La Feria News

Trustees Focus on Leadership

Untitled-1Board members Juan Briones, Gloria Casas, Katie Johnson, Javier Loredo, Lisa Montalvo along with Raymundo “Rey” Villarreal, Superintendent, and Cindy Torres, Asst. Superintendent, of La Feria Independent School District, joined trustees and administrators from across the state at the Texas Association of School Boards’ (TASB) Summer Leadership Institute June 11-13 in San Antonio. Approximately 2,100 new and veteran education leaders received in-depth training on critical issues facing local districts and discussed best practices for effective board governance and cost-efficient programs. Sessions for newly elected trustees and board presidents offered a combination of both breakout and in-depth formats on all facets of board governance.

Tim Sanders, noted author and Thursday’s keynote speaker, advises Fortune 500 executives on leadership, marketing, and new media strategies. With experience in cutting-edge businesses, sales, and marketing, he weathered the quality movement and dot-com crash, and emerged with valuable insights for achieving one’s goals.

Friday’s general session featured educator and author David Berliner, who has received numerous awards for his contributions to education. He also led an in-depth session to further explore his latest book, 50 Myths and Lies that Threaten America’s Public Schools: The Real Crisis in Education, which he coauthored with Gene Glass and students.

Among issues examined during the Institute were the changing face of the labor force, emergency management in an age of social media, school finance, cultivating creativity for a global market, and the importance of public education for Texas’ future. Each year, the Institute provides new board members with immediate training following May elections, offers needed training for newly elected board presidents, and provides experienced trustees with information on innovative practices and emerging trends.

TASB is a nonprofit association established in 1949 to serve local public school districts. Texas school board members are the largest group of publicly elected officials in the state. The districts they represent serve more than 5.1 million students.

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