Board members report IASB conference takeaways on culture, bullying policy and district partnerships
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Summary
Southeast Polk board delegates returned from the IASB/UEN conference with recommendations on district‑city collaboration, systemic bullying/harassment processes, strategic planning, and AI in classrooms; delegates praised keynote speakers on communication and culture.
Board delegates shared highlights and lessons from the recent Iowa Association of School Boards and UEN conference.
Delegates said sessions emphasized stronger intentional collaboration between districts and city governments, including regular briefings to elected officials and coordinated goals for shared facilities and investments. Several delegates described a session on systemwide approaches to bullying and harassment that uses McGrath Training Solutions implementation tools to create clear reporting pathways, risk assessments and training for different stakeholder groups, including bus drivers.
Delegates also reported sessions on strategic planning and finance, including funding strategies and use of Title and at‑risk funds, and a session on artificial intelligence integration that covered curriculum possibilities and legal considerations. Multiple board members described the conference keynotes as moving and applicable to district communication goals: strong, consistent communication was framed as a way to fill informational gaps and shape community perception.
No policy actions or funding decisions were made at the board meeting as a direct result of conference takeaways; delegates recommended continued discussion about which practices the district should adopt or study further.