InterMountain Education Service District representatives, from left, Chief Financial Officer Beth O’Hanlon, Board Chair Kelly Bissinger and Superintendent Mark Mulvihill lead a session on school budgets Sept. 19, 2024, during the Regional Board Conference in Pendleton. The board is accepting applications to fill its Zone 6 position. The deadline to apply is 4 p.m. Feb. 14, 2025.

PENDLETON — Leaders from regional school boards and administrations met Sept. 19 for a Regional Board Conference at the InterMountain Education Service District in Pendleton to receive professional development and build relationships.

Around 40 school board members, superintendents, administrators and other school leaders attended the event, according to a press release from IMESD.

Mark Mulvihill, IMESD superintendent, said in the release this is the second year IMESD has organized the conference. He said it’s valuable for board members and district administrators to share ideas and best practices.

“Providing opportunities for collaboration between our districts is what IMESD is about,” he said, “and this is one more way we offer support to our districts.”

After a networking dinner and superintendents celebrating district successes, the release said, Spencer Lewis from the Oregon School Boards Association gave a presentation about best practices for school boards.

The conference also had breakout sessions, including on superintendent evaluations, creating and managing a school budget and on executive session procedures, which included reasons for using the closed-door meetings, complaint processes and media access to the sessions.