CLAS SCHOOL Fall 2022 Vol. 50 Iss. 3 New Options for Teacher RequirementsTesting View updates to traditional and alternative certification programs and waivers. Updates on Taking a Knee with the Team Check to see if your policies are aligned to recent legal decisions. RecapConvention Check out our photo galleries for all your favorite things from this year’s CLAS Convention. TimeMembership Don’t forget to renew your CLAS membership to keep getting all the valuable membership benefits.
SB-32685-1019 Education professionals deserve a specialist. Learn more atEMPLOYERamericanfidelity.com/educationBENEFITSOLUTIONS FOR “AmericanEDUCATION Fidelity is a partner with our employees, and they’re always going to look for what’s best.” American Fidelity Assurance Company See more of this americanfidelity.com/Californiastory:Since 1960, the education community has turned to us for employee benefits, education, and enrollment they can trust. We’d love to help you, too. Learn more at americanfidelity.com/education Renee Hendrick Associate Superintendent, Orange County Dept. of Education
Fall Issue 2022 3 CLAS Officers President Dr. Bob Lawry Hoover City Schools President-Elect Chris McCullar Walker County Center of Technology Past President Donald Turner, Jr. Alabama Association of Secondary School Principals (AASSP) Carrie Busby .................................. Mountain Brook High School Dr. Brain Clayton James Clemens High School David Diaz Satsuma High School Dr. Jason Goodwin ............................... Russellville High School Dr. Antjuan Marsh Robert E. Lee High School Wes Rogers Elmore County High School Bennie Shellhouse.................................. Andalusia City Schools Seth Taylor Pleasant Valley High School Alabama Association of Elementary School Administrators (AAESA) Dana Bottoms ........................... W J Carroll Intermediate School Veronica Coleman Chastang-Fornier K-8 School Dr. Charles Gardner Hokes Bluff Elementary School Dr. Margaret Jones ..................... Edgewood Elementary School Dr. Waller Martin Enterprise Early Education Center Dr. Jami Rainey Northridge Middle School Dr. Stan Stokley ............................. Saraland Elementary School Dr. Dilhani Uswatte Rocky Ridge Elementary School Alabama Association of Middle School Principals (AAMSP) Cassandra Anderson Straughn Middle School Andy Carpenter Wellborn High School Dr. Tamala Maddox i3 Academy - Middle School Tony Sanders Greensboro Middle School Alabama Council of Administrators of Special Education (ALA-CASE) Dr. Charla DeLeo ...................................... Brewton City Schools Dr. Annie Spike Marshall County Schools Courtney Utsey Selma City Schools Alabama Child Nutrition Directors (ACND) Melinda Bonner Hoover City Schools Alabama Leaders Advocating for English Learners (ALA-EL) Dr. Stefanie Underwood ............................ Decatur City Schools Alabama Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (AASCD) Dr. Lisa Beckham Samford University Ashley Catrett Crenshaw County Schools Dr. Patrick Chappell. ........................................................ Retired Dr. Justin Hefner Homewood City Schools Dr. Carlos Nelson Sheffield City Schools Dr. Evelyn Nettles-Hines..................... Birmingham City Schools Alabama Association for Prevention, Attendance and Support Services (AAPASS) Casey Davis Tallapoosa County Schools Amanda Hood Mountain Brook City Schools Bobby Jackson Retired Alabama Association of Career/ Technical Administrators (ACTA) Connie Davis ......................................... Demopolis High School Chris McCullar Walker County Center of Technology School Superintendents of Alabama (SSA) Christie Finley Huntsville City Schools Dr. Suzanne Lacey ............................ Talladega County Schools Dr. Chuck Ledbetter Pelham City Schools Dr. Aaron Milner Saraland City Schools Dr. Timothy Thurman ................................... Linden City Schools Alabama Association of School Personnel Administrators (AASPA) Dr. David Asbury ...................................... Gadsden City Schools Dr. Allison Mays Tuscaloosa County Schools Alabama Association of 504 Coordinators (ALA504) Dr. Richard Templeton Muscle Shoals City Schools Affiliate Presidents Dr. Jan Tribble AASCD President Dr. Waller Martin .............................................. AAESA President Michael Romine ................................................. ACTA President Dr. Bob Lawry .............................................. AAPASS President David Sikes AASSP President Dr. Resia Brooks AASPA President James Chapman SSA President Dr. Ross Reed AAMSP President Lana Tew ALA-CASE President Patrick McGavin ACND President Dr. Jason Barnett ALA-EL President Dr. Annie Spike ............................................... ALA504 President 2022-2023 CLAS Board of Directors
contents ISSUE 4 Fall Issue 2022 CLAS Leadership Officers rotate following CLAS Convention 06 Leadership Award Dr. Carlos Nelson is 2022 recipient 10 Thanks to Sponsors We couldn’t do it without our Official Convention Sponsors 15 Director’s View Back in the Swing of Things 08 Membership It’s time to join/renew for 2022-2023 11 CLASDirectoryStaff Meet the CLAS staff 09 Convention Highlights Photos and memories from the 2022 CLAS Convention 16 AdministratorsoftheYear Recognition for those honored throughout the year 22 ALSDE Update New Options for Teacher Testing Requirements 18 Legal Forum Update on Taking a Knee with the Team 20
Fall Issue 2022 5 CLAS Schools of Distinction Schools recognized from each State School Board District 24 Partnership Directory 2022-23 CLAS Business Partners & Sponsors 44 NAESP LeadershipPre-K-3Academy Cohort participants recognized at CLAS Convention 29 Ethically Speaking Can You Work Professionally for Others While Employed by Your Board of Education? 32 Upcoming Events CLAS and Affiliate Conferences 36 CLAS Banner Schools Eight schools are chosen from the CLAS Schools of Distinction 23 SpecialUpdateEducation Non-ResidentPoliciesEnrollment 34 ProfessionalUpdateLearning ConnectLeadership:~Inspire~ Thrive 38 Dr. James A. Street Award Craig Ford named the 2022 recipient 28 CollaborationCollegiate Principal Burnout 40 CertifiedLeadersInstructional Credentials received at the 2022 CLAS Convention 26 Little RedAwardSchoolhouse Dr. Brenda Rickett named the 2022 recipient 27
At the Closing General Session, 2021-2022 CLAS President Donald Turner, Jr., bestowed the presidential position upon Lawry during the Passing of the Gavel ceremony. Lawry was elected to a three-year term, starting as president-elect, on the CLAS Board of Directors in 2021. He will preside over the CLAS organization for the 2022-2023 year and will finish his term as past president in the 20232024 year. Lawry currently serves as the director of student services for the Hoover City School System. He is also a member of the Alabama Association for Prevention, Attendance, and Support Services (AAPASS). Lawry’s presidential nomination was made by OutgoingAAPASS.President Donald Turner was presented with a plaque commemorating his service. He was also presented with a president’s ring provided by Herff Jones. Turner was nominated for CLAS President by the Alabama Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (AASCD) in 2020. On July 1, Turner assumed the past president’s position on the CLAS Board of Directors.
At the 2022 CLAS Convention, CLAS welcomed incoming president Dr. Bob Lawry, and announced Chris McCullar, as president-elect.
CLAS2022-2023LeadershipAnnounced Awards & Recognitions Visit us online for program details and application information www.clasleaders.org/awards
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DIRECTOR’S view
Dr. Vic Wilson Executive Director CLAS
Back in the Swing of Things
Many of our members also attended other state and national conferences this summer, and I hope you were able to gain valuable insight during any confer ence you attended. I was able to attend the NAESP conference and enjoyed the event and the venue. We have also had local professional learning, sum mer school, and other events at every system in the state. The amount of work being done by the educators across the state is staggering. Our members are working hard to have a positive impact on those under their care. Thank you all for that! Summer is not free time; summer is simply different work designed to impact the learning environment. Every aspect of summer is designed to get you ready for the opening of school. This includes your down time. If you fail to schedule time to relax, you run the risk of having a negative impact on the school year. Please take care of yourself so you can take care of everyone else. Too often, leaders fail to care for themselves. To that end, we are adding professional learning opportunities for this very aspect. We want to give you tools to help with every aspect of the job, and that includes self-care.
