OnBoard at Annual Conference
OnBoard at Annual Conference
WSSDA OnBoard professional development opportunities are offered throughout the conference as additional learning experiences. Build your knowledge, confidence and capability within the areas of school finance and educational equity designed specifically for school directors.
Know before you register
- These courses are open to Annual Conference registrants.
- They will only be offered in-person. See time slots in the Agenda.
- The Introduction to the Commitment to Educational Equity is offered twice, so please register for only one offering.
- There is a limit of 60 registrants per offering.
Educational Equity Training for School Directors
These courses meet the state-required training for cultural competency, equity, diversity and inclusion for school directors. See here for more details about the program. Each learning experience is 2.5 hours.
Introduction to the Commitment to Educational Equity
This foundational course in WSSDA’s educational equity training program will introduce the five elements that contribute to progress toward educational equity. The course will equip directors with background knowledge necessary to fully engage in their own district’s equity commitments. A brief overview of each element will provide a common set of definitions and snapshots of content and resources that will be used in future courses in the training series.
Prerequisites: None
Thursday, 11/17, 2:30-5:00pm
Room 201 A-C
Number of seats: 44
Friday, 11/18, 12:30-3:00pm
Room 202 A-C
Number of seats: 44
Advancing Inclusion Through Belonging
In the introductory Learning Experience, belonging was identified as an essential condition of an inclusive environment. Here, participants will explore the relationships between belonging, engagement, dignity, and student growth/success more deeply. The significance of shaping and maintaining a district-wide culture of dignity across all dimensions of difference is emphasized.
Prerequisite: Introduction to the Commitment to Educational Equity
Saturday, 11/19, 1:00-3:00pm
Room 202 A-C
Number of seats: 44
Identity Discrimination – A Look at Federal Involvement
All individuals have multiple identities that contribute to how they are perceived and treated by others. Uncover the complexities of federal involvement over time in efforts to eliminate these various types of identity discrimination. Explore historical images, significant federal laws and several representative case studies that have impacted current anti-discrimination progress. The knowledge you gain will inform your participation in the unique work of your district’s commitment to equity.
Prerequisite: Introduction to the Commitment to Educational Equity
Friday, 11/18, 12:30-3:00pm
Room 201 A-C
Number of seats: 44
School Finances and Budgeting
These two learning experiences are part of a 5-part series to deepen your understanding of school district budgeting and fiscal oversight that is a key aspect of school board governance. Each is 3 hours in length.
Deciphering District Budgets
Get to know the structure and basic terminology used in the district budget. Become familiar with the five funds used in district accounting and learn about the system used to code district revenue and expenditures. Making sense of “Section A” of a district budget and unlocking the basics of the budget coding system will allow you to decipher many types of information. The knowledge you gain will help you ask key questions when the board is involved in developing and monitoring the district budget.
Prerequisites: None
Thursday, 11/17, 2:15-5:15pm
Number of seats: 44
Tackling Financial Soundness
Learn about the key budget drivers for districts and the Financial Health Indicators developed by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Examine the concepts underlying each indicator, identify how district profile scores are determined, and learn to navigate OSPI’s website to access your district’s profile. All this information will help you provide board-appropriate guidance for financial soundness when developing and monitoring the district budget.
Prerequisites: Step 3 recommended but not required.
Saturday, 11/19, 1:00-3:30pm
Number of seats: 44
