IASB Convention 2024

How often do you revisit your district's mission? Marion Independent Schools set out on a journey to live out their mission “Foster a community of learners in developing the knowledge and skills to be Future Ready.” in everything they do. For all students to achieve at the highest level, Marion's board team recognized the importance of supporting learning, protecting time and resources for learning, and engaging as learners. In this session, learn how the board and superintendent fostered their role in the learning process by modeling their district’s mission for their students. Reflect on your current practice in leading learning, and take away actionable steps to foster a community of learners in your district!

The research on board governance is clear: highly effective board teams can and do make a significant and positive difference for the students they serve. What does that mean for school board leadership? How can board presidents and vice presidents foster board team relationships to chart a strong course for the district and succeed in both calm and choppy waters? Join two board presidents who will lead an interactive conversation with participants focused on sharing insights and strategies to cultivate unity, overcome challenges and navigate the complexities of school board governance.

Teacher termination hearings can be challenging, uncomfortable and contentious. During this session, join attorneys from Ahlers & Cooney, P.C., who will lead attendees through a mock teacher termination hearing, focusing on the who, what, when, and how of the termination process under Iowa Code Chapter 279. Names, places, and events are products of the presenters’ imaginations and a combined 30+ years of experience handling termination hearings throughout Iowa.

Join Keynoter Donna Beegle at 2 p.m. to explore actionable strategies to break poverty barriers for our students! Donna will dive deeper by introducing case studies of schools improving educational success. Board members and leaders will explore the five key strategies included in her "Opportunity Community Schools" model based on research and proven to increase attendance, improve grades and school completion, and engage students and families who live in the crisis of poverty. Throughout this deep dive, Donna will share how this model can provide a structure for increasing community partnerships.

Need help streamlining and strengthening the superintendent evaluation in your district? Look no further! This interactive session will include processes and tools to ensure the superintendent performance review process is ongoing, practical, and aligned with district priorities. Plus, you'll hear from a second-year superintendent and board team members who used these tools during their first year together, which helped to provide a strong board-team partnership from the start. Join this interactive discussion and network with colleagues to discuss advantages of whole board participation in evaluations and learn benefits of conducting several mid-year progress check ins rather than just one annual summary evaluation.