For Your Information

Vol. 21, No. 18
October 9, 2009

Click here for past issues of the For Your Information newsletter.

STATE BOARD TO DISCUSS FY2011 EDUCATION BUDGET OCT. 22

Thursday’s state Board of Education regular meeting for K-12 included an agenda primarily of resolutions. Heavy discussion is expected during the Oct. 22 work session, when state Superintendent of Education Dr. Joe Morton says the board will work through its education budget proposal for the 2011 fiscal year. The board will likely vote on the proposal at its Nov. 12 meeting and send it to the governor for his review.
In other business, the state board took a procedural vote to receive recommendations from the State Textbook Committee for Adoption of Textbooks for Career and Technical Education, Health Education, Physical Education and Technology Education. More discussion on the committee’s suggestions are planned for the October work session, as well.

GOOD NEWS IN SCHOOLS

The following schools were honored at Thursday’s state Board of Education regular K-12 meeting:

• Woodstock Elementary School, Bibb County Schools, for winning first place honors in 2009 International Thinkquest Narrative Contest Oracle Thinkquest Education Foundation.
• Alabama’s 2009 National Blue Ribbon Schools: W.S. Harlan Elementary School, Covington County; Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School, Montgomery County; Cherokee Bend Elementary School, Mountain Brook; Vestavia Hills High School, Vestavia Hills; and West Elementary School, Cullman.
  

These observances were also recognized:

• Statewide Parent Visitation Month, October
• Character Counts! Week, Oct. 18-24
• School Bus Safety Week, Oct. 19-23
• Red Ribbon Week, Oct. 23-31

BOOK YOUR ROOMS NOW FOR AASB’S CONVENTION

Host hotel accommodations for AASB’s annual convention go fast, so now is the time to beat the rush. Housing is now available in AASB’s room block at The Wynfrey Hotel in Birmingham. The Dec. 3-5, 2009, convention theme is “A Vision for the Next 60 Years: Lead, Inspire, Change!” The theme pays homage to AASB’s more than six decades of developing excellent school boards and provides a variety of sessions on hot education topics, leadership, student achievement, technology and legal issues boards face as they govern in the 21st century. Hear from nationally acclaimed speakers William Draves and Salome Thomas-EL and interact with key legislators in a discussion about the education budget. In addition to three information-packed general sessions, you may choose from 19 clinic topics to gain new insights and practical, hit-the-ground-running ideas for helping your schools achieve at even higher levels in these tough times.

Convention pre-registration is $230. On-site registration costs $240 per member, while non-member registration is $430 per person.  
To reserve a room at The Wynfrey Hotel, call 800/996-3739 or 205/987-1600 and mention AASB group code 1AT8K2. You may also log on to http://www.wynfrey.com and select the reservations tab to enter the group code. Make your reservations by 5 p.m. Nov. 18 to receive the special rate. Call AASB at 800/562-0601 for details. Expect the convention registration form and brochure in the mail soon.

CALLING ALL NEW BOARD MEMBERS: TRAINING AWAITS

New school board members are urged to participate in the Dec. 3 AASB Leadership II orientation course just prior to the association’s convention. Leadership II is a component of AASB’s two-part leadership orientation that introduces skills new board members need to govern. It’s designed for those with two years or less experience. However, the training is open to any AASB member looking for a refresher on these important topics. Please note that you do not have to attend Leadership I in order to participate in Leadership II.  Starting Thursday at 8 a.m., this AASB School Board Member Academy core course focuses on school boards’ relationships with each other and their attorney as well as board governance for higher student achievement. The cost is $100 for AASB members, $200 for non-members. The course will be taught at The Wynfrey Hotel, call 800/996-3739 or 205/987-1600. If booking a room, mention AASB group code 1AT8K2. To learn more, contact AASB at 800/562-0601.

DELEGATE NAMES DUE BY NOV. 2

School boards have until Monday, Nov. 2, to notify AASB of the names of their delegate(s) and alternate(s) to the association’s annual Delegate Assembly. At AASB’s annual business meeting, set for Dec. 3, delegates will vote on resolutions that will determine the association’s legislative positions and elect officers. The delegate form should be faxed to Debora at AASB at 334/270-0000.

MENTORS AND MENTEES WANTED FOR CONVENTION

Whether you’re a rookie school board member or a veteran board member who remembers what those first years are like, then you’re needed for AASB’s Convention Mentor Program. Veteran board members will be paired with new board members attending AASB’s Convention in December, so rookies can learn the ropes, gain insight, network and share ideas. If you’re interested in serving, contact AASB Board Development Director LuAnn Bird, lbird@alabamaschoolboards.org or 800/562-0601.

AASB OFFERS TRAINING ON HARASSMENT PREVENTION POLICY DUE JULY 1

By July 1, 2010, each school board must adopt a local policy pursuant to the Student Harassment Prevention Act (Act 09-571) passed by the Legislature this year. The state Department of Education will distribute its model policy, as directed by the statute, for local boards. AASB will be conducting its Jan. 11-Feb. 18 Winter District Meetings to help guide school boards in developing their local policy using the SDE model. At that time, school board members will be advised about the parameters of the policy and what school boards should or should not include in their local policies. AASB is pleased to have had the opportunity to have some input into the legislation and model policy. 

Also, school board members will soon receive information from AASB about sample policies for the orientation and ongoing training for board members. A local policy must be adopted by March 1, 2010, pursuant to Act 09-297. 

Stay tuned for additional information from AASB on each of these policies.

SECRETARY OF EDUCATION DEFINES “SCHOOL CHOICE” NOTICE PERIOD

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has interpreted guidelines for notifying parents of their option to request a student transfer for their children from “school choice” schools under No Child Left Behind. Duncan’s interpretation, according to a memo from state Superintendent of Education Dr. Joe Morton, is that parents should receive a 14-day notice about whether their children’s schools made adequate yearly progress. Morton also says Duncan is requesting that states encourage local boards of education to provide notice as early as possible. School systems are expected to receive preliminary state assessment data as early as July 23, 2010, followed by a release of official data at the Aug. 2, 2010, state Board of Education meeting. As school calendar issues are considered, Morton also issued a reminder about the statewide Sales Tax Holiday. The weekend of tax-free, back-to-school shopping is set for Aug. 6-8. As a result Dr. Morton requests that no schools start before Aug. 9.

NO COST TOBACCO-FREE EDUCATION PROGRAM

Looking for resources for your school system’s tobacco-free education program? Tar Wars is available at no cost to schools and is a program designed to teach fourth- and fifth-grade students about the consequences of tobacco use. The program includes a poster contest conducted at the school, state and national levels. The contest offers a monetary award. To learn more about Tar Wars, contact Dr. Bill Coleman, 256/551-4416 or colemanb@uasomh.uab.edu.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

T+L Conference 2009

Oct. 28-30 at the Colorado Convention Center

Presented by the National School Boards Association’s Technology Leadership Network
www.nsba.org/tl/

AASB 2009 Annual Convention

Dec. 3-5 at The Wynfrey Hotel in Birmingham

A Vision For The Next 60 Years: Lead, Inspire, Change!

Call 877/796-3922 to book housing

NSBA 2010 Annual Conference

April 10-12, 2010, at McCormick Place in Chicago

Online registration is open and housing opens Oct. 7

www.nsba.org

— Denise L. Berkhalter,
publicrelations@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org

Alabama Association of School Boards:
Celebrating 60 years of developing excellent school board leaders through quality training, advocacy and services.