TASBO Report - May 2015 | Page 11

The 2015-2016 class consists of 29 members from a variety of positions and experience levels at both small and large school districts across the state. The inaugral class (pictured above) met at the 2015 Annual Conference and will continue to network online and meet face-to-face throughout the year. The Emerging Leaders participants have four opportunities throughout the year to interact with each other in person. In addition, participants can interact virtually through three webinars and a TASBO Connect forum created just for them. “One great thing about TASBO is the relationships among the members,” said Esmeralda Gonzalez, TASBO’s professional development coordinator. “Helping develop these relationships among up and coming leaders is key. Having a circle of colleagues that you can call to discuss important questions on rules, technology, and so on is so important.” At the February session, the group had plenty of opportunities to connect, including a dinner, a workshop, and various icebreakers. Gonzalez and oth- TASBO.ORG er TASBO staff and members were on hand to get to know the participants and provide mentoring opportunities. Subsequent sessions will have different mentors—TASBO leadership and member volunteers—who will share their experiences and serve as resources for participants. “After the first session, we surveyed the participants and we were happy to see that they were excited about building relationships,” Gonzalez said. “They were able to connect with people they wouldn’t have met otherwise or would have met much later in their careers.” Strategic Planning The program’s curriculum for 20152016 focuses on strategic planning, personal branding, and executive communication. These topics came out of several