Webinar Training

The coronavirus pandemic has turned the spotlight on education technology in schools across the nation. From online learning programs to data modeling, tech tools are an increasingly large part of the new landscape of learning. In Keynote Webinar Series II, experts in technology, data and innovation will share knowledge on using technology wisely and responsibly to enhance student learning and achievement.

• Building Learning Communities in Digital Platforms: It starts with relationships
• Data is Everywhere: Using it to evaluate your online learning model
• Technology, Humanity and Student Well-being
• Digital Divides: Systemic considerations during the coronavirus pandemic
• A Letter to Lucy: Preparing for an ever-changing world

The pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges for reopening schools, requiring creativity and adaptation. The Starting Strong webinar series addresses topics of current relevance, from board self-assessment to culturally responsive leadership to staff mental health. Veteran school directors and experts will present best practices to help you and your board prepare in key areas and grow in effectiveness.

• Cybersecurity in Digital Meetings and Online Learning
• Culturally Responsive Leadership in the New Normal
• Supporting Mental Health of Professional Staff
• Leveraging PSBA’s New Board Self-Assessment for Collective Governance

From student health to legal concerns, school leaders have many considerations as they determine how to safely reopen schools during the pandemic. In this webinar series, expert panelists will discuss five areas of consideration, highlighted in the guidance provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Back to School Task Force: student health, transportation, collective bargaining, special education needs and coronavirus-related liability. Learn best practices for educating students and providing for the needs of school staff in the new landscape.

• Student Health in Reopening
• Post-COVID Student Transportation Modifications
• Adjusting Collective Bargaining for Health & Safety Plans
• Meeting Special Education Needs as Schools Reopen
• Understanding COVID Liability Related to Schools

This webinar series invites PA district leaders to discuss the context of national protest related to the deaths of George Floyd as well as other unarmed black men and women who have died. It will explore the intersection of racism, protest and public schools with a panel of Pennsylvania public school leaders.

• Addressing this Moment
• Building the Equity Foundation through Policy
• Understanding the Board’s Role

This series of webinars was developed to provide insights and knowledge to help district leads conquer new challenges amidst COVID-19. In this webinar, a panel of school directors and  superintendents from across the commonwealth, share their stories about the challenges they face during this pandemic crisis, how they are reacting to and overcoming these challenges, and any lessons they have learned along the way.

• • What have we learned?
• PSBA’s Revised Superintendent Evaluation on MetricsEd
• Equity in Blended, Distance, and Digital Learning
• Budgeting in COVID Uncertainty

PSBA hosted a six-week Keynote Webinar Series for members to hear world-class keynotes address topics of interest, from the comfort and safety of their homes.

• Virtual Philadelphia Orchestra
• Fredi Lajvardi: national champion robotics team of disadvantaged teens
• Dr. Donna Beegle: becoming poverty-informed
• Dr. Will Miller: mental health in a time of pandemic
• Raquel Suarez-Groen: perseverance for a Broadway dream
• Paul Brandus: intersection of politics, business, history and media

PSBA hosted six virtual sessions with presentations by an expert on critical and timely topics; communication practices during the coronavirus pandemic; the business of boards during shutdown; facilities restoration and clean-up, and other essential topics.

• Facilities Restoration: COVID Clean-up w/ SERVPro
• A Deeper Dive into Digital School Board Meetings
• Communication Best Practices and Business of School Boards
• Prepare. Don’t Panic. Responding to the Coronavirus

• 2020-21 State Budget update (June 2020)
  The General Assembly finalized and sent Gov. Tom Wolf a $25.1 billion General Fund budget for fiscal year 2020-21. The early state budget under House Bill 2387, passed well before the June 30 deadline, is an interim spending plan that provides five months of funding for most state agencies and services but contains full-year funding for education. On Friday, June 5, PSBA’s Chief Advocacy Officer John Callahan and Director of Research Andy Christ will present a complimentary webinar on the 2020– 21 state budget.
• Advocacy Day 2020 (June 2020)

• Facilities Restoration: COVID clean-up w/ SERVPro (Coronovirus Webinar Series, March 2020)
  Coronavirus proactive cleaning, decontamination, and post-maintenance cleaning to keep your schools healthy. Presenters: Robyn Colajezzi, Director of Commercial Marketing SERVPRO Christina Ritter, Compliance Manager SERVPRO Sean McCabe, Production & Large Loss Manager SERVPRO.
  
  
• School Safety and Security Board Report (May 2020)
  Join PSBA's Heather Masshardt, Director of Policy Services, and Attorney Vincent Champion as they review the 2020 updates to School Safety and Security Board Reports.

• Mold in Schools w/ SERVPro (March 2019)
  In this exclusive webinar for members, the presenters:
  • Discuss preventative measures districts can take to avoid mold
  • Share personal experience with management and prevention of mold
  • Identify key decision-makers involved in school district mold prevention and mitigation
• Juuling, Vaping, and e-Cigarettes (September 2018)
  In this exclusive webinar for members, the presenters:
  • Raise awareness of the types of devices used by students to inhale tobacco and nicotine
  • How to identify these easily concealable devices
  • Raise awareness of the dangers, similarities, and differences between traditional cigarettes and new nicotine delivery devices
  • Outline a process for school leadership to update board policy to include alternative forms of nicotine delivery

• Culturally Responsive Leadership in the New Normal (Starting Strong series, September 17, 2020)
  The pandemic and movements towards antiracism have required district leaders to reimagine education to address and support the needs of students and families. Promoting an equitable educational environment for all students in the new normal requires school leaders to include, affirm, and engage students, parents, and communities from diverse backgrounds and contexts through culturally responsive leadership. Panelists will discuss principles for culturally responsive leadership and how it is embedded in current education practice.

