What's Included?

  • 16 Videos

  • 9 PDFs

  • 11.5 Hours to Complete

  • 16 Quizes

What You'll Learn

Succession Planning: Why It Matters 

Shield your school from risk by making an annual succession plan to review a priority.  Careful planning of job responsibilities and crisis management procedures will be reassuring should the unexpected happen. Both the board and school leadership transition plans will be reviewed.

Performance Review Process 

Developing a unified team between the Board and school leadership is vitally important to the health of the school. Clear communication and strong development/support systems for school leadership are paramount. Walkthrough the review process from setting school goals, utilizing board dashboards to incorporating milestone checks. This session will discuss the potential 360 and development plan to provide a comprehensive process. 

Why Developing a Board Liaison Role is Valuable

*COMING January, 2025

Maintaining board information and delivering information in a timely manner is essential to gaining optimal board outcomes. Learn strategies for creating a board liaison role to improve compliance and board engagement.

Crisis Management and Communication

Our guest expert, Michelle Lawless of Media Minefield, will guide us through the tenets of developing a communications plan. Jim Martin, Martin Law Firm LLC, will also provide important context to be mindful of legal compliance issues. Karen Klinzing also provides insight from a school leader perspective managing messaging and data privacy. 

Understanding Student Data - MCA

Learn more about the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment to understand your school’s academic performance. Collaborate with school leadership to design tools to best oversee school outcomes.  Student Data Expert, Dan Wick, from EdOps and Karen Klinzing, former Assistant Deputy Commissioner of MN Department of Education team up to deliver what should be most important to board members.

Understanding Student Data - NWEA MAP

Understanding student progress and growth is one reason why school leaders use NWEA MAP. This nationally normed test offers an abundance of information. Partner with your school leadership team to optimally utilize this resource to improve board knowledge and oversight.  Experts Dan Wick and Karen Klinzing impart foundational information to guide and improve board proficiency.


What School Boards Should Understand About Special Education

Emily Cooley, Executive Director of Creatively Focused, and Karen Klinzing, Education and Policy Consultant at CharterSource,  will walk us through the core issues of providing special education services. Understand the importance of training and developing teachers, optimizing Multi-tiered Systems of Support, and effectively managing the financial aspects of a Special Education program. Boards need to understand that Special Education can be a school board’s most vulnerable risk area in terms of legal, financial, compliance, and governance risk factors.   

Managing Grievances Efficiently and Effectively

Are you certain you have safeguards in place to most effectively manage grievances from employees? Are protocols in place to navigate student grievances including specific stipulations for Special Education and Title IX? Learn from our experts, Jim Martin of Martin Law and Emily Cooley, Executive Director of Creatively Focused, and understand what boards and leadership should know regarding mitigating risk for the organization.

Authorizer Panel: Proactive Steps to Avoid Common Pitfalls

Learn about common missteps of charter school oversight. Our panelists of authorizers will share their observations of lessons learned and suggested best practices.  From policy review suggestions to onboarding practices for new board members, this session will provide useful insights to adopt as an organization. 

Teacher Licensure Update (3.23.21)

Learn more about Minnesota Teacher Licensing with our guest, Josh Crosson, Executive Director of EdAllies.  Josh will share how current potential legislation will impact our teachers of color and all those who aspire to serve.  To build high-quality options for Minnesota kids, learn how you can support this evolving issue. 

You're New Board Chair-Elect, Now What?

The board chair plays an invaluable role in ensuring board stability, engagement, organization, culture, and fulfillment of the school’s mission. We provide an overview of key responsibilities: understanding board operations; employing best meeting management practices, building board culture, and managing crises. Learn more about how you can launch your first year with confidence. 

Board Engagement - A Stanford Study 

Question often asked is how to increase board engagement. This is a common issue facing many boards. Learn from a Stanford Study of over 900 board members and leaders. Explore strategies to encourage and improve participation for effective oversight.

Building and Recruiting a Strong Board

Join us for a discussion on key considerations and steps for building and recruiting a strong board. Leverage individual expertise by establishing clear roles, responsibilities and expectations. Learn more about how a strong onboarding plan will help new board members with the tools and knowledge they need to actively engage. 


Parliamentary Procedures

Learn why Robert’s Rules of Order are widely accepted as an effective tool to ensure a clear and transparent decision-making process. Understand guidelines for changing a motion, abstaining from a vote, how to use a consent agenda and how to call a vote. Using this process will help ensure all board members are engaged in moving leadership and board action forward. 


The Role of the Board in Academic Oversight

Join us and our guest expert, David Hartman of Venn Education. We will be discussing key considerations regarding academic oversight and making data-driven decisions. Optimize your board and leadership talent and resources to determine a collaborative strategy to spotlight student learning.


