Introducing Sally Howell...
At the Table
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Sandra H. Ray School Board State Board of Education; also serves as the board’s AASB liaison Hometown Tuscaloosa A Board Member for 13 years Books at Bedside Janet Evanovich’s series of Stephanie Plum murder mystery novels
NSBA, other state associations, and state agencies throughout Alabama. This is the first step to successfully representing AASB and ensuring AASB’s interests are brought to the table. Sally’s collaborative nature is also synonymous with such words as ... • Teamwork as with her work with the AASB Board of Directors; • Leadership as with her work with the Alabama Council of School Board Attorneys; and • Relationships such as the ones Sally has built with statewide local board of education members and superintendents.
Education Law and Policy
Inspiration My grandchildren, especially at this time of the year. They just always seem to have wide-eyed enthusiasm and lots of excitement. It’s like the world just starts speeding up when school starts.
Sally received her juris doctor degree in May 2003 from the Birmingham School of Law while working at AASB. Her law school education has greatly benefited AASB with her work in education policy, legal publications and guidance to local school systems.
Motto as a Board Member I believe in what the physicians say about trying to do no harm. Make better but not make worse.
Enthusiasm
Walter Mitty Fantasy I would take a month and paint in France and Italy. Advice to New Board Members Ask a lot of questions. Greatest Accomplishment as a Board Member I think we’ve increased the standards of what we expect of our students and teachers and parents in education. We’ve certainly increased our expectations. Pet Peeve as a Board Member The real annoyance is so much information is generated that we really don’t have time to decipher it all. It needs to come down in some kind of format that we can all understand. I’m real big on the “Sandra Ray Report,” which is a one-page executive summary for reports that can sometimes get to be over six or eight pages. We don’t always get that for a lot of reasons. That’s the biggest frustration. Reason I Like Being an AASB Member One reason is that it is an important component of our public education environment. AASB represents an important segment, and it’s important for the board to have a liaison who understands the issues from different sides. I take the views from AASB to the board and express those, and I often take the board’s position and express that to AASB. My Epitaph Life is better because of her.
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Sally’s enthusiasm for the association is remarkable. She is committed to seeing that our association makes a distinctive impact in the education of children across Alabama. She plans to be a catalyst for increasing support for public education From my many conversations with Sally, I know she is looking forward to working with the AASB Board of Directors, the AASB staff, the education community and the entire membership to move the association to greater heights. The AASB Board of Directors is confident that Sally will deliver superior performance in her new role as executive director. ▲ Education News Continued from page 5
said NSBA Executive Director Anne L. Bryant. “The challenge for school boards and educators is that they have to keep pace with how students are using these tools in positive ways and consider how they might incorporate this technology into the school setting.” Nearly 60 percent of online students report discussing education-related topics such as college or college planning and careers. Fifty percent say they talk specifically about schoolwork. Students report they spend almost as much time using social networking services and Web sites as they do watching television. For the full study, visit http://files.nsba.org/creatingandconnecting.pdf. (Continued on page 28) Alabama School Boards • August/September 2007 27