• Addressing this Moment (Intersections series, June 2020)
  This webinar invites district leaders to reflect on the role of the school board in moving education systems toward equity. It will explore how board leadership plays an important role in moving a school system towards equity and away from systemic racism and unaddressed marginalization of students.

• Building the Equity Foundation through Policy (Intersections series, June 2020)
  This webinar identifies the purpose of an equity policy and outlines the resources and steps PSBA provides to members in adopting an equity policy for their school entity. PSBA's new trauma-informed approach policy will also be discussed during the webinar. We will explore how a focus on educational equity and trauma-informed approaches can be part building a strong foundation  for your school entity to combat racism, discrimination, marginalization and trauma affecting students.
• Understanding the Board’s Role (Intersections series, June 2020)
  This webinar invites district leaders to reflect on the role of the school board in moving education systems toward equity. It will explore how board leadership plays an important role in moving a school system towards equity and away from systemic racism and unaddressed marginalization of students.

• Equity in Blended, Distance, and Digital Learning (in Leading through Crisis series, June 2020)
  The COVID–19 pandemic, leading to the closure of schools across the commonwealth, has forced districts to rapidly move to some form of digital learning. This shift in education practice has also unearthed digital learning equity gaps between students, schools, districts and communities. This webinar seeks to discuss these digital learning equity gaps related to inequitable access to digital learning tools, resources and supports. Learn more about best practices to address these equity concerns, as well as discuss the future of digital learning post-pandemic. All public school leaders are welcome to access this learning opportunity.
• Dr. Donna Beegle: Becoming poverty-informed (Keynote I series, May 2020)
  In this webinar, Dr. Beegle provides school leaders with a knowledge base and tools for creating poverty-informed policies and practices for improving education success. Leaders need a clear plan for addressing the many different life experiences of poverty. Having a clear understanding of how COVID-19 affects each group and what policies, funding, programs and efforts are needed to ensure that we are meeting people where they are and setting them up for moving out and staying out of poverty.

• Introduction to the Equity Toolkit (November 2019)
  In this webinar, the presenter reviews PSBA’s Equity Toolkit, explores Equity resources for members available on PSBA.org and myPSBA.org, and responded to audience questions concerning equity and how it relates to their school district
• Equity in Schools (October 2018)
  In this exclusive webcast for members, the presenters:
  • Explain how to initiate conversations about equity with the community, students, teachers, and administrators
  • Share their district stories about the challenges and successes of these initiatives
  • Develop a course on race and gender in a rural/suburban school district
  • Develop district wide initiatives
  • Discuss implementation of equity initiatives and the importance of administrative support such as dismantling the achievement and opportunity gaps in schools
  • Discuss importance of cultural competency
  • Compare the different equity needs for rural/suburban/urban districts
• Supporting Puerto Rican Students and Families Displaced by Hurricanes (April 2018)

• How to Transition Board Meetings to Zoom (March 2020)

• Strategic Board Leadership (January 2020)
  Learn from the experiences of board leaders from across the state. In this hour-long webcast, a panel of board presidents will share their perspectives on specific challenges facing boards. Hear strategies and best practices for strong leadership and effective governance, and download a handout for continued reference.

• Sleep and Student Performance (October 2019)
  Our students face many issues today, but who would have imagined sleep deprivation could be a significant issue? The Joint State Government Commission established an advisory committee to study the issues, benefits and options related to school districts instituting later start times in secondary schools. In this exclusive webcast, hear from the executive director of the Commission, Glenn Pasewicz, commission staff, David Hutchinson, PSBA’s appointee to the commission, on the results of their study and work. Also hear from experts - Dr. Wendy Troxel, Phd, Senior Behavioral and Social Scientist, RAND Corporation Adjunct Faculty, University of Pittsburgh, Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, and Yvonne Llewellyn Hursh, Esq. Counsel for Joint State Government Commission (JSGC).
  
  
• Suicide Prevention and Awareness (September 2019)
  September is National Suicide Awareness Month. A part of the state’s recent school safety and security measures include a relevant focus on suicide awareness and prevention. In this hour-long webcast, learn about important policy and legislative updates, including trauma-informed approaches, threat assessments, and the vital impact that an educated and prepared school community can have for its students.
  
  
• PSERS

• Reining in Out-of-Control Meetings (May 2018)What can you do to keep your board meetings from getting ugly and out of control? How can you avoid letting disrupters turn public meetings into shouting matches that go viral on YouTube? How can boards and board leaders work together to insist on civility and respectful discourse, and keep the bullies and other trolls from taking over? Learn how boards can set and enforce proper tone and effective use of meeting time through empowered leadership and mutual accountability. Find out about the legal options that are available when all else fails. Stop the monthly rodeos and take back your meetings! Webinar is approximately 60 minutes.