Intermountain, Tobin Restoration, and school leaders
took place that Friday and plans were made for cleanup and repair.
Cleanup started Saturday, with several local community members
assisting. Cleaning of the heating chases was a major problem due to
a lack of access, but a plan was devised and carried out with excellent
results. Two auxiliary buildings that were not in use were made ready
as classroom space by installing new heating systems and getting the
existing bathrooms functioning.
Thanks to the quick action of everyone involved only two days of
school were missed and as of January 6th, 99% of the repairs are
completed on a total claim of approximately $200,000.
Cascade School District #422
On November 27th a pipe burst in the ceiling resulting in water damage
to the school. This occurred on the Saturday of the Thanksgiving
holiday. Once again, Moreton & Company, Intermountain Claims, and
CNA Insurance acted quickly to help the district solve the problems.
The district has elected to have some repairs postponed until the
school is out for the year. The initial cleanup, repairs of pipes, and
replacement of damaged property has been handled, all without
the closure of school. The total claim cost is estimated to be about
$40,000.
safety notes
and Pat Pinkhamby Allan RanstromLOSSESLessons from
Old man winter certainly has been tough on Idaho schools already this year. Here is just a sample of the
property damage claims we have experienced since November:
SLATE • FEBRUARY 2011 13
Moreton & Company and the ISBA Insurance Plan have proven its
ability to help districts solve problems when crises happen at schools.
You can count on us.
Murtaugh School District # 418
On December 1st, a water line in the ceiling above the cafeteria froze
and burst. This allowed the dry sprinkler system to fill with water
and it froze also. Water damage was confined to the cafeteria, one
classroom and a hallway.
Thanks to a quick response no school days were missed. The repair
work is complete and the final paperwork is being wrapped up. Total
cost is expected to be about $30,000.
safety notes
S
• Schedule your heating systems regular maintenance and repairs prior to the start of our cold weather.
• Establish a testing schedule of the building’s heating equipment, controls, and safety equipment.
• Implement a self-inspection process to insure the proper working condition of the buildings heating system during periods that the campuses are unoccupied-- including weekends, and especially during holiday school breaks.
• Maintain proper building temperatures during times schools are unoccupied.
• Inspect the building windows and doors for proper weather sealing.
• Inspect gutters and downspouts to insure that they are not clogged.
• Insure that concealed spaces that contain plumbing lines have adequate heat, and are maintained to temperatures of at least 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Establish a procedure to monitor snow depth on roofs and have a removal plan in effect.
• If you have either added or are considering additional insulation to existing buildings be sure to consider how that added insulation may affect snow loads.
• If your school campus is equipped with an automatic fire sprinkler system that has a partial “Dry Pipe” system, inspect the system daily to insure that proper air pressure is maintained in the system, and the dry valve enclosures are adequately heated.
• If your fire sprinkler system uses an anti-freeze solution to prevent frozen pipes in areas exposed to the elements, be sure that the anti-freeze solution is of a proper solution strength.
• Inspect the fire hydrants, valves and fire department connections to insure that they are clear of snow and easily visible and accessible.
How to Avoid Costly ClaimsThere is still plenty of Idaho winter ahead of us; so with that in mind,
here are some ideas to help you avoid these costly claims this year and in the future.
Moreton & Company
Allan Ranstrom Pat Pinkham
If you would like assistance in helping your district prepare for winter’s challenges, please contact Allan Ranstrom or Pat Pinkham at Moreton & Company. They can be reached at 1-800-341-6789 or at 208-321-9300.
BUSINESS PARTNER
DIAMONDISBA
14 FEBRUARY 2011 • SLATE
The Secretary of State’s Office indicated that it is their
understanding the Census Bureau is to present the census
data to the President by December 31, 2010. The general
census data will be released to the public sometime in
January, but some data will come out in phases -- as late
as March or April.
The only change that was made in I.C. 33-313, regarding
school zones is that a copy of the legal description and a
map is to be filed with the county clerk. The rest of the
section has not changed. The responsibility of redefining
or changing trustee zones still lies with the board of
trustees. Subsection 4 says that any changes are to
be made within 120 days of the census. The changes
are then submitted to state board of education, who will
approve or reject the proposed changes.
The short answer is that the individual school boards are
responsible to make any changes needed within 120 days
of release of the 2010 census data – which should be
available in February.
Regarding the second part of the question, the 2011
election for board members will have to be with the school
zones as defined at the time of candidate filing. If the
school zones cannot be redrawn and approved by that
date, the changes will have to go into effect for the 2013
election.
ask isba
Can you provide guidance on how to manage the 2010 census data and how to proceed
with trustee zone boundaries relative to population data? Also, if the data is released in
January and school districts have 120 days to make changes, that puts us long past the
required publication dates to announce candidacy for each zone. Is there an expectation
that the new zones/candidates will be in effect for the election in 2010? Or will that need
to occur in 2012?
Ask ISBA is one of the newest services
ISBA offers to its membership. ISBA
staff receive questions from trustees,
superintendents, and clerks on a variety
of topics. To help others learn from
these questions and answers, the Ask
ISBA web feature has been added to
the ISBA website at www.idsba.org.
We encourage you to check this site if
you have questions. It is possible that
someone else has asked the question.
If not, you can ask the question so that
everyone else will benefit from the
answer as well.
Ask ISBA
Ask ISBAabout
Q:
A:
S
SLATE • FEBRUARY 2011 15
Todd WellsC A S T L E F O R D J T . S C H O O L D I S T R I C T # 4 1 7
I S B A R E G I O N 4 C H A I R M A N
A B O U T M Y S E R V I C E
M Y B E S T A D V I C E A L I T T L E A B O U T M EI believe that most conflicts and problems come from poor communication
(especially men, I’m told). By being open and honest and having integrity,
many of the issues that we face as trustees can be resolved or avoided
altogether. No one wants to feel like they’re being left in the dark,
especially if it involves their kids or their job.
I am fortunate to have grown up and graduated from the school where I
currently serve as a trustee. Castleford, like most small districts, is a tight-
knit, agricultural-based community with most activities and gatherings
centered around the school and kids. My wife, Genaura, and I have
two sons, Travis (7) and Justin (4). As a predominantly large animal
veterinarian, my schedule can often be uncertain, but we find time as a
family to enjoy the outdoors hunting, fishing, motorcycling, and camping.
