Thoughts Between Meetings

The April meeting was held later than usual due to the National School Boards Association conference; the May meeting is a few weeks away. I thought I would offer up some current information in relation to the ESC and to OSBA (Ohio School Boards Association).

First of all, a name change is coming. It was planned for this summer, but because we do not yet know what our new role will be and what statute will require under Gov. Kasich, we are postponing it until January. The planned name was the ESC of Lake Erie West, to better express our services across the region. We will see if this is the final name, or if it needs to be amended.

Secondly, I learned a great deal at the NSBA conference, as always ~ one topic we covered was "School Board Self-Assessment." While our board functions well (I was naively shocked at some of the horror stories I heard from other boards), having this protocol in place would protect against future issues. I have been tasked with looking into possibilities for self-assessment, and will report back at the May meeting.

At the state level, there is of course a brouhaha over SB-5. As a Board, the ESC passed a resolution against SB-5, (4-0, with Joe Rutherford absent). While the OSBA has offered proponent testimony, the outcry from school board members, including officers and the Board of Trustees, was significant. OSBA is not supportive on SB-5 as it is currently written.

This weekend I will attend the Board Leadership Institute in Columbus, where more information will be gathered. There is much more going on, but these are some salient highpoints as we head into the summer of 2011. As always, questions, comments, and ideas are welcomed. Meeting dates are listed on the ESC website at the following link: http://www.lucas.k12.oh.us/index.php?section=125
The public is invited to attend.