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APRIL 2022 ■ VOLUME 24 ■ NUMBER 4

TABLE OF CONTENTS

APRIL 2022 ■ VOLUME 24 ■ NUMBER 4

The Indiana Association of School Principals leads in the advocacy and support of all principals in their commitment to every child.

President’s Letter - Strategic Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 IDOE - Indiana Education: Where We Are…and Where We’re Going . . . . . . . 5 From the AP Lens: Gaining a 30,000 Foot View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 SAFETY

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Tiffany Barrett Troy Albert Keith Burke Jason Cary Andrew Hawk Rick Hunt Jared Leiker Debra Misecko Nicholas Mitchaner Kevin Rockey Steve Samuel Matt Stark Kelly Storms Chrystal Street

Infinite Capacity Community Partnership Series: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 STEM Programming Changes at the IDOE is an Ideal Time to Measure and Innovate School and District-level Programming. . . . . . 10 Are you kidding? Who has time for strategic planning after pandemic fallout? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

IPLI News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 SERVICE

11025 East 25th Street Indianapolis, IN 46229 1-800-285-2188 or 317-891-9900 www.iasp.org tbarrett@iasp.org

Riley Kids Caring & Sharing Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 LEGAL REVIEW

Legal Situation Brief: Mandates Involving DCS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

© 2020 Indiana Association of School Principals

Helping Administrators Understand FMLA’s “Constructive Notice” to Avoid Legal Exposure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

All rights reserved. Any duplication without prior written permission is strictly prohibited.

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PRESIDENT’S LETTER

Strategic Planning Can you believe that we are post spring break, embarking on the home stretch of the school year? Every year just seems to roll by faster. My synthesis of that is that we love what we do and there is a strong purpose behind it!

I am excited to write this month about some of the work our leadership team is doing to walk out our mission and vision in an even stronger way at Lincoln Elementary. My hope is that it resonates with some of you; whether you are a new administrator figuring out how to put legs to your team’s mission and vision or you find yourself in a more seasoned position wanting to revive this work and set stronger purpose to it with your team. Regardless of where you fall on the leadership spectrum, leading with a strong mission and vision is one of the most important things we can do for our kids and for our staff.

Having a strong mission statement is certainly an important aspect of any organization and I have been involved a number of times in the process of developing a strong statement that is more than just a catchy phrase but instead a verbal capture of the true work we seek to do each and every day. I have always been a strong advocate that a mission statement should truly guide the work we do…if we are doing work that doesn’t align, then it shouldn’t be taking up our time. Recently however, I have learned that there is even deeper work to the mission and vision that we set with our teams.

There are so many teams that have strong mission statements and those statements capture truly inspiring work. Perhaps those very teams (and students) can recite that very statement and it does get used as a measuring tool for what should and should not take up the team’s time. The deeper question is, “Do the people truly believe it?” Many teams forget the work that needs to be done to cement even the strongest mission and vision through the work done at a dispositional level.

Webster defines disposition as our ‘prevailing tendency.’ I like to think of it as what you believe and pursue deep in your core even when the going gets tough. At Warsaw Community Schools, we seek to inspire and equip all students to continuously acquire and apply knowledge and skills while pursuing their dreams and enriching the lives of others. There is a lot to that statement and I am here to tell you I’ve never worked for a team that is more committed institutionally to their mission. However, I quickly found that within the walls of our school, we needed to break down what it meant for us to have a disposition of the WCS mission.

