Nominate a conference learning session • nominations due by 5 p.m. on March 4

The OSBA Capital Conference and Trade Show connects you with education leaders from around the state to share, learn and be inspired. The conference provides an excellent environment to network, share, learn and be inspired. It also gives you the opportunity to be both a learner and a teacher. The opportunities to share your district’s challenges and unique solutions, and gain insight from others is limitless.

Click here to nominate a session

You are invited to submit a session proposal for the 2022 OSBA Capital Conference to share your experiences and expertise with fellow school board members and district administrators and staff. You don’t need to be an expert or have all the solutions. Chances are your board is tackling some of the same challenges others are. Consider sharing your knowledge with them. All presentation proposals are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, March 4.

Presentations will be selected based on criteria such as high interest and relevance; creativity and innovation; success supported by positive results; and solid, practical, how-to information. Creative formats, such as role play, and student involvement in programs are encouraged. Although most sessions are 60 minutes, we offer a limited number of two-hour Spotlight Sessions that go in-depth on a topic. Please indicate on the form if you have a topic that may be suited to a two-hour in-depth session.

Questions? Contact Cheryl W. Ryan (cryan@ohioschoolboards.org), director of board and management services, or Gwen Samet (gsamet@ohioschoolboards.org), senior administrative assistant of board and management services, at (614) 540-4000.

Tips for submitting a successful proposal – OSBA member district, higher education or civic presenters and co-presenters

• Multiple session nominations may be submitted for consideration.
• Nominations must be complete to qualify for consideration.
• Ensure your description clearly, concisely depicts the presentation content so attendees can select sessions with confidence.
• Selected presenters and co-presenters must be registered for the conference.
• Presenters agree to supply handout materials for electronic distribution to attendees by Friday, Oct. 21. View additional information for session presenters regarding registration, session details and audiovisual equipment, internet connection and room setup.

Tips for submitting a successful proposal – for vendor presenters and co-presenters

• Multiple session nominations may be submitted for consideration.
• Nominations must be complete to qualify for consideration.
• Ensure your description clearly, concisely depicts the presentation content so attendees can select sessions with confidence.
• Selected vendor presenters and co-presenters must be registered for the conference and confirmed exhibitors in the trade show.
• Selected vendor presenters and co-presenters must be joined by a co-presenter(s) from a member school district.
• Presenters agree to supply handout materials for electronic distribution to attendees by Friday, Oct. 21. View additional information for session presenters regarding registration, session details and audiovisual equipment, internet connection and room setup.

Click to nominate a session

Session focus areas

The focus areas act as a guide to help attendees make the most of their conference learning opportunities and locate the programs most appropriate to their interests and roles. Below are the listing of focus areas, as well as possible topics, you may select as appropriate for your session. Please note that you are not limited to the topics below; we welcome fresh ideas and new approaches from your district.

Administration

• Finding and being a mentor
• Leadership — reintegrating students and maintaining relationships with staff
• Organizational models based on district size, type of district
• Out-of-the-box thinking to address staffing problems/shortages
• Retaining superintendents and other leaders
• Staying invested in a career as an educator
• Superintendent wellness: addressing burnout and negativity and finding balance
• Supporting teachers
• Transitioning to new leadership

Athletics

• Athletic field safety
• Finance-related athletics topics (fundraising, boosters, student activity funds)
• Mental health and wellbeing of student athletes
• School safety plans and athletic fields

Board governance

• Board member/educational leader skill sets on promoting civil discourse, building consensus, dispute resolution
• Board member’s role in curriculum
• Developing and implementing a district antiracism policy
• Finance 101 for board members
• Financial literacy around school funding, foundations, grants, taxes (real estate and income), inside versus outside millage
• How to deal with controversial topics and people during school board meetings
• Integrating community learning centers
• Lobbying 101 for board members
• New board member education
• Successful business advisory groups
• The board’s role in challenging property valuations
• Understanding “educational options” as a board member

Career centers

• Evaluating up and coming jobs to create programs
• Exploring trade programs
• Finding teachers amid competition
• Introducing today’s career center to your community
• Mastery/certifications — industry credentials and apprenticeships
• New offerings from today’s career centers
• Successful business advisory groups in action

Communications

• Board member/educational leader skill set around promoting civil discourse, building consensus, dispute resolution
• Communicating with district stakeholders
• Effective advocacy — tips for communicating with legislators
• Marketing your district to keep students in your schools — open enrollment and transitioning charter students back into your schools

