November 6, 2023
The Prince George County School Board has been honored by the Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA) with the organization’s Master Board designation following the board’s successful completion of a rigorous multi-month training focused on team building, effective communication, attentive listening, and fostering board-building behaviors.
On Thursday, November 2, 2023, the five-person board, comprising of District 1 representatives Robert E.L. Eley, III and Cecil M. Smith (Chairman), and District 2 representatives Jill A. Andrews (Vice-Chair), Christopher A. Johnson, and Sherry D. Taylor, completed their final Master Board Training session. Since July, the board has participated in four in-depth sessions, receiving over 25 hours of professional development during the VSBA-led sessions.
The Virginia School Boards Association provides tailored professional development and training sessions for school boards throughout Virginia. These sessions are customized to address the specific needs of each school board governance team. The VSBA Master Board Training program steers both school boards and superintendents through a variety of activities and modules. These encompass personality assessments, team-building exercises, and discussions centered on team formation and the myriad aspects of communication.
During the professional development sessions, the board identified characteristics of effective teams, discussed and explored the importance of trust, along with factors that influence trust, while exploring means for increasing board effectiveness. The Prince County George School Board further investigated communication, focusing on ways to provide feedback and responding through interactive problem-based scenarios, while also covering board behaviors and ways to build a strong board through communication and advocacy.
“I want to sincerely thank my fellow board members and our Superintendent, Dr. Lisa Pennycuff,” District 1 member and Prince George County School Board Chairman Cecil M. Smith said. “It's because of their consistent dedication that we've earned the Master Board designation. This accolade emphasizes our board's steadfast pledge to promote student achievement in Prince George County.”
“Achieving the Master Board status demands dedication, energy, and a profound comprehension of sound board governance,” VSBA Executive Director Gina Patterson said. “I am happy to congratulate the Prince George County Governance Team on this outstanding achievement.”
The Prince George County School Board will be recognized during the Virginia School Boards Association’s upcoming annual convention, scheduled to begin Wednesday, November 15, 2023 in Williamsburg.
To learn more about the VSBA, visit their website at http://vsba.org.