Fitzgerald, Georgia, October 22, 2007:  Ms. Marina Leight, Vice President for Education, Center for Digital Education, along with Verizon Business hosted a reception last week during the National School Board Association Technology Leadership Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.  Ben Hill County was recognized as having ranked 2^nd in the nation in the medium school district's enrollment category for the 2007 Digital School Board Survey.  The Digital School Boards Survey examines how school boards and their districts are applying information technology to better engage local communities and constituents, and improve service delivery and quality of education to public schools.  Survey questions and criteria centered on school boards online presence, technology applications that allow the public to interact with school board members, access to information such as school board calendars, policies and agendas, and technology advancements in the school board meeting rooms.  In addition to the reception, winners shared their projects and best practices at a roundtable session during the NSBA T+L conference.  School Board Chair Shirley Brooks and Board Member Theresa Davis accepted the award for Ben Hill County Schools. 

Board Chair Shirley Brooks and Charles Coney, Director of Technology were guest presenters during a Conference Mini-Academy "Briefing for School Board Members: Vision and Policy for 21st Century Leadership."  This was facilitated by Mark Willis, Assistant Executive Director, Georgia School Board Association.  The panel included Dr. Annette Griffin, Superintendent, Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District, Texas (one of the three technology salute school districts), Thomas Hutton, Senior Staff Attorney NSBA, and Nancy Roche, Board Chair, Forsyth County Schools, Georgia.  The session was hosted by the American School Board Journal.  Topics discussed were:

• School board members key role in setting the district's vision for the future.
• With the rapid pace of technological change, how does a school board member keep pace?
• What policies will be impacted by new technological tools?
• Are cell phones good or bad?
• What should the district be doing to avoid landing in a lawsuit related to new technologies?

This Mini-Academy gave novice board members up-to-speed techniques and provided a concentrated update for more experienced leaders.

“2007's Digital School Board Survey was truly impressive," said Marina Leight, vice president of education for the Center for Digital Education. "America's school districts and school boards continue to find innovative uses for technology that are making our children's schools better year after year."

The Houston County School District in Warner Robins, Georgia took first place in the category of school boards serving 15,000 or more students. The School Board of White County, Cleveland, Georgia took first in the category of 2,501 to 15,000 students. It was in this category that Ben Hill County Schools Board of Education ranked second; tying with Howell Township Board of Education, Howell, New Jersey.  We have current enrollment of 3,600 students.  Maine School Administrative Unit 71, Kennebunk, Maine is the first place winner in the category of less than 2,500 students. Ten winners were announced in each category.

"As technology changes, so does the need for school boards to adapt to new ways of management and communication," said Anne L. Bryant, executive director for the National School Boards Association. "We salute this year's top Digital School Boards that have integrated new technologies and are using them to lead their districts more efficiently."

Verizon Business, which provides advanced communications solutions for education, sponsored the 2007 Digital School Boards Survey.  John Killian, president of Verizon Business, said, "Verizon Business commends school boards and their districts that use new technologies to help promote overall performance and efficiency. We share their commitment to empowering educators with compelling new ways to engage young minds and to facilitate collaboration among administrators, parents, students and the world beyond the four walls of the classroom."

It should be noted that Georgia's school boards once again dominated the top ten winners circle taking 19 out of 34 top-ten awards nationally.  Georgia School Boards Association Executive Director Jeannie M. (Sis) Henry said, "This is the fourth year that Georgia's local boards of education have demonstrated excellence in the use of technology at the governance level. GSBA supports every board in the state in efforts to reach higher levels of achievement."

The Center for Digital Education is a division of e.Republic, Inc., and is a premier resource for technology policy and utilization in K-12 and higher education. From its market intelligence programs, advisory services and research, to its annual events, custom publishing and publications, the Center provides the most dynamic and diverse opportunities for private and public sector leaders to succeed in 21st century education.

Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ), is a leading provider of advanced communications and information technology (IT) solutions to large business and government customers worldwide. Combining unsurpassed global network reach with advanced communications, security and other professional service capabilities, Verizon Business delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world.

Founded in 1940, the National School Boards Association is a not-for profit federation of state associations of school boards representing 95,000 local school board members throughout the United States. Its mission is to foster excellence and equity in public elementary and secondary education through local school board leadership. NSBA represents the school board perspective in working with federal government agencies and national organizations that impact education, and provides vital information and services to state associations of school boards throughout the nation.