After being approached by the retiring trustee from my zone and
running unopposed, I was elected to the Castleford School Board
in 2008. At the following convention, I was elected as Region
IV Vice-Chair. I had served on various “ad-hoc” committees
at the local school level, been exposed to some school board
activities, and had relatives that had served in trustee positions,
but I still encountered the steep learning curve of the new trustee.
The past three years have been full of learning, questions, and
change, and now serving as the Region IV Chair, I look forward
to what the future holds.
My initial reason for serving on the Castleford School Board was simply because “it was my turn.” Serving as a trustee has become much more. I feel that it is my civic duty and parental responsibility to be involved with the education of not only my children, but the children of my community and State. As a trustee, I hope that I can strengthen my school and community, while being an important part of building tomorrow’s leaders.
>
> >
On My Local Board
getting to know the isba executive board
16 FEBRUARY 2011 • SLATE
School boards reflect the values of their communities, and that’s where their greatest strength lies
Citizen School Boards by John J. Cassel
The Illinois School Code (like many state codes) lists two key eligibility requirements for school board
members: They have to be U.S. citizens and residents of their districts for least one year before their elections. Nothing about training or background or education level. Just residency and citizenship.
While these two requirements seem obvious, it’s helpful to think about the work of school boards as essentially the work of citizens. They are residents who have been asked by their community to gather regularly and provide direction and guidance to the community’s schools. What kind of conversations do these citizens have? How does the citizen school board contribute to the success of their schools?
At best, a school board’s essential conversation is about what the community needs and expects from its public schools. The board members become, over time, informed community leaders. They serve as trustees who hold the district in trust for their entire community. While board work is connected intimately to the work of the professional staff, board members do not sit as amateur educators. They sit first as citizens.
Recently, there has been much thoughtful consideration regarding board governance (school boards, nonprofit boards, and beyond). In Governance as Leadership, authors Richard Chait, William Ryan, and Barbara Taylor make a case for three types of governance and suggest that successful boards practice all three:
• The foundational level is typically fiduciary. Are we being responsible and accountable with the resources the district has been given?
• The second level is strategic. Does the district have a focus, a few goals, and a path forward?
• The third level is one they call generative—substantive conversation ensuring the district has a clearly articulated identity, direction, and purpose. Because it requires high-level reflection, generative work is a challenge for all boards. However, it is this aspect of school board governance for which citizens are most ideally suited.
Successful school districts have come together around powerful answers to a number of key generative questions. The boards in these districts have engaged in substantive conversations enabling the district to clarify its purpose:
• What does our community want from its schools?
• What do our students and their families want from the schools?
• What values do we teach? What values do we live?
• How can our schools remain accountable to the community for the mission with which they have been charged? How can our community and its schools stay connected?
• What is the appropriate amount to spend on the educational task of the community?
Citizen-based perspectiveCitizen leaders are ideally positioned to help answer these questions. Today’s board challenges come from the “common school reformers” of the 19th century. The reformers were responding to the huge challenges of industrialization and immigration, and came to certain understandings and commitments about public education:
• A tuition-free education for all students.
• The promise of equal educational opportunities, no matter the race, religion, or ability.
• A commitment to high standards and high expectations for all students.
• Governance that ensures public accountability.
• A benefit to society by teaching democratic principles and common values.
To consistently do the kind of generative work required by the questions and answers above, today’s boards have to apply their citizen-based perspectives and work within a clearly defined board role.
Generative governance is about values—what our schools care about and what our districts are trying to do. Matters of fact are best left to the staff, although board members often are tempted to engage in them because those facts are familiar
in their nonboard professional or personal roles.
However, most issues of significance are based on values, not facts. The board is charged to do the values piece, and wise boards refrain from the “facts work” because they have confidence in their staff’s professional expertise. But, even more important, only the board has the community-based perspective necessary to effectively take on matters of value.
School boards in our democracy are about balancing values. We can never have too much liberty or too much equality. We can never have too much community or too much prosperity. However, most program decisions call for some effort to find the proper balance between competing values. There simply aren’t enough resources to do everything well
SLATE • FEBRUARY 2011 17
all the time, so questions around competing values need to be addressed.
The board is the agency in the system where the value questions are addressed. It is the work of the community, done by citizens. “School board members as citizens” becomes one conceptual frame that typically competes with other frames such as:
School board members as experts. Many board members take satisfaction in the expertise they bring to the board table: finance, management, political acumen, etc. Indeed, many boards are rich in experience and knowledge. A common way to think about the purpose of board development is to further enrich the experience and diversity of a given board.
However, you could argue that such expertise can get in the way of the generative work because it focuses on operations and not on values. If the primary function of the board is generative conversation about the district purpose, attention to operations becomes a distraction. It also confuses board vs. staff roles. The board should be focused on the “what,” and the staff on using their expertise on the “how.”
“What” is the values conversation: What is most important to our school district and how do we make them priorities? “How” is about making the plans and carrying out the actions to address those priorities. In the “how” domain, staff members are hired for their planning and applications expertise. Board members may be experts, but they sit as citizens. Their expertise serves the board when it’s used to help members better understand the issues, not to provide volunteer help in the district’s operations.
School board members as watchdogs. Ensuring public trust requires districts to be accountable for the resources they use. Governance as leadership assumes school boards that can assure the public of their fiduciary responsibility. Transparency and common sense are key allies in the board’s work, especially in the area of fiscal and legal oversight. But boards that stop at this foundational level leave their more powerful contributions unattended and unaddressed.
School board members as advocates for education. Many board members see themselves in this role. In a time when public education must compete for scarce resources, we need board members who can make the case for the importance of quality schools. However, we sell our community short when we start with the student and assume the community must be convinced to do the right thing. Most communities care deeply about future generations and only need help understanding what that commitment means.
