Palmetto Promise Hosts Successful School Board Training Event
Palmetto Promise Institute hosted a successful training event for school board members, candidates, and community leaders on Saturday, June 22, in partnership with the Carolinas Academic Leadership Network.
The room was packed with attendees from across the state, all passionate about improving our education system and bringing innovative solutions to the table.
Our speakers covered a wide range of topics, from the history and state of education policy in SC, to campaign communications and branding, to prioritizing academic excellence and student achievement, and expectations and pro tips for school board members.
We are grateful for the contributions of our expert guest speakers: Jonathan Butcher from the Heritage Foundation, Dave Trabert from the Kansas Policy Institute, and Jessica Proctor from North State Solutions.
Attendees enjoyed engaging with a talented panel of current South Carolina school board members: Pam McKinney (Charleston), Jeff Zell (Sumter), and Angela Nash (Richland 2). These board members, moderated by PPI president Wendy Damron, offered real world insights and examples of true school board leadership.
Our own Dr. Oran Smith gave an informative presentation on the state education policy and its history in South Carolina.
We would also like to extend our gratitude to the South Carolina Public Charter School District for allowing us to use their facility.
Here are just a few examples of the feedback we received from attendees:
- “What an incredible day at the Palmetto Promise Institute school board candidate training event with the Carolinas Academic Leadership Network.”
- “Very comprehensive – good flow. What an interactive and effective experience!”
- “When I left the classroom in 2008, I thought that our educational system was in trouble…many of our high school GRADUATES cannot write a sentence in grammatically correct or do 4th and 5th grade math. I can’t and won’t sit back and watch this happen any longer. To be at a meeting with like minded people…was a godsend!”
You can learn more about the mission of the Carolinas Academic Leadership Network in our initial announcement of the project and on their website, schoolboardleader.com. CALN is an award-winning collaboration with the John Locke Foundation and SC Policy Council. We appreciate the contributions of all who made this event a success!
