Posted Friday, August 16 at 10:58 AM GSB chosen to be in initial statewide training conference By Jeff Hart GAINESVILLE - Gainesville School Board member Lee Highsmith said she and the rest of the board are a team and want to act like one. That's one reason the board is heading to Monday's Leadership GSBA conference in Dublin. The conference is designed to help school boards and administrators develop stronger and more unified leadership skills. The conference is sponsored by the Georgia School Boards Association with Georgia Power picking up the tabs. The Gainesville board is one of just seven in the state to be invited to take part in the first-ever confere "It's a great honor to be included in the first group. I think it says a lot about the Gainesville system." Lee Highsmith nce. "It's a great honor to be included in the first group," Highsmith said Friday from her home. "I think it says a lot about the Gainesville system." Highsmith said the GSBA used to offer a similar conference with just one board member per group invited. She said this is a step forward. "Before only one person went so not everyone got to benefit from the things they would cover. I think this is a better approach so that everyone can benefit," Highsmith said. Highsmith said the chance to have the board understand its role and how to achieve goals is critical to the overall success of the system. "We've got a new superintendent and a new board member and we need to be a team in getting things done. A conference like this helps give you incite on how to do things," Highsmith said. "We already have a great working relationship and this should just enhance what we've already built. I'm looking forward to it." The board will be making three trips to Dublin, one Monday a month from August through October.