School board members as partisans. Advocacy for children is the broad example. Many board members see themselves as advocates for a particular program, project, or constituency. This dynamic allows boards to degenerate into a political rut of “we get ours.” As citizens of the same community, with each sharing accountability to the whole, school boards must rise above such partisan bickering and provide important moral leadership, allowing the district to be focused on the common good.
While these various ways of thinking all have some application, “school board members as citizens” may be our most powerful and overarching metaphor. Helpfully, it avoids some of the pitfalls inherent in the other images.
Values and factsIf the citizen board discussion is focused on district purpose and direction, what kind of conversation does the staff have? The essential staff question is: “How do we achieve what the community has hired us to deliver?” As trained educators and administrators, the district staff is well suited to deliver on the community’s expectations.
In most districts, the staff can deliver whatever the community wants, but no staff can deliver everything. Therefore, staff work and wisdom must be partnered with board work and wisdom.
The work of the board and staff comes most powerfully together around data. What evidence do we have that our values are being upheld and taught? What evidence do we have that our students are growing academically and as citizens? The right data allows the school system to answer the simple but profound
questions: “How well are we doing? Are we moving toward our vision? Are our teaching and organizational methods and strategies effective?”
The contribution a school board of citizens makes is a strong argument for local control—local determination about the shape of public education. However, while all public schools are located in a particular community, they also share in wider communities. Both the state and nation have a stake in public education. So we end up with a complex and layered system of state and federal requirements. School board members as citizens provide an appropriate integrating piece, as board members are, themselves, citizens of the district, the state, and the country.
To fulfill our democratic ideal, we need some fundamental outcomes from our public schools. To remain vital and free, our society must be educated, able to make informed
decisions about government and committed to democratic values. In our democracy, we elect a few citizen leaders and charge them to make sure it happens. And focused, intense, generative conversations represent one of the most potent and compelling board tools available in meeting that charge.
John J. Cassel is director of field services for the Illinois Association of School Boards.
Reprinted with permission from the American School Board Journal December 2010. Copyright © 2010. National School Boards Association. All rights reserved.
18 FEBRUARY 2011 • SLATE
by Karen Echeverriafor School Board MembersAdvocacy Tips
Right now, things are beginning to heat up at the Idaho Capitol. Majority and
Minority Leadership have been selected, Chairs and Vice Chairs have
been appointed, and committees have been established. Legislators are
thinking about bills they are going to introduce this session. Now is a critical time
for board members who want to serve as resources for legislators during the 1st
Regular Session of the 61st Idaho Legislature and advocate on behalf of trustees
and their work.
Here are a few activities you can do now and up until the end of the session:
1. Meet With Your Legislators. For those of you who were at the convention,
our Vice President, Anne Ritter, asked that each of you take some time and call
your local legislators. Introduce yourself and congratulate them on their election. It
is important to meet with them. Since the election, some of your legislators may be
new and some may be the same legislators you’ve had for years.
Either way, take the time to learn (or relearn) where they stand on education
issues and teach them about your district. Tell them your story, because if you
don’t, someone else will, and it may not be accurate. You should also discuss the
role of a trustee and your decision making authority at the district level. We want
them to understand that you are elected to represent the same constituency that
they are elected to represent. Invite lawmakers to a Board meeting or to one of
your schools so they can see how well your district is doing and so they can get a
sense of the issues of greatest interest to your district.
2. Form a monthly lunch or beverage group with board members from
surrounding districts. ISBA has already created the email list serve as a means
for you to communicate with the trustees in your Region. You may also want to
consider forming a group to meet monthly over lunch or beverages with legislators
and/or other policymakers. The goal of the group is to build relationships with
legislators and educate them about issues facing local school districts.
3. Compile district data for legislators and their staff. Begin to collect
information that will help legislators learn about your district. Information such as
ISAT scores, graduation rates, IDLA and dual enrollment courses taken by your
students, percent of low income students, and percent of special needs students.
This kind of data helps legislators understand the trials that school districts face
while still achieving some good results in your schools.
4. Understand ISBA’s Resolutions. ISBA staff will provide legislators with
our resolution platform within the first two weeks of the session so they will be
somewhat aware of what we will be pursuing. As such, you should be prepared to
discuss ISBA’s resolutions, their purpose, what we hope to accomplish if they are
passed into law, and why they are necessary.
ISBA Executive Director
Excerpted with permission from the November 2010 edition of Texas
Lone Star, published by the Texas Association of School Boards.
Copyright 2010 TASB. All rights reserved.
ISBA Staff members are available to answer any
questions you may have regarding advocacy, the
Legislature, or ISBA’s Resolutions. Our contact
information is listed below.
Advocacy Resources
Karen Echeverria
Call 208-854-1476 OR 866-799-4722
Jessica Harrison
Contact Information
Additionally, ISBA can provide the following:
• Assistance in creating a template to write a
letter or email to your legislator.
• Assistance in creating a template to write a
letter to the editor of your local newspaper
on important issues affecting your district.
• Information and/or guides to help prepare
you to testify, participate in a meeting with
your newspaper’s editorial board, and bring
you up-to-speed on how the legislative
process works.
SLATE • FEBRUARY 2011 19
Connect Students to Hagerman Resources
The Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument, Hagerman National
Fish Hatchery and Thousand Springs State Park System are pleased to
announce that funding is available to help assist with the cost of student
busing for field trips. Budget cut backs do not have to mean an end to field
trips. Funding will be available on a first come first serve basis.
Hands-on educational programs offer students an outdoor education
opportunity that meets Idaho State Teaching Standards in science, social
studies, geology and history. Field trips can be arranged for programs at
one, two or all three locations.
Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument offers a variety of free,
curriculum-based, ranger-led programs for students, kindergarten-8th
grade, concerning fossils or the Oregon Trail.
Teachers and students will discover a new dimension in learning
beyond their classrooms. Park staff can present formal guided programs
or help you plan a special program.
The Hagerman National Fish Hatchery rears threatened steelhead
which migrates from Idaho to the Pacific Ocean and return. Come
experience steelhead from the egg to smolt stage, visit fresh spring water,
and take a walking tour that will delight all ages. Learn about steelhead,
trout, and sturgeon. Study the Snake River Aquifer, nuisance species, and
wildlife.
