Keith Griffin

Keith Griffin - Leadership for Tomorrow Class of 2019
Posted on 12/30/2019
Keith GriffinKeith Griffin, Seaman USD 345 Board of Education, recently completed participation in the Leadership for Tomorrow Class of 2019, sponsored by the Kansas Association of School Boards. Griffin was one of 26 board of education members and school superintendents/administrators recognized on December 7, 2019.

KASB’s Leadership for Tomorrow program identifies exemplary board of education members, school superintendents and administrators from across Kansas for the year-long leadership program. Those selected for the program participate in five two-day sessions centering on student achievement, key education issues and leadership skills. The sessions included visits and school district presentations on the following dates:

March 2019: Session I included visits to Beloit and North Ottawa County Minneapolis school districts. The group discussed personal leadership and what it means to lead change at the local level.

May 2019: Session II was held in Southeast Kansas, visiting Coffeyville and Neodesha school districts. The group spent time exploring leadership change theories and how they translate to today’s education environment.

July 2019: Session III was held in Manhattan. As part of this session the class observed an active violence drill involving USD 383 staff, state and local law enforcement and emergency management personnel. The group also participated in crisis communication training led by KASB staff.

September 2019: Session IV was held in Southwest Kansas with visits to Lakin and Garden City school districts. Class discussions included group processes for identifying competing values and working through change.

December 5-8, 2019: Session V was held in conjunction with the KASB Annual Conference in Wichita. The group met for a half-day, first completing a Trust Edge self-assessment, then reviewing notes from each site visit and setting priorities for leading local school improvement efforts. Class members then joined KASB Annual Conference early bird sessions on Friday. Class members were honored during a luncheon and graduation on Saturday and recognized during the second general assembly on that day.

This is the 15th KASB Leadership for Tomorrow Graduating Class. To date the program has had 275 graduates, of which 134 were Board of Education Members, 137 were District Administrators and four were KASB Staff Members.

KASB, headquartered in Topeka, Kansas, serves governing boards and administrators of unified school district boards, community college boards of trustees, area vocational-technical college boards and boards of cooperatives, interlocals and regional service centers. Currently the association represents 285 school districts and 42 interlocals, cooperatives, service centers, community colleges and technical colleges.