2026 New School Board Member Gatherings
The WASB’s 2026 New School Board Member Gatherings will be held throughout the state the week of April 20 to introduce new school board members to the WASB’s services, as well as the laws that affect board service and governance.
Check back soon for details on event dates and locations.
We appreciate your commitment to your school district. To help you throughout your board service, find resources below and on our landing page for new school board members.
New School Board Member Gathering Agenda
Welcome to School Board Service
Overview of the Role of the School Board
Characteristics of an Effective School Board
Tips for Effective Board Service
About the WASB
School Board Meeting Fundamentals
- Open Meetings and Public Records Laws
- Preparation and Public Input
- Oath of Office
- Responding to Citizens and the Media
Overview of WASB Services and Information
Questions and Discussion
Resources
New School Board Member Gathering attendees will receive a packet of materials to help them get acquainted with their new role. Digital materials can be found below.
- At Your Service
- New Board Member Handbook
- What Every School Board Member Needs to Know Guide
- Contact Us
- Board Policy Adoption and Review
- Sample Policy
Reach out to info@wasb.org if you are seeking resources that can’t be found here.
Find Your WASB Region
Click on your region of the state to learn about your WASB director and see a list of districts that comprise the region.
Open Meetings Law
In order to avoid the perception that a board is violating the Open Meetings Law, a district may wish to post a notice, in accordance with its local board policy, that communicates to the community that a certain number of board members and/or other district officials will be attending the New School Board Member Gathering. This type of notice should explicitly state that the board will not convene or conduct any board business during the meeting. Please see below for a WASB Legal Comment that addresses these type of open meeting law issues in the context of our State Education Convention which are analogous to a New School Board Member Gathering.