Thousand Springs State Park has much to offer Idaho students. At
Malad Gorge- step back in geologic time to the creation of the gorge. Walk
along the historic Kelton Trail, learn about animal species found within the
park, water usage and native plants, including a rare plant found in only
four parts of the state.
Don’t limit the education of our youth simply because you think the
school cannot afford it! Please share this good news with other local
schools and contact us today.
Annette Rousseau
Education Specialist, Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
Phone: (208) 933-4126
Email: [email protected]
Hagerman National Fish Hatchery
(208) 837-4896
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE (GAC):The main focus of the September GAC meeting is always a discussion
and review of the Resolutions submitted to ISBA throughout the summer.
The GAC makes recommendations to the full Board for a pass or do not
pass.
SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE:The Scholarship Committee reviewed the application, guidelines, and
scoring process and discussed ways to make this process better for both
students and the Committee.
AUDIT / FINANCE COMMITTEE:The Committee reviewed the independent audit report and was pleased
that the audit this year was cleaner and more efficient than last year. ISBA
continues to lower its expenses and run on a tight budget.
NOMINATING COMMITTEE:The Committee received one nomination for each office and selected
Anne Ritter as its candidate for Vice President and Mark Moorer
as its candidate for President-Elect.
Executive Board MeetingHighlightsSept. 10-11 and Nov. 10, 2010
ISBA’s Executive Board conducts a lot of important business at their meetings that is similar to the work done by local school
boards. Executive Board members and ISBA staff tackle a variety of agenda items and hear reports from specialized committees
such as Government Affairs, Scholarship, and Audit/Finance among others. Here are some of the highlights from the meeting
held in September:
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT:The Executive Director was very encouraged by the fact that all of the
previous ISBA members renewed their membership. ISBA also signed
several new charter schools, some of which are paying their dues prior
to opening to receive training services. New ideas for ISBA services were
presented.
BUDGET REVISIONS:ISBA made some revisions to its 2010-2011 budget due to a change in
how its legal services are provided. These revisions were approved by
the Board.
20 FEBRUARY 2011 • SLATE
SLATE • FEBRUARY 2011 21
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RESOLUTION RECOMMENDATIONS: The Executive Board carefully considered each Resolution submitted to
ISBA and voted on whether to support or not support each Resolution on
the floor of the Annual Convention. The Board supported an overwhelming
majority of the Resolutions submitted.
IDAHO HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS ASSOCIATION REPORT: The public can go to www.idshaa.org for a report on each meeting. This
is the first year of the classification changes and IHSAA is considering
amendments to the changes. They are also working on an agreement
with a licensing group to get national retailers to put the IHSAA logo
on certain products to increase revenue. There has been work done to
create eligibility for alternative school athletics. IHSAA is getting more
involved in cheerleading and dance. All coaches and officials are required
to take a mandated concussion course.
SUMMER LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE REPORT:The changing of the New Board Member Workshop to the Summer
Leadership Institute (SLI) was a success. The SLI was held in three
different locations around the State. Costs were kept low and more
districts participated as well as some charter schools. The feedback has
been very positive.
STRATEGIC PLANNING & GOAL SETTING:The ISBA provides leadership and services to local school
boards for the benefit of students and for the advocacy of public
education. Goal accomplishment requires communication,
commitment, and cooperation. Performance accountability is important
for improvement. In order to meet goals, they must be well defined and
understood by everyone. Boards must self manage and ensure that they
have goals and that those goals are being actively worked on. Sharing
information is vital to accomplishing goals and creating cooperation.
Board members were asked to update their goals and indicate if their
previous goals have been accomplished.
NEW STAFF POSITION:ISBA’s Executive Board held a brief meeting at the Annual Convention in
November to authorize a new part-time staff position in the ISBA office.
The new staff member will oversee written and verbal communications
with the media, coordinate all statewide training functions with other ISBA
trainers, conduct training on an as needed basis, and act as liaison to
other education entities in reference to training issues.
THANK YOUThanks to everyone who was able to attend the ISBA Annual Convention in Boise in November. It was great to see all of you. We were pleased with the turnout and the variety of workshops and keynote speakers we were able to provide. We hope you enjoy these photographs that capture many of the Convention experience.
Newly Elected Regional Representatives & Board Off icers
During the Region Meetings held at the Convention, several regions elected new region representatives. The newly elected regional representatives include: John Menter (Troy SD) as Region 2 Vice Chairman, Jackie Hopper (Caldwell SD) as Region 3 Chairman, Lucinda Rogers (Gooding SD) as Region 4 Vice Chairman, Nancy Arnold (Teton SD) as Region 6 Chairman, J.D. Tolman (Blackfoot SD) as Region 6 Vice Chairman, Margie Chipman (Weiser SD) as the Region 8 Vice Chairman.
Officers were also selected at the Business Session of the Convention. Those Officers are: Dallas Clinger (American Falls SD) is President, Mark Moorer (Potlatch SD) is President-Elect, Anne Ritter (Meridian SD) is Vice President, and Wayne Freedman (Council SD) is Past President.
Please see page 4 of this SLATE for a full list of the ISBA Regional Representatives and Board Officers.
We encourage you to stay in close contact with your region representatives. They are your voice on the ISBA Executive Board. In order form them to represent you well, it is important that they know your needs and concerns.