The 2022-2023 school year will be a great year for students in Alabama because of the exceptional work being done by school leaders, teachers, board mem bers, and support personnel around the state. Thank you all for your hard work! Finally, remember to craft your narrative or someone will craft it for you. Sincerely,
Hello everyone, By the time you read this, summer will have effectively ended for school personnel and students as many of our schools begin professional learn ing in early August and students follow shortly thereafter. It is my hope that you were able to enjoy some quality time with friends, family and/or alone. I was able to do all three, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I also needed the alone time. Just Thesayin’…51st CLAS Convention was a success with almost 1000 people in attendance in Birmingham, AL. Thanks to the hard work of the CLAS Staff and volunteers, we had a wonderful convention with great speakers from around the state, region, and nation. We also had great networking oppor tunities and collaborative time with friends and colleagues. Many of you also took time to visit the historic venues in Birmingham during the confer ence. As always, let us know if you have ideas that can strengthen our convention or other professional learning events.
and
CLAS Leadership Award Nominees Casey Davis Alabama Association for Prevention, Attendance and Support Services (AAPASS) Bobby Tittle Alabama Association of Secondary School Principals (AASSP) Chresal Threadgill School Superintendents of Alabama (SSA) Amanda Carlson Alabama Child Nutrition Directors (ACND) Carlos Nelson Alabama Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (AASCD) Latanza Harrison Alabama Association of School Personnel Administrators (AASPA) Tamala Maddox Alabama Association of Middle School Principals (AAMSP) Matt Scott Alabama Association of Elementary School Administrators (AAESA) Bruce Prescott Alabama Council of Administrators of Special Education (ALA-CASE) Richard Templeton Alabama Association of 504 Coordinators (ALA504)
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Leadership Award learning opportunities through central office boot camps, drive-in sessions, and book studies.He is a
of intense personal character and is passionate
of
education
for all -
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Dr. Carlos Nelson, superintendent of the Sheffield City School System, was chosen as the 2022 CLAS Leadership Award recipient sponsored by Horace Mann. This award was announced during the Awards Luncheon at CLAS Convention on June 14, 2022. CLAS Executive Director Dr. Vic Wilson and representatives from Horace Mann presented Nelson with a $1,000 check. Horace Mann sponsors this award annually. Out of ten worthy nominees for this honor, Nelson best exemplified the leadership characteristics the award is intended to recognize. His nomination was made by the Alabama Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (AASCD). This prestigious award has been given each year since 1980 by the CLAS Board of Directors to a CLAS member who is proven to be an exemplary leader, not only in the local school system, but also in their affiliated member Dr.organization.Nelsoncompleted his second year as AASCD president. As AASCD president, Nelson identified areas in which he thought AASCD needed to improve, and throughout his two-year term, he helped the association to realize those goals. Membership increased, professional learning increased, and communication increased as a result of his Anleadership.innovative and visionary leader, Nelson helped increase participation in the AASCD Winter Conference as well has enhance the professional Dr. Carlos Nelson Receives CLAS man about work education, truly believing is students, teachers, administrators.
PO Box Montgomery,428 AL 36101-0428 (800) 239-3616 | (334) 265-3610 membership@clasleaders.orghttps://www.clasleaders.org Membership2022-2023Information AdvancingPublicEducation Professional Learning Networking Opportunities Legal Defense & Support Legislative AwardsCommunicationAdvocacy&Information&RecognitionPrograms Join Now!
Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools 2022-2023 MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION www.clasleaders.org P.O. Box 428, Montgomery, AL 36101-0428 (334) 265-3610 | (800) 239-3616 | (334) 265-3611 Fax How to Join CLAS Complete the membership form and check the appropriate pay ment type. If you are already a member on payroll deduction, then use this form ONLY for changes. For questions, please con tact the CLAS office at (800) 239-3616. CLAS Membership Dues Full Membership Individual membership is paid by the individual and is open to those who hold positions in educational leadership. CLAS provides professional de velopment, communications, legal services, legislative representation, rec ognition, and more to all members $284.00 Institutional membership is paid and owned by the school, system, or educational institution for that position and is transferrable. The individual will receive all membership benefits............................................... $284.00 Other Membership Options Retired membership is open to retired school administrators (will retain legal defense with continuous membership) ..................................... $75.00 At Large membership is open to employees who are not employed in a school system. This includes State Department of Education personnel, educational leadership professors, etc. $75.00 Aspiring Administrator/Emerging Leader membership is open for those who hold or seek administrative certification, or any educator identified as a potential leader who is not yet practicing in a leadership role (teachers, non-administrators) ............................... $75.00 Other memberships are not permitted to hold office, vote, utilize the Legal Defense Fund, and are not required to join an affiliate. Affiliate Membership Dues For individual or institutional members, membership in one of the following organizations is required. Alabama Association of Secondary School Principals (AASSP) Active $95 Reduced price for new Active members ................................................. $50 Aspiring Administrator $50 Reduced price for new Aspiring Administrators...................................... $30 Alabama Association of Elementary School Administrators (AAESA) Active ........................................................................................................ $106 Aspiring Administrator $33 Retired $0 Alabama Association of Middle School Principals (AAMSP) $70 Reduced price for new members .............................................................. $35 School Superintendents of Alabama (SSA) SSA System Membership ............................... Approved by Superintendent Retired or Associate members Join thru SSA Alabama Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (AASCD) $50 Alabama Council of Administrators of Special Education (ALA-CASE) $40 Alabama Association of Prevention, Attendance, and Support Services (AAPASS) $30 Alabama Child Nutrition Directors (ACND) ................................................... $25 Alabama Association of Career/Technical Administrators (ACTA/ALACTE) $125 Alabama Association of School Personnel Administrators (AASPA) $40 Alabama Leaders Advocating for English Learners (ALA-EL) $50 Alabama Association of 504 Coordinators (ALA504) $25 National Membership Dues Membership in these national organizations is not required unless otherwise specified; however, CLAS supports the concept of total involvement and recommends national membership. National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) Active $259 Includes $2 million liability insurance. Visit naesp.org for details. Institutional .............................................................................. $309 Includes $2 million liability insurance. Visit naesp.org for details. Assistant Principal $219 Includes $2 million liability insurance. Visit naesp.org for details. Aspiring Administrator $99 Emeritus $99 Association of Career Technical Education (ACTE) ....................... $80 The Council for Exceptional Children/Council of Administrators of Special Education (CEC/CASE) $135 National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Active ...................................................................................... $250 Includes $1 million liability insurance. Visit nassp.org for details. Institutional $250 Includes $1 million liability insurance. Membership is transferable. Visit nassp.org for details. Reduced price for new Active or Institutional $215 Retired Member (must have been a member for at least one year) $50 Method of Payment We accept purchase orders and payment-in-full with a school/ system check, personal check, or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, and Discover). Payroll deduction is available if your system participates. Dues will be deducted monthly, and will automatically renew each year. If payroll deduction is selected, please complete the other side of this form, sign the payroll deduction authorization, and return to CLAS. Please make checks payable to: P.O.CLASBox 428 Montgomery, AL 36101-0428 Return forms by email to membership@clasleaders.org, fax to (334) 265-3611, or join/renew online at www.clasleaders.org Title II funds cannot be used to pay for legal defense ($30)