This work began by defining what our mission was….not coming up with a new catchy phrase but literally, in our core; what does that mission mean to us at Lincoln elementary school? Once our wrestling was over, we came up with the fact that our mission is to ‘Change the Trajectory of Lives.’ Notice it doesn’t say kids’ lives…while that is our focus day to day, we seek to change ALL lives - kids’, families’, staffs’. Then we put a vision to this disposition. What does that actually look like? Well, it looks different depending on which lens you are tackling it from. It might mean that we are helping a student overcome generational poverty through their pursuit of academic achievement. It may mean we are supporting a student with emotional regulation to independently manage their anger. It might mean we are helping a coworker quit smoking. It might mean we are walking the financial burden of a family with bills from a devastating medical diagnosis. WE CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF LIVES! Once this mission and vision dispositional clarification was complete, our next step was to define what values we must possess as a team in order to carry this work out. This helps us to have crucial conversations when an initiative or directive is given that we don’t like. Does it help us walk out our dispositional mission? Can we envision how this will help our vision come to pass? If so, then what clarified value do I/we need to embrace to get behind the work? What does it look like for me to carry out that value?

Intense, deep and powerful work. Mission, vision and values work is not for the faint of heart and it is not simply a fancy phrase that is branded into your school. It must be defined, embraced, wrestled with and revisited in an effort to be walked out each and every day!

Here’s to a smooth and productive April! We all know May will be here in a flash. May you each feel the deep commitment of ‘changing the trajectory of lives.’ What you do matters!

Aimee Lunsford IASP President

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FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

IASP Executive Committee Aimee Lunsford President Matt Shockley President-Elect Let’s face it, this school year has been hard, perhaps harder than the 2020-2021 year where we had masks and contact tracing and quarantining each and every day. Our optimism as educators provided us with the sense of “normalcy” for 2021-22 and then, it wasn’t normal.

This very realistic opening to my Indianagram message is not meant to depress you, but to remind us that a “normal” day in the life of a principal rarely happens, and that your vision for the school has to be strong in the face of whatever reality hits us each morning. President Aimee Lunsford beautifully describes how Lincoln Elementary approaches each day with We Change the Trajectory of Lives, and this then applies to the good and not so good days of a school leader. Her work to strategically plan how this disposition reaches each staff member, school child, and parent allows the school community to feel the depth of commitment to their children, and to know how best to support this work. Kudos to Aimee and her staff for digging in and taking on this all important work.

In the School Leader Paradigm (v 3.0), strategic planning and vision/mission appear for both the Learning Leader and the Learning Organization as key competencies and dimensions for your school as a system. The Learning Leader (you) should have the attributes of being Analytic, Strategic, Articulate, and Visionary, while the Learning Organization (the school) displays the essential behaviors of both Leading and Driving the Vision and Mission. How do you rate as the Learning Leader on the four attributes, and how does your school rate on the essential behaviors? Taking these honest self-assessments, or having your leadership team look at these questions, provides the rich dialogue that Aimee described as her school defined what was most essential for themselves.

Dr. Crystal Murff Thorpe Vice President Eric Gilpin Past President Amy Niemeier NAESP State Representative Dave Strouse NASSP State Coordinator Steve Baker Liaison to the DOE Dr. Daniel Peo Assistant Principal Liaison

Strategic Planning in April and May is really hard. Knowing though, that this hard work pays numerous dividends come June and July makes this investment right now worth it. In June and July as you and other school leaders prepare for students, this groundwork advances you far beyond the hours it now takes. We appreciate this dedication to self and school improvement and are here to assist you in any way.

Dr. Todd D. Bess IASP Executive Director

Future Indianagram themes Operations and Management

May 2022

Best of 2021-2022 School Year

June 2022

Share your thoughts on the Indianagram https://forms.gle/sCmLHwnh4aYcTJdr8

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Indiana Education: Where We Are…and Where We’re Going Dr. Katie Jenner Indiana Secretary of Education They say April showers bring May flowers…and these “showers” that we have overcome together this school year have truly led to some outstanding results (we are seeing the “blooms”)!

From the doubling down on literacy and STEM…to the momentum and synergy we are seeing in our communities to develop student pathways to college and career (just to name a few!), these “showers” will always come and go, but thanks to your leadership and partnership, our schools are growing stronger each and every day!