22 FEBRUARY 2011 • SLATE
SLATE • FEBRUARY 2011 23
20 Years of Board ServiceAnn Young, Cascade SD Janet Orndorff, Boise SD David Van Wassenhove, Marsing SD
Citizenship AwardKathy McRea, South Lemhi SD Vana Richards, Emmett SD Kathy Jo Nygaard, Potlatch SD Larry Dahle, West Side SD
Legislative Liaison AwardEric Exline, Meridian Jt. SDMark Cotner, Canyon-Owyhee School Service Agency
Award of MeritTodd Wells, Castleford SD Tim Skubitz, Lakeland SD Kent Mann, Parma SDBrian Duncan, Minidoka SD Judy Lish, Butte Co. SD
Master of Boardsmanship AwardDavid Andersen, Oneida SDTracie Anderson, Gooding Jt. SDNancy Arnold, Teton SD Christine Ashmead, St. Maries Jt. SD A.J. Balukoff, Boise SD James Barker, Buhl SD Barbara Bremers, Buhl SD Larry Brown, Lakeland Jt. SD Elaine Bryant, Gooding Jt. SDDallas Clinger, American Falls Jt. SD Richard Cook, Notus SD Samuel Alton Cummings, St. Maries Jt. SDJulie Dahlgren, Blaine Co. SD Heidi Davis, Potlatch SD Brian Duncan, Minidoka Jt. SD Susan Fletcher, American Falls SDDeb Foster, South Lemhi SD Wayne Freedman, Council SDMargie Gannon, St. Maries Jt. SD Steve Guthrie, Blaine Co. SD Bill Hemenway, Coeur d’Alene SDDane Higdem, Kimberly SD Jackie Hopper, Caldwell SD Judy Lish, Butte Co. Jt. SD John Menter, Troy SD Mark Moorer, Potlatch SD Vernon Newby, Coeur d’Alene SD Janet Orndorff, Boise SD Brian Patterson, Vallivue SD Lucinda Rogers, Gooding Jt. SD Maria Salazar, Emmett SD Douglas A. Scoville, Potlatch SDOscar Tiegs, Nezperce Jt. SD Donagene Turnbow, Post Falls SD
The ISBA Scholarship Trust would like to thank all sponsors, online donors, school districts, and individuals who participated in the auction by contributing to this worthwhile cause. Your involvement strengthens the commitment to Idaho’s school children and increases the long-term potential for their educational advancement.
A very special “thank you” is extended to our auctioneer and ISBA Past President, Alden Neal. Without his energy and enthusiastic commitment to supporting Idaho’s school children, this event would not have achieved such a successful outcome!
Thank you to the Idaho Dairy Council for providing the milk, cheese, and yogurt for the Auction!
AWARDS BANQUET
I S BA SCHOLARSH I P T RUST AUCT ION
The following individuals were recognized during ISBA’s 2010 Annual Convention. ISBA congratulates these award winners. Each recipient went above and beyond to make contributions that will improve public education in Idaho. Congratulations!
OVER $10,250
RAISED!
SLATE • FEBRUARY 2011 23
No. 2011 Resolutions Ayes Nays
Discontinuing a School. The ISBA supports the ability for boards of trustees to discontinue any school in their district so long as the trustees make a finding that it is in the best interest of the district and the pupils therein.
Appropriate State Funding for Schools. The ISBA supports appropriate state funding for schools. Patrons throughout the State realize the need to more fully fund our public schools and are voting to raise local taxes to make up the shortfall in State funding. It is clear that the patrons of Idaho wish to support their schools more fully. The passage of local levies in some districts is causing unequal support for schools across Idaho. This will continue until State revenues are enhanced and equalized school funding is provided.
No. 1 2820 468
1064
614
1318
239
40
447
628
3234
2304
2752
2035
3199
3409
2992
2835
199
No. 2
No. 3
No. 4
No. 5
No. 6
No. 7
No. 8
No. 9
End of Course Assessments. The ISBA supports education stakeholders working cooperatively to construct needed end of course assessments. These assessments would be available to all districts in Idaho. Secondary schools are slowly making greater use of formative assessments and data driven instruction, and this will supply them with much needed tools. Also, this effort will provide progress towards developing performance aspects of these assessments.
Public School Effectiveness. The ISBA supports the development and use of data compiled from the IRI and ISAT information that measures: 1) student achievement on a scaled mean (ISAT), percent proficient (IRI); 2) that takes into account percentages of subpopulations without identifying groups of students less than five in said group; 3) that includes year to year growth. These three types of information are in addition to the data which is currently reported as proficiency and AYP. Idahoans need objective data on the relative effectiveness of public schools and a means by which to evaluate public school and public charter school effectiveness.
Budget Flexibility. The ISBA supports legislation that will continue the flexibility granted in the 2010 legislative session through Senate Bill 1422 and that moved certain line-item funds to discretionary funds in order to allow school boards more control in addressing local needs.
Define Meet and Confer. The ISBA supports legislation that will provide further definition for the use of meet and confer. The term meet and confer is used in two different contexts in Idaho Code and clarity is necessary.
School Election Dates. The ISBA supports the addition of an another election date for public school districts, to be at the choice of the district, for either February or April of each year in order to run a supplemental levy or school plant facility election. An additional date will increase flexibility for school districts to balance budgets for the future.
School Unemployment. The ISBA supports school districts ability to have increased flexibility to address contractual and employment relationships as well as serving the educational purposes of interns and other such similarly situated individuals. In determining whether or not to employ individuals on a Category I contract, supplemental contract, or to participate in an internship/student teaching experience, a district needs to have a full understanding of the legal obligations, not just during the period of the actual relationship, but subsequent to the cessation of that relationship with regard to unemployment compensation.
Student Fees. (By vote of ISBA’s membership, this Resolution did not pass.)
During the Business Session at the Annual Convention, trustees voted
on the 2011 Resolutions. Resolutions adopted by the membership serve
as the agenda for the 2011 legislative session. According to ISBA
bylaws, Resolutions adopted by the membership are in effect for two
years unless otherwise acted upon. The full text of the 2010 and 2011
Resolutions may be found at www.idsba.org under the Government
Affairs section of the website.
BUSINESS SESSION REPORT from the 68th Annual Convention
24 FEBRUARY 2011 • SLATE
SLATE • FEBRUARY 2011 25
A very big thank you to Vern Newby,
former Trustee of the Coeur d’Alene
SD and ISBA Past President, for taking
photographs of ISBA events. We appreciate
Vern’s talent and the time he takes to
capture ISBA’s events in photos.
ISBA thanks the following companies for their sponsorship at the upcoming ISBA Annual Convention. Their generous support is vital to the ISBA’s continuing efforts to provide a quality convention experience for attendees.
