Online Events

For comprehensive access to recorded WASB online events, subscribe to the WASB Online Learning Platform.

Administrator Contracts Webinar (Nov. 2024)

This presentation covers all aspects of administrator contracts, including the drafting of contracts, contract terms, application of section 118.24 Wis. Stat. to administrator nonrenewals and more. State and federal court decisions on administrator contracts, including the Klaus v. Eau Claire School District case, will be covered.

Annual and Special Meetings: Notices, Procedures and Powers Webinar (June 2024)

This presentation will review the notice requirements for annual and special meetings, cover meeting agendas and procedures and discuss the division of powers between the annual meeting and the school board in common school districts.

Dealing with Conflict Online Workshop (Dec. 2020)

Effectively dealing with conflict helps school boards stay focused on the core goals they are tasked with achieving. Louise Blankenheim and Cheryl Stinski, WASB organizational consultants, will discuss what causes differences to escalate into destructive conflict and share good practices to help you manage conflict in ways that keep people working together productively. A recording of this online workshop is being given complimentary to members to help them navigate the pandemic.

Employee Political Speech Webinar (Sept. 2022)

School district officials are rightly cautious about restricting the speech rights of employees. At the same time, public employees must recognize that there are limitations on their freedom of speech. Courts have recognized that public employers may control their employees’ speech in certain instances, particularly where the speech threatens the efficiency of the employer’s operations.

School officials are often confronted with issues surrounding when employees are speaking as an employee or as a citizen. These are particularly challenging issues for school officials to address, particularly when employees are making statements related to school district affairs over social media. This presentation will review the law in this area, including the steps that courts often take in reviewing claims by employees that they are speaking as a citizen rather than as an employee. We will review various court cases in this area, address common scenarios often confronted by schools, and address best practices for addressing these issues.

FMLA: State and Federal Requirements Webinar (Nov. 2023)

This webinar will review requirements under the Wisconsin and Federal Family and Medical Leave Act, including eligibility for leave for birth or adoption, serious health conditions of employees, parents, spouses and children and the various leaves available to military service men and women and their families. Employer notice and documentation requirements will be covered along with employer and employee rights and obligations during and after FMLA leaves.

Hiring Teachers Webinar (June 2022)

This webinar provides a general overview on the process for hiring teachers. It includes information on position descriptions, posting of vacancy notices, application forms, the interview process (including virtual interviews), contract provisions pertaining to layoffs, reference checks, and  furloughs and the number of contract days and state and federal laws as they relate to employment discrimination

How to Plan and Conduct Effective Board Meetings Online Workshop (December 2022)

All school boards conduct their business in similar meetings. However, the effectiveness of their meetings can vary widely. How a board sets its agendas and plans for and conducts its meetings can impact the board’s success in moving the needle on student achievement. In this online workshop, experienced WASB school attorneys review the legal requirements for meetings, including a closer look at the Open Meetings Law. They also review board member roles as well as how to structure meetings to achieve different purposes, conduct an effective board meeting, record meetings appropriately and accommodate public participation.

Individual Contracts and the Nonrenewal Process Webinar (April 2024)

This webinar covers all aspects of teacher contracts, including the drafting of contracts, contract terms, application of section 118.22 Wis. Stat. to teacher nonrenewals and more.

Law Enforcement Interactions and School Safety Plans Webinar (September 2019)

Having safe and productive learning environments is crucial to student achievement. This webinar will cover a wide range of topics related to school safety including: how schools cooperate with law enforcement officers and avoid issues of obstruction of justice; parent notification of student interviews with outside agency personnel at school; school staff presence during an interview with outside agency personnel; law enforcement officer responsibilities related to the protection of student rights, searches and information sharing; removing a student from school; referral to law enforcement authorities; and the School Safety Act and related items.

Leadership Coaching Online Workshop (November 2020)

Leadership coaching is a process that explores the strengths of the board member as a leader and enhances one’s effectiveness by learning new techniques. This online workshop explores the benefits of leadership coaching and explains the method by which leadership skills can be improved. We describe coaching techniques with the goal of supporting the board member in developing and maintaining quality leadership skills.

Onboarding New Board Members Online Workshop (Feb. 2021)

What kind of board member orientation are you providing newly elected school board members? This online workshop gives you an overview of best practice methods to ensure high-quality board member participation.

Participants will learn about pre-election orientation ideas and necessary post-election orientation topics. They’ll receive suggestions for ongoing, year-long options to help new board members become great board members.

