Last week, a handful of local citizens took leave from their routines along the path around the Falls to travel to Wisconsin’s largest metro area. The objective was for renewal and to gain exposure to the latest thinking in the educational field.
The event was the annual joint convention of the Wisconsin School Board Association, the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators and Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials. While pronouncing all the names is a real mouthful, what it came down to was a gathering of a little over 2,000 people who were interested in the operation of Wisconsin’s public schools.
Five of the seven members of the Oconto Falls School Board were able to break away from their other obligations to participate in this learning activity. Each of the five came with a different level of experience on the board, ranging from a first-year member to over a dozen years of experience.
The two or three days together allowed them to gather a variety of information, compare notes and be inspired by a number of presenters, culminating with Gov. Scott Walker, who suggested it was time to throttle back on some of the more radical proposals being put forth by the emboldened majority party in each of the houses in the Legislature.
In addition to a range in experience on the board, the board members brought a wide variety of background experience to the board table. The variety of perspectives strengthens the board as a whole. The convention experience will enhance each of their perspectives, as they were able to pick and choose individual sessions to attend, depending on their particular interest area.
The opportunity to network with board members from other parts of Wisconsin provides additional learning and synapse connections that are never listed on the formal program.
Attendees often leave noting that whatever problems may exist in their own district, they are thankful that they don’t have the problems like those in “District X” or “District Y.” Particularly gratifying can be the realization that a board member’s local district is ahead of the pack when it comes to an innovation discussed by a presenter.
One of the sectionals with which this presenter was involved was titled “Building Successful 21st Century Board/Superintendent Leadership Teams.” The purpose was to update those in attendance about the work done by a core team at the state level, gather further input from those in attendance and share thoughts on the future for this effort.
As with teachers, there are two ways to get a good board member or good superintendent. You can hire them or make them. It’s often the recruitment that is more important than the training on the job, but they go hand in hand.
While there is an annual notice published as to board members whose terms are about to expire, never is there any statement about the qualifications, expectations or rewards of being a school board member. More energy will be put into promotion of serving on the school board and the satisfaction that comes from that service.
Too often, media coverage in some corners of the state is on the controversy with which board members deal and the cantankerous nature of the rare board member who brings dysfunction to the board table.
That coverage tends to discourage people from providing that public service and serving on the board. Locally, we are very fortunate that our board members have taken the high road and act very professionally as they provide that respectful service.
With all the presenters who had their hands on a microphone during the three-day event, a number of catch phrases or sound bites floated to the top and are worth repeating.
One that struck a chord had to do with the philosophy that teachers need to use a balance between rigor and care in the classroom. The push for rigor relates to the ever-higher expectations that have been placed on teachers and their students in recent years. It also comes at a time when there has been reduced state support for Wisconsin public schools.
While the pressure for higher student performance is there, there are times when a student’s need is for a caring connection with a teacher that has nothing to do with reading or math. The best teachers can read the scale to tell how much of each to apply in a particular situation.
The group returned from Milwaukee with a better understanding of that concept.
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