TO OUR SPONSORS
No. 2011 Resolutions Ayes Nays
Financial Emergencies. The ISBA supports the expansion of financial emergency criteria to include a significant reduction in federal funds. Many school districts were able to use the financial emergency legislation to help mitigate their fiscal difficulties brought on by the economic crisis and the consequent state appropriation reductions. While this legislation served districts well, it could be expanded to help districts continue to avoid financial hardship. The included criteria should specifically allow districts to declare a financial emergency if they meet the fund balance and other stated requirements, or be able to use a significant reduction in federal funds in place of the current provision of a significant state funding reduction. The goal is to allow districts to respond to the loss of federal stimulus dollars that are currently being provided to districts to mitigate the fiscal impact of reduced state appropriations.
No. 10 3246 217
156
0
3237
3248
No. 11
No. 12
Non-Certificated Personnel Grievance. The ISBA supports the amendment of Section 33-517, Idaho Code to limit the scope of non-certificated employees’ grievable actions to alleged violations of Board policies and/or procedures. Non-certificated employees are at-will employees and school districts need to have the flexibility to make appropriate personnel decisions without court intervention based upon the ambiguous term found in Section 33-517, Idaho Code regarding “unfair treatment”.
Dissolution of Public Charter Schools. The ISBA supports legislation that will provide a mechanism, either through law or rule, that allows school districts to qualify for the additional staffing required to serve students from a dissolved public charter school. Currently there is no mechanism by which funding can follow students from a dissolved charter school to the school district(s) where the students enroll after dissolution.
Thank You Thank You Vern!
SLATE • FEBRUARY 2010 25
10 Get in shape by developing an obesity action plan for your
district. Studies have shown that healthy children have less absenteeism, concentrate better, and perform better on tests. Make sure your policies and practices support healthy options and physical activity for all students.
9 Get organized by reviewing your district policies. The New Year is a
great time to make sure your policies are current, especially those on hot topics like bullying, which will be a focus for the Department of Education in 2011. You can turn to your state school boards association for policy guidance and support should your district need assistance.
8 Learn something new, like how technology can improve student and
community engagement. Professional development opportunities, conferences, and webinars offered by your state association, the National School Boards Association, and NSBA’s National Affiliate program can show you how.
7 Identify additional funding sources. With today’s tight budgets, every
dollar counts. Take advantage of grant services like GrantsQuest, free to NSBA National Affiliates, to discover funding opportunities for your district and get grant writing tips.
6 Save money on district purchases. Buying cooperatives can save your
district time and money by streamlining the procurement process and negotiating volume discounts for participants. Many are free to join and give rebates based on purchases. If your state association does not offer one, consider a national program like the BuyBoard Cooperative Program.
5 Improve your relationship with your school board team. Start the year off
right by clarifying roles and responsibilities for every member of your team. The Key Work of School Boards guidebook and training programs, offered by your state association and NSBA, provide tips for developing a good working relationship.
4 Discover best practices in school governance. Your state school boards
association’s publications and NSBA’s American School Board Journal , included in NSBA’s National Affiliate benefits package, highlight success stories from public schools which may be applicable to your district.
3 Connect with school board colleagues from across your state and the
nation. Conferences and social networks offered by your state association and NSBA provide great opportunities to learn how your colleagues are coping with the challenges of public education today.
2 Become a champion for local school board governance. With the
reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act on the horizon, now is the time for you to speak up for local school board governance. Add your voice to your state school boards association’s and NSBA’s National Affiliate districts who are calling for the end of unfunded federal mandates and the return of local control.
1 Join NSBA’s National Affiliate Program. Working with and through your
state school boards association, NSBA’s National Affiliate program advocates for increased federal funding and local school board governance, provides resources and information, and offers professional development opportunities to help your district succeed. A complete list of benefits is available at www.nsba.org/na. Enroll your district in the National Affiliate program today at a 25% discount and make 2011 the best year ever.
26 FEBRUARY 2011 • SLATE
School Board Members
New Year’sResolutions
for10
This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer and applies only to districts not currently enrolled as an NSBA National Affiliate. Districts must enroll online at www.nsba.org/na using promotional code 2011 to receive the discount. To participate in the National Affiliate program, your school district must be a member in good standing of your state school boards association. Your annual fee includes subscriptions to American School Board Journal at the nondeductible discounted rate of $30 per subscription, for your full school board and superintendent. Current American School Board Journal subscriptions will be converted upon expiration.
28 FEBRUARY 2011 • SLATE
During times of economic crisis, school climate issues, such as bullying, violence, and vandalism, can grow more intense and frequent as economic and family stressors worsen.
At the same time, budget cuts leave many schools with less money to address these issues as well as fewer counselors, school resource officers, administrators, and teachers. Staff members have more responsibilities and less time to handle problematic situations. It’s a recipe for disaster.
School climate is an important determinant of a school’s ability to deliver on its mission; however, the impact of school climate on a school’s budget is often largely ignored or underestimated, chiefly because there is no standardized way to track and assess the losses and costs associated with negative student behaviors. But that doesn’t mean that the financial impact is insignificant.
School Climate Loss and Cost Calculator
Community Matters has developed an auditing tool, called the School Climate Loss and Cost Calculator, to help administrators more accurately identify the cost of behaviors associated with a negative school climate. The calculator is available at no cost to all schools at www.community-matters.org/safe-school-ambassadors/documents. The calculator uses data that most schools routinely track to make reasonable assessments of the financial losses and costs that schools incur each year because of students’ negative behaviors and assess their financial impact. Although the example in this article is based on averages and statistical trends in a fictional high school, the online calculator can be adjusted for any level by ignoring any unneeded categories or adjusting figures to match an actual school’s data. For this purpose, the calculator includes an active spreadsheet for the user to input a school’s actual or estimated data.
We all know that data drive decisions, especially at times when every dollar’s use is hotly contested. The data from this calculator will help administrators make a solid financial case for investments in preventing bullying, violence, and vandalism and fostering a more positive school climate.
Loss and Cost Drivers
As school bullying and violence increases, so do suspensions, expulsions, and alternative education placements as schools are compelled by policies and safety concerns to take disciplinary action. In addition, when students feel emotionally or physically unsafe, attendance and grades can fall because of actual or psychosomatic illnesses, elective
The Financial Cost of Bullying, Violence,and Vandalism
by Rick Phillips
truancy, or dropping out. An increasingly negative climate can also lead to more vandalism as students look for an outlet to express their frustration,
powerlessness, despair, anger, or fear.
