Are you Ready?  AASB’s 71st Annual Conference is Almost Here!

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Jenni Lefing, Membership Services Manager

We look forward to seeing many of you November 7-10 at the Hilton Anchorage for AASB’s Annual Conference; the largest annual gathering of school board members in the state. This gathering is an excellent opportunity for school boards to come together and share ideas, concerns, experiences, and explore ways to collaborate. 

The Youth Leadership Institute (YLI), an integral part of the Conference, will bring high school students together to hone their leadership skills to use their voices to be change-makers in their schools and communities.

Throughout the conference, there will be opportunities to connect with school board members and students from across the state. This includes meals, connecting during breaks, going to the Friday June Nelson Memorial Scholarship Fundraiser, roundtables, and breakout sessions. 

Thursday’s pre-conference workshops offer an opportunity to delve deeper into issues important to your role as a school board member. While these sessions are optional, they provide exceptional value for new and seasoned board members alike in crucial areas of board work: 

  • Ready Set Govern is designed for new board members to learn and share best practices around the school boards’ roles and responsibilities, while connecting with peers from across the state. 
  • Experienced Board Member Academy: This year’s focus is on Elevating Family, Community and Youth Voice! Sessions include an overview of family engagement, sharing successful partnerships, and tools and strategies.
  • Thursday Resolutions Committee: The Resolutions Committee  meets Thursday November 7 to review, amend, or recommend for deletion of any new or existing resolutions.  Each member district is requested to have at least 1 attendee, as this work is then forwarded to the whole membership for consideration during the delegate assembly  Sunday November 10. Resolutions voted on and passed by the Delegate Assembly set the legislative course for the coming year. 

Conference sessions will be centered around this year’s theme: Investing in Students, Strengthening Public Schools,

The main conference features two incredible keynote speakers: 

  • Aleesha Towns-Bain,  Executive Director of the Bristol Bay Foundation, will be speaking on Friday to present on supporting Bristol Bay Native Corporation shareholders and descendants in education and cultural heritage preservation
  • Saturday’s keynote speaker will be Tami Pyfer,  UNITE Chief of Staff and co creator of the Dignity Index, Tami Pyfer will be speaking on easing divisions and solving problems through dignity.

Over 15 breakout sessions will be presented throughout the weekend on topics that include Teacher Recruitment & Retention, Effective Meetings, Legislative Advocacy, School Law, Professional Boundaries, Rethinking Cell Phone Use in School, Meaningful Tribal Consultation, Policy, and Practices to Build Resilience. There are also over 20 mini-sessions to choose from during Friday’s Snapshot Sessions on even more topics such as Fund Balance Essentials, Gun Safety, Special Education, School Climate,  and Mental Health. 

And, make sure you don’t miss the Friday June Nelson Memorial Scholarship Fundraiser, an annual AASB tradition. At this fundraiser,  items donated by school boards and school board members will be put up for auction (through a live and silent auction). All proceeds go to students for post-secondary education scholarships. 

Here are some tips to help you make the most out of this year’s Annual Conference: 

1. Download the conference app. On November 4, everyone registered for the Annual Conference will be sent detailed instructions on how to download and access the conference app Check the app for the most up to date conference information. 

2. Coordinate with your board.  We recommend to boards that to get the most out of attending, members split up and attend different sectionals, and then share out with each other. Find out if your district has registered students for Youth Leadership Institute (YLI). If so, make sure to include students in off-site meals (Thursday Lunch, Dinner, Friday Dinner, Saturday Dinner)

3. Use free time to network. We have built in time for you to do just this – at meals, breaks, June Nelson Fundraiser, district forums and more. You can learn so much from others in the same role you have, and it’s great to build a network of colleagues. During Roundtables, you will also have time to meet with youth leaders.

4. Join in on fun conference traditions. Friday is Traditional Wear Day, and that means we encourage you to whatever showcases your community. Whether Xtra Tufs or a kuspuk is your daily wear, bring them. Friday night is the June Nelson Scholarship Fundraiser, an annual (and favorite) conference tradition. Bring a donation and watch it turn into funds for student scholarships.

5. After returning home, share what you learned at your next board meeting. We suggest each board member prepare a written or oral report for their next meeting. Highlight what you learned during the conference and ideas you’d like to share with other board members and administration.

Remembering these tips will help you have a successful conference and help you and your board grow in the vital work you do for all students.

We hope to see you in Anchorage! 

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