OSBA adds regional trainer in southern Oregon

After serving as a board member for two different school districts, Michael Campbell brings a unique perspective to his new role as an OSBA regional trainer.

"He has a feel for both big and small districts and how they operate and their differences," said Kristen Miles, OSBA Board Development director.

Campbell, the Phoenix-Talent School Board chair, is the second part-time regional trainer hired by OSBA. He joins InterMountain Education Service District Superintendent Mark Mulvihill, who works with districts in the northeastern part of the state. Campbell will primarily support school boards in Jackson, Josephine, Douglas, Coos, Curry, Klamath, Lake and Harney counties.

These locally based trainers are part of OSBA's commitment to connect school boards with governance experts who know their area while removing barriers to access by reducing travel commitments, said Miles.

OSBA plans to hire additional part-time contractors to serve as trainers in other regions of Oregon, continuing efforts to help boards operate more effectively with their superintendents and community.

Campbell, who previously served on the Medford School Board, said he enjoys working with different boards and understands the importance of relationships, local context and helping boards govern in a way that reflects the values of their communities.

"Boards have to be true to their communities," he said. "It's not a one-size-fits-all approach. I think leaders should be human-centric and people focused. Keep the focus on student outcomes instead of adult inputs."

Board operating agreements, self-evaluation systems and solid superintendent systems help boards do just that, he said.

As they do their work, boards should also consider how their decisions and policies will affect future operations, Campbell said.

"Boards should think past their own term of service and establish a culture of how the school board will operate even after they are gone," he said.

Board trainings are typically three hours long and are tailored to districts' needs on a wide range of topics, including board governance and effective communication.

Campbell is an experienced business executive who at one time owned nine U.S. Cellular stores. He sold the business this year and decided to focus on education, which has long been a passion.

Colleagues describe him as someone who is calm under pressure, listens first and leads with clarity.

"Every decision he makes is based on what's best for kids and how it impacts kids and families," said Brent Barry, Phoenix-Talent School District superintendent.

Dawn Watson, a fellow Phoenix-Talent board member and OSBA Board vice president, said Campbell is "very thoughtful and reasonable and knows his stuff."

"He really cares about public education, students, staff and community," she said. "He knows the importance of working together not only as a board but as a community, with students, staff and families."

Campbell's approach is rooted in the principles of Balanced Governance, based on Thomas Alsbury's research. Alsbury says boards are most effective when they stay focused on student success, maintain clear roles and work in partnership with their superintendent, staff and community.

In Phoenix-Talent, Campbell has helped develop practical board-superintendent agreements, reworked evaluation systems to better reflect shared goals and supported a student board representative program that ensures students have a voice at the table.

He also helped guide the board through major strategic decisions following the 2020 Almeda Fire, including recovery planning, rebuilding trust and keeping the focus on students and families.

Watson said she appreciates OSBA's commitment to hiring trainers with personal knowledge of the regions they serve and an understanding of the cultural differences between districts of different sizes and locations.

"Sometimes there's a disconnect and lack of trust if you're from a rural community," she said. "They think, 'What do those people from Portland and Salem know about my region?' It's beneficial to have someone who has the knowledge of the region to bring tools and solutions.

"I am really excited that OSBA is doing that."

- Connie Potter, OSBA