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MSBA urges districts to recruit school board candidates, offers training and safety handbook
Summary
Katherine Haristen of the Missouri School Boards Association told the Ste. Genevieve Co. R-II board that districts should begin outreach now to recruit candidates for the next school board election and pointed to free MSBA resources; CES COO John McDonald highlighted The Essential Five handbook for post-crisis leadership.
Katherine Haristen, associate executive director of leadership development for the Missouri School Boards Association, told the Ste. Genevieve Co. R-II Board on Oct. 20 that districts should begin community outreach now to prepare for filing in the next school board election.
"What I think districts and boards should be doing to prepare for candidate filing is getting the word out, letting people know, informing the community," Haristen said, urging boards to host forums and use MSBA's free downloadable presentation and online modules to explain what serving on a board involves.
Haristen outlined resources available on MSBA's website, including guidance on filing deadlines, candidate qualifications and financial-disclosure requirements, and an interactive module that walks potential candidates through board responsibilities. She encouraged superintendents and board secretaries to attend an MSBA webinar on Nov. 4 that will cover candidate filing and elections.
John McDonald, chief operating officer of MSBA's Center for Education Safety, described The Essential Five guide, a handbook MSBA developed to help leaders manage the immediate response and communications after a school crisis. "After a crisis, lost time is lost trust," McDonald said, framing the handbook as a tool for restoring community confidence.
Why it matters: Early outreach and clear candidate information can broaden applicant pools and help districts avoid last-minute vacancies; training for leaders on crisis response aims to shorten the time districts need to regain stakeholder trust after an incident.
The board received the report without formal action.
