Event Preview
Take advantage of these leadership opportunities to make the most of your convention.
Shaping Our Agenda
Annual Business Meeting
Saturday, Oct. 18, beginning at 1 p.m.
Help shape NYSSBA’s legislative agenda for the upcoming year. Delegates from our member school districts will debate and adopt bylaw amendments that affect NYSSBA’s internal operation and resolutions that establish our legislative agenda for 2009. All school board members are invited to listen to the debate from a special viewers’ gallery.
Critical Issues Meeting
Friday, Oct. 17, 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.
With a tighter economy school boards must be even more proactive in getting their districts promised state and federal resources. Join Joel Blackwell, “The Grass Roots Guy,” who will show you ways to more strongly advocate for the students you serve.
Delegate Orientation
Saturday, Oct. 18, 11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Before you attend the Annual Business Meeting, review the rules and procedures, such as how to be recognized from the floor and how to vote on NYSSBA resolutions. Have a question about parliamentary procedure? NYSSBA General Counsel Jay Worona can answer your questions.
Town Hall Meeting with the
Education Commissioner
Friday, Oct. 17, 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Education Commissioner Richard Mills will lead a state-of-education conversation on everything from accountability to test scores. Start preparing your questions now and plan to arrive early for a prime seat.
Special Group Meetings
Caucus of Black School Board Members
Friday, Oct. 17, 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. and
Saturday, Oct. 18, 8:00 – 9:15 a.m.
Provides a forum for discussing issues of concern to any school board member who serves a large number of black and other minority students.
R.E.F.I.T. Breakfast & Meeting
Saturday, Oct. 18. 7:30 – 8:45 a.m.
Speaker: Dr. Thomas Rogers, Executive Director, The Council of School Superintendents. R.E.F.I.T. (Reform Educational Financial Inequities Today) is a consortium of more than 30 school districts advocating for fiscal equity for education through the courts and other means.
Rural Schools
Friday, Oct. 17, 8:45 – 10:00 a.m.
The Rural Schools Program is a statewide organization of some 330 school districts dedicated to represent the interests of small and rural school districts.
Small Cities
Friday, Oct. 17, 8:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Small city school districts – 57 in New York state – are located in cities with populations of less than 125,000.
Upstate/Downstate
Friday, Oct. 17, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
A coalition of school boards that reviews proposed resolutions and their positions prior to NYSSBA’s Annual Business Meeting.
NYSSBA at Your Service
NYSSBA continues to add value to your membership with these programs and services, which we’re ready to discuss with you. Check your Convention program for times and locations.
- AdvisorySolutions – consultant services to position your district for the future.
- Leadership Development – offering learning opportunities, both in the classroom and online, to meet your governance team’s developmental needs.
- PaySchools – accepting secure online payments for student purchases and fees.
- Policy Services – check out our Essential Policy Manual, E-Policy and Policy Update – helping your school board craft the policies you need to lead your school district.
Educational Trade Show
Friday, Oct. 17 – 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 18 – 8:00 a.m. – Noon
Find nearly 160 commercial exhibits, all designed to help save your district money, improve its facilities and enhance the effectiveness of its programs – here at the Sheraton! Nowhere else in New York state can you and your district staff find such a wide array of commercial vendors in one place. From architecture and construction to food service, it’s here. Bring a list of your district’s needs and take home a wealth of ideas and product information. And while you’re here, fuel up and meet with exhibitors at our special Greet & Eat events. Join us on the exhibit floor Friday, Oct. 17, for a light lunch and afternoon break, and Saturday, Oct. 18, for a continental breakfast.
School PR Showcase
Visit the New York School Public Relations Association special school public relations display during the Convention for samples of award-winning newsletters, brochures, calendars and other print pieces created by school districts around the state.
Student Spotlight
Take time to view outstanding works of student art at the 18th Annual Student Art Show, sponsored by NYSSBA and the New York State Art Teachers Association. Students’ work chosen from member districts will be displayed in the Sheraton during regular commercial exhibit hours. You’ll gain a new appreciation for our students’ talent and interest.
New York Museum Tours
Friday, Oct. 17 and Saturday, Oct. 18, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Your choice of three of New York’s finest museums to visit – all a part of your convention registration!
- Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53rd Street, which houses one of the finest modern art collections in the world.
- American Folk Art Museum, 45 West 53rd Street, including artwork spanning more than three centuries of American visual expression.
- Sports Museum of America, 26 Broadway, the nation’s first and only museum to celebrate, under one roof, all of the sports Americans love.
Take a leadership break
Visit the NYSSBA Bookstore for the latest edition of School Law, plus other relevant books and souvenirs – it’s your one-Stop shopping!
Check in at NYSSBA’s popular Cyber Café. Check up on your e-mail, including the latest e-Clip