Succession Planning Lessons Learned

Many schools and authorizers recognize the importance of succession planning for board chairs, officers, and school leaders.  Hear about lessons learned and how proactively preparing a highly functional and seamless plan can make a positive impact on your school.  Whether a planned or unplanned departure, rest assured there will be a definitive way forward with proper preparation.


Legislative Update (Oct 2024)

Important updates for Minnesota charter school boards include new training requirements and significant changes to board member eligibility. Learn how these new rules on elections and board terms could impact your service and what you need to know to stay compliant.

Training Curriculum

Know What's Included

    1. Leadership Performance Review

    2. QUIZ: Leadership Performance Review

    3. Succession Planning: Why It Matters

    4. QUIZ: Succession Planning: Why It Matters

    5. Crisis Management and Communication

    6. QUIZ: Crisis Management and Communication

    7. Understanding Student Data - MCA

    8. QUIZ: Understanding Student Data - MCA

    9. Understanding Student Data - NWEA MAP

    10. QUIZ: Understanding Student Data - NWEA MAP

    11. What School Boards Should Know About Special Education

    12. QUIZ: What School Boards Should Know About Special Education

    13. Authorizer Panel: Proactive Steps to Avoid Common Pitfalls

    14. QUIZ: Authorizer Panel: Proactive Steps to Avoid Common Pitfalls

    15. Teacher Licensure Update (3.23.21)

    16. QUIZ: Teacher Licensure Update (3.23.21)

    17. You're New Board Chair Elect, Now What?

    18. QUIZ: You're New Board Chair Elect, Now What?

    19. Board Engagement - A Stanford Study

    20. QUIZ: Board Engagement - A Stanford Study

    21. Building and Recruiting a Strong Board

    22. Quiz: Building and Recruiting a Strong Board

    23. Parliamentary Procedures

    24. Quiz: Parliamentary Procedures

    25. The Role of the Board in Academic Oversight

    26. Quiz: The Role of the Board in Academic Oversight

    27. Succession Planning Lessons Learned

    28. Quiz: Succession Planning Lessons Learned

    1. Legislative Updates- September 2024

    2. Quiz: Legislative Updates

    1. School Goals Framework

    2. Performance Review Template

    3. Director Succession Plan Template

    4. Authorizer Panel: Summary of Participant Question

    5. EdAllies Overview of Teacher Licensure Update

    6. Board Recruitment Candidate FAQ

    7. Academic Committee Charter Sample

    8. Article: Why CEO Succession is Hard (And Why the Legacy of Your Charter Schools Depends on it)

    9. Legislative Updates for Governance September 2024

About this course

  • $500.00
  • 39 lessons
  • 7.5 hours of video content

Instructors

Executive Director of Services, Media Minefield Michelle Lawless

Michelle is a public relations specialist with background in TV news and traditional public relations. She is the Executive Director of Media Minefield and also earned media and messaging specialist in crisis communication. Guidance for schools is an area of focus at Media Minefield.

Director of School Development & Leadership, CharterSource Karen Klinzing

Karen has been engaged in Minnesota charter schools from various perspectives over the last 20 years. Karen provides a school leader and organizational perspective as well as her policy and advocacy experience as a state legislator. She also served as the Assistant/Deputy Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Education.

Performance Data Specialist, EdOps Dan Wick

Dan Wick, Performance Data Specialist for EdOps, works with multiple charter schools from Washington DC, New York to New Orleans. Prior to joining EdOps, he was a Former Harvard Strategic Data Project Fellow with New Haven Public Schools working with principals to identify at-risk students. And as an Education Pioneers Summer Fellow he was on the Uncommon Schools Data Analytics Team. Dan hails from Minnesota earning a degree from St. Olaf and a Masters in Public Affairs from the Princeton Woodrow Wilson School of Public Affairs.

Instructors

Executive Director, Creatively Focused Emily Cooley

Emily is the Executive Director for Creatively Focused which provides the strategies, skills, and tools to do this critical work of supporting Special education in our schools. Emily’s experience has resided in urban, suburban, and rural school settings from St. Croix River Education District, Wayzata Public Schools, and Minneapolis Academy. She has worked to improve outcomes for students in the areas of special education, unique learners, and mental health. Her key areas of expertise include multi-tiered systems of support, co-teaching, team dynamics, and systems change.

Founding Partner, Bloomwell Group Lyman Millard

Lyman is a Founding Partner at Bloomwell Group specializing in working with schools to increase their impact by improving the way they tell their story, engage with their stakeholders and connect with new audiences. In addition, as founding team member of Citizens Academy, Lyman helped scale Citizens into a high-quality network. He also served as Vice President of Communications at Breakthrough and Development Officer at El Barrio building the foundational skills to support marketing and fundraising efforts.

