New Board Member Orientation

In 1996, the State Board of Education added the requirement that all school board members in their first year of board service attend a two-day Orientation plus one core module.

This academy provides an overview of the roles, responsibilities and legal duties of school board members.

It is designed to meet the need of new board members. Through active participation in this session, you learn the do's and do not's of effective boardsmanship.

Special consideration:

Board members who assumed office after January 1, 2007, are required to attend one of the two-day sessions before June 30, 2008.

Description:

Major topics covered during the session include:

• Education's Governance Structure
• Basics of Boardsmanship
• Finance
• Promotion of the School System
• Board Policies
• Planning
• School Law
• Board/Superintendent Relations
• Board/Student Relations
• Board/Staff Relations
• Hot Topics Facing School Boards
  

Presenters:

Dr. Tammy Grissom is the Executive Director of the Tennessee School Boards Association. She has been with TSBA for 18 years, most recently serving as the Associate Executive Director. She oversees the day-to-day operations of the association. She serves as the liaison to the State Department's School Board Academy Advisory Board. She has also served as an adjunct professor at Nashville State Technical Institute. Tammy has a bachelor's degree and teaching certificate in Business Education from Belmont College and a master's degree as well as her doctorate in Education Administration and Supervision from Tennessee State University.

Randall G. Bennett serves as Associate Executive Director/Legal Counsel to the Tennessee School
Boards Association. He oversees the membership services, legal and policy departments for the Tennessee School Boards Association. Randy has been with the association for 11 years. He is a graduate of East Tennessee State University and The Nashville School of Law, graduating from both institutions with honors. He was formerly an elected member of the Johnson City Tennessee Board of Education and served as a public safety officer with the Johnson City Police Department.

Stephen Smith serves as Director of Government Relations with the Tennessee School Boards Association where he represents the legislative interests of the association at the state and federal levels. He oversees the legislative, labor relations, and communications departments for the Tennessee School Boards Association. He has been with the association for 8 years. Stephen frequently makes presentations to local school board members and education organizations. He is the author of a popular weekly legislative newsletter and has written numerous articles for various educational publications. He is a member of the state-appointed Basic Education Program (BEP) Review Committee, serves as an ex-officio member of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) Board of Control and Legislative Council, and is a consultant to the Tennessee PTA. Prior to joining TSBA, Stephen worked as a legislative liaison for the Tennessee Department of Education. He holds a B.S. from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is a graduate of the Nashville School of Law.

Maximum Enrollment: 40 school board members

New Board Member Registration