Individual Information Prefix First Name Middle Name Last Name DatePosition/TitleofBirth Personal Mobile Phone Home Phone Personal Email Address Home Address City State Zip Code Method of Payment ¨ Check # ¨ PO Invoice# To: ¨ Payroll Deduction (authorization agreement must be signed below) PLEASE VERIFY YOUR SYSTEM’S PARTICIPATION ¨ Visa/MasterCard/Discover School/Organization Information School/Organization Name CityAddress State Zip Code Work Phone Extension Work Mobile Phone Work Email Address School System Preferred Address: ¨ Home ¨ Work Preferred Phone: ¨ Mobile ¨ Home ¨ Work Recruiter Information - New Members Only I was recruited by: Payroll Deduction Authorization (please verify your system’s participation): I autho rize the Board of Education to automatically deduct dues each year for membership in the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools and such other affiliated professional organizations as indicated on this form unless I revoke this authorization in writing prior to Sept. 15 of any given school year. If for any reason employment is terminated, any amount still owed will be deducted from the last payroll check or be the individual’s responsibility. Death of the member shall revoke this authorization, and no further deduction shall be made. This authorization shall permit and accept any changes in the amount of dues officially adopted by CLAS and affiliated organizations on this form. Signature Date Where to Send This Form Mail to: P.O.CLASBox Montgomery,428 AL 36101-0428 Fax to: (334) 265-3611 Email to: membership@clasleaders.org Address questions to (800) 239-3616 or membership@clasleaders.org COUNCIL FOR LEADERS IN ALABAMA SCHOOLS 2022-2023 Membership Form July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023ExpiresRegardless6/30/2023ofJoinDate GRAND TOTAL: $_______ CLAS is a non-profit organization exempt from income tax under Code Section 501 (c)(6). Contributions or gifts are not deductible as charitable contributions for Federal Income Tax purposes. www.clasleaders.org Card Number: ___________ - ___________ - ___________ - ___________ CVV: Expiration Date: _____/_____ Cardholder’s Name: Cardholder’s ___________________________________Address: Cardholder’s Phone: Cardholder’s Signature: (on back of card) A. CLAS Membership - Required Individual/Institutional ...................................................................................... ¨ $284 B. State Affiliate Dues - At Least One Affiliate is Required AASSP Active (Secondary Principals) ¨ $95 Renew ¨ $50 New AAESA Active (Elementary Principals) ¨ $106 AAMSP (Middle-Level Principals) ............................................ ¨ $70 Renew ¨ $35 New SSA (Superintendents) Must be approved by Superintendent ¨ AASCD (Curriculum & Supervision) ¨ $50 ALA-CASE (Special Education) ¨ $40 AAPASS (Prevention, Attendance, Support) ¨ $30 ACND (Child Nutrition) ¨ $25 ACTA/ALACTE (Career/Tech) ............................................................................. ¨ $125 AASPA (Personnel & HR) ¨ $40 ALA-EL (Leaders of English Learning) ¨ $50 ALA504 (504 Coordinators) ¨ $25 C. National Affiliate Dues - Optional NAESP Active* (Elementary Principals) ¨ $259 NAESP Institutional* (Elementary Principals) ¨ $309 NAESP Assistant Principal* (Elementary Principals) ¨ $219 ACTE (Career/Tech) ¨ $80 CEC/CASE (Special Education)............................................................................... ¨ $135 NASSP Active** (Secondary Principals) ¨ $250 Renew ¨ $215 New NASSP Institutional** (Secondary Principals, Transferrable) ¨ $250 Renew ¨ $215 New A. CLAS Membership - Required Retired................................................................................................................... ¨ $75 Emeritus membership may include legal services if no lapse from from full membership. At Large (Non-School/System Employee)...................................................................... ¨ $75 Aspiring Administrator/Emerging Leader ¨ $75 B. State Affiliate Dues - Optional AASSP Active (Secondary Principals) ¨ $95 Renew ¨ $50 New AASSP Aspiring Admin (Secondary Principals) .................... ¨ $50 Renew ¨ $30 New AAESA Aspiring Admin (Elementary Principals) ¨ $33 AAESA Emeritus (Elementary Principals, For Retirees Only) ¨ $0 AAMSP (Middle-Level Principals) ¨ $70 Renew ¨ $35 New SSA (Superintendents)........................... Must be approved by Superintendent ¨ AASCD (Curriculum & Supervision) ¨ $50 ALA-CASE (Special Education) ¨ $40 AAPASS (Prevention, Attendance, Support) ¨ $30 ACND (Child Nutrition) ......................................................................................... ¨ $25 ACTA/ALACTE (Career/Tech) ¨ $125 AASPA (Personnel & HR) ¨ $40 ALA-EL (Leaders of English Learning) ¨ $50 ALA504 (504 Coordinators) ¨ $25 C. National Affiliate Dues - Optional NAESP Aspiring Administrator (Elementary Principals) ¨ $99 NAESP Retired (Elementary Principals) ¨ $99 ACTE (Career/Tech) ¨ $80 CEC/CASE (Special Education) ¨ $135 NASSP Retired (Secondary Principals) ¨ $50 GRAND TOTAL: $_______ I. CLAS DUES - Full Membership with Legal Services (For school/system employees with administrative or supervisory positions ONLY) II. CLAS DUES - Membership without Legal Services (For retirees, consultants, SDE, Higher Ed., teachers, non-supervisory employees, etc.) * NAESP Active, Institutional, and Assistant Principal Memberships Include $2 Million Liability Insurance. Visit naesp.org for details. ** NASSP Active and Institutional Memberships Include $1 Million Liability Insurance. Visit nassp.org for details. Title II funds cannot be used to pay for legal defense ($30)
Fall Issue 2022 15 thanks our 2022 CLAS Official Convention Sponsors! FUNDRAISING | E-COMMERCE Learning Solutions Interior Elements ®
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Weattendance.arealready making plans
More details will be coming soon. Please make plans to join us
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The 2022 CLAS Convention was our 51st annual convention, and it was an amazing experience! We were able to host approximately 950 Alabama school and system leaders at the BJCC in Birmingham. Attendees were able to participate in sessions presented by nationally reknowned speakers including Donna Porter, DJ Batiste, Baruti Kafele, and Katie Martin. Local and regional education experts also presented on top ics relevant to educators today. sessions, attendees had time to network, peruse the exhibit hall, and fel lowship with one another. Many administrators began PLU journeys with convention for the 2023 Convention. We’ll beautiful, historic Mobile, Alabama. June 11-14, 2023!
Between
be in
Dr. Eric Mackey Alabama State Superintendent of Education Nationally, we are experiencing a critical shortage of teachers in some of the most vulnerable school systems, and in some of the most needed areas of education. In Alabama, we are adjusting to help meet the needs of our school systems, without diluting the quality of the professionals charged with the most noble task of educating our children. Recently, the Alabama State Board of Education (SBOE) approved an expansion of current testing requirement options, that allows aspiring classroom teachers to begin their careers as educators if all certification requirements have been met, except the required score on the Praxis subject area test(s). These additional options, which began on July 12, 2022, are for newcomers into the teaching profession and they do not apply unilaterally for anyone seeking a teaching certificate. The options apply to teachers who are completing initial certification programs at an Alabama college or university and for non-traditional teachers who did not complete an Educator Preparation Program and are seeking certification through an alternate route. The options cannot be used to add additional teaching fields to an existing certificate. Additionally, these options do not modify the required scores for the Foundations of Reading test or the edTPA. These modifications only apply to Praxis subject area tests.
INITIAL COLLEGEPROGRAMSCERTIFICATIONATANALABAMAORUNIVERSITY
One new option allows individuals who are within one standard error of measure of the required Praxis score to receive their teaching certificate if all other requirements have been met. One may ask, “how is one standard error of measure determined?” Well, it is not a number that the casual observer can calculate. And it is different for every teaching field. It’s based on the number of people who have taken a particular test, and that number is applied to a statistical formula to determine what equals one standard error of measure.
The adjustment allows those who score within one standard error of measure of the required Praxis score to obtain a teaching certificate, without diminishing the quality of educators going into Alabama classrooms. Those taking advantage of this modification must achieve a higher teaching field grade point average (GPA) to demonstrate adequate
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NEW OPTIONS for TESTINGTEACHER REQUIREMENTS
There is also an option for non-traditional teachers who did not complete an Educator Preparation Program and are seeking certification through an alternate route. These individuals may score within one standard error of measure on the required Praxis subject area test if their overall bachelor’s degree GPA is 2.5 or higher and they have at least 15 semester hours of college coursework with a grade of B or above in the content area they will teach.
EXTRAORDINARY CRITICAL NEED STAFFING WAIVER
Lastly, in an effort to assist school systems in Alabama that are experiencing critical shortages in the number of teacher applicants, the SBOE approved an Extraordinary Critical Need Staffing Waiver specifically for individuals who have completed an initial certification program at an Alabama college or university. If all additional certification requirements are met and the waiver is approved by the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE), an individual who scores within two standard errors of measure of the required Praxis score may be granted a NonProfessional Temporary Certificate. With the support of the employing LEA and a high-quality mentor, to transition to a Professional Educator Certificate, the individual must earn the required Praxis score(s) for the specific content area OR score within one standard error of measure of the required Praxis score AND complete 100 hours of high-quality professional development in the content area. These additional options are available for the next two school years. Although Alabama is beginning to see improvements in some school systems, much of the state is still struggling to find educators. Education is still reeling from the impact of the COVID -19 crisis and the current teacher shortage is not unique to Alabama. These new options represent the efforts of the ALSDE and the SBOE to fill vacancies with qualified individuals who are close to completing current certification requirements. They provide options to place individuals who are committed to the field of education and desire a professional career as an educator in vacant classrooms and/or classrooms that are currently experiencing a revolving door of substitute Asteachers.wecontinue moving toward normalcy, we must recruit dedicated, hard-working professionals into the field of education to meet the challenge of preparing every child, every chance, every day, for life after high school. Our hope is that these additional options, along with several other undertakings by the ALSDE, will help ensure Alabama students have high quality educators in their classes every day.
Fall Issue 2022 19 content knowledge and offset the lower Praxis score. This option requires a 2.75 teaching field GPA, as opposed to the 2.5 teaching field GPA required with the current Praxis score. If the 2.75 teaching field GPA is not attained, the individual may be employed on a Non-Professional Temporary Certificate while working towards attaining a passing Praxis score or completing 100 hours of high-quality professional development in the content area.