As we look ahead and think about the future of PK-12 education in Indiana, these partnerships that are either improving and/or strategically being developed are essential to our shared mission and collaborative vision. As I’ve shared previously, our team’s first priority when we stepped into this role 15 months ago was to listen… and through listening, we saw areas of great success and areas in which we could improve. This deep dive allowed us to focus our learner-centered vision into three key pillars: Student Learning & Opportunity, Educator Talent, Quality, & Value, and System Alignment & Capacity. Through each of these pillars (which you can read more about here), we established strategic priorities to best align our work to provide greater support to meet our realtime needs.

While I’d love to give you a comprehensive list of all our work together, I would max out my word limit for this column very quickly…all that to www.iasp.org

say, we have made significant progress in 2021 and thus far in 2022, and we must continue to lean in and work together to open as many doors for our students as possible to prepare them for whatever may come next, whether that’s enrollment, employment, or enlistment leading to service.

We know that this essential work starts long before a student ever steps foot in a kindergarten classroom. Studies have shown that pre-K programs provide a strong foundation that gives students a leg up in future grades. Together, we are working with leaders at all levels to increase quality pre-K/early learning opportunities through the restructuring and expansion of the Early Learning Advisory Committee (ELAC) and the upcoming establishment of the Office of Kindergarten Readiness so more students are better prepared for kindergarten.

Through emphasizing and expanding our state’s literacy and STEM focus and initiatives, we are working together to prepare our future leaders to be best positioned to tackle tomorrow’s greatest challenges and find their purpose. In order to maximize each student’s trajectory for lifelong success, we must continue to work together to establish meaningful K-12 pathways and opportunities for all. To support the development of local pathways, we recently announced the Explore, Engage, and Experience competitive grant program aimed at expanding access to work-based learning and postsecondary credentials.

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Through our commitment to elevating the teaching profession and supporting Indiana’s educators, we are continuing to expand our professional development resources on the Indiana Learning Lab, which was recently nominated for a MIRA Award! Just last month we announced the launch of the first iteration of our new comprehensive teacher supply and demand marketplace, which helps schools attract top talent by connecting educators and preparation programs with school openings in real-time. And if you haven’t yet, take a minute to check out the Teachers Who Shaped Us series, which celebrates educators.

We are on the cutting edge of many initiatives that will change how student success is measured throughout the PK12 continuum here in Indiana, placing a greater emphasis on knowledge and skill development instead of just a single test score. As the development and implementation of the Indiana Graduates Prepared to Succeed (Indiana GPS) dashboard continues throughout this year, we are looking forward to continuing to engage with you in our work to establish innovative methods for collecting or accessing new data to measure key indicators of success.

And the list goes on! Our work together is far from finished and what we have accomplished so far is a testament to the great work you lead in our schools each and every day. Thank you for always putting our students first!

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ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL CONNECTION

From the AP Lens: Gaining a 30,000 Foot View Dr. Dan Peo Assistant Principal Wea Ridge Middle School Matt Shockley Principal Avon High School IASP President-Elect In the Tippecanoe School Corporation this school year, the central office administrators added Student Support Specialist positions (think deans) within six buildings, and to support these individuals, a team borrowed from IASP’s LEAD (Leadership Elevated, Accelerated, and Delivered) program.

Other school districts also utilize the LEAD format as a way to provide in-house PD to aspiring and/or new leaders. TSC’s deans have benefited from the sage wisdom of their mentors, Mr. Mike Kelley and Mr. Randall Schoeff (thanks to you both!).

We also have been fortunate to have many great speakers at our formal PD events, and at our most recent event, we were honored to have Mr. Matt Shockley, Avon High School Principal and President-Elect of IASP, present to our deans on the topic of Mission, Vision, and Strategic Planning. For the AP Lens article this month, I am collaborating with Matt to bring you some key takeaways from what I learned on the topic of Mission, Vision, and Strategic Planning.