Community engagement

• Building board member/educational leader skill set around promoting civil discourse, building consensus, dispute resolution
• Building relationships with civic leaders
• Community-driven strategic plans
• District programs that successfully engage parents
• Hearts and Souls Project — getting lawmakers into schools
• Successful community learning centers

Critical and current

• Administrator burnout: supporting our administrators; self care for leaders
• Building board member/educational leader skill set around promoting civil discourse, building consensus, dispute resolution
• District programs that support students: Hope Squad, Character Lab
• How do we help those entering the field?
• Outside-the-box-thinking to address staffing shortages
• Teacher recruitment
• Superintendent wellness

District operations

• Benefit analysis of health/school partnerships
• Best practices in school transportation
• Communications between the bus garage and central office
• Finance 101 for board members
• Financial literacy around school funding, foundations, grants, taxes (real estate, income), inside vs. outside millage
• Recruiting, retaining and supporting staff
• Staff mental health and self-care

Diversity and equity

• Developing and implementing a district antiracism policy
• How to have tough conversations regarding diversity, equity and inclusion
• Implementing equity policies
• Providing equal access for students
• Sharing success in student achievement, particularly among under-performing subgroups
• Understanding equity versus equality
• Understanding inclusion

ESCs

• ESC offerings for districts — staff professional development, technology, administrative services
• How school districts can access state-funded services rolled out through ESCs and other regional providers
• The business side of running an ESC
• What do ESCs do for districts

Facilities

• Community learning centers
• Onsite medical facility/nurse practitioner
• In-house wrap-around services
• School safety plans and athletic fields

Finance

• Finance-related athletics topics (fundraising, boosters, student activity funds)
• How to use ESSER or American Rescue Plan funds
• Legislative literacy
• New property evaluation challenges
• Questions to ask when reading the five-year forecast
• School-funding explanation — foundation grants, taxes, mileage
• What board members should expect from their treasurer

Human resources

• Attracting and retaining staff
• Competency-based statistics gathering
• Creating happiness in workplace culture
• Developing an antiracism policy
• Hiring a COVID-19 coordinator to reduce the superintendent’s workload
• How to get education certifications and licenses
• Human capital management
• Lessons learned — resiliency
• Out-of-the-box thinking to address staffing problems/shortages
• Superintendent wellness
• Teacher and staff recruitment
• Tips on supporting staff at all levels

Instruction

• Addressing student learning loss
• Extended learning and remediation plans
• Financial literacy
• HB 110 — online learning
• Helping students cope with social gaps
• How districts are implementing new dyslexia requirements
• Mastery of skills — reporting student learning
• Positive behavior intervention and supports
• Special education
• SB 229 — alternative learning models

Legal

• 2022 legal year in review
• Addressing antiracism, equity and diversity issues in districts
• COVID-19’s impact on truancy
• Organizational staff models
• Positive behavior intervention and supports

Safety and security

• Athletic field safety
• OFCC school safety grants
• School safety plans beyond police response
• Securing your data from cyberattacks
• Trends in school safety
• Wraparound services with your local health department or children’s services

Social-emotional learning

• Coaches tool chest – coaches’ mental health training for athletes
• Helping students with social gaps
• Mental health for students
• Socializing students after returning to the school building
• Superintendent and board member wellness
• What specific behavioral programs are being used for discipline and supporting teachers (PBIS)

Student achievement

• Addressing learning loss as written in extended learning plans and ESSR fund usage
• Community learning centers
• Creating a successful online learning school in your district
• How districts are implementing new dyslexia requirements
• Students advancing in skills through mastery learning/competency-based learning

Student issues

• Helping students with social gaps
• How districts are implementing new dyslexia requirements
• Family engagement
• Launching onsite health clinics
• Student mental health

Technology and data management

• Bridging the digital divide
• Equity in Wi-Fi connectivity
• Securing your data from cyberattacks
• The future of remote learning
• Using your career center to expand technology

Transportation

• Best practices in school transportation
• Communication between the bus garage and central office
• Recruiting, retaining and supporting bus drivers and aides amid staffing shortages
• Routing 101 — best routing practices
• Communicating with parents, school and central office staff and the board
• Can the costs of aging bus fleets be controlled