OSBA Today

The Ohio Leadership Advisory Council (OLAC) is a partnership between the Buckeye Association of School Administrators and the Ohio Department of Education. Its goal is to provide educators -- no matter their role -- with the resources they need to develop shared and effective leadership. OLAC Project Co-director Dr. Jim Gay joins the podcast to talk about the advisory council's mission, inclu...

You've been elected to the school board. The campaign is behind you. Now, it's time to raise your right hand in January and become part of a group of leaders who govern a school district. As a new school board member, you have much to learn about the roles and responsibilities of a board member. OSBA's Cheryl Ryan, director of board and management services, and Steve Horton, senior...

Prepare yourself for three days of Leadership for Learning! The OSBA Capital Conference and Trade Show returns to the Greater Columbus Convention Center, Nov. 7-9, with inspiring keynote speakers, unparalleled learning and the opportunity to see students shine. We're ready to welcome you! OSBA Director of Communications Services Jeff Chambers and Director of Board and Management Services Cher...

Are you promoting the great work of the students in your district? OSBA’s Student Achievement Leadership Team (SALT) and the many district student achievement liaisons are doing just that – and want to help you do the same in your community. OSBA Senior Student Achievement Consultant Kim Miller-Smith joins the podcast to talk about SALT’s work throughout the state. Get more resources at https://ww...

Today’s politically charged climate over pandemic policies, diversity and more has led to crowded school board meetings. Does the public have a right to speak at school board meetings? Can a school board limit public comments? OSBA staff attorney Ralph Lusher joins the Leading the Way podcast to discuss those questions and more. Also, be sure to check out the OSBA legal division's fact sheet...

Every day in Ohio, more than 15,000 school buses transport 800,000 children between home and school. It’s quite an achievement, and it couldn’t be done safely without collaboration between school bus drivers, parents, district leaders and the community. OSBA Transportation Consultant Doug Palmer is our guest as we discuss how your district can help promote school bus safety throughout the school y...

As schools prepare for another year during the COVID-19 pandemic, the health and safety of students and staff remain paramount. Several federal and state agencies have released recommendations on how schools can help control the spread of the virus. OSBA Chief Legal Counsel Sara C. Clark joins the podcast to talk about the guidance, including for masks and vaccines, and answers the questions schoo...

The state has answered the call for a comprehensive, fair and equitable school-funding formula that meets the needs of students. Gov. Mike DeWine has signed a two-year, $75 billion state budget that includes a new funding model for public schools. OSBA's Director of Legislative Services Jennifer Hogue and Deputy Director Will Schwartz join the podcast to discuss the Fair School Funding Plan....

Summer is here! For many in the public education world, it's a time to relax for a bit. That's not the case for the school transportation supervisor who must complete many critical tasks to succeed next school year. OSBA Transportation Supervisor Doug Palmer joins the podcast to help supervisors plan for the summer, and he's even included a handy checklist at http://links.ohioschool...

The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard arguments in a case that could have profound implications for students and freedom of speech. At issue is whether public schools can discipline students over something they say off-campus. OSBA Chief Legal Counsel Sara Clark and Jennifer Hardin, OSBA’s deputy director of legal services, are here to talk about the case -- Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L. Th...

If Ohio is to provide a high-quality education to its roughly 1.7 million students, it needs representative school boards that can meet the challenges of the diverse districts they represent. That’s the goal of OSBA’s Get on Board campaign, which was launched this month to encourage Ohioans to run for their local school boards. Angela Penquite , OSBA's deputy director of communication service...

How do we inspire students so they succeed and persist? The PAST Foundation is focused on that question in pursuing its mission to "link learning to life." To date, more than 300,000 students and more than 16,000 educators have been influenced by the foundation’s work. Its president and CEO, Dr. Annalies Corbin, joins the podcast to talk about that work and how the foundation is helping...