In my role as an assistant principal, I am fortunate to have a principal who allows me to be part of his thought process when it comes to 30,000 foot view items such as Mission, Vision, and Strategic Planning, but this topic really doesn’t occupy much of my day-to-day tasks as an AP. When I say 30,000 foot view, I am referring to a term often used in business and other settings that is used to describe getting a perspective that allows for one to see the big picture, such as when you look out an airplane window from 30,000 feet in the air and see the ground below you. Even though my day-to-day tasks don’t cruise along with a 30,000 feet view, this topic is extremely important for both career and upwardly mobile assistant principals who wish to grow their leadership in the area of Systems Intelligence (Marshall et al., 1990). It is our hope that after reading this article that these high-level leadership concepts will be clearer for you, and you’ll have some actionable steps to collaboratively create your own mission, vision, and strategic plans.

Mission vs. Vision For me, the topics of mission and vision always seemed to be synonymous with one another, and I still have some fogginess about the difference between the two. In his presentation,

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Mr. Shockley cited a few well-known authors to provide some context for mission and vision. Mission “clarifies the primary purpose of the organization,” is “not likely to change,” and is something that is happening every day (Shockley, 2022).

Mission is helpful when providing focus for the people of an organization while they are carrying out their daily tasks and answers the Simon Sinek question, “Why do we do what we do?” In his presentation, Mr. Shockley provided some examples of mission statements from well-known companies, including Walmart, Google, Tesla, and others. These mission statements are often very simple and memorable: “We save people money so they can live better” is Walmart’s mission statement. While understanding an organization’s mission can help to clarify day-to-day operations and why those daily tasks are important, an organization’s vision looks forward and envisions the “ideal future state that the mission builds toward” (Shockley, 2022).

Richard Dufour, a well-known author who has contributed much to our understanding of Professional Learning Communities, offers that our vision helps us to answer the question, “What must our school become to accomplish its purpose?” These aspirational, hopeful, and positive vision statements again provide a focus for organizations, but this time, the focus is less about our present course of action and much more about what direction an organization needs to go in order to make whatever desired future become a reality.

Apple Incorporated’s vision statement is “to make the best products on earth, and to leave the world better than we found it.” For me, reframing the way I think about mission and vision and substituting the word present (why?) for mission and the word future (what?) for vision has helped to make these two concepts clearer in my mind.

Strategic Planning Once your mission and vision statements are clear, it is possible to begin working through a strategic planning process.

Strategic planning is essentially the roadmap that connects the starting point - your mission (why?) - to your future destination - the vision (what?). Mr. Shockley spoke about the process that was used in the Avon Community School Corporation that included seven key areas: objectives, strategies, timeline,

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ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL CONNECTION

assigned staff, data, detractors, and preventions (Shockley, 2022). While these steps may seem like a massive undertaking, many of us are familiar with other types of goal-setting. One of those is SMART goal planning, in which SMART is an acronym for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timebound. If you compare this acronym to the previously-mentioned seven key areas of Avon’s process, you will see some areas of overlap.

It is important that SMART goals have a specific timeline; without a deadline, it is quite possible that our everyday tasks can overwhelm long-term strategic planning. Another type of goal-setting to consider is SWOT analysis, another acronym that stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. By identifying these four elements within an organization, leaders often can find fresh perspectives, new ideas, and a fact-based analysis to provide helpful data as a part of strategic planning (Kenton, 2022).

There are many methods to use when formulating mission and vision statements and conducting strategic planning. Assistant principals often are not involved in this level of 30,000 foot view decision-making, but this type of leadership is important to understand in order for assistant principals to serve well as part of an administrative team or in preparation for a future principalship. As Mr. Shockley shared, an assistant principal

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played a key role in developing the collaborative process to create his school’s mission and vision. Stepping up to lead in this area creates added value for your school, the leadership team, and your personal leadership journey. In addition to the material presented here, we would encourage you to take a closer look at the School Leader Paradigm’s System Intelligence competency of Mission, Vision, and Strategic Planning and the Systems Domain competencies of Vision/Mission and Strategic Management for further ideas and inspiration for both learning leaders and learning organizations.

