The Georgia School Boards Association has announced that seven school systems have been selected to participate in its leadership training program _ Leadership GSBA. This new program, co-sponsored by Georgia Power, is designed to bring together the entire board and superintendent as a leadership team to develop stronger leadership skills and a deeper understanding of educational issues.

The commitment to participate in Leadership GSBA was formalized with the school systems at each of their school board meetings between August 5 - 15. The school systems selected to participate in the program include DeKalb, Dooly, Floyd, Greene, Glynn and Lowndes County Schools as well as Gainesville City Schools.

“The most effective governance structure for our public schools is one where the school board and superintendent work together in finding ways to improve student achievement,” said GSBA Executive Director Jeannie M. (Sis) Henry.

“GSBA is thankful to Georgia Power for its assistance in making Leadership GSBA a reality. Through collaborations such as this, we can make great strides in helping our public schools become even better.”

Georgia Power’s Vice President for Community and Economic Development, Becky Blalock, praised the participating school systems for their interest in leadership development.

“In order to stay economically viable in a globally competitive environment, a strong public education system is critical. This new training program will help them become better informed and more effective leaders.

Georgia Power is very committed to education, and we believe Leadership GSBA will help bring about a more effective governance structure, resulting in a better public education system throughout Georgia,” Blalock said.

The main emphasis of Leadership GSBA is to create an informed and cohesive leadership team at the local level. By using a team approach to governance, local boards and superintendents can be more effective in instituting improvements in student achievement and school system operations. This “team approach” or “whole board training” is what sets Leadership GSBA apart from other training programs that train individual board members.

During the program, each team will develop an operational plan for improving student achievement in their schools, and that plan will be shared with the community.

After the training concludes, on-going follow-up will take place between GSBA and the school system to track the implementation of their plan.

GSBA is a voluntary association of the state’s 180 public school systems. The association provides training, services and support to assist school boards in carrying out their roles and responsibilities. Its web site, www.gsba.com, provides a wealth of information to school board members and educational leaders.