Annual Education Conference a positive experience

“You’re my heroes.”
—Author and conference speaker Mark Salzman, to educators in general

“We have to be active board members, engaged in the issues of our communities.”
—Paul H. Chatman, 2007–08 president of CSBA

“Board members, I need your help desperately. Thank God for what you do.”
—State Education Secretary Dave Long

“If we’re going to get more revenue and flexibility, it will be essential that members of local communities understand school budgets and categorical fund restrictions, and that they believe that school boards have been good stewards of resources.”
—Holly Jacobson, CSBA’s assistant executive director for Policy Analysis and Continuing Education, on the Learn More California campaign being conducted by CSBA and the Association of California School Administrators

“I can’t admit that I’ve read it. But I can tell you that it’s disappointing in its tone.”
—CSBA Executive Director Scott P. Plotkin, on an
as-yet unreleased report from the Governor’s Committee on Education Excellence

“Education is really a business of the heart. I know you’re not school board members for the money.”
—Dr. Kathy Kinley, 2006–07 president of CSBA

“Anything you can do to prepare for a really bad year, you should do. Because I think it’s going to be a really bad year.”
—Rick Pratt, CSBA’s assistant executive director for Governmental Relations, on state budget troubles

“I don’t predict, I analyze. I’m like the soldier who tours the field after the battle, shooting the wounded.”
—political analyst Sherry Bebich Jeffe

“It’s absolutely critical that we raise a generation of students who understand information.”
—Karen Cator, director of advocacy leadership, Apple Inc.

“This foster child wanted to know that ‘someone, somewhere has my photo on their refrigerator,’ and he wanted to be able to display some family photos on his refrigerator, too.”
—Luan Rivera, 2005–06 president of CSBA and current chair of the Cities, Counties and Schools Partnership, on the Partnership’s recent report, “Our Children: Emancipating Foster Youth, a Community Action Guide”