References Kenton, W. (2021). How SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat) analysis works. Investopedia. Retrieved March 29, 2022, from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/swot.asp Marshall, C., Mitchell, B., & Gross, R. (1990, April 16-20). A typology of the assistant principalship: A model of orientation to the administrative career [Conference Session]. Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Boston, MA. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED326929 Shockley, M. (2022). Mission, Vision, and Strategic Planning [Google Slides presentation]. TSC STARS Professional Development Session #3, Lafayette, Indiana

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Join us for this episode of the IASP LeaderCast.

A weekly podcast production containing short, sweet nuggets of Wednesday Wisdom for our leadership growth. In this special episode from our “Leading from the Heart” series, Mrs. Aimee Lunsford shares her connections with strategic planning to leading with heart in our buildings.

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INDIANA NEW ADMINISTRATORS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE The Indiana New Administrator Leadership Institute (INALI) is designed to help beginning administrators become effective instructional leaders and to more quickly and comfortably assume the responsibilities of building administration.

The INALI program builds upon the annual IASP New Administrator Conference and creates ongoing support through seminars, mentor meetings and communication, and the online, on-demand professional development Ed Leaders Network Participation in INALI includes:     

    

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2-year professional development program including extensive teacher evaluation training Mentoring by trained, highly qualified mentors Monthly, regional, focus cohort meetings Summer Indiana Association of School Principals New Administrator Workshop July 18-19, 2022 and July 19, 2023.

2 day-long seminars during the 2022-2023 and the 20232024 school year:  September 12, 2022  September 12, 2023  February 7, 2023  February 7, 2024 Access to resources to support the needs of new administrators and their schools Membership in the Indiana Association of School Principals Registration for either the IASP Assistant Principals Conference or Principals Conference with a special session at each conference for INALI participants.

Membership in Ed Leaders Network: On-demand professional development to enhance one’s educational leadership 45 Professional Growth Plan points for each year of participation or completion of INALI fulfills IMAP requirements.

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Membership in INALI is open to New Principals, Assistant Principals, and Deans.

Register Online at www.iasp.org The $1000 registration fee includes all conference fees and membership in IASP. For additional information contact: Indiana Association of School Principals 317.891.9900

INALI is a two year professional development program that includes extensive teacher evaluation training, coaching by highly qualified mentors, and monthly regional cohort meetings.

We are formed by a collaboration between the Indiana Association of School Principals (IASP), the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents (IAPSS) and the Indiana Principal Leadership Institute (IPLI).

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STRATEGIC PLANNING

Infinite Capacity Community Partnership Series: STEM Programming Changes at the IDOE is an Ideal Time to Measure and Innovate School and Districtlevel Programming Krista M. Stith Infinite Capacity, LLC

( formerly STEM Integrations LLC)

Rachel L. Geesa Infinite Capacity, LLC

( formerly STEM Integrations LLC)

The preparation of students for complex, career and college opportunities that require STEM/STEAM proficiencies is an expectation for today’s educational organizations at the local, state, and national levels. However, the expectations for postsecondary preparation is an ever-evolving process, especially when it comes to scientific and technological readiness.

Pedagogy and practices that were considered high quality, integrative STEM programming ten years ago (or even five years ago) may already be dated. Geesa et al. (2021) state: Educational leaders need to routinely measure the effectiveness of the current integrative STEM learning environment and goals for their efficacy toward achieving the school’s mission and vision. Leaders should not only track students’ STEM achievements, but also track opportunities to be innovative, take risks, and learn through inquiry-and design-based experiences. Through real-world learning opportunities and collaboration with school stakeholders, leaders can provide experiences for students to identify connections between their current learning and potential careers. (p. 28) One approach to measure STEM programming is to stay up-to-date on state-level changes. The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) is navigating a series of programming developments to encourage purposeful planning and implementation in STEM programming for Indiana schools and districts. This is an ideal time for schools and districts to develop a system to routinely measure and reflect upon the structures and outcomes in place for their own STEM programs and the alignment with the STEM mission and vision. This is also a time to be cognisant of how the status quo of the school or district’s STEM programming may not be adequate to prepare students as expected by the state.

