Good afternoon and Happy New Year.
The Minnesota School Boards Association Board of Directors met on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, the day before the first of MSBA’s Leadership Conference sessions.
MSBA Executive Director Schneidawind’s report included the following:
- a reminder that the MSBA Board will meet in a strategic planning retreat on March 3-4,
- the upcoming Consortium of State School Board Associations (COSSBA) Association Leadership and Executives Symposium (January 20-22) and National Conference (March 30-April 2),
- updates on the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan and Osseo Area amicus cases,
- the Robert E. Meeks MSBA Student School Board Member Scholarship timeline,
- the designation of February as School Board Recognition Month,
- upcoming Negotiations Seminars and Officers’ Workshops in February, and
- a full schedule of Leadership Conference activities for the MSBA Board and staff.
In his final MSBA Board meeting as MSBA President, Michael Domin presented MSBA Board committee assignments for 2023.
The MSBA Board received an update on the 2023 Leadership Conference from the MSBA Board Development team. The preview included significant details regarding the number of training opportunities available to our members leading up to and during the conference, the status of the exhibit, the Awards Recognition luncheon, and the Leadership Conference app.
All 13 MSBA Director Districts were scheduled to hold either a Discussion or a Caucus/Election on Thursday (January 12). Elections were scheduled to be held in Director Districts 1, 4, 7, 8, and 10. Staff walked through the caucus procedures. The MSBA Board moved to appoint Jill Lofald, Duluth; Jean Marvin, Rochester; and Kate Martens, St. Peter, as the election tellers for the 2023 Leadership Conference.
The MSBA Board acted on the Credentials Report, which is a simple verification of school district membership for election purposes.
The MSBA Government Relations team highlighted the upcoming Day at the Capitol scheduled for March 20, 2023. This will be a collaborative effort between MSBA and the Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA).
MSBA Board Director Jeanna Lilleberg presented Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) update, including an upcoming “Together We Make a Difference” conference, staff changes, and distribution of MSHSL Foundation grant money.
The MSBA Board passed a motion expressing thanks and appreciation to outgoing MSBA Board members Nikki Gieseke, Director District 1; Cheryl Polzin, Director District 4; Joel Albright, Director District 7; and Kimberly Caprini, Director District 8. Board members were given an opportunity to address Nikki, Cheryl, Joel, and Kimberly, and all reflected on their service.
The MSBA Board met for a second time at the conclusion of the Leadership Conference on Friday, January 13, 2023. With the MSBA’s new President, Linda Leiding, leading the Board, the newly elected directors were introduced (Director District 1 – Dave Klatt, Albert Lea Area; Director District 4 – Milind Sohoni, Wayzata; Director District 7 – Cory Johnson, Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan; and Director District 8, Ira Jourdain, Minneapolis) and assigned mentors. The directors reviewed the details of the conference, shared their Director District Discussions, and offered suggestions to enhance the experience for our members in 2024. The MSBA Board also passed a motion to express appreciation to hotels, sponsors, and exhibitors, along with presenters for workshops, roundtables, skills sessions, early birds, and keynote speakers.
Leadership Conference Evaluation: If you attended the Leadership Conference and wanted to provide feedback, please visit https://forms.office.com/r/8QiVTR0iaZ to access a brief evaluation form.
The MSBA Board is scheduled to meet next on March 19, 2023.