Truancy/Low Attendance
A recent study noted that 8% of middle school students reported skipping school at least once due to fear of bullying. In addition, one out of four middle schoolers reported taking other actions, such as skipping class or going home sick, to avoid encountering a bully (Perkins, Perkins, & Craig, 2009).
There is a financial consequence associated with students missing school. One way to calculate this loss is to look at truancy rates. Truancy is generally defined as an unexcused absence of at least one day per month per truant student (each truant student is absent at least nine times in a nine-month school year). Truancies can then be multiplied by a school’s reimbursement rate—in most states, this is defined as the Average Daily Attendance (ADA) rate—to compute the average financial loss due to truancy.
For example, if a school has 1,000 students and a truancy rate of 6% (lower than most sources estimate the national average to be), there will be 60 students absent at least nine times per year, resulting in at least 540 days of lost ADA funding. The approximate national average ADA rate is $40/day (Phillips, Linney, & Pack, 2008); multiplying that rate by the 540 missed days, the sample high school would experience a loss of at least $21,600 per year because of truancy.
Suspensions
When negative behaviors, such as fighting, bullying, or harassment, increase, so do suspensions. There is both a cost and a loss associated with suspensions and a formula for estimating this amount (Phillips, Linney, & Pack, 2008). On the basis of conversations with school administrators nationally, we calculated an average cost of approximately $170 of combined staff time per behavioral incident that leads to a suspension. In addition, assuming that each suspension results in three days out of school (the average length of one suspension), there is a $120 loss of ADA funds per suspension ($40 ADA multiplied by 3 days). Combining the $170 cost with the $120 loss leads to an average negative financial impact of $290.
For the sample high school with 1,000 students, a 6% suspension rate
SLATE • FEBRUARY 2011 29
(the 2006 national average) (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2009) gives 60 suspensions, which is then multiplied by $290 (financial impact per suspension). This results in an annual loss plus cost of $17,400 due to suspensions.
Expulsions
As with suspensions, there are both administrative costs and ADA losses from expulsions. If the average administrative cost is the same for expulsions as it is for suspensions ($170) and the 1,000-student sample school has a 2% expulsion rate (lower than the 3.06% average for 2006) (NCES, 2009), multiply 20 expulsions by $170 to get an annual cost of $3,400 for expulsions.
In addition, assuming the midpoint of the school year as the average expulsion date, multiply 90 days (180 student attendance days is the average length of a school year) by the ADA rate ($40) by the number of expulsions (20) to show an annual ADA loss of $72,000 due to expulsions for an average high school.
For the sample school, therefore, the total annual losses and costs due to expulsions are estimated to add up to $75,400.
Dropping Out
Academic problems and a fear of going to school can lead to a student’s
decision to leave school prior to graduation. Drop-out rates vary widely
and are not derived consistently. The national drop-out rates as of 2009,
therefore, range from 7% to 55% (Barton, 2005) for students who leave
without completing high school. Because most students who drop out
leave in the middle of 10th grade, the average school would have a total
of 450 days of missed school per dropout.
Looking at the sample high school of 1,000 students, if the dropout rate
is in the low part of the range, 12%, multiply 120 by the ADA rate ($40)
by 450 days. The total annual loss, therefore, could total $2,160,000 as a
result of students dropping out.
Alternative Educational Placements
When violent or negative behaviors (being in possession or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, possessing weapons, or engaging in fights or assaults) dictate that a student must be placed in a continuation or pre-expulsion secondary school, it can be costly to a school or district. For Clear Creek Independent School District in Texas, for example, the cost per student per year for one mandatory disciplinary alternative educational placement (MDAEP) was $2,500 in 2008–09.
Using this figure for the sample high school of 1,000 students, if 1% (10 students) require MDAEP, the cost is $25,000.
Vandalism
Students who don’t feel connected to their school are more likely to commit vandalism. (U.S. Department of Education, n.d.) Feelings of powerlessness, despair, anger, or fear related to social status and school experiences lead students to vandalize school property. Perceptions of physical and emotional safety and belonging go hand-in-hand.
The estimated average cost for an incident of vandalism (the combination of staff time, materials, and replacement equipment or repairs) is $400. Assuming a conservative vandalism rate of one incident per week, 38 weeks in a school year, and an average cost of $400, the sample high school would incur an annual cost of $15,200 because of vandalism.
Article first published as a Web only Principal Leadership article by NASSP: www.principals.org
Rick Phillips ([email protected]) is the executive director of Community Matters.
Author’s note: To calculate your school’s own annual losses and costs due to bullying, violence, and vandalism, download a free School Climate Loss and Cost Calculator at www.community-matters.org/safe-school-ambassadors/documents.
Truancy/Low Attendance $21,600
Suspensions $17,400
Vandalism $15,200
Dropping Out $2,160,000
Mandatory Disciplinary Alternative
Total annual fincancial impact of both losses and costs: $2,314,600
LOSSES COSTS
Education Placements $25,000
Expulsions $72,000 $3,400
Total $2,253,600 $61,000
Putting it All Together
When we add up the losses and costs for this sample school, the totals are staggering:
How does your school compare? What are your losses and costs due to bullying, violence, and vandalism? Can your school actually afford to cut violence-prevention and early-intervention programs and staff members?
If the sample school was able to reduce its suspension rate from 6% to 3%, it would save $8,700 in one year alone. If the sample school also reduces its truancy rate from 6% to 3%, it would save an additional $10,800. In this way, many violence-prevention programs more than pay
for themselves.
Conclusion
Using the data compiled and analyzed through the School Climate Loss and Cost Calculator, administrators and school districts will have a clearer choice: pay the costs and incur the losses from bullying, violence, and vandalism or invest in fostering a more positive school climate and thereby reduce financial losses and costs.
Having more specific information about actual costs and losses due to negative student behaviors can help school leaders make more-informed choices when faced with difficult budget decisions. Information is power, and I hope that this information will help decision-makers see that violence-prevention programs and social-emotional student services are not merely a line-item expense. Decreasing negative student behaviors is ultimately a cost savings measure that helps schools accomplish the overall mission of ensuring that all students are given the chance to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
30 FEBRUARY 2011 • SLATE
IDAHO DAIRY COUNCILA non-profit nutrition education organization providing science based materials to health care providers, schools and consumers throughout the state of Idaho.