NON-TRADITIONAL TEACHERS AND CERTIFICATION THROUGH AN ALTERNATE ROUTE
UPDATE ON TAKING A KNEE THEWITHTEAM
Continued on Page 30
In 2008, we contributed for CLAS School Leader a commentary on a court case where a football coach resigned after his school district directed him to cease a 23-year tradition of prayer at pre-game meals and prayer on the field just prior to the games. The facts in that case, Borden v. School District, 523 F.3d 153 (3rd Cir. 2008) were not generally in dispute and the outcome in favor of the school district were generally unsurprising and in accord with generally-understood law about prayer in school settings and the role of school employees in allowing the students to pray (yes, you may), leading the students in prayer (no, you may not), or participating in the prayer with students (no, you may not). Last month, at the close of its 2021-2022 term, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned precedent and the applicable rules of the Court in a case with similar facts, Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, No. 21-418 (Slip Opinion) (S.Ct., June 27, 2022). The Kennedy case is the subject of this commentary. We ask the reader to be advised that the Kennedy case is a 75-page opinion, and in light of changes in interpretation of the legal reasoning that applies—on many fronts, multiple professors are now feverishly writing law review articles to analyze this new case. Law review articles are typically over 100 pages long. We have but two pages to describe the case and add our thoughts about what it means to school leaders. The facts as reflected in Justice Gorsuch’s majority opinion were that Kennedy, an assistant coach for the varsity and head coach for the junior varsity, made it a practice, after the football game was over and the players and coaches had shaken hands, to take a knee at the 50-yard line and pray quietly for approximately 30 seconds. Although Kennedy began the practice on his own, over time a few players asked whether they could pray alongside him. The record from the appeals court said that Kennedy’s response was, “This is a free country. You can do what you want.” The number of players participating gradually grew to include most of the team. These practices continued for over seven years. In the fall of 2015, the superintendent sent Kennedy a letter directing him to stop the practice. The school district’s position reflected a concern that Kennedy’s actions while being a football coach would create a lawsuit in which the district would be sued for violating the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Kennedy decided he would cease other practices, such as using religious references in speaking to the team and a pre-game prayer, but that he could not cease offering his prayer on the 50-yard line after the game. He continued, and the conflict between the school district and Kennedy widened into the community through the next several games. After the October 26 game, the district put Kennedy on administrative leave, and prohibited him from participating in any capacity in football program activities.
Dr. Dave Dagley Professor Emeritus, University of Alabamaand Dr. Amy Dagley Assistant Professor, University of Alabama at Birmingham LEGAL forum
Kennedy sued in federal court, alleging violation of his First Amendment Free Speech and Free Exercise rights. He also asked the court for a preliminary injunction directing the district to reinstate him. The federal district court denied the motion, based upon the view that a reasonable observer would have seen Kennedy as leading an orchestrated session of faith. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal affirmed. The case went back to the lower court, in which the record developed more discussion on Kennedy’s Free Speech rights and case law under that lineage of analysis. Again, the appeals court denied Kennedy’s claims. The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case in early 2022, and issued an opinion last month. Justice Gorsuch wrote the majority opinion, and was joined in it by Chief Justice Roberts and by Justices Thomas, Alito, and Barrett. Justice Kavanaugh also joined the majority opinion, except in one small part, labeled Part III-B. Justice Sotomayor filed a dissenting opinion, joined in it by Justices Breyer and Kagan. Thus, most of the opinion would be described in the newspapers as a 6-3 decision. The majority opinion held that the Free Exercise and Free Speech Clauses of the First Amendment protect an individual engaging in personal religious observance
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22 Fall Issue 2022 Kyle Futral, Principal Holtville High School Elmore County Schools Sponsor: Office Makeover: Interior Elements ofPrincipalSchoolHightheYear AASSPofPrincipalMiddle2022SchooltheYear AASSP 2022 Larry Haynes, Principal Oak Mountain Middle School Shelby County Schools Sponsor: Office Makeover: Interior Elements ANAESPAlabama’sNationalDistinguishedPrincipalAESA2022 Brigett Stewart, Principal Piedmont Elementary School Piedmont City Schools Sponsor: Office Makeover: Interior Elements ofSecondaryAssistantPrincipaltheYear AASSP 2022 Ashley AssistantBowling,Principal Florence Middle School Florence City Schools ElementaryAssistantPrincipaloftheYear AAESA 2022 Andrea Datson, Assistant Principal Riverton Elementary School Madison County Schools Administrators of the Year
Fall Issue 2022 23 CLAS BANNER SCHOOLS The CLAS Banner School Award originated in 2001 with the purpose of identifying, recognizing, and publicizing schools with outstanding educational programs which serve as models across our state. Recognition is among all State School Board districts with exemplary schools selected from each district as a CLAS School of Distinction. Eight Banner Schools are selected from the Schools of Distinction, one from each district. The Schools of Distinction were honored at an awards luncheon in May where the Banner Schools were announced. The honored principals and superintendents were recognized and presented with a CLAS ban ner to disply in their school signifying this distinguished honor. Chickasaw Elementary School 21st Century Tribe Time Chickasaw City Schools Harry N. Mixon Intermediate School Classes of Universal (learning) Design – “COULD” Ozark City Schools B.B. Comer Memorial Elementary School WIN “What I Need” Talladega County Schools Hillcrest High School Cultivating Student Growth Through Gardening Tuscaloosa County Schools Grove Hill Elementary School After School Adventure, 21st Century CCLC Clarke County Schools Piedmont High School Piedmont Promise Project (3P) Piedmont City Schools Russellville Elementary School Bilingual Team-Taught Science Class Russellville City Schools James Clemens High School Jet Student Leadership Madison City Schools Strategy People Process Sponsors:
24 Fall Issue 2022 CLAS SCHOOLS OF DISTINCTION Brewton Elementary School Brewton Elementary Book Club Brewton City Schools Brewton Middle School The Reading Streak Brewton City Schools Spencer-Westlawn Elementary School Walk to Intervention Mobile County Schools 1DISTRICT Dale County High School Farm Program Dale County Schools Knight Enloe Elementary School RoanokeROAR City Schools Phenix City Intermediate School PhenixSTEM City Schools 2DISTRICT Elmore County Technical Center Camp ElmoreDiscoveryCountySchools Hoover High School Peer HooverHelpingCitySchools Thompson Middle School Laying the Foundation: Building a Middle School Electives Program for All Students Alabaster City Schools 3DISTRICT Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School The MLK TuscaloosaWayCity Schools Tuscaloosa Career and Technology Academy T.C.T.A. Approach: Transforming Communities Through an Academy Approach Tuscaloosa City Schools Tuscaloosa City Schools The Literacy Silver Bullet4DISTRICT Strategy People Process Sponsors:
Fall Issue 2022 25 Pike Road Elementary School PRES Arts Program Pike Road City Schools 5DISTRICT Hartselle Intermediate School The Tiger Way Hartselle City Schools Little Ridge Intermediate School 5th Grade STEAM Robotics Team Fort Payne City Schools Ohatchee Elementary School Academic Opportunities Calhoun County Schools 6DISTRICT G. W. Trenholm Primary School Tiger Buddies Mentoring Tuscumbia City Schools Harlan Elementary School UNA Lion Buddies Florence City Schools Lauderdale County High School 12 Days of Giving Lauderdale County Schools 7DISTRICT Bob Jones High School Building Construction Academy Madison City Schools Challenger Elementary School Open HuntsvilleCircleCity Schools Sparkman Middle School Schoolwide Social-Emotional Learning Madison County Schools 8DISTRICT
Haley James Riverton Elementary School
Enterprise City Schools
Andrea Maness
South Shades Crest Elementary School
Matthew Monson LAMP High School
Christie Mitten
Madison County Schools
Brigett Stewart Piedmont Elementary School
Tamala Maddox i3 Academy - Middle School i3 Academy
Ramona Robinson served as a faculty member and program coordinator along with faculty members Sarah Fanning and Dr. Linda Felton-Smith. The 2022 CIL Commission members were Veronica Coleman, Rebecca Dunnivant, Davida Hill-Johnson, Robert Kyle McCartney, April McCutcheon, and La’Keisha Newsome.
26 Fall Issue 2022 In 2013, the CLAS Board of Directors established the Certified Instructional Leader (CIL) program. This program is designed to identify school or district administrators who demonstrate the knowledge and skills which are essential to the practice of effective instructional leadership. For the ninth year of this program, 18 participants were selected after an extensive application and review process. The 2021-2022 cohort began in June 2021 with quarterly face-to-face meetings. Candidates were required to implement learned content in their school and/or district and meet benchmarks on student growth and achievement, school culture, strategic management, effective instructional practices, and ethical Aleadership.CILCommission was established to be an independent certifying body, which is responsible for the governance of the program, policies, and standards related to the CIL credential. This unique CIL program is administered by members of the CLAS staff who implement the policies. The CIL faculty delivers the identified content. After completing extensive coursework and providing evidence of systemic, systemized, job-embedded implementation for competent instructional leadership, CIL participants met with the CIL Commission to determine their CIL credential status as “Accepted” or “Not Accepted: Revisions Needed.”
Pike Road City Schools
Cheryl Morrow Hillcrest High School
Jennifer Fanning Madison County Schools
are interested in pursuing
Certified Instructional LeaderAwardedCredentials Blue-PMS281C
Hoover City Schools
The Certified Instructional Leader credentials are awarded annually during the Awards Luncheon at the CLAS Convention.The following individuals received their Certified Instructional Leader credential this year:
process
Montgomery County Schools
If
Tuscaloosa County Schools
Stefanie Underwood Decatur City Schools you the Certified Instructional Leader (CIL) credential, please visit the CIL webpage at www.clasleaders.org/CIL The application will open April for the 2023-2024 cohort. Red-PMS1797C
Ron Rikard Kara Scholl
Pike Road High School
for detailed information.
Holly Hill Elementary School
in
Piedmont City Schools
Dr. Rickett’s leadership as past president of the Alabama Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (AASCD) and executive director for teaching and learning in the Alabaster City School System epitomizes what it means to make a significant impact on the education of Alabama’s children.
