Schools and Education School Board Chairman Proposes Board Training Facilitated by Top Consultant

BRADENTON — Manatee County School Board Chairman Robert Gause announced Friday his intention to cancel the Florida School Board Association (FSBA) Master Board Training scheduled for next week in Kissimmee and replace it with a training session held at the School Support Center on Friday, May 8th, led by Tarpon, Fla. based facilitator and management consultant Barry Banther.

“We currently have two Board members unwilling to attend the FSBA training in Kissimmee for different reasons, and it is important for the Board to continue building its leadership capacity,” said School Board Chairman Robert Gause. “We are at the start of an important journey together and to be successful, we must work as a cohesive group.” Chairman Gause noted that while the board is working well together, they can always improve.

The School Board’s cost to bring Barry Banther to Bradenton for the training session is $1,500. The School Board’s liaison is contacting the FSBA to explore a refund of the board’s costs for the originally scheduled FSBA training. “Regardless of obtaining a full return of funds from the FSBA, the elimination of food and lodging expenses at the Master Board will offset most, if not all of the cost to bring in Mr. Banther,” said Gause.

Barry Banther is a nationally recognized facilitator for improving leadership skills and through that, improving corporate outcomes. His local clients include The Manatee Chamber of Commerce; Manatee County Government; Manatee County Commission; The Downtown Bradenton Kiwanis Club; Manatee Rural Health and the State College of Florida. Barry has a particular interest in education, having served in the administration of three Florida Governors as their appointee to oversee private higher education. He was elected to an unprecedented 3 back-to-back terms as chairman of the Florida State Board of Independent Colleges and Universities.