Online Events

Can’t find the topic you’re looking for? To view more WASB online events, visit the Complimentary Events Video Library and the WASB Online Learning Platform. Formerly subscription-based, the platform was made a complimentary benefit to all WASB members in July 2025. Therefore, some webinars that we’re previously listed in this section are now available in the platform at no charge.

Administrator Contracts Webinar (Nov. 2025)

This presentation covers all aspects of administrator contracts, including the drafting of contracts, contract terms, application of section 118.24 Wis. Stat. to administrator nonrenewals and more. State and federal court decisions on administrator contracts, including the Klaus v. Eau Claire School District case, will be covered.

Annual and Special Meetings: Notices, Procedures and Powers Webinar (June 2024)

This presentation will review the notice requirements for annual and special meetings, cover meeting agendas and procedures and discuss the division of powers between the annual meeting and the school board in common school districts.

Employee Political Speech Webinar (Sept. 2022)

School district officials are rightly cautious about restricting the speech rights of employees. At the same time, public employees must recognize that there are limitations on their freedom of speech. Courts have recognized that public employers may control their employees’ speech in certain instances, particularly where the speech threatens the efficiency of the employer’s operations.

School officials are often confronted with issues surrounding when employees are speaking as an employee or as a citizen. These are particularly challenging issues for school officials to address, particularly when employees are making statements related to school district affairs over social media. This presentation will review the law in this area, including the steps that courts often take in reviewing claims by employees that they are speaking as a citizen rather than as an employee. We will review various court cases in this area, address common scenarios often confronted by schools, and address best practices for addressing these issues.

How to Plan and Conduct Effective Board Meetings Online Workshop (Dec. 2022)

All school boards conduct their business in similar meetings. However, the effectiveness of their meetings can vary widely. How a board sets its agendas and plans for and conducts its meetings can impact the board’s success in moving the needle on student achievement. In this online workshop, experienced WASB school attorneys review the legal requirements for meetings, including a closer look at the Open Meetings Law. They also review board member roles as well as how to structure meetings to achieve different purposes, conduct an effective board meeting, record meetings appropriately and accommodate public participation.

Law Enforcement Interactions and School Safety Plans Webinar (Sept. 2019)

Having safe and productive learning environments is crucial to student achievement. This webinar will cover a wide range of topics related to school safety including: how schools cooperate with law enforcement officers and avoid issues of obstruction of justice; parent notification of student interviews with outside agency personnel at school; school staff presence during an interview with outside agency personnel; law enforcement officer responsibilities related to the protection of student rights, searches and information sharing; removing a student from school; referral to law enforcement authorities; and the School Safety Act and related items.

Properly Classifying and Paying Employees Under the Fair Labor Standards Act Webinar (March 2023)

The Fair Labor Standards Act imposes a litany of compliance duties for school districts concerning their pay practices. This webinar will help attendees to distinguish between employees who are considered “covered” or “non-covered” by the FLSA as well as to determine which employees are considered “exempt” from the FLSA’s minimum wage and overtime requirements. This presentation will also cover the FLSA’s compensatory time and recordkeeping requirements and answer commonly asked questions concerning independent contractors, volunteers, and extracurricular activities advisors.

Public Participation at Board Meetings Webinar (Oct. 2024)

Public comments at meetings can present a difficult balancing act for school boards. While providing regular opportunities for members of the public to offer input is important, the school board also needs to carefully manage its meeting time and encourage constructive discourse. This webinar will identify the relevant legal and policy considerations that a board can use as a guide when it identifies a need to refine its current approach to public participation during meetings.

Rules of Order for Conducting School Board Meetings Webinar (Feb. 2023)

In general, school board meetings are more effective when the board members’ attention is focused on the substance of their decisions, rather than on the procedures that are used to navigate the agenda and reach those decisions. A board policy that establishes a core set of “rules of order” for board meetings can provide a useful, mutually-understood framework for conducting board business. The presentation will provide an overview of areas where state law mandates certain procedures for school board meetings, and it will also identify several areas in which school boards have local flexibility.

School Board Elections Webinar (Oct. 2025)

Wisconsin school districts must comply with numerous statutory obligations related to elections. This presentation features cover key deadlines, required notices and post-election processes. It will be of particular interest to school district clerks and to superintendents’ administrative assistants (who often assist with election duties).

Part 1: Election Notices and Procedures
Part 2: Campaign Finance
Part 3: Q&A

School Board Member Responsibilities Under Public Records Law Workshop (Dec. 2023)

More than ever, individual board members find themselves being asked to respond to public records requests for records that are in their possession or where they are a record subject mentioned in the responsive record. This workshop will address individual board members’ responsibilities under the public records law, answer frequently asked questions that board members have regarding their records and run through scenarios that board members may face regarding public records, including archiving records, responding to records requests and the unique records responsibilities that may come with social media use.