Across Arizona, K-12 district school board members understandably complained loudly about Governor Doug Ducey’s budget and its adoption by the Legislature, earlier this month. Board members organized a march on the Capitol, promoted letter writing campaigns, and held press conferences to condemn the belt-tightening budget.
Only days later, many of the same board members quietly boarded airplanes heading to “Music City,” as they prepared to attend the annual spending-spree junket known as the National School Board Association Conference. Others brazenly posted their adventures on the same Facebook pages upon which they had posted their disdain for Ducey.
According to USAToday, travel budgets for businesses is only now rebounding, but for small business owners, teleconferences, and webinars are still the only affordable solution for learning about industry trends and expanding business opportunities.
Apparently school budgets aren’t tight enough to keep Arizona educators away from the fun to be had in Nashville’s Music City Center, and for some school board members, like Tucson Unified School Board president Adelita Grijalva, there was also much to learn. Grijalva, who has served on the TUSD Board for years, took the opportunity to learn about “the importance of literacy.”
While Ducey’s budget is draconian, the use of district funds to learn about something as basic as the importance literacy, is hard to defend.
For Board members like Sunnyside’s Eva Carillo Dong, the expense is indefensible. Students in the Sunnyside Unified School District are regularly denied basic services, and have likely never been to Phoenix, much less Nashville.
Districts from Tolleson to Tucson passed resolutions condemning the budget and then sent board members to Nashville. While their resolutions were read into the Legislative record, and list of their travel expenses will not.
Conference highlights:
NSBA Drum Circle
Sponsored by NAMM Foundation, Booth #1006
Sunday, March 22, 5:15 PM – 5:45 PM
Exhibit Hall Lobby, Third Level
Back by popular demand! Join us for an interactive drum circle experience. Revive, renew, and realize your own creative potential through the power of music. Experience some basic facilitation techniques used for building camaraderie and support, reducing stress, and empowering student achievement. No experience necessary.
Exhibit Hall
2015 NSBA EXPOSITION aka CAMPUS EXPO!
The 2015 NSBA Exhibit Hall is once again being turned into the Campus Expo, featuring over 275 companies, some of whom are brand new to the K-12 education market! This is your first chance to meet with organizations that represent the diversity of new solutions in education. You will undoubtedly be inspired and bring home the latest ideas for your district!
Technology Innovation Showcase
Booths 1048–1053
Hear from the six companies honored in the 3rd Annual Technology Innovation Showcase at 10:30 AM, Saturday in Room 103BC to take home the latest ideas for your team! These emerging companies represent the diversity of new solutions in education and this is a “can’t miss” area in the exhibit hall.
Green Zone
Booths 1032-1044
If you are looking to advance green initiatives in your district, improve student achievement, and engage your community, be sure to visit the expanded Green Zone, featuring exhibitors whose products and services are creating healthy school environments conducive to learning while saving energy, resources and money.
Communication & Engagement Strategy to Gain Support for Local Bond Initiatives
Music City Center, Room 104B
Understanding how to communicate your district’s facility needs, the costs and tax impact of local bond initiatives requires a strategic communications plan that builds understanding and trust. Do you have the leadership experience to guide the communication process? Do you have an effective strategy for communicating with a group of diverse stakeholders? How do you implement the plan in the midst of all the other responsibilities? Learn how leadership, strategy and outreach were foundational components to the Kettle Moraine School District’s (enr. 4,098) successful $49.6 million facilities and technology referendum in April 2014.
Presenters: Kit Dailey, Public Outreach Specialist, Eppstein Uhen Architects; Patricia Deklotz, Superintendent, Gary Vose, School Board President, Kettle Moraine School District; Christin Misna, Communications Specialist, J.H. Findorff & Son Inc.
Gaining the Public Advocacy Advantage
Music City Center, Room 102AB
Whether launching a new initiative, negotiating a crisis, or delivering a speech before a live audience, knowing the essentials of media training can increase your comforts levels, whether talking with the media or responding to unexpected and challenging questions.
Presenter: Brad Hughes, Director/Member Support and Communications Services, Kentucky School
Boards Association.
School Food Recovery and Land Fill Reduction
Music City Center, Room 110AB
More than 800 million people on the planet do not have enough food to eat. In the United States alone, over 40 percent of the food is wasted and thrown away. We need to solve this problem, while also teaching our children about how they can make a difference. Since 1997, over 200 schools nation-wide have started Rock and Wrap it Up! School Programs to empower the recovery food from schools. Using specially designed lesson plans and their Whole Earth Calculator, Syd Mandelbaum, founder of Rock and Wrap it Up!, will share how vast this problem is, and how you and the students in your district can make a difference in the fight against hunger. After attending this session, you will be able to: Identify how the Whole Earth Calculator curriculum can teach students about sustainability and food recovery; Start a School Program for food recovery in their district; Understand how the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan act allows schools and other organizations to donate food; Access the Hungerpedia vetted list of food recovery agencies.
Presenter: Syd Mandelbaum, CEO, Rock and Wrap It Up!
Creativity Education as a Tool to Address Gender Stereotypes and Inequality
Music City Center, Room 108
The Children’s Arts Guild supports children in becoming emotionally intelligent, socially engaged, and productive citizens of the world through creativity—education programs that help them resist limiting especially those based on gender stereotypes, and build emotional competence, confidence, and social skills. Creativity education is instrumental in helping children become creative problem solvers, to develop self-regard, and to feel empowered to take action in the world. Come learn how this work can help the students in your district by encouraging children to embrace, value, and express their own experiences in discovering the joy and excitement of learning.
Presenters: Alexander Kopelman, President & CEO, Mark LaRiviere, Chief Program Officer, Children’s Arts Guild.
Education Around the World: Lessons Learned From China, Cuba, Finland, and India
Music City Center, Room 107AB
What can the education systems in China, Cuba, Finland, and India teach us about closing the achievement and poverty gap in America? Join Maryland’s Anne Arundel County School District (enr. 78,000), Howard County School District and Prince George’s County School District as they share their first-hand experience with the education systems in these four very different countries.
You will benefit from a special focus on strategies and implications for America’s schools.
Presenters: Stacy Korbelak, President, Patricia Nalley, Board Member, Anne Arundel County Board of Education; Ann De Lacy, Vice Chairman, Howard County Public School System; Curtis Valentine, Board Member, Prince George’s County Public Schools.
CUBE registrants only:
Lunch & Keynote Presentation: Where Do We Go From Here? Excellence, Equity, and Unity
Music City Center, Room 209ABC
Presenter: Michael Eric Dyson, Best-Selling Author/Scholar/Cultural Critic
The Brown vs Board case served as a catalyst for the modern civil rights movement, inspiring education reform everywhere and forming the legal means of challenging segregation in all areas of society. As we pivot towards a post Brown Era, what do we need to do as a society to ensure that there are equitable learning opportunities for ALL children regardless of their race and socioeconomic status? How do we make quality and equitable education everyone’s problem? This session will highlight key steps needed to realize the full promise of Brown and to move toward more equitable schooling while protecting the constitutional rights of our most vulnerable children.