2020 Virtual Annual Conference Resources & Recordings
Many thanks to all the attendees and sponsors from across Alaska who made AASB’s first Virtual Annual Conference a success!
Together we had three intensive days of learning, sharing, and networking. We welcomed new friends, said farewell to retiring colleagues, and sharpened our boardsmanship skills to navigate the challenges ahead.
Slideshows and other public resources from the conference are posted below.
Public Resources – Saturday, November 7, 2020
Event Information
2020 Virtual Annual Conference Schedule
Saturday General Session – Keynote: William Parrett
Welcome: Della M. Cheney Haida Name: Stalhk’awaas Tlingit Name: Kaats saa waa
Keynote Speaker: William Parrett, Professor of Education at Boise State University, Center for School Improvement and Policy Studies: Turning High Poverty Schools into High Performing Schools
Alaska’s Early Childhood Strategic Plan
Join us for a presentation of Alaska’s Early Childhood Needs Assessment and Strategic Plan. We will share the process used to develop the strategic plan, and an overview of the components of the plan. Finally, we will discuss next steps, connecting the plan to your work, and ways to stay engaged in supporting Alaska’s children and families.
Keynote Follow-up with William Parrett
Continue the conversation with Saturday’s Keynote Speaker, William Parrett; Center for School Improvement and Policy Studies, Professor of Education at Boise State University: Turning High Poverty Schools into High Performing Schools
President’s Workshop: Facilitated Superintendent Evaluation
Are you frustrated with your superintendent evaluation? Does it seem like it is always last minute? Do you feel it is a missed opportunity? Well, you might consider a facilitated superintendent evaluation. By engaging an outside facilitator, the mechanics and logistics are taken out of the board’s hands. The opportunity for meaningful performance review and communication between board members and the superintendent is enhanced. Come find out why this might be right for your board and superintendent.
Slides | Evaluation Process Handout | Evaluation Flyer
School Law: Pursuing a Better Legal Understanding of Board Conflicts and Quagmires
Virtual Presenters John Sedor and Betsy Bull of Sedor, Wendlandt, Evans & Filippi LLC, will address non-virtual/real-life risks that face Board Members related to conflicts, Board meeting challenges, and ethics. Using (mostly) real-life examples, participants will vote on sticky and challenging scenarios that can make serving as a Board Member not only a unique opportunity but uniquely challenging.
Business Meeting
Budget Committee Report, Nominations Committee Report
Business Meeting Rules | RESOLUTIONS
Creating Cultural Knowledge Credential Programs
Nome Public Schools and UAF Northwest Campus have partnered to create a Cultural Knowledge Credential (CKCC), focused on strengthening cultural knowledge of the Bering Strait region to increase effectiveness in the classroom and regional workforce. Credentials provide students with achievable recognition for completing just a few courses. Once complete, this group of courses will equip local teachers and workers with a better understanding and appreciation for a variety of aspects of cultural knowledge specific to the state of Alaska and the Bering Strait region.
Distance Learning: Lessons Learned from the Northwest Arctic and Kodiak School Districts
Join this session to get a bird’s eye view of teaching and learning in Northwest Arctic during the pandemic, and see how Kodiak has addressed learning this year. Distance, blended, hybrid learning are in every conversation we have as a district. How can we serve our students well? How can we serve our families well? What does it look like when…? Are our students ready? Are our teachers ready? Is our community ready? What we have learned is that we can ask all the questions and each time the answers are different. It is the team that makes the difference.
Slides (Kodiak) | Slides (Northwest Arctic Borough)
Managing Activities During the COVID-19 Crisis
School districts face many difficult decisions on how to best manage activities during this school year. This session is intended to help school board members understand ASAA’s role in that decision and how ASAA hopes to offer assistance.
Tips for Successful Board Meetings
Are you sure your meetings are as good as they could be? Do you wish they ran more smoothly? This workshop will discuss some of the tips that will help with board meetings. There will be time for Q and A as the session will spark many thoughts about how your meetings are run.
Public Resources – Sunday, November 8, 2020
Sunday General Session – Keynote: Kameron Perez-Verdia
- Student Performance: Ayaprun Elitnaurvik Dancers, Lower Kuskokwim School District
- Remarks by Commissioner Dr. Michael Johnson, Alaska Department of Education and Early Development
- Keynote: Kameron Perez-Verdia, President & CEO, Alaska Humanities Forum
- Followup Discussion with Kameron Perez-Verdia
Language & Culture Immersion in LKSD
This session will provide participants with information on the Lower Kuskokwim School District’s Strategic Thinking Model and Key Measures along with information on language immersion models and curriculum materials created with the goal of transforming education through connections. Current language immersion models implemented in the district, as well as localized, translated curriculum materials will be showcased during the presentation.
Planning for a Successful Future
As last years keynote speaker emphasized, each district needs a Strategic Plan that helps the superintendent focus on the wishes of the community and board. This session will talk about the steps that are recommend as part of a strategic plan and share one districts steps towards development of a plan.
Rethinking College Readiness for Alaska Native Students
College readiness for Alaska Native students includes both academic readiness and a strong cultural identity. Schools do many things that can help or hurt students grow in both of these areas. This presentation will provide information about a new tool being developed to help schools consider what they can do to help Alaska Native students become college ready in a culturally-responsive way.
Subsistence Food in Schools: Sitka, Lower Yukon & Hoonah
Hoonah City Schools and Lower Yukon School District will share how they have used local foods to bring culture into the lunchroom, the classroom, and special events.Hear about lessons learned from the first decade of Sitka’s collaborative Fish to Schools program, serving Mount Edgecumbe High School, the Sitka School District and other youth and community programs.
Slides (LYSD)