Nominate a conference learning session • nominations due by 5 p.m. on March 6

The OSBA Capital Conference and Trade Show connects you with education leaders from around the state 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 2023 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 as other districts. Consider sharing your knowledge with them. All presentation proposals are due by 5 p.m. on Monday, March 6.

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 (presentation slide decks or other materials) for electronic distribution to attendees by Friday, Oct. 20. 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(presentation slide decks or other materials) for electronic distribution to attendees by Friday, Oct. 20. 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 — district and building leadership

Achievement recovery/remediation
Supporting military families — awarding high school diplomas for veterans and female military workers; Purple Star Schools; military supports for families
Capturing and telling the stories that celebrate public education
Crisis communications
Mentoring administrators
Out-of-the-box thinking to address staffing problems/shortages
Retaining superintendents and other leaders
Sharing administrators (treasurer or superintendent) with another district — logistics and success stories
Successful business advisory councils (BACs) in action
Teacher shortage/building a teacher pipeline
Transitioning the new leadership
Understanding the state report card
“Who wants to be a principal?” — district administration recruitment/retention

Athletics

Athletic field safety
Coach and parent behavior at sporting events
E-sports
Finance-related athletics topics (fundraising, boosters, student activity funds)
OHSAA rules committee session
Onboarding district coaches
School safety plans and athletic fields

Board governance

Board members advocating for public education
Board member relationships — governing versus grievance
Board member’s role in curriculum and student achievement
Board-superintendent relationships — governance versus micromanagement
Effectively managing board meetings
How to manage controversial topics and people during school board meetings
Title IX information session for board members
Understanding school finance

Career centers and career pathways

Evaluating up-and-coming jobs to create programs
Exploring career-tech education
Implementing graduation diploma seals
Introducing today’s career center to your community
Mastery/certifications — industry credentials and apprenticeships
New offerings from today’s career centers
STEM and biomedical options for students
Successful business advisory groups in action
Workforce readiness pathways

Community engagement

Building relationships with civic leaders
Communicating your district’s successes with your community
Community-driven strategic plans
Creating community campuses with your school as the center
District programs that successfully engage parents
How to connect with the business community
Recruiting students and families back to your district
Re-engaging the community
Successful business advisory councils (BACs) in action
Successful community learning centers

Critical and current issues

Capturing stories that tell the positive narrative of what’s happening in public schools
Crisis communication
Effectively managing board meetings
Mental health and wellness for board members and staff members
Raising reading achievement in Ohio
Recruiting teachers and principals
Recruiting students and families back to your district
Social media issues surrounding staff and students
Student representatives on school boards
Updated guidance for levy campaigns
Vaping

Data management and technology

Cybersecurity for schools
E-sports
Equity in Wi-Fi connectivity
STEM and biomedical options for students
Social media issues as it relates to staff and students
Using your career center to expand technology

District operations

Assisting military families — military supports available and the Purple Star program recognizing schools that provide services for students from military families
Best practices in school transportation
Electric buses and other new technologies in transportation
Finance 101 for board members
Recruiting, retaining and supporting staff
Transportation issues in rural districts
Understanding the state report card

Diversity and equity

Barriers to student achievement, such as attendance or poverty
Budgeting as a way to reach equity
Facility designs for gender inclusion
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
School resource officers
Understanding inclusion

ESCs

Creating spaces for effective networking
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
Understanding your ESC and how it can help your district
What happens if you want to change your ESC

Facilities

Creating spaces for effective collaboration and networking
Creating campuses where the school is the center
Facility designs for gender inclusion
In-house wrap-around services
Incorporating outdoor laboratories into your facility and curriculum

Finance

Budgeting as a way to reach equity
Creating campuses where the school is the center
Finance 101 for board members
Pipeline rulings on funds not going to schools
Questions to ask when reading the five-year forecast
Shared treasurers
Transportation issues in rural districts

Human resources

Attracting and retaining staff
Best practices for supporting staff at all levels
Mental health and wellness for board members and staff members
Multigenerational workforce issues
Out-of-the-box thinking to address staffing problems/shortages
Overcoming the teacher shortage
Recruiting, retaining and supporting staff

Legal

Auditors’ office guidelines
Facility designs for gender inclusion
Keeping student records secured
New guidelines on appealing tax appraisals
Pipeline rulings on funds not going to schools
School resource officer guidelines
Social media issues related to students and staff

New board members

Board member 101 — general board responsibilities and governance
Know your career center
Know your ESC
Understanding OSBA’s STAR award system

Public relations

Board members advocating for public education
Capturing stories that tell the positive narrative of what’s happening in public schools
Crisis communications
Effective advocacy — tips for communicating with legislators
Kids Voting Ohio
Student representatives on school boards
Know your ESC
Marketing your district to keep students in your schools — open enrollment and transitioning charter students back into your schools
Purple Star and Blue Ribbon schools processes and overview; other military supports available to assist students and families
Social media as it relates to staff and students
Understanding public education governance
Understanding updated levy guidance

Rural districts

Transportation issues, particularly fleets and financing
Pipeline rulings on funds not going to schools
Partnerships and business advisory councils (BACs)

Safety and security

Athletic field safety — turf fields and injuries
Food allergies, epi-pens
Parent behavior at sporting events
Securing your data from cyberattacks
SROs

Social-emotional learning

Board member wellness and mental health
Helping students with social gaps
Student and staff mental health and wellness

Student achievement

Achievement recovery and raising reading achievement in Ohio
College Credit Plus programs
Creating outdoor laboratories in your district
Elevating student achievement and progression at higher levels
Improving literacy
Learning loss and recovery
Student Support Teams

Student issues

District programs that support students: Hope Squad, Character Lab
Facility designs for gender inclusion
Family engagement
Getting students and families back to public schools
Graduation pathways, seals, ways to achieve graduation
Helping students from economically disadvantaged families
Kids Voting Ohio
Social-emotional learning
Social media issues regarding students and staff
Student barriers to learning: poverty, chronic absenteeism, equity
Student mental health and wellness
Student Support Teams
Using campuses as outdoor education locations
Vaping
Workforce readiness – career-tech

Teaching and learning

Addressing student learning loss
Extended learning and remediation plans
Helping students cope with social gaps
Onboarding out-of-district coaches
STEM (including different career pathways)
Teacher and staff mental health support
Who wants to be a principal? Recruiting principals

Transportation

Controlling the costs of aging bus fleets
Communicating with parents, school and central office staff and the board
EV buses (electric buses)
Grants for buses generally and EV buses in particular
Recruiting, retaining and supporting bus drivers and aides amid staffing shortages
Routing 101 — best routing practices
School buses using compressed natural gas
Transportation, particularly fleets and financing in rural districts
Various options for transportation

Urban schools

Using budgeting to achieve equity
Using community buildings as learning locations