The start of November at OSBA means one thing: it’s Capital Conference season, folks! We are just over a week away from welcoming thousands of board members, administrators and other school district professionals to Columbus for our annual Capital Conference. We’re excited to see all of you, and we think the conference will be more valuable than ever for our attendees.
In the legal division, we especially hope to see you at our annual School Law Workshop, which is a Tuesday staple at the Conference. This is a great opportunity to learn from experienced practitioners about some of the most important legal issues facing school district leadership today. Here is a run-down of our workshop, which is scheduled take place in Room A 210-212 at the Convention Center:
8:25 a.m. Welcome
8:30 a.m. Sports for all students
Learn requirements and best practices for when students with disabilities participate in your sports program, and when home-schooled students and students who attend school other than in your district want to participate in your district's sports program.
David Hirt and Susan Anderson, Roetzel & Andress
9:30 a.m. Break
9:45 a.m. Navigating tense times in school board meetings
Using a mixture of case law updates and real-life examples, this presentation will discuss best practices in leading public hearings and board meetings through tense topics, balancing the interests of the First Amendment and efficiently conducting the business of the district where you serve.
Charles Galvin, Board Member, Mason City Schools/Attorney, Frost Brown Todd and Alex Ewing, Frost Brown Todd
10:45 a.m. Break
11 a.m. When school labor unions strike
In 2022, the teachers in Ohio’s largest school district went on strike for 3 days. In this session, the district’s legal counsel and board president will discuss the legal and practical issues associated with a public sector strike, the influence of the national labor movement, planning efforts to minimize the impact on students, and rebuilding relationships after a strike.
Julie C. Martin, Scott Scriven and Jennifer Adair, Columbus City Schools
12 noon Lunch
1:30 p.m. Employee absenteeism and staffing shortages
Join two veteran school board attorneys in addressing a new look at an old problem -- employee absenteeism. This presentation will provide attendees with updates on leave options and legal parameters with a focus on targeted strategies for addressing chronic employee absence in a time of significant staffing shortages.
John Britton and Pam Leist, Ennis Britton
2:30 p.m. Break
2:45 p.m. Outside financial support: School foundations and booster groups
Many districts rely on outside support organizations to augment the district's financial resources and support the educational, athletic, and other experiences of the districts' students. But a district's relationships with its support organizations can sometimes give rise to legal issues for the district. This session will discuss potential legal pitfalls schools can encounter with outside organizations and how to navigate them.
Karrie Kalail, Peters, Kalail & Markakis
3:45 p.m. Closing remarks and adjournment
Attorneys planning to attend the event should note that it has been approved for 5.0 hours of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit. We hope you are all able to take advantage of hearing from these distinguished speakers. Members of the legal division will also be on hand, and we hope you’ll stop by and say “hello” when you see us.
We will see you in Columbus this coming November 12-14!