Throughout the school year, students have shifted between remote, hybrid and in-person learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving educators worried about learning loss. One idea to help close the achievement gap is extending the school year into summer. While it may sound like an easy fix, OSBA Senior Attorney Van Keating joins the podcast to discuss what can be a complicated process, requirin...

Over the next several months, state legislators will craft a new two-year state budget. Your advocacy is integral to the process. OSBA’s Director of Legislative Services Jennifer Hogue and Deputy Director Will Schwartz join the podcast to discuss why and how you can help shape the direction of public school funding. Learn more about OSBA’s legislative efforts at https://www.ohioschoolboards.org/le...

Among the many crucial duties of a school board is evaluating risk management programs for the district. Whether you are a new or veteran board member, that task is not easy. For those board members not familiar with the workers’ compensation system, you might wonder, “What is an MCO and what does it offer my district?” Lance Watkins, vice president of client services for Sedgewick Managed Care Oh...

Gov. Mike DeWine says he wants Ohio teachers and school staff to be in the next group of people to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. What questions should your district be asking? OSBA Staff Attorney Ralph Lusher joins the podcast to talk about it. Also, Tony Sharrock, director of client services at CompManagement, discusses the pandemic's impact on school districts' workers' compensati...

Even before the pandemic, U.S. schools were struggling to hire and retain teachers. How will COVID-19 impact teacher recruitment and retention? Brad Conrad, associate professor of education at Capital University and co-author of the book "Lesson Planning with Purpose: Five Approaches to Curriculum Design," joins the Leading the Way podcast to discuss how edcuation leaders can help stop t...

In this episode, we've partnered with the PAST Foundation ( pastfoundation.org ) and its president and CEO, Annalies Corbin, who recently sat down with three first-year school board members to discuss their experiences, including the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. Lori Trent , Upper Arlington City ; Dr. Tina D. Pierce , Columbus City ; and John P. Jones , Huron City , discuss why...

School districts are on the Nov. 3 ballot in a challenging time -- in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jerry Rampelt, founder emeritus, and Mike Collins, executive director, Support Ohio Schools Research and Education Foundation, join the podcast to discuss this year's campaign, including planning, fundraising and voter targeting. Also, what impact will the pandemic have on future levy ca...

For more than 60 years, OSBA’s Capital Conference and Trade Show has been the premier event for all who play a role in education in Ohio. This year we're bringing the learning to you! Jeff Chambers, OSBA’s director of communication services, plays a big role in bringing the conference to thousands of attendees every year. He joins the podcast to discuss what attendees can expect and how to ge...

Ohio school boards can meet virtually through Dec. 1, unless the state's health emergency expires prior to that date. Boards then would be required to meet in person. The decision on whether to meet in person or virtually continues to cause some concern. Cheryl Ryan, OSBA's director of board and management services, discusses what she's hearing from board members and also provides m...

Schools have reinforced their efforts to develop effective school policies against racial inequality following the death of George Floyd and the large protests over the summer. Districts have committed to change, creating community task forces and hiring director-level equity officers. Two of OSBA's diversity and equity consultants, Kim Brazwell and Daniel Juday , join the Leading the Way pod...

Gov. Mike DeWine gave the green light for high school football and other fall contact sports, like soccer and field hockey, to proceed but with many restrictions and guidelines. He also stressed that the decision on whether to play would be made locally by the school district. If a district decides to have sports, then it must follow specific health, safety and Ohio High School Athletic Associatio...

School leaders must confront many complex challenges as a new school year begins in the middle of a pandemic. Their toughest challenge just might be getting 26 million bus-riding students to school in the first place. How do you social distance on the school bus? Should fewer students ride the bus? What about cleaning standards? OSBA's Transportation Task Force set out to answer those questio...

We ended the 2019-2020 school year with remote learning after the COVID-19 coronavirus closed school buildings across the state in March. Now the focus is on reopening. School boards and their administrative teams have an incredible task before them: preparing for a return to school during a pandemic. Members of South-Western City Schools' board-superintendent leadership team -- board Preside...