Director, Innovative Quality Schools Laurie Schroeder

Laurie is the Director for Innovative Quality Schools, a single-purpose authorizer in Minnesota that supports around 35 schools throughout the state. Laurie's educational experience includes teacher and leadership roles at urban, suburban, and rural districts as well as traditional public, private, and charter school settings. Areas of focus include the curriculum development resulting in high-quality core instruction and intervention programming for both students not yet at grade level and those considered gifted. Laurie embraces a growth mindset and celebrates the innovative approaches represented in the work of charter schools.

Instructor(s)

Executive Director, EdAllies Josh Crosson

As executive director, Josh sets the direction for the organization’s work to ensure that all Minnesota students, especially those most underserved, have access to a great education. He previously worked in D.C., where he transformed his passion for public policy into a fulfilling vocation, or, as his friends put it, made a living out of doing something “activisty”—first at the Human Rights Campaign and later on Capitol Hill. At HRC, Josh spearheaded student outreach operations and expanded the organization’s mission to incorporate LGBT students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. He then spent four years writing legislation and advising his hometown congressman, Rep. Adam Smith (WA-9), on labor, health, budget, and tax issues. When he’s not working for Minnesota’s kids or spending time with his partner, Jon, and their dog, Jujubee, in their North Minneapolis home, Josh operates an adult LGBT sports league that benefits local charities throughout the Twin Cities.

Governance Consultant Sarah Kies

With over 20 years of nonprofit experience, Sarah is skilled in strategic planning, development, governance, and talent recruitment. As the former Chief External Relations officer of Milwaukee College Prep School, she understands the many facets of charter management including governance and scaling schools. She previously worked in advancement for the Milwaukee Repertory Theater and the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. She also earned her master’s at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She resides in Minneapolis and has four adult children.

Governance Consultant Alison Ford

Alison Ford is an experienced fundraiser and board governance coach. Over the last decade, Alison has worked with charter schools to introduce and establish fundraising practices and systems.  Additionally, Alison has served as board liaison, development chair, and board member on various work and volunteer nonprofit boards.  Before her work with charter schools, Alison was a higher education consultant and implemented admissions and financial aid systems at Georgetown University, The College of Holy Cross, and Indiana University.   Alison earned a Bachelor’s in Education and a Master's in Public Administration with a focus on education policy and school finance, both at Cornell University. As the descendant of a long line of teachers and educators, Alison channels her passion for education to convene key stakeholders, changemakers, and the community to advance educational equity. In her spare time, Alison enjoys spending time with her two adult children, walking her teacup golden doodle Mabel, gardening, and traveling.

Instructor(s)

Chief Academic Officer, Hmong College Prep Academy Danijela Duvnjak

Mrs. Danijela Duvnjak, known affectionately by the HCPA community as “Mrs. D”, has over 24 years of experience in K-12 education. Prior to HCPA, she taught at large, traditional school districts. She started at HCPA in 2004 as an English teacher. Since then, Mrs. D moved into roles as a Teacher on Special Assignment, Director of Teaching and Learning, and most recently she serves as HCPA’s Chief Academic Officer. As a young adult, Mrs. D arrived in the United States as a refugee, and she can relate to many of the HCPA families who wanted to create a school that reflects their experiences. Mrs. D has seen HCPA grow from 200 students to almost 2500 students and takes pleasure in seeing generations of students find a special place to learn and grow at HCPA. Mrs. D believes with all her heart that each student can achieve and that we must never, ever give up on a child. While a teacher and administrator at HCPA, Mrs. D has seen the school receive recognition from the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching and the U.S. News & World Report for high academic growth and has worked to secure funding from various grant sources. Mrs. D received her undergraduate degree in teaching English language arts from Hamline University, and her master's degree from Concordia University. She is currently pursuing a charter school leadership certificate from Southwest State University. When she is not at school you can find Mrs. D spending time with her husband and two sons.

Chief of Staff, Uncommon Schools Laura Lee McGovern

Laura Lee McGovern is the Chief of Staff for Uncommon Schools. Laura serves as a member of the Executive Team at Uncommon, where she oversees the alumni impact, legal affairs, and strategic initiatives teams and focuses on organizational strategy, effectiveness and leadership. Prior to becoming Chief of Staff, Laura served as founding Chief Operating Officer of Uncommon’s middle and high schools in New York City and founding Co-Director of Operations at Kings Collegiate Charter School. Before joining Uncommon, Laura was the founding Director of Analytics in student enrollment at the New York City Department of Education and was an Engagement Manager at Katzenbach Partners LLC, a management consulting firm. Laura is a Pahara-Aspen Fellow and a former Education Pioneer. She received her MBA from Harvard Business School, where she was a Baker Scholar and co-leader of the Education Leadership Group. Laura earned her B.A. in Social Studies at Harvard College and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.