RICHMOND, Indiana (October 31, 2025) -Kym Pickering, president of the Richmond Community Schools Board of Trustees, has been recognized by the Indiana School Boards Association (ISBA) as one of 25 outstanding school board presidents in the State of Indiana who earned the 2025 Board Presidents’ Gold Seal Leadership Certification. This certification is ISBA’s highest leadership credential and reflects each recipient’s commitment to excellence in governance and student-focused leadership.
The Gold Seal Certification program is designed to enhance the leadership skills of school board presidents through a rigorous and comprehensive series of professional development activities. Certified leaders gained advanced proficiency in several key areas, including:
- Effective Board Meetings: Facilitating meetings that are efficient, transparent, and inclusive of public and community voices
- Strategic Planning: Crafting long-term plans that drive student achievement and align with district priorities
- Superintendent Evaluation: Leading fair, growth-oriented evaluations that promote accountability and continuous improvement
- Roles and Relationships: Fostering strong, collaborative partnerships to ensure district success
To earn the Gold Seal, participants completed multiple high-impact learning experiences over the past nine months, including:
- ISBA Board Presidents’ Leadership Seminar
- Regional Board Presidents’ Roundtable Forums
- Professional Development Conferences and Seminars
- Presidents’ Breakfast at the Annual Fall Conference
“I commend this impressive group of presidents for their perseverance and commitment to professional growth and effective governance,” said ISBA Executive Director Terry Spradlin. “Gold Seal Certification equips them to lead with greater impact and to elevate student achievement across their districts."
These certified board presidents now join a statewide network of visionary leaders who are dedicated to driving positive change in their communities.
“I applaud the board members who embraced the challenge of the Gold Seal program,” said ISBA Director of Board Services Steve Horton. “Their completion of this certification demonstrates dedication to their district leadership teams, communities, and, most importantly, the children they serve.”