Properly Classifying and Paying Employees Under the Fair Labor Standards Act Webinar (March 2023)

The Fair Labor Standards Act imposes a litany of compliance duties for school districts concerning their pay practices. This webinar will help attendees to distinguish between employees who are considered “covered” or “non-covered” by the FLSA as well as to determine which employees are considered “exempt” from the FLSA’s minimum wage and overtime requirements. This presentation will also cover the FLSA’s compensatory time and recordkeeping requirements and answer commonly asked questions concerning independent contractors, volunteers, and extracurricular activities advisors.

Public Participation at Board Meetings Webinar (Oct. 2024)

Public comments at meetings can present a difficult balancing act for school boards. While providing regular opportunities for members of the public to offer input is important, the school board also needs to carefully manage its meeting time and encourage constructive discourse. This webinar will identify the relevant legal and policy considerations that a board can use as a guide when it identifies a need to refine its current approach to public participation during meetings.

Pupil Expulsion Webinar (Sept. 2024)

This webinar presentation covers state and federal laws relating to pupil expulsions. The presentation will provide a roadmap for considering the expulsion of pupils and how to avoid common pitfalls when doing so. The presentation will focus on procedures for administrators as well as for boards that conduct their own expulsion hearings. In addition, the presentation will also include an Expulsion Overview Guide with sample notifications and hearing procedures.

Part 1: Expulsion Roadmap
Part 2: Expulsion Procedures

Rules of Order for Conducting School Board Meetings Webinar (February 2023)

In general, school board meetings are more effective when the board members’ attention is focused on the substance of their decisions, rather than on the procedures that are used to navigate the agenda and reach those decisions. A board policy that establishes a core set of “rules of order” for board meetings can provide a useful, mutually-understood framework for conducting board business. The presentation will provide an overview of areas where state law mandates certain procedures for school board meetings, and it will also identify several areas in which school boards have local flexibility.

School Board Elections (Oct. 2023)

Wisconsin school districts must comply with numerous statutory obligations related to elections. This presentation will cover key deadlines, required notices and post-election processes. It will be of particular interest to school district clerks and to superintendents’ administrative assistants (who often assist with election duties).

Part 1: Election Notices and Procedures
Part 2: Campaign Finance
Part 3: Live Q&A

School Board Member Responsibilities Under Public Records Law Workshop (December 2023)

More than ever, individual board members find themselves being asked to respond to public records requests for records that are in their possession or where they are a record subject mentioned in the responsive record. This workshop will address individual board members’ responsibilities under the public records law, answer frequently asked questions that board members have regarding their records and run through scenarios that board members may face regarding public records, including archiving records, responding to records requests and the unique records responsibilities that may come with social media use.

School Budget Cycle Online Workshop (March 2021)

The school district budget is one of the primary management tools for school administrators and boards. Its primary purpose is to translate the district’s strategic initiatives into programs and services that support student learning This presentation references the WASB/WASBO Budget Cycle Handbook, and we encourage attendees to bring their copy. The presentation will discuss revenue sources and limits, budget planning and development, reconciliation and approval, budget management and reporting.

School District Referenda (Two-part) (June 2024)

More and more school districts are going to referenda for funding and facilities. This webinar will cover the legal and policy considerations that you should consider before going to referendum. This includes detailed analysis of the different types of referenda, the procedure and timing of referenda, the use of district funds and resources during a referendum, the roles of the board, individual board members and staff during a referendum, and how districts, staff, and boards may interact with third party groups, such as “vote yes,” “vote no,” etc.

Social Media, Online Communications and Email Use – Implications for School Board Members Webinar (May 2022)

The use of social media, online communications and email by school board members raises legal issues for individual board members and school boards as a whole. This webinar will address the legal implications of such use in regards to the First Amendment, Wisconsin’s open meetings, public records and pupil records laws, and board member roles and responsibilities, including who speaks for the board amongst other things.

Strategic Planning Online Workshop: What Does Quality Planning Look Like and Why Should You Do It Now? (December 2020)

In a time of great educational upheaval, this is precisely the right time to plan for changing our schools for the better.

This online workshop is designed to address: what quality strategic planning and strategic thinking looks like; strategic frameworks; how strategic planning addresses major issues in schools, such as racial justice, equity and the pandemic; the differences between strategic planning and tactical planning; and how to monitor progress toward goals and outcomes.