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First, does your school or district have a STEM mission and vision? If not, the IDOE provides definitions in the 2021-2022 STEM Certification Guide that may help school leaders with the initial ideation process.

IDOE STEM Framework Mission: Ensure Indiana teachers are prepared to provide every student in grades K-12 with an evidence-based, effective STEM education by 2025.

IDOE STEM Framework Vision: All Indiana students in grades K-12 will graduate with critical thinking skills and be prepared for an innovation-driven economy by accessing quality, world-class science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education every day in the classroom by 2025.

The IDOE is also in the process of providing support systems for schools and districts to bolster their STEM programming.

We have addressed three approaches below and offer sources of information to take action.

Approach 1: STEM and Literacy Coaches According to Kudenko & Hoyle (2015, para 4), “...using coaching as part of collaborative learning helps address individual teacher needs, shows the value of teachers learning with and from one another, contextualizes CPD [continuing professional development] application and helps embed enquiry-oriented learning in day-to-day practice.” The IDOE is moving towards integration of STEM and Literacy coaches with training commencing during the Summer of 2022. For the schools that are participating in this program over the next two years, we perceive that the additional support of a STEM and Literacy coach is a good time to re/visit the mission and vision of a school or district’s strategic STEM plan. With experience in project-, problem-, and design-based

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STRATEGIC PLANNING

learning strategies, the STEM and Literacy coaches can be an invaluable resource for collective decision-making.

Approach 2: IDOE STEM Certification Since 2015, the IDOE has provided a framework to evaluate the immersion of STEM programming in Indiana schools and districts. A rubric is provided as part of the evaluation process and the rubric has received yearly, or near yearly, updates.

Following the iterations of the STEM Certification rubric can be a useful resource to consider the priorities of the state in determining what is high-quality STEM teaching and learning and the measures and outcomes a school must achieve to earn STEM Certification.

Approach 3: Familiarize with Literacy, Math, Science, and Computer Science Frameworks and Upcoming Standards The IDOE’s 2016 Implementation Plan of the Science Standards is ending and 2022 Science and Computer Science Standards will be introduced shortly. At the time of writing this piece, the new science standards are under public review.

These standards align more closely with 44 other U.S. states, and the District of Columbia, in scaffolding science and engineering knowledge and skills. Literacy and Mathematics are also more purposefully integrated.

Sources for Support The following resources provide professional learning opportunities for leaders, teachers, school counselors, and other educators: ■ Indiana Learning Lab (https://inlearninglab.com/)- The Indana Learning Lab provides extensive micro learning resources for families, teachers, and school leaders.

The Learning Lab is growing its collection of resources for organization-level STEM education and leadership, including frameworks and strategies for school leaders.

■ Keep Indiana Learning (https://keepindianalearning. org/)- The Central Indiana Educational Service Center’s KInL platform provides a variety of educational resources that interweave research, techniques, and technology to support schools and districts in STEM programming.

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■ Leadership in Integrative STEM Education: Collaborative Strategies for Facilitating an Experiential and StudentCentered Culture by Geesa, Rose, and Stith- This book covers nine domains of STEM programming with case studies and evidence-based strategies to ideate STEM mission and vision at the organization-level. While Chapter 2 speaks directly to STEM-centric mission and vision, the cultural aspects to align a program with IDOE’s expectations are interwoven throughout the text.