The Little Red Schoolhouse Award is given by the CLAS Board of Directors to an entity that has inaugurated a significant curriculum or instructional innovation deserving of statewide recognition. The program or activity should have a positive impact on the education of children, high potential for dissemination to other schools or school system, and demonstrate leadership in curriculum or instructional procedures in an Alabama school or school system.
Dr. Brenda Rickett
As president of AASCD, it was Dr. Rickett’s vision to bring professional learning for curriculum and instruction under one umbrella for the state of Alabama. With this vision, she was instrumental in the planning and implementation of the Alabama ASCD and ALSDE Bootcamp for Educators.
Fall Issue 2022 27
Dr. Brenda Rickett is this year’s recipient of the CLAS Little Red Schoolhouse Award. This award was presented during the Awards Luncheon of the CLAS Convention on June 14, 2022.
During her tenure as president of AASCD, she not only grew the organization, but she also built relationships among constituents and consultants across the country. She was able to establish partnerships with the ALSDE, other affiliates, consultants, presenters, trainers, and vendors to enhance professional learning across multiple educational entities in Alabama.
Chosen for CLAS Little Red Schoolhouse Award
In addition to her work with AASCD and Alabaster City Schools, Dr. Rickett spends countless hours volunteering as a mentor, leader, and trainer in school districts and state organizations. Through this volunteer work, she continues to play an impactful role in education.
Craig Ford Receives
Dr. James A. Street Award
28 Fall Issue 2022
Ford worked with CLAS on numerous bills designed to empower public school administrators to be able to do their jobs better. While he represented the Gadsden/Etowah County area, he remained a champion for education across the state and was well respected on both sides of the aisle.
This year’s Dr. James A. Street Award was presented to Mr. Craig Ford at the Awards Luncheon during the CLAS Convention on June 14, 2022. Ford was recognized for his support for public education while he served in the Alabama House of Representatives. Craig Ford is the owner of Ford Insurance Agency and The Messenger newspaper in Gadsden, Alabama. He is known for being a strong advocate and supporter of Alabama’s public schools. As a state representative, Ford served in the Alabama House of Representatives for many years. Throughout his time in that role, he continuously fought for public school students, teachers and administrators. His door was always open to educators. Ford would frequently solicit opinions and feedback from educators on educationrelated legislation.
The Dr. James A. Street Award is presented by the CLAS Board of Directors in recognition of exceptional service to Alabama public education. The award’s namesake, Dr. Street, was the first full-time executive director of the Alabama Council for School Administrators and Supervision (ACSAS), which is now CLAS. Dr. Street was a visionary leader who served in many capacities in public education in Alabama. Recipients of this award may be an educator or layperson, a school system, or public or private institution or organization, profit or non-profit, that the CLAS Board of Directors considers worthy of such recognition. The James A. Street Award can be presented to a member or non-member for exceptional service or achievement that furthers the cause of public education and the interests of school administrators.
Matt Scott Creekside Primary School
Tonya Helms
Lori Moss Highland Elementary School
Nakelya Mullins
Georgette Hankins
Fall Issue 2022 29
Participants
Holli Richardson New Brockton Elementary School
Laquita Coleman Myrtlewood Elementary School
Jami Rainey Northridge Middle School
Jennifer Baker Lynn Elementary School
Thomas Kyzer Parrish Elementary School
Brewbaker Primary School
Williams Intermediate School
Ty Harrell
University Place Elementary School
NAESP LeadershipPre-K-3AcademyParticipants
Alabama’s NAESP Pre-K-3 Leadership Academy
Haley Moore Curry Elementary School
Princeton Alternative Elementary School
Amanda Tedford Athens Elementary School
Blount Elementary School
LaTausha Daniels
Jaclyn Brown-Wright
The NAESP Pre-K-3 Leadership Academy™ is a year-long program designed to promote and build the capacity of principals and program directors to lead Pre-K-3 communities. The NAESP Pre-K-3 Leadership Academy™ is provided in partnership with CLAS and the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education. The NAESP Pre-K-3 Leadership Academy™ has been offered in Alabama since 2017. A dedicated team of experienced Pre-K-3 advisors helps provide mentorship and guidance to participants throughout the year. The 2021-2022 cohort advisors were Adam Dasinger, Pleasant Grove Elementary School; Tanya Guin, Walker County Schools; Kara Scholl, South Shades Crest Elementary School; Karen Stewart-Moore, Tuskegee Public School, and Camille Wright, Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education.
Madison County Schools
Genea Monroe
Kimberly Haynes
Faucett-Vestavia Elementary School
Wetumpka Elementary School
The following NAESP Pre-K-3 Leadership Academy™ participants were recognized at the 2022 CLAS Convention during the Awards Luncheon on June 14, 2022.
Angie Thomas Edgewood Elementary School
To reach this holding, Justice Gorsuch’s majority opinion first examined the record in light of the lineage of cases examining claims that the government is violating a plaintiff’s Free Exercise rights. Employment Div., Dept. of Human Resources of Ore. v. Smith, 494 U.S. 872, 879-881, directs that in situations where a plaintiff claims that government has burdened his sincere religious practice under a policy that is not neutral or generally applicable to all persons, the government must show a compelling governmental interest in order to stop the religious practice. Although the school district argued that a potential Establishment Clause lawsuit was a compelling interest, Justice Gorsuch’s majority opinion ruled that the district had failed to show such an interest. Next, the majority opinion examined the record in light of cases about retaliation by government due to an employee’s exercise of Free Speech rights, citing two cases in that lineage: Pickering v. Board of Ed., 391 U.S. 563 (1968), and Garcetti v. Ceballos, 547 U.S 410 (2006). Pickering requires a court to balance the interests between the employee and the employer surrounding the speech in question. Garcetti places speech that is uttered pursuant to an employee’s official job duties outside the protections of the First Amendment. The majority opinion also invoked a rule from a third case in the lineage between Pickering and Garcetti, which states that speech about an issue of private concern is not protected from government retaliation, while speech about an issue of public concern returns the inquiry back to Pickering’s balance test. (While the opinion does not cite the case invoking the public versus private nature of the speech, the case is Connick v. Myers, 461 U.S. 138 (1983).) Justice Gorsuch’s majority opinion focused only on Kennedy’s speech when he prayed on the 50-yard line, three times after games late in the season, after the school district had issued him a letter with a directive not to do so. In the opinion of the majority of the Court, this was speech that was private speech and not pursuant to official duties, and protected by both the Free Exercise and Free Speech Clauses. Also, the majority overruled the continued use of the test for assessing a claim under the Establishment Clause provided by Lemon v. Kurtzman, 403 U.S. 602 (1971).
Justice Sotomayor’s dissenting opinion focused first and foremost on the facts in the record from the federal district court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court. Coach Kennedy’s speech was more than the words he uttered during three prayers after three football games. According to the dissent, Kennedy’s speech included a long history of invitations to his own team members, opposite team members, and coaches from both teams. As the school administration began dealing with what was quickly becoming a contentious issue in a diverse community across Puget Sound from Seattle, Kennedy’s speech included the use of social media and multiple media appearances to publicize his plans to pray at the 50-yard line at the upcoming homecoming game. The Kennedy case reflects a conflict between three constitutional values: Free Speech; Free Exercise of Religion; and freedom from governmental overreach under the Establishment Clause. Each of the three have large bodies of legal rules developed over decades. The dissenting opinion criticized the failure of the majority opinion to address the Establishment Clause aspects of Kennedy’s actions, and to conflate the school district’s concerns to only whether it would get sued for violating the Establishment Clause. The majority also did not address Kennedy’s actions in the context of interruptions to performing his duties as a coach, the impact of his actions on school programs, the impact of his actions on violations of school policy regarding public access to the field, and the impact of all his actions on the total football program.
We recommend that any changes that are made in your schools as a result of this decision are small and incremental. Don’t move in any direction too abruptly.
Only from the dissenting opinion did we learn that the head coach, a veteran with 11 years in the role, resigned from his position, citing fears of violence against him or his staff after Kennedy’s media appearances, and three of five other assistant coaches did not reapply to coach the next Asyear.a result of this recently-released decision from the Supreme Court, what do we recommend to school leaders in their practice? We have been taught to think about legal rules always in light of the facts. If you have a situation that is exactly identical to the situation described by Justice Gorsuch in the majority opinion, where an assistant coach habitually performs a demonstrative prayer on the football field, baseball field, or 18th hole of the golf course immediately after a game or match, and there are no further facts to add, then you might be able to anticipate a similar outcome.
The decision doesn’t appear to overturn existing, longstanding decisions about church and state issues. It certainly doesn’t allow a teacher to open a class with prayer or a principal to hire only teachers from her church.
30 Fall Issue 2022 from governmental reprisal; the Constitution neither mandates nor permits the government to suppress such religious expression.