Crystal Wilson (208) [email protected]
MORETON & COMPANYMoreton & Company provides property and liability insurance as well as risk management services to member districts through the ISBA endorsed insurance plan. Most recently, Moreton & Company launched a group auto and homeowner insurance program that is available to district employees as well as school board trustees.
Allan Ranstrom (208) [email protected]
ZIONS BANKA leader in financing school district projects at lowest overall cost. Since 1994 Zions has assisted Idaho districts in financing over 60 projects totaling over $200 million.
Cameron Arial (208) [email protected]
HUMMEL ARCHITECTS PLLCEstablished in Boise in 1896, Hummel Architects PLLC is a general practice architectural firm whose history touches nearly every Idaho community. Over the decades Hummel has built a solid reputation on the design of educational, institutional, civic, industrial, governmental, retail, office, and corporate structures.
Jenifer Huff (208) [email protected]
LARSONALLENSame high-quality professionals. Same commitment to Idaho schools and those who make them successful. Brand new name. LeMaster Daniels is now LarsonAllen CPAs, Consultants, and Advisors.
Ed Savre (208) [email protected]
BRONZE Business Partners
BUSINESS PARTNER
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PLATINUMISBA
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DIAMOND Business Partners
ISBA’s Business Partners & Affiliates offer a variety of services and products that can assist Idaho’s public schools in cutting costs and finding cost-effective options.
BUSINESS PARTNER LOGOSLook for these logos in
SLATE articles &
advertisements:
Our Valued ISBA
Business PartnersFor more information regarding these Business Partners, or to become an ISBA Business Partner, please contact Misty Jones at the ISBA Office.
Phone: (208) 854-1476 Toll-Free: (866) 799-4722 Fax: (208) 854-1480Web: www.idsba.orgEmail: [email protected]
SILVER Business Partners
SEATTLE-NORTHWEST SECURITIES CORPORATIONSNW is an investment bank and broker-dealer specializing in tax-exempt bond underwriting and sales. SNW provides financing solutions custom tailored to their clients’ capital financial needs. With a Boise-based office, no other firm can match their experience and knowledge related to the political, economic, and financial issues impacting Idaho school district bond financing.
Eric Heringer (208) [email protected]
TIMECLOCK PLUSTimeClock Plus accurately tracks employee time and attendance which greatly assists in maintaining compliance and offers your district huge savings of your time and money.
Carol Barton (800) [email protected]
INTERMOUNTAIN TECHNOLOGY GROUPPutting client needs first, ITG has been providing technical support to businesses for over 25 years. We offer a broad range of hardware, software and client focused computer technology services.
Kizmet Beasley, Abigail Staley (208) [email protected]@gocorptech.comwww.gocorptech.com
SLATE • FEBRUARY 2011 31
MORETON & COMPANY
BOARDBOOK
NWCRG
SOLVERAS PAYMENT SOLUTIONS
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Please contact Misty Jones at the ISBA Office for more information.
Phone: (208) 854-1476 Toll-Free: (866) 799-4722 Fax: (208) 854-1480Web: www.idsba.orgEmail: [email protected]
Contact these Business Affiliates to find out how they can assist your school district!
ISBA INSURANCE PROGRAM
Moreton & Company provides property and liability insurance to member school districts through the ISBA Insurance Program. Since the Program’s inception, school districts have received over $4.6 million in dividends from the Program. Moreton & Company also offers a Home & Auto Insurance Program. School employees and school board members can participate through their local school district. This Program offers a great opportunity to participate in group insurance coverage.
Allan [email protected](800) 341-6789
TELECOM & UTILITY COST RECOVERY PROGRAM
If you were being overbilled, wouldn’t you want to know? ISBA has joined forces with Northwest Capital Recovery Group, a Pacific Northwest consortium since 1994, to offer our members a valued program that analyzes utility and telecom bills for overbilling of services. NWCRG specializes in recovering overcharges for clients in the areas of telecommunications, electricity, natural gas, garbage and water/sewer/storm.
Steve Rhea [email protected] (866) 545-0976
APPLICANT TRACKING & RECRUITING SOFTWARE
Finding the perfect teacher for your school isn’t always easy. AppliTrack is an affordable online solution that revitalizes the teacher selection process. AppliTrack takes the work out of collecting applications, checking references, and everything in between, so you can focus on hiring the best people.
Use a next generation tool to find teachers who will inspire the next generation of leaders. Choose your future with AppliTrack.
Dr. Fred [email protected](866) 667-1277
CHECK RECOVERY SERVICE
School districts are facing difficult times and are experiencing an increase in the number and frequency of NSF checks. Collection of these items can be time consuming, difficult and embarrassing to both parents and staff.
Solveras returns lost funds to the district by electronically recovering bad checks and direct depositing those recovered funds to your district’s bank account on a weekly basis. Best of all, the service is FREE to the school district, FRIENDLY to the check writer, and recovers your funds FAST.
If you are interested in saving your district staff time and easily recouping funds from insufficient fund checks, contact Solveras Payment Solutions!
Rodger [email protected](888) 726-0015
SOFTWARE FOR ORGANIZING MEETING MATERIAL
BoardBook is a web-based software application that streamlines the preparation, distribution and publishing of agenda packets. BoardBook builds a searchable archive of meeting packets and approved minutes. It opens the door to electronically distributing the agenda to the board, posting selected materials online, and conducting paperless meetings.
BoardBook can assist your district to:
» Save on costs for printing and copying.
» Reduce staff time required for preparation and distribution of agenda and supporting documents.
» Improve timeliness and availability of board meeting materials to school board members.
Mike [email protected](888) 587-2665 Ext. 6413
SLATE • FEBRUARY 2010 31
IDAHO SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATIONP.O. BOX 9797 • BOISE, ID 83707-4797PH: (208) 854-1476 • FAX: (208) 854-1480
Non-Profit OrgU.S. Postage
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