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Professional Development

As leaders in school board governance, trustees are committed to initiating the important conversations that improve life chances for students and to engaging in vital professional and personal learning that hones leadership skills. OPSBA’s professional development services support trustees in their role of ensuring Ontario’s education system continues to consistently produce excellent results in student achievement and well-being.

Trustees as Leaders in Public Education

OPSBA believes that trustees make a significant and direct contribution to the achievement of all students through their leadership in setting priorities, shaping policy and directing the resources of the local school board to build a culture of continuous improvement. One of OPSBA’s leading priorities is trustee professional development that enhances skills, builds capacity and provides the kind of information and analysis that supports informed decision-making. This is accomplished through symposia and conferences, single-day events, regional meetings, and other learning opportunities such as the comprehensive suite of online Trustee Professional Development Modules, provided by the Ontario Education Services Corporation.

The 21 professional learning modules for trustees and school boards are inspired by the thoughtfulness and commitment that trustees bring to their governance work. The modules are:

  • Effective Governance Through Ethical Leadership
  • Effective Governance for Student Achievement and Well-being: Boards Matter!
  • Right from the Start: Roles and Responsibilities
  • Common Ground, Common Purpose: Relationships in School Boards
  • Performance Review (director of education and board)
  • The Strategic Role and Multi-year Strategic Planning
  • Exercising Authentic Governance: The School Board’s Role as Policymaker
  • Conflict – Managing it Creatively
  • Family and Community Engagement
  • Advocacy: Engaging the Public
  • Legal Aspects of School Board Governance
  • Running Effective Meetings
  • School Board Finance
  • School Boards and Human Resources
  • What Makes a Great Board Chair?
  • First Nation Trustees: Leading in Two Worlds
  • Developing a Code of Conduct for Trustees
  • Social Media
  • Internal Audit and the Role of Audit Committees
  • A Journey Towards Truth and Reconciliation
  • Board Self-Assessment: Governance Performance

These modules can be accessed free-of-charge at http://modules.ontarioschooltrustees.org/.