Changes in church-state law arising from this decision will occur only during a long period of time, as existing practices get challenged, or new practices invite action from a plaintiff, and the courts will attempt to incorporate this case in decision-making. A long-term trend may be greater allowance for individual religious exercise and therefore the need for school leaders to be more accepting of individual differences in religious expression.
Legal Forum Continued
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32 Fall Issue 2022
Ethically Speaking Can you professionallywork for others while employed by your board of eduCation?
The February 2022 Opinion was issued to Montgomery Municipal Court Judge Samarria Munnerlyn Dunson and Montgomery County Circuit Judge Lloria Munnerlyn James, who 1 Alabama Ethics Commission No. 2022-01
Mark Boardman,AttorneyBoardmanCarr,Petelos, Watkins & Ogle P.C.
The Alabama Ethics Commission issued an opinion1 in February allowing two government officials to participate in a television program, for profit, using their official government titles. This ruling means that you, as an educator, can also engage in business pursuits, using your title (superintendent, principal, assistant principal, etc.). Doing so would not violate The Ethics Act, but I recommend that you not iden tify your school district or school when using your title. In the last issue of CLAS Leader, we examined how the Ethics Commission now allows retired educators to return to work, without a contract, with their board of education after retirement. This issue examines how you can obtain additional income while still employed by your school district.
Advisory Opinion
Of course, the show could not be filmed on government property or use anything from the government, including assistance from other government employees. The judges also are not allowed to solicit or receive anything of value for the purpose of corruptly influencing their official action, or solicit or receive anything from a lobbyist or those related to the lobbyist. The judges also could not use or disclose any confidential information obtained during their government employment.
The Alabama Ethics Commission in that Opinion, as well as the Opinion to the two sister judges, noted that Alabama Code § 3625-2(b) stated: It is also essential to the proper operation of government that those best qualified be encouraged to serve in government. Accordingly, legal safeguards against conflicts of interest shall be so designed as not to unnecessarily or unreasonably impede the service of those men and women who are elected or appointed to do so. An essential principle un derlying the staffing of our governmental structure is that its public officials and public employees should not be denied the opportunity, available to all other citizens, to acquire and retain private economic and other interests, except where conflicts with the re sponsibility of public officials and public employees to the public cannot be avoided.3
2
Fall Issue 2022 33 were contacted by MGM television to consider a non-legal television show in which the two judges (who are sisters) would assist actors who are playing the roles of teenagers for a television show to be called “Teen Court.” The television show proposed the sisters portraying judges hearing scenarios acted out by paid actors, whereupon the judges would make suggestions as to how to resolve the matter before them. The Eth ics Commission allowed this because it determined that this television opportu nity did not conflict with the judges’ pub lic employment. The Ethics Commission noted that the judges would not use public property, time, labor, or equipment. The Ethics Commission further noted the episodes would be filmed only when the judges were on annual leave or on weekends or holidays. The Ethics Commission agreed that whatever the judges did in the television show would not influence their judicial decisions in Montgomery.
3 Alabama
The Alabama Ethics Act prohibits a government employee from using their office for personal gain for themselves, a family mem ber, or a business with which they are associated. In this situation, the Ethics Commission determined that when the sisters would appear as judges on the show and use their title as judges, doing so would not constitute a use of their position for personal gain.
Applying these two opinions to you, you can be hired to tutor a stu dent, evaluate a school (including accreditation), or offer services to another educational entity (whether to another public school system or to a private school), as long as you follow the same Alabama Ethics Commission Advisory Opinion No. 2021-06 Code § 36-25-2(b)
The Alabama Ethics Commission issued a somewhat similar opin ion last August,2 which allowed a member of the Alabama A&M University Board of Trustees to organize an HBCU football game to be held in Mobile where Alabama A&M might be a participant.
Continued on Page 43
&
Weatherly,
An important consideration when devel oping and implementing these policies is ensuring an understanding of the district’s obligations to nonresident students with disabilities. In Alabama, once a district accepts an out-of-district student with a disability under a nonresident enrollment policy, the accepting district becomes the district responsible for ensuring a free ap propriate public education (“FAPE”) to the student. This FAPE obligation includes the provision of transportation if needed as a related service for a student with a disability. Additionally, although districts have no obligation to have a policy allow ing out-of-district enrollment, if they do, that policy must not discriminate against students with disabilities with enrollment THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED BY ALA-CASE FOR THE CLAS SCHOOL LEADER MAGAZINE
Sargent,
David “Butch” Esq.
Leslie A. Allen, Esq.,
OBLIGATIONS TO STUDENTSDISABILITIESWITH
Resolutions in Special Education Non-Resident Enrollment
Consistent with public school trends na tionally, many Alabama school districts have seen student enrollment decrease since the start of the COVID-19 pandem ic for a variety of reasons. Where fund ing often is based on student headcount, many districts hope to increase numbers by inviting students who live outside of their geographical boundaries to enroll via nonresident enrollment policies.
Julie J. Esq. POLICIES
Withvalue.more
Don’t miss out, stillthere’stime! You have until Oct. 31, 2022 to find out how you and your employees can take advantage of the limited-time changes to Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Horace Mann Service Corporation and certain of its affiliates (Horace Mann) enter into agreements with educational associations where Horace Mann pays the association to provide services aimed at familiarizing association members with the Horace Mann brand, products or services. For more information, email your inquiry to association.relations@horacemann.com. AM-C04627 (8 22) Learn more horacemann.com
Fall Issue 2022 35 criteria that exclude students based on disability. Let’s be honest: districts have a hard enough responsibility providing FAPE to their resident students. A nonresident enrollment policy invites FAPE obligations for even more students, and once the district takes them for enrollment, it becomes responsible for offering them FAPE. Districts working hard to provide high-quality special education ser vices with staff who have a genuine passion for students with disabilities may find themselves flooded with nonres ident students with disabilities seeking enrollment. As a consequence, it becomes more difficult for staff to continue delivering those high-quality services, which, in turn, leads to obvious legal issues for the nonresident district. Similar ly, the district may find itself in legal hot water if a student denied enrollment claims disability discrimination. Historically, the Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) has taken considerable interest in discrimination complaints made by students with disabilities excluded from or denied enrollment under a district’s nonresident policy. In such matters, OCR looks at whether the district has a legitimate, nondis criminatory reason for denying admission to a nonresident student. Unless the student fits an objective policy criteri on for denying admission that is unrelated to disability (not left to the discretion of the Superintendent or Board), OCR recognizes only a few legitimate, nondiscriminatory rea sons for denying admission to a nonresident student with a disability, particularly if nondisabled students are routinely admitted. OCR generally only recognizes lack of adequate staff and/or lack of adequate class space, supported by ev idence thereof, as legitimate nondiscriminatory reasons for denying admission. OCR has also found that cost cannot be a consideration in excluding a student.
As special education counsel for Alabama districts, we generally advise caution in the process of considering or implementing nonresident enrollment policies. When re fusing admission of or dismissing a nonresident student with a disability, a district must maintain documentation to support its reasons for doing so (such as lack of staff or class space), because, if a complaint is filed, OCR will in vestigate the reasons given, not just accept them at face districts developing and implementing nonres ident enrollment policies to boost enrollment, we expect OCR will take a closer look at how these policies impact students with disabilities. Certainly, the ability to appropri ately serve students with disabilities is only one factor in the complex analysis of whether a nonresident enrollment policy is the right decision for an individual district. If your district has one, be prepared to respond to challenges if students with disabilities are denied enrollment or pursue legal remedies alleging a failure to provide FAPE.
