PSBA, through its various programs, strives to provide the school leadership team with the tools they need to meet the responsibilities of school governance and leadership.

Oct. 15-17, 2008 | Holiday Inn, Grantville-Hershey

In conjunction with
PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference, Hershey

Send your students to this valuable program!

Sample Press Release

Attention Student Delegates and Teacher-Chaperons:

Use this sample news release to provide information about your participation
in the 38th annual PSBA Student Delegate Program to your
school district newsletter and your local newspaper.

Fill in your school district name and the names of the attending students and teacher,
and supplement with quotes about the value of the experience.

   

__________________________ HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
PARTICIPATE IN STATEWIDE SCHOOL BOARDS CONFERENCE

More than 200 high school students and teacher-chaperons from Pennsylvania school districts recently participated in the 38th annual Student Delegate Program of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association in Hershey in October. Attending from (insert your school name) were: _______________, __________________ and _________________.

The student program is held in conjunction with the 2008 PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference. It was the first of its kind in the nation to invite student representatives to attend and participate in the statewide conference of public school directors. The Student Delegate Program is designed to:

  • Provide students with a concrete understanding about how public education functions and how school boards operate under the law.
  • Encourage increased dialogue and involvement among students, local school board members and administrators.
  • Provide an opportunity for high school students to learn by looking at the challenges facing public education and suggesting possible solutions.

Since its inception, the program has grown and evolved to a format that encourages students to discuss “hot topics” and then to present their views to the school board members attending the conference during a simulated school board meeting. Both students and teachers participate in the discussions and as members of the mock school board. The session is one of the most highly rated and attended each year.

The topics discussed by students and teacher-chaperons during the 2008 program were:

  • Bullying and diversity issues
  • Flexible scheduling
  • Alternative assessments and graduation projects
  • Cell phone usage
  • Drug, alcohol testing for extracurricular activities

A student advisory committee of teachers and students assists PSBA staff with the selection of discussion topics and with planning the overall program.

In addition to presenting the simulated board meeting, students also attended the School Leadership Banquet with school directors and administrators from their home school districts, and participated in the closing session of the conference.

The Pennsylvania School Boards Association is a nonprofit statewide association of public school boards, pledged to the highest ideals of local lay leadership for the public schools of the commonwealth.  Founded in 1895, PSBA was the first school boards association established in the United States.

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