Training Workshops
AASB provides a wide variety of training workshops for school boards, charter school academic policy committees, advisory school boards, staff, and youth. We are more than willing to work with your district to develop tailored workshops or facilitate group work sessions that meet your needs. The Board development team has the experience and expertise to assist you in developing your governance skills. Our Initiative for Community Engagement (ICE) staff can provide excellent facilitation and training in areas of community engagement, social-emotional learning, cultural responsiveness, trauma-engaged practices, and school climate just to name a few.
For more information on what AASB has to offer, or to develop a specific custom training session for your district or school contact Timi Tullis or Lon Garrison (907) 463-1660.
Custom School Board Training
AASB staff is highly skilled and experienced in providing both onsite or virtual custom training for board members. These training workshops are developed specifically for each individual board and can be composed to meet your specific needs. Custom training with your board and superintendent provides a unique opportunity for the board to work together on skills, communication, and relationships that otherwise are not possible. The following list is a sample of the many topics we can cover during a one or two day workshop:
- Facilitated Board self-evaluation
- Setting Board self-improvement goals
- Roles and responsibilities
- Superintendent evaluation process
- Alaska Open Meetings act
- Conducting effective board meetings using Roberts Rules of Order
- Budgeting – Establishing and understanding your budget process
- Understanding your budget reports
- School Finance
- curriculum, and instructional material approval
- Your Fiduciary Responsibility
- School Law
- Policy
- Data-Informed Decision Making
- Community engagement
- Setting Annual Board Priorities (Goals)
- Strategic Planning Preparation
- The Board’s Role in Personnel
Charter School Training
Customized APC Training
The AASB Board Development Team has the experience and knowledge to assist your APC in learning about and developing your governance role of a charter school. While there are similarities to the school board and superintendent, there are some fundamental differences. AASB can help charter schools understand and navigate how they operate within the public school system. The following list is a sample of a few of the topics we can work with APCs and principals on.
- Board self-evaluation (facilitated)
- Board self-improvement goals
- APC and Principal roles & responsibilities
- Understanding the Alaska Open Meetings Act
- Conducting effective board meetings
- Using Roberts Rules of order for your meeting
- The APC’s role in adopting curriculum, and instructional material review
- The importance of APC and school district policy & by-laws (including a review of the APC’s existing bylaws and charter)
- Strategic Planning
- Setting board goals for the year
- The APC’s role in affecting student achievement
- Communication: APC – Principal – School Board – Parents
- Understanding and using student achievement data to drive decision making
- Embracing community engagement
- The APC’s fiduciary responsibility and budgeting
- Advocacy – an APC responsibility
Charter School Academy
Every other year, usually in early October, AASB hosts a statewide learning academy for charter school APCs and principals in Anchorage. This two-day event provides an opportunity for charter school governing boards and their principles to learn about effective board practices and the latest developments in public charter schools. Day 1 is dedicated to working only with charter school principals. Day 2 is a full agenda of topic sessions and interactive learning activities for both APCs and their principals. APCs and principals get the chance to meet their peers from across the state, compare notes, create relationships and networks, and to learn from each other. This is the only statewide, dedicated conference for charter school leaders in Alaska.
Advisory School Board Training
Locally elected advisory school boards fill a critical role as the connection between local communities and their schools. In Regional Education Attendance Area (REAA) districts, these boards are required by statute. Their sole purpose is to advise the school and the regional school board about the operations and educational programs of that school. Advisory School Boards ( or sometimes known as Community School Councils, Advisory Site Councils) are locally elected boards governed by board policy (Article 8, series 8000). AASB offers extensive training opportunities for these boards to help them understand their role and be effective voices for their communities and schools.
The ASB board development team is ready to assist your advisory board(s) with either onsite or virtual training. Please contact Lon Garrison or Timi Tullis to discuss your needs. Following is a list of some of the topics we often address during these workshops;
- Board self-evaluation (facilitated)
- Board self-improvement goals for the coming year
- Advisory School Board roles & responsibilities
- Open Meetings Act
- Conducting an effective board meeting using Roberts Rules of order
- The board’s role in standards, curriculum, and instructional material review and adoption.
- The importance of board policy & by-laws (including a review of the board’s existing by-laws)
- Setting board goals for the coming year
- The advisory board’s role in affecting student achievement
- Communication: ASB – RSB- Superintendent – School Administration
- Understanding student achievement data
- Embracing community engagement
To learn about additional board development and support opportunities, please visit our Services page.