CLAS Leadership Institute: Belonging and Bias: Theory and Practice Florence, AL CLAS Leadership Institute: Belonging and Bias: Theory and Practice
CLAS Leadership Institute: Belonging and Bias: Theory and Practice Mobile, AL Upcoming Professional Learning Opportunities
CLAS Convention 2022: Leadership: Connect. Inspire. Thrive. Birmingham, AL CLAS Lunch & Learn: Grow Your Own Teachers: An Initiative for Recruiting and Retaining High Quality Teachers
36 Fall Issue 2022
SSA Fall Conference: Florence, AL SSA Summer Conference: Orange Beach, AL LEArn and LEAd: Birmingham, AL LEArn and LEAd: Tuscaloosa, AL AASPA Fall Drive-In: Birmingham, AL CLAS Leadership Institute: Family and Community Engagement Daphne, AL CLAS Leadership Institute: Family and Community Engagement Hoover, AL and Virtual CLAS Leadership Institute: Family and Community Engagement Huntsville, AL AASSP/AAMSP Fall Conference: Lead Through It for Lasting Impact Orange Beach, AL AAESA Fall Conference: Next Level Leadership Orange Beach, AL AASCD Fall Curriculum & Instruction Bootcamp: Virtual LEArn and LEAd: Madison, AL LEArn and LEAd: Selma, AL CLAS Secretaries Conference: Huntsville, AL
for
CLAS Leadership Institute: Restorative Practices Florence, AL CLAS Leadership Institute: Restorative Practices Prattville, AL and Virtual
Webinar
Visit clasleaders.org/events more information and registration
CLAS Leadership Institute: Restorative Practices Daphne, AL CLAS New Principals Institute: Prattville, AL LEArn and LEAd: Mobile, AL ALA-CASE Fall Conference: Orange Beach, AL CLAS Lunch & Learn: Restorative Practices Webinar
Prattville, AL and Virtual
Fall Issue 2022 37 ACGAL Grading Conference: Birmingham, AL Alabama 504 Coordinators Conference: Birmingham, AL CLAS Lunch & Learn: Be Present. Be Curious. Try Concious Discipline? Webinar CLAS Leadership Institute: Special Daphne,EducationAL CLAS Leadership Institute: Special Prattville,EducationALandVirtual CLAS Leadership Institute: Special Huntsville,EducationAL AASCD Winter Conference: Location TBD CLAS Assistant Principals Conference: Mobile, AL AASPA Winter Conference: Montgomery, AL CLAS Lunch & Learn: Encouraging Character Among Adults Webinar CLAS Culture Training Day 1 of 2: Montevallo, AL CLAS Leadership Institute: High Reliability Schools Prattville, AL and Virtual LEArn and LEAd: Birmingham, AL LEArn and LEAd: Auburn, AL CLAS Assistant Principals Conference: Birmingham, AL ALA-EL Winter Conference: Tuscaloosa, AL CLAS Assistant Principals Conference: Prattville, AL ALA-CASE Spring Conference: Birmingham, AL Continued on Page 37
Even though the CLAS convention is not a once in a lifetime event (although I try to make it be each year), it is my hope that you were surrounded by small opportunities that you can use in your buildings this upcoming school year. As a leader, you
38 Fall Issue 2022 update PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
Dr. Demica Sanders Director of Professional Learning CLAS Summer is always an exciting time for CLAS be cause it usually means that we are preparing for a new year filled with new professional learning op portunities and traveling to the CLAS convention. We love getting the opportunity to meet new admin istrators, while visiting with our old friends. Although it can be a very nerve-racking time, we enjoy seeing our hard work come to fruition and hearing everyone’s reactions to the speakers, the sessions, and the overall event! It is truly a wonderful time had by Theall! 2022 CLAS Convention was held in the historic city of Birmingham, AL and certainly did not disap point! There was a buzz in the city as the USFL regular season ended and preparations for the 2022 World Games was in full swing. Leaders who were ready to Connect with other leaders, be Inspired and had Thrived through the roughest years showed up ready to learn and network!
Donna Porter and DJ Batiste kicked off the conven tion with their keynote, The Three Rs of Classroom Management: Relationships, Responsibility and Respect. Their keynote reminded us of the importance of how shifting our perspectives can turn problem students into the most enthusiastic learners. Baruti Kafele, author and motivational speaker encour aged us to reflect upon our “why” for entering the world of education. He provided us strategies that any administrator – novice and veteran- can use as they prepare for the upcoming school year. Katie Martin, our final keynote, reminded us that students must feel valued, and it is our job to create oppor tunities for them to reach their full potential. She challenged each of us to show up and be brave, pave the way and innovate to create the path for ward for our students. As the week progressed, we were privy to great clinic and breakout presenters who focused on varying topics of importance to the work that we do every day- educating Alabama’s Westudents.hadthe opportunity to network through various vendor dinners, pedal tours, and the President’s Reception where we danced the night away while listening to our very own Executive Director, Vic Wilson and his band, The Uncommon Core. It was indeed an enjoyable time had by all! As you began the upcoming year, I want to remind you of a quote by Rick Warren. He once said that “great opportunities may come once in a lifetime, but small opportunities surround us every day.”
CLAS Culture Training Day 2 of 2: Location TBD CLAS Leadership Institute: Educational Technology Integration Daphne, AL CLAS Leadership Institute: Educational Technology Integration Prattville, AL and Virtual CLAS Leadership Institute: Educational Technology Integration Florence, AL CLAS Lunch & Learn: Winding Down & Warming Up: ALSDE Instructional Updates to Transition to the 2023-2024 School Year Webinar ACND Spring Meeting: Gulf Shores, AL CLAS Lunch & Learn: Upping Your D and I Game: Benefits of Diversity in the WebinarWorkplace Spring Conference: Mobile, AL
Webinar CLAS Leadership Institute: Teaching Social and Emotional Skills through (Not Instead of!) Daily Academics
Hoover, AL CLAS Law Conference: Prattville, AL
CLAS Lunch & Learn: Working with Children with Neurological Disorders
Fall Issue 2022 39 should always be prepared to act when opportunities are available and hopefully, this year’s CLAS con vention provided you with a chance to do just that! As you began the school year, I have a wish for each of you and have summoned my friends Racal Flatts for their vocals. This beautiful song sums up my hopes and desires for you this year and always! Hopefully it will provide inspiration to you as it does Ime.hope that you all have a great school year and as always, if the CLAS staff can ever assist you, please do not hesitate to contact us!
Professional Learning Opportunities Continued AAPASS
Daphne, AL CLAS Leadership Institute: Teaching Social and Emotional Skills through (Not Instead of!) Daily Academics Prattville, AL and Virtual CLAS Leadership Institute: Teaching Social and Emotional Skills through (Not Instead of!) Daily Academics
PrincipalDr. Jeffrey D. Cornelius Professor of Education & Department Chair University of North Alabama
40 Fall Issue 2022
How can principals avoid burnout? To answer this question, I will first discuss research grounded in this area. In addition, I will share some practical leadership strategies that assisted me during my career as a school-based principal. Recent survey results revealed that 35% of principals were not satisfied with their job (NASSP Survey Signals a Looming Mass Exodus of Principals from Schools, 2021). Results from this survey revealed contributory factors of job dissatisfaction related to the COVID-19 impact, the teacher shortage, student/staff wellness, a tense political environment, heavy workload, state accountability measures, and time/effort for compliance requirements. These results are concerning to say the least.
RELATED STUDIES DeMatthews et al. (2021) suggested that principals should discover ways to address burnout due to districts not necessarily being able to offer burnout supports. Three things that principals can do to address burnout included self-educating themselves, creating a leadership delegation plan/calendar, and engaging in annual planning (DeMatthews et al., 2021). To self- educate on burnout, DeMatthews et al. (2021) suggested one or more of the following
Thereads:American Psychiatric Association’s (2020) WellBURNOUT
PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE
Mayo Clinic’s (2020) Healthy Lifestyle webpage which provides basic information on how to spot job burnout and how to take action.
Being Resources which includes TED Talks on burnout, tools to guard against burnout, and assessment tools and well-being resources.
Fall Issue 2022 41
Stanford Medicine’s (2020) Stress & Burnout webpage, which provides basic assessments, definitions, and information on how to access stress resources. (p. 164) DeMatthews et al. (2021) also provides examples of both creating a leadership delegation plan/ calendar and engaging in annual planning. These examples may be accessed by reviewing the digital object identifier (DOI) in the reference section of this article. Tikkanen et al. (2017) conducted a study using a scale to measure school principals’ burnout, work stress, and proactive selfregulation strategies. They discovered that principals with an increased risk of burnout profile had high scores in work stress and high scores in exhaustion. These results are not surprising when taken in consideration the many job duties of a principal. Stress appears to be a common element in relation to burnout. Therefore, it may be advantageous to recognize stressors, and thus discover ways to reduce these stressors. The results of the study also revealed that learning proactive self-regulation strategies was a practical way to minimize burnout among principals. These findings align with previous work as to the importance of principals self-educating themselves to reduce burnout (DeMatthews et al., 2021).
• Delegate when possible. Delegating is a necessary leadership activity. However, use caution concerning what is being delegated and the frequency. If not, you may risk losing staff morale very quickly.
• Educate yourself on strategies that will help in self-regulation. Self-regulation strategies
As a previous building-based school principal, I want to share some practical strategies that you may find helpful to avoid burnout and reduce stress. Listed below are practical strategies that may assist you to avoid burnout and reduce stress.
• Set aside uninterrupted time to accomplish goals.
• Establish short-term and long-term goals.
• Collaborate with other colleagues and mentors. Often times, you do not need to reinvent the wheel.
Continued on Page 43
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• Stay connected to individuals that have a positive influence on your life.
Principal Burnout Continued
• Learn to prioritize. During the school day, students, parents and teachers are high priority. It is often helpful to start each day with a priority list to shift the focus to the important things.
• Find ways to reduce your stress outside of work whether it be exercising, finding a hobby, taking a vacation, etc.
Ethically Speaking Continued continuously appear in the research concerning burnout.