Call to Action: In the scientific and technologically-evolving world that we live in, STEM instruction should not be a static offering to students. Educational leaders should continuously measure, reflect, and make purposeful decisions to continuously innovate STEM programming to prepare students for postsecondary experiences. With the state-level changes taking place at the IDOE, now is the perfect time to assess current programming, consider how a STEM-centric mission and vision may fit into the school’s ecosystem, and then take action to support implementation. Contact us for more information or ways to support STEM programming in your school or district.

References: Geesa, R. L., Rose, M. A., Stith, K. M., Lowery, K., & Caniglia, J., (2021). Leadership to foster an integrative STEM mission and culture. In R. L. Geesa, M. A. Rose, & K. M. Stith (Eds.), Leadership in Integrative STEM Education: Collaborative strategies for facilitating an experiential and student-centered culture (pp. 27-50). Rowman & Littlefield.

Kudenk, I., & Hoyle, P. (2015) Using coaching to enhance science-specific professional development for primary teachers. European Science Education Research Association 2015 Conference. https://www.stem.org.uk/system/files/ elibrary-resources/2016/02/Using%20coaching%20to%20 enchance%20science%20specific%20professional%20 development%20for%20primary%20teachers.pdf

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UPCOMING EVENTS IASP hosts events throughout the year to support the growth and development of Indiana school administrators and students. Each event is intentionally designed to encourage and engage you in the pursuit of learning!

FIND A FULL LIST OF EVENTS AT IASP.ORG/EVENTS

Special thanks to our Platinum Corporate Sponsor

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Online Master’s in Educational Administration with Principal’s License

Jeremy Coleman Ball State Alumnus

“This master’s program taught me to think like an administrator.”

Jeremy Coleman, principal of Indianapolis’ Brookview Elementary, says Ball State University’s online master of arts in education (MAE) in educational administration and supervision gave him the push he needed: “The MAE was rigorous. It was challenging. It was the jolt I needed to see leadership clearly.”

Register for our ■ Internships are fulfilled within your own school district.

■ With a master’s degree, you just need the 24-credit license to become a principal.

■ No GRE needed for admission—you can apply quickly and start on your degree.

Live Webinar bsu.edu/online/EdAdmin April 27 | 4 p.m. Eastern

bsu.edu/online/EdAdmin

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STRATEGIC PLANNING

Are you kidding? Who has time for strategic planning after pandemic fallout?

Dr. Jason A. Smith Dean MSD of Warren Township Dr. Marilynn Quick Associate Professor Ball State University During times of crisis, it’s easy to get distracted from the primary mission of our schools to support ever-improving teaching and learning. Instead, we can become diverted and find our workdays buried under mountains of added administrative tasks. Current leaders fully understand this quote by Martin Luther King, Jr., “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” In May 2020, 71% of teachers surveyed indicated that teacher morale was worse than prepandemic (Gewertz, 2020). A powerful shared vision can revitalize us in times of crisis. Strategic planning that is driven by such a vision can serve as the catalyst to lead us through the pandemic stronger than before.

Three guiding principles can support and energize your school’s strategic plan: 1). Actively listen, 2). Focus, and 3).

Stop Searching for the Silver Bullet.

Active listening sounds simple but is difficult to do well. To actively listen, the leader must be open, empathetic, and pay close attention to what the speaker is trying to convey. Using a strategy such as writing down exact phrases and then paraphrasing these reassures the speaker they are being heard (Hackett et al., 2008). By asking your faculty how they are dealing with pandemic consequences and eliciting their input 14

on possible strategies to overcome the sinking morale, a leader can gain buy-in for a renewed focus.

Focus requires 1-3 clear goals in the strategic plan. Personally, we prefer one research-based goal that our schools can leverage to become world-class organizations. The Cinergy Foundation had funded past school improvement grants to Indiana and Ohio schools.

