FSBA leaders attend COSSBA Leadership seminar and training

As President of the Florida School Board Association (FSBA), I was grateful to have the opportunity to attend the Consortium of State School Boards Associations (COSSBA) Leadership seminar and training, alongside FSBA President-Elect Tina Certain and FSBA Executive Director Andrea Messina. The COSSBA Leadership Seminar is designed for school board members who serve on their state association’s board of directors, who are considered “leaders of leaders” in shaping the policies and direction of their state’s educational system. FSBA is a founding member of this new national nonpartisan consortium, which brings together state school boards associations to share ideas, best practices, and resources.

The seminar featured presentations from experts in the field, including Dr. Jim Johnson, a professor at UNC Chapel Hill, who discussed the demographic headwinds that have enormous implications for America’s future workforce, workplaces, and consumer markets. Another highlight was the presentation by Tim Weisheyer, a former FSBA President, who spoke about the importance of understanding one’s role and responsibilities as a leader. Andrea Messina, along with other Executive Directors, gave an excellent presentation on “Association Leadership Through the Power of Positive Governance” that discussed the role of governance and leadership in driving the success of state school boards associations.

The seminar also covered how to differentiate the work of local school boards and state school boards associations’ board of directors. Attendees learned how to encourage their boards to enhance the mission and vision of the association, build trust and communications with member districts, and foster the development of leadership necessary for the association to maintain the continuity of its work and the trust of its members.

The COSSBA Leadership was an important opportunity to understand the concerns and interests of our member school boards and to develop the leadership skills necessary to effectively represent them.