IASB Board Meets Twice, Committees Assigned 

The IASB Board of Directors met twice in November at the Hyatt Regency Chicago in conjunction with the Joint Annual Conference. The first meeting on November 17 preceded the Conference. Directors met again on November 20, the final day of Conference, to organize committees for the new year. 

The Board welcomed new West Cook Division Director Janice Roeder (Rhodes SD 84.5). A new Board Member Orientation session preceded the first board meeting. 

Directors reviewed the summary of the board self-evaluation conducted in August. President Simon Kampwerth Jr. asked Directors to consider areas of board refinement on board training/development opportunities, onboarding new members, and sustaining leadership. 

Executive Director Tom Bertrand provided an update on Association operations and progress toward the strategic goals approved by the board.  

Board updates included  

• COSSBA – Kampwerth and Bertrand continue to serve as Chairs of the Transition Steering Committee of the Consortium of State School Boards Associations (COSSBA). The Committee meets again in December before the national organization’s Board of Directors is seated in January. COSSBA has launched a search for its first Executive Director, and registration for the COSSBA Inaugural National Conference, March 30-April 2 in Tampa, Florida, is now open. 

• IASB Executive Director Search – Immediate Past President Tom Neeley informed directors of the search timeline for the Association’s next executive director. A survey of staff and stakeholders concluded and IASB announced the position opening on November 5.  
  

• Joint Annual Conference – 2022 Conference Committee co-chairs Chris Buikema (Northwest) and Alva Kreutzer (North Cook) previewed activities and pre-registration numbers for the 2022 Joint Annual Conference. Directors discussed efforts to engage with attendees throughout the three-day event. 

The board convened again the day following the election of officers by the IASB Delegate Assembly. Simon Kampwerth Jr. (Peru ESD 124) begins a second one-year term as president and Mark Harms (Flanagan-Cornell USD 74) a second one-year term as vice president. 

Director Tim Custis (Central Illinois Valley) continues as Treasurer, a two-year term elected by the board in 2021. 

Directors elected to join the officers and treasurer on the Executive Committee for 2023 were Mark Christ (Southwestern), Linda Eades (Kaskaskia), Marc Tepper (Lake), Tracie Sayre (Two Rivers), alternate Thomas Ruggio (DuPage), and alternate Michelle Skinlo (Illini).  

Appointments to the 2023 audit, nominating, and policy review standing committees were also made. Conference Co-Chairs for 2023 are Joyce Dickerson (South Cook) and Jim McCabe (Starved Rock). Sheila Nelson (Shawnee) was appointed as representative to COSSBA’s Urban Boards Alliance. 

The next quarterly board meeting will be March 3-4, 2023. Approved minutes from board meetings can be accessed on the IASB website.