About the Annual Conference
The WSSDA Annual Conference is the premier annual event for school directors, student board representatives, and superintendents. It is the largest gathering of education policymakers in the state of Washington. Per WSSDA bylaws, the conference takes place on the east or west side of the Cascades in alternate years.
Our Theme for 2018: Embrace Your Influence
Everyone projects influence in different areas of their lives. As a school director, you have the opportunity to exert influence through visionary leadership, effective governance, and strategic advocacy. The effects of that influence impact your district physically and culturally, from the buildings that get constructed to the people who work and learn inside them.
Your influence will impact the lives of district staff, students, the local community, and even legislators at local, state and national levels. School directors are the largest group of elected officials in the state. As such, the potential power of your collective influence is immense. For student representatives on school boards, you are just learning the power you’ll exert in the world. For all school board members, we urge you to embrace your influence, and prepare for it by developing knowledge and finding tools to ensure your impact sets a positive trajectory.
The WSSDA Annual Conference is the perfect place to find knowledge, information, and tools to help you make the most of your influence. You’ll be able to share with, and draw from, peers and other educational experts, both formally and informally. Please join us this November in Spokane!
Conference Timeline
- Open: Exhibitor and sponsor sign-ups
- Open: Student performance referrals accepted(email c.lauderdale@wssda.org)
- Apr. 18 - Jun. 6: Call for session proposals
- May 21: Registration opens
- Nov. 14-17: Annual Conference (Wed.-Sat.) - Spokane Convention Center and Davenport Grand
Message from the President
We need to embrace our influence as elected leaders and better understand our role as educational leaders. We (school directors) are the ones in education who have the least opportunity for
professional development for our roles, which is why AC is extremely
important for our members. — Marnie Maraldo, 2018 WSSDA President
Future Conference Dates
- Nov. 21-24, 2019 (Thurs.-Sun.) Hyatt Regency Bellevue
- Nov. 18-21, 2020 (Wed.-Sat.) Spokane Convention Center and Davenport Grand
- Nov. 18-21, 2021 (Thurs.-Sun.) Hyatt Regency Bellevue
- Nov. 16-19, 2022 (Wed.-Sat.) Spokane Convention Center and Davenport Grand