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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Newport News School Governance Team Becomes a VSBA Master Board</strong></span>

<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Charlottesville, VA</strong> – The Newport News School Board and Superintendent are the second school governance team in Virginia to earn the designation of a VSBA Master Board. The Team attended three sessions totaling over eighteen hours of professional development beginning in August and concluding on November 6. The discussions, facilitated by staff of the Virginia School Boards Association, focused on team building, improving communication, listening, and board building behaviors.</span>

<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“We are hopeful that Master Board training has given us the leadership skills that our parents, students, and staff need during this time of crisis,” said School Board Chair Douglas Brown. “I would like to thank the entire Board and Superintendent for making the sacrifices necessary to become a Master Board. The Master Board Training has led to several important changes in our policy, meeting structure, and team communication to support the education of our students in Newport News.”</span>

<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“To become a Master Board takes a commitment of time and energy, and a willingness to learn about good board governance practices,” said VSBA Executive Director Gina Patterson. “As only the second board in the state to achieve this honor I would like to congratulate the Newport News Governance Team for this great accomplishment.”</span>

<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The Virginia School Boards Association offers individualized professional development activities and training to school boards across Virginia. These sessions are personalized based on the need of the school board governance team. The VSBA Master Board Training program guides a school board and superintendent through numerous activities and modules that include personality assessments, team building exercises and prompts discussions focused on building a team and the many facets of communication.</span>

<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>About the Virginia School Boards Association</strong></span>

<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Virginia School Boards Association, a voluntary, nonpartisan organization of Virginia school boards, promotes excellence in public education through advocacy, training and services. The Association offers conferences, information, training, and counseling designed to meet the needs of the Commonwealth’s educational leaders.</span>
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