Understanding the Complexities of Governing During the Pandemic

During this unprecedented time, we have partnered with local experts to provide resources and support for navigating Open Meeting Law, scenario planning, board elections and general compliance. As always, we suggest you seek your legal counsel. However, we hope you reach out should you have questions or issues or join our monthly Board Chats to learn from your peers and local experts.

What's Included?

  • 5 Videos

  • 4.6 hours

  • 5 Quizes

Course curriculum

    1. Scenario Planning During An Economic Recession

    2. QUIZ: Scenario Planning During An Economic Recession

    1. Managing Elections During COVID-19

    2. QUIZ: Managing Elections During COVID-19

    1. Understanding Open Meeting Law During COVID (March, 2020)

    2. QUIZ: Understanding Open Meeting Law During COVID-19

    1. Student Recruitment in a Global Pandemic

    2. QUIZ: Student Recruitment in a Global Pandemic

    1. Trend Report (August, 2020)

    2. QUIZ: Trend Report (August, 2020)

    1. Pandemic Election Checklist

    2. Open Meeting Law During the Pandemic

    3. Bellwether Essential Questions for Reopening (Contact Bill Durbin at Bellwether for more information [email protected])

    4. CER_New-Four-Freedoms-for-Education

    5. Special Education Guide: Preparing For Service Delivery Changes

About this course

  • Free
  • 15 lessons
  • 4.5 hours of video content

What You'll Learn

Learn from our local experts on navigating the complexities of the pandemic.

Managing Elections During COVID-19

Learn more about managing board elections during this webinar featuring a discussion with attorney Jim Martin of Martin Law. We will discuss best practices, suggestions, and potential tools to ensure an effective election. We will address election issues related to the Governor's executive orders, as well as review applicable MN statutes.  

Scenario Planning During an Economic Recession

We have assembled local expert panelists-leaders in transportation, charter school finance, governance, legislation, charter school law, and human resources.  They will lead us through scenario planning and offer ways to evaluate risk and take action when the implications of the pandemic are looming and unknown.

Student Recruitment in Global Pandemic

Learn more about the best steps forward for student recruitment and marketing given the current COVID environment. How should you adapt your current marketing strategies as you adjust to the complexities of the upcoming school year?

Our Board Chat discussion features Lyman Millard, founding partner of Bloomwell Group. They have partnered with national organizations and high-performing charter schools to help them achieve amazing results. 

Understanding Open Meeting Law During COVID-19

As Charter School leadership and boards face difficult decisions during the pandemic, we need to continue to employ strong governance and be conscious of the parameters of Open Meeting Law. Please join Jim Martin (Martin Law),  Beth Finch (CharterSource), and Karen Klinzing (CharterSource) for up-to-date information and answers to your questions. Published 3.27.20

Trend Report (August 2020)

Learn from our local expert panelists. They will provide context on current issues from legislative advocacy, transportation, PPP loan forgiveness, and managing human resources issues. Understand the challenges facing our school leaders as they reopen schools. Learn more about how we can be supportive and knowledgeable about legislative trends.  

Instructor(s)

Martin Law Firm Jim Martin

Jim has over 25 years of practice in areas of employment & labor law with an emphasis in the public sector. In addition to a law degree, he has a Master’s in Industrial Relations. he served as Human Resource Director for St. Louis Park and Bloomington Districts. He also is an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota. His key focus areas are employment & labor law, investigations, policies/handbooks, hearing officer as well as providing professional development and training in the education sector.

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.

CFO & Founding Director, EdFinMN Scott Brown

Scott has worked as the Controller of several large public school districts and charter schools. He has 10+ years experience in school finance. He is an Active Certified Public Accountant and licensed Member of: MNCPA, AICPA, MASBO. He also served as Board Chair of the Minnesota Lupus Foundation.

Instructor(s)

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.

COO and President Carl Allen

Before co-founding 4mativ Technologies and serving as President & COO, Carl was COO/CFO for the Harvest Network of Schools in Minneapolis. From 2014-2017, he was a Vice President at Transdev, a multi-modal transportation operator. From 2010-2014, Carl served Boston Public Schools as Director of Transportation, transporting 32,000 students with a fleet of 750 vehicles. Carl studied urban planning & public policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and before that was a Peace Corps Volunteer math teacher in Ghana. Carl holds degrees in industrial (IE) and manufacturing design engineering (MaDE) from Northwestern University. Carl lives with his wife and two children in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

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.