Saturday morning workshop with Mike Ford! Thank you @QuestarIII for hosting! pic.twitter.com/5WNhYdPGL7
— Thomas B. Reardon (@GDSuptReardon) March 18, 2017
For the past seven years Questar III has worked with local school board members and superintendents as part of a Saturday workshop series at its Conference Center in Schodack.
Initially launched in 2010 to spur regional collaboration and cooperation during the Great Recession, the workshop series was updated this year in direct response to board member feedback.
On March 18, more than 40 board members and superintendents attended an interactive discussion on superintendent-board member roles and responsibilities. The session was specifically developed based on board member responses to a survey.
Michael Ford, a retired superintendent and former board member who now serves as the director of leadership development at the University of Rochester’s Warner School of Education, facilitated this professional development session. He led participants through a thought-provoking discussion that asked board members to think about how to better work together.
Questar III District Superintendent Gladys I. Cruz said the workshop series is designed to improve the capacity of districts while encouraging collaboration and creativity.
“Our board members continue to ask for professional development that expands educational opportunity, efficiencies and innovation. The workshop series is just one of our ways of providing support to the districts we serve,” Cruz said.
David O’Connor, a long-time board member from Chatham CSD, called the March 18th session one of the best he’s attended at Questar III.
“This was really good professional development for board members. We can’t do enough of this. I enjoy discussing topics with other board members and how we can learn from each other,” said O’Connor.
The March 18th session was the second board workshop held this school year. In October, Questar III also hosted a dialogue with Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia – continuing the organization’s trend of inviting the state’s education leader for a conversation on educational trends and topics.
Looking ahead, Questar III is planning future workshops sessions for the 2017-2018 school year based on board member feedback. The organization is also producing a board member video series in coordination with Paul Puccio, a long-time board member at Questar III, Schodack CSD and Tech Valley High School. This resource will be available in a webinar format as well as downloadable video clips that can be used for retreats, workshops or professional development.