Fall Issue 2022 43 restrictions the two sister judges followed. In other words, a company, a person, or even another school district may hire you because of your expertise as an educator and you may be paid to use your expertise. Thus, you as an administrator at a school could be recognized by your official title (but not your actual school or school district). As long as the services pro vided do not relate to any student or to your current school system, you could tutor, work on accreditation committees, write articles for profit, etc. As part of the “marketing” those who pay you could say that these services were being provided by you, listing your title, but not your school district or school. But be careful: Alabama law prohibits the use of confidential information, even if the information is later made public. For example, in an Ethics Opinion issued in 20094, a judge learned confidential information while presiding over litigation that went to trial and resulted in a $30 million verdict for defamation. The litigation also questioned the NCAA’s regulation of college football. The judge who presided over that case wrote a book, but the Ethics Commission told him he could not include in the book information that he had learned confidentially as the judge in the case, 4 Alabama Ethics Commission Advisory Opinion No. 2009-003 even if the information was later made public. In other words, as long as he learned the information when it was confidential, he could not reveal it, even though it was public information after the litigation ended. He therefore could not include that information in his
Applyingbook. the 2009 opinion to you, you are not able to use private student information when conducting your personal business. Thus, tutoring for pay a student at your school, where you already know confidential information concerning that student, appears to be a violation of Alabama law. (It may also be a violation of FERPA.) But the biggest problem with tutoring one of your school district’s students is the likelihood of violating the Ethics Act by using your office for personal gain. For example, because the student (or parent) has hired you, other educators in your school district may give (or possibly you may give) that student pref erential treatment. The bottom line is that you have acquired expertise, which is the reason you are an administrator and a member of CLAS. You can use your expertise for per sonal gain, as long as it does not corruptly influence or alter your school district’s actions or affect any of its students.
DeMatthews,ReferencesD., Carrola, P., Reyes, P., & Knight, D. (2021). School Leadership Burnout and Job-Related Stress: Recommendations for District Administrators and Principals. Clearing House, 94(4), 159–167. NASSPhttps://doi.org/10.1080/00098655.2021.1894083SurveySignalsaLoomingMassExodus of Principals from Schools. (2021, December 8). Tikkanen,https://www.nassp.org/news/nassp-survey-signals-a-looming-mass-exodus-of-principals-from-schools/NASSP.L.,Pyhältö,K.,Pietarinen,J.,&Soini,T.(2017).Interrelationsbetweenprincipals’riskof burnout profiles and proactive self-regulation strategies. Social Psychology of Education: An International Journal, 20(2), 259–274. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-017-9379-9
• Maintain a calendar. Google Calendar and Google tasks are great options to assist with time-management and may be easily shared with others. The calendar feature in Microsoft Outlook is also another option which may be shared with others. This article discusses how principals may avoid burnout. Moreover, the article shared some practical insights from the lens of a previous principal. It is my hope that the article provided you with both theoretical and practical knowledge of avoiding burnout.
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44 Fall Issue 2022 33HelpME Panic Alert Button -- The NEXT STEP in school safety America’s Favorite, Fastest and Easiest way to call for HELP in classrooms. Barry Peterson (813) www.33helpme.cominfo@33systems.net822-0045 ACCESS Virtual Learning ACCESS Virtual Learning is the distant education program for the State of Alabama. ACCESS provides infrastructure that delivers equitable, quality learning opportunities for all students. Casey Mack (334) www.accessdl.state.al.usadent@troy.edu808-6323 AIG Retirement Services Financial Planning and Retirement Services Mark Briones (205) www.aigrs.comandrea.zari@aig.com967-8974 Alabama Music Hall of Fame hschrieber@alamhof.org256-381-4417HaleyMuseumSchrieber www.alamhof.org American Fidelity Assurance Since 1960, American Fidelity has focused on providing a different opinion for school districts and currently serves 4,300 districts across the country. 205-847-2762
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Bill Miller Photographers We provide photographicfull-servicesolutions for your school. Other services include cap and gown, composites, ID badges, yearbooks and so much more. Bill www.billmillerphotographers.com50ddockery@gmail.com800-523-5960Miller BlueStreak Math BlueStreak Math is an adaptive real-time, multi-player gaming environment of fluency lessons students build the capacity for higher-level mathematics through continuous motivation, coaching, and feedback.” Jan Bluestreakmath.comjan@bluestreakmath.com(630)Letts915-3171 Camp Explore for Educators, LLC Camp Explore is designed for educators to experience research-based, instructional strategies for high engagement, while focusing on mental fitness and Jennibellewellness. Williams (614) www.campexploreinfo.comjennibelle@campexploreinfo.com824-7949 Campus Benefits Campus Benefits is a full-service employee benefits brokerage/consulting and compliance firm serving public school districts across the southeast focused on delivering innovative products and services. (866) 433-7661 www.campusbenefits.comjtupper@campusbenefits.com CardFunder CardFunder is an innovative and easy fundraising platform that allows schools to accept unused or partially used gift cards and turn them into cash www.cardfunder.comruss@cardfunder.com(404)Russdonations.Howard433-7834 Carnegie Learning With the highest-quality offerings for K-12 math, ELA, world languages, professional learning, and more, Carnegie Learning is changing the way we think about Amandalearning. carnegielearning.comacreswell@carnegielearning.com888-851-7094Creswell Changemaker Fundraising platform for schools where you can donate your digital spare change to the school of your choice. Jake Lacy (404) kathryn@hellodonor.com660-6741 www.joinchangemaker.com Classworks Classworks is a cloud-based, comprehensive RTI/MTSS program that includes assessment, instruction, progress monitoring, SEL and PBIS resources, and reporting. David https://www.curriculumadvantage.com/classworksdconstantine@classworks.com251-545-9903Constantine Cognia We are a global network featuring a continuous improvement approach that encompasses accreditation and certification, assessment, professional learning, and customized improvement services. Jeff Wooten and Jeff Langham (334) cognia.orgjeff.langham@cognia.org201-5763
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Fall Issue 2022 45 Curriculum Associates Curriculum Associates, LLC designs research-based print and online instructional materials, screens and assessments, and data management tools. Kelly-Ann www.curriculumassociates.comkparson@cainc.com205-949-7744Parson
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courses, designed to be implemented during the school day. Help your students join the 5-Point-Jump-Club! Heith Yearwood (256) www.ontocollege.comheith@ontocollege.com338-6872 Parent Teacher Store USA Locally owned, we offer educators a unique assortment of over 15,000 of the newest and best educational tools and services since 1996. Tom www.parentteacherstoreusa.comtom@parentteacherstoreusa.com(205)Lamkin979-7222 Personal Finance Lab Meeting your needs of Career Prep courses through a virtual money management and investment trading platform, learning resources, career survey and selfpacing course. Paul pvasey@stocktrak.com(714)Vasey679-6600 https://www.personalfinancelab.com/ Playworld Preferred Manufacturer of playground equipment, outdoor fitness equipment, shades and site furnishings. Jeff playworld.comjeff.wingo@playworldpreferred.com(205)Wingo222-2680 PowerSchool PowerSchool’s mission is to power the education ecosystem with unified technology that helps educators and students realize their full potential in their own way. Jenny www.powerschool.comciera.leidheisl@powerschool.com251-656-1397Scott PowerUpEDU Focused on education & achievement, delivering interactive technology solutions and coaching for classrooms while creating fun & engaging learning powerupedu.comdebbie@powerupedu.com(888)Jerryenvironments.Gaillard517-3824 Presentation Solutions, Inc. We are the company who sells the full-color indoor/ outdoor ColorPro Poster Printers, the Recognizer ULTRA Award System & the CoolLam non-heat and non-electric laminator! Steven Sanders (800) presentationsolutions.comsteven@presentationsolutions.com280-7809 Publishers’ Warehouse Publishers’ Warehouse is Alabama’s one-stop shop for digital (EBSCOed) and print textbooks and instructional materials for K-12 schools in Alabama. Patrick Chappell (205) publisherswarehouse.compchappell@ebsco.com516-5821 Reach University Reach University turns your school into a college campus for classroom aides and other school staff. Turn your paraprofessionals into teachers with Reach’s job-embedded BA. Joe www.reach.eduaccounting@reach.edu(650)Ross274-8688 Reading Horizons Reading Horizons empowers teachers with an explicit phonics curriculum that helps all K-3 students build a solid fouundation in reading and spelling. Nate www.readinghorizons.comnate.smeding@readinghorizons.com801-971-3693Smeding
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46 Fall Issue 2022
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Fall Issue 2022 47 Recreational Concepts, LLC Playground equipment, site amenities, pavilions, surfacing, splash pad Kurt www.rec-concepts.commelanie@rec-concepts.com(205)Halter202-8677
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It’s Renewal time! You have some amazing benefits with your CLAS membership. Don’t lose them. Renew today! Benefits for all memBers: • Discounts on professional learning activities sponsored by CLAS • Access to CLAS communications and updates • The quarterly magazine, CLASSchoolLeader • Complimentary subscription to The Main Idea, a monthly email newsletter with book summaries on the latest education-related books. • Access to membership directory online • Access to CLAS job bank • Access to networking opportunties • Discounts on insurance through Horace Mann Companies • Discounts on cellular phone plans and online fundraising software from LeanStream Resource Partners additional Benefits for Individual and Institutional memBers • Legal defense fund • Legal counsel, information, and support • Contract review service see pages 11-13 for more information, or visit us online at www.Clasleaders.org/membership
