NYSSBA's President's Gavel Podcast

In this episode, we discuss the ex officio student board member. While about one-third of New York school boards already include student representatives, new legislation mandates that all public-school districts and BOCES include a student member on their school board. Meeting this goal takes more than just a seat at the table – it requires good faith, mutual respect and a genuine partnership. That’s what we’re here to explore in this episode: how to fully embrace the ex officio student board member role in ways that empower students, strengthen board decisions and enrich the experience for everyone through deeper civic engagement and inclusive leadership. Host: Darci D’Ercole, Chief Governance and Leadership Development Officer, NYSSBA Guests: David Lilleck, Superintendent, Orchard Park Central School District Luke Lippitt, Ex Officio Student Board Member, Orchard Park Central School District and Northeast Vice President of the National Student Board Member Association Zachary Patterson, Chair of the Board of Advisors, National Student Board Member Association Resources: NYSSBA’s Ex Officio Student Board Member Implementation Resources webpage: https://www.nyssba.org/main/ex-officio-student-board-member-implementation-resources/ National Student Board Member Association: https://www.nsbma.net/ Have a question or a topic idea? We want to hear from you! Email us at ld@nyssba.org. Stock media provided by www.pond5.com

A growing body of research suggests that smartphones, social media and messaging apps are fueling the adolescent mental health crisis. In response, New York introduced legislation prohibiting the use of personal internet-enabled devices during the school day. Bethlehem Central School District has already implemented a smartphone-free policy. In this episode, we’ll hear their story and learn how board members can develop and adopt a successful policy in their district. Host: Jamie McPherson, Deputy Director of Leadership Development, NYSSBA Guests: Jody Monroe, Superintendent, Bethlehem Central School District Holly M. Dellenbaugh, Board President Bethlehem Central School District Resources for this episode were provided by the Bethlehem Central School District. Bethlehem CSD BOE Presentations: • Yondr, 3/15/23: https://www.nyssba.org/clientuploads/nyssba_pdf/presidents-gavel-podcast/03242025/yondr-03152023-03242025.pdf • Yondr Update, 5/3/23: https://bit.ly/4hGkn02 • Yondr Student Assemblies: https://bit.ly/4iHXA5u Bethlehem CSD Policy 5310 Mobile Devices in Grades K-12: https://bit.ly/4j022MA Bethlehem CSD Mobile Phone Exemption Request: https://bit.ly/4hFSntp Bethlehem CSD How’s It Going Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_lRIIC6tgg Articles: • 2017-cognitive-load-theory-practice-guide: https://bit.ly/4kVzUMj • 2018_Book_TechnologyAndAdolescentMentalHealth: https://bit.ly/41XLJck • Phones at School Are a Disaster - The Atlantic: https://bit.ly/4iEOpTa • Schools are banning cellphones as students are more distracted than ever - The Washington Post: https://bit.ly/42k0xCj • surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory: https://bit.ly/4iPCDVM Have a question or a topic idea? We want to hear from you! Email us at ld@nyssba.org. Stock media provided by www.pond5.com

One primary responsibility of school boards is to advocate for all students and their districts. You may be wondering, what does advocacy look like for school boards? What should I be doing? Or how can I get more involved in advocacy efforts? Today we address these questions and provide an overview of the board’s role and responsibilities in advocacy, and we’ll learn how you can help to inform and influence NYSSBA’s advocacy platform. Host: Mark Snyder, Senior Leadership Development Manager, NYSSBA Guest: Caroline Bobick, Deputy Director of Governmental and External Relations, NYSSBA Resources: Contact NYSSBA’s Governance Relations Staff here: https://bit.ly/3Qy6dDd Or call 518.783.0200 Advocacy Overview: https://bit.ly/41gyq67 On Board article: The importance of recognizing and celebrating success: https://bit.ly/4hQ1FnJ NYSSBA’s Advocacy Liaison brochure: https://bit.ly/43848Fv NYSSBA’s 2025-2026 Executive Budget Policy Recommendations: https://bit.ly/4igqnxl NYSSBA’s 2025-2026 Executive Budget Fiscal Recommendations: https://bit.ly/3EWX6cz NYSSBA’s 2025 Position Statements: https://bit.ly/4gYvBwo NYSSBA’s 2025 Legislative Priorities: https://bit.ly/4ieMrs1 Have a question or a topic idea? We want to hear from you! Email us at ld@nyssba.org. Stock media provided by www.pond5.com

On this episode of the President's Gavel Podcast, it's all about communication. We'll discuss navigating difficult conversations and maintaining a strong relationship with the Margaretville Central School's board president and superintendent. Join your NYSSBA hosts as they lead Board President Doris Warner and Superintendent Michelle Osterhoudt through a conversation about how they effectively work together through the easy and not-so-easy times. Hosts: Jamie McPherson, Deputy Director of Leadership Development, NYSSBA Mark Snyder, Senior Leadership Development Manager, NYSSBA Guests: Michelle Osterhoudt, Superintendent, Margaretville Central School District Doris Warner, Board President, Margaretville Central School District Resources: Schedule your Custom Board Retreat today! bit.ly/30NAX7l On Board Articles: 7 Ways to build the board-superintendent relationship: https://bit.ly/3EdYtDp 10 ways your board can communicate better: https://bit.ly/4h7NolR Establishing a strong board-superintendent relationship: https://bit.ly/3CeAvY7 For better board-supt. relations, clarify: https://bit.ly/4hy4fhm How to have a difficult conversation: https://bit.ly/4hu3F4k Moving from conflict to consensus: bit.ly/4hnxDak Understanding the board-superintendent relationship: bit.ly/3CCsFHE Stock media provided by www.pond5.com

Improvement in student mental health depends on prevention and the use of universal screening. During this episode, we discuss the effective use of the Multi-tiered system of support, which many of us know about, as well as the importance of leadership on making real improvements, what interventions are necessary at the district level to be successful, and how screening, monitoring and evaluation of student data becomes critical in addressing mental health challenges in our schools and in supporting improved student outcomes. Host: Darci D’Ercole, Director of Leadership Development, NYSSBA Guests: Dr. James McDougal, Director of the School Psychology Program, State University of New York at Oswego, Dr. Donna J. DeSiato, Superintendent, East Syracuse-Minoa CSD, Eric Knuth, Superintendent, Skaneateles CSD Have a question or a topic idea? We want to hear from you! Email us at ld@nyssba.org. Stock media provided by www.pond5.com