Happy New Year! We know that many new school board members start their first term in January. It’s also a time when new board presidents are chosen. Our first issue of 2023 features a package of articles on the different facets of school board leadership and governance relevant to both new members and those more experienced members.

Longtime school boards association trainer Phil Gore outlines three moments in his career that defined what school boards should focus on to be successful in his article, “Achievement, Culture, and What Comes Next.”

In “The Art of the Right Question,” former school board veteran Jill Wynns writes about how finding the right data can better inform your governance discussions. Frequent ASBJ contributor Rick Maloney shares the importance of balancing responsibility, authority, and accountability in “The Three-Legged Stool of Board Leadership.”

I want to thank National PTA President Anna King for her contribution to this issue. Her article, “Standards for Family Engagement,” is based on recent updates to the PTA’s National Standards for Family-School Partnerships. NSBA was one of the reviewing organizations on the updated standards, and we think you’ll find the article useful when looking at crucial family and parent partnerships in your districts.

We have been busy working on the 2023 Magna Awards, and I’m excited to be featuring the winning district programs in our next issue in April. This year, Magna focuses on innovation and will showcase districts that solved problems with creative, out-of-the-box ideas. No doubt you’ll get some ideas to put into place in your district. 

Despite moving the date of the event because of severe weather, NSBA's 2022 CUBE Annual Conference broke registration records and was a phenomenal event. We’ll soon convene again in warm Orlando for the 81st NSBA Annual Conference. The keynote speakers are Emmy Award-winning actress and star of the popular show, “Abbott Elementary,” Sheryl Lee Ralph; co-host of “Today with Hoda & Jenna” and author, Jenna Bush Hager; and engineer and founder of SIRI, Adam Cheyer. It also will feature more than 100 concurrent educational sessions, student performances, a dynamic exhibit floor, and more. I hope to see you in Orlando April 1-3!

Until next time. . .

Renée B. Joe, Publisher
ASBJ@nsba.org

Watch our 2022 CUBE Annual Conference highlights video at https://vimeo.com/781184388.