While evaluating those processes, Dr. Quick discovered that the districts with the most successful gains in achievement had secured buy-in, excitement, and fidelity around one compelling goal. Those districts with a myriad of ever-changing new initiatives gained mediocre results at best. True focus rests on a research base of effective practices and requires alignment of district resources. Therefore, if school faculty members adopt a goal like writing across the curriculum, professional development funds are provided only for training in writing; leaders focus all their supervisory activities on writing processes; PLCs focus on sharing writing strategies; and benchmark testing focuses on writing outcomes.

Finally, by actively listening and establishing a research-based focus, schools can avoid the downfalls of what Hargreaves et al. (2015) coin the “search for the silver bullet.” Too many leaders flit from one new initiative to

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another hoping this search for the latest and greatest program will change their schools. This practice of revolving-door programs often prevents teachers from implementing any program with fidelity.

Morale can also be impacted when teachers just begin to feel comfortable with program implementation, only to have it replaced with something totally different. The best programs are developed within the school by …”Attracting talented and committed teachers and establishing cultures for them to work in teams.... There are no magic bullets here, but there are silver linings if you do both in concert” (Hargreaves et al., 2015, pp. 6-7).

At a Warren Township school, Dr. Smith conducted a continuing series of professional developments (PD) on early childhood trauma to help the teachers understand why some students disrupt class. Learning Forward’s Standards for Professional Learning (2014) guided this development, implementation, and monitoring of the PD. The focus was on adults responding to student behavior in a trauma-responsive and child-centered manner.

During learning community meetings, teachers were involved in the planning and evaluation of the PD. Leaders listened and took notes on the teachers’ concerns regarding student behavior and their typical responses to dysregulated students. During weekly

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STRATEGIC PLANNING

administration meetings throughout the implementation of the professional learning, the leadership team would discuss what was seen in classrooms regarding teacher and student interactions and what PD adjustments needed to be made.

As part of the research process, Dr. Smith asked some teachers and some of their students if teachers’ thoughts and actions changed. Teacher Allison indicated, “Before, I felt like students had control over all of their behavior, but after understanding brain science a bit I know that it’s nature AND nurture.”

Teacher Ronda commented, “I take into account now because of the PD, that Covid has impacted their lives and I need to be sensitive to that.”

Many of the students’ perceptions changed from, “the teacher yells,” “calls the dean,” or “puts misbehaving students out of the room” to: “she gets on our level to see what is wrong,”

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“helps us calm down,” and/or “gives us a break.” 7th grade student Doug was asked, “First semester, you felt like your teacher picked on you a lot. How are things now?” Doug indicated: “She’s cool now. . . She don’t call me out no more, she just looks at me if I ain’t doing what I’m supposed to (be doing) and I get back to work. She actually helps when different people ask for help. “ Dr. Smith’s research provides a vivid example of how active listening, focus, reliance on PD research-based principles from Learning Forward and traumainformed care, and staff buy-in resulted in successful program outcomes. Thus, the school implemented a strategic plan that worked!

COVID-19/HowPrincipalsandDistr ictLeadersAreTryingtoBoostLaggin gTeacherMoraleDuringCOVID-19EducationWeek.pdf

References Gewertz, C. (2020) How Principals and District Leaders Are Trying to Boost Lagging Teacher Morale During COVID-19. Education Week (May 11, 2020). https://schools.archmil.org/ CentersofExcellence/DOCsPDFs/

Learning Forward. (2014). Standards into practice: External roles. Innovation configuration maps for standards for professional learning.

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Hargreaves, A., & Fullan, M. (2015).

Professional capital: Transforming teaching in every school. Teachers College Press.

Hackett, P. T., Ross, L., & Asuncion, I. (2008). Teaching basic counseling skills to aspiring school leaders: Active listening skills as critical components of team building and collaboration.

Perspectives In Learning, 9 (1). Retrieved from https://csuepress.columbusstate. edu/pil/vol9/iss1/3

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LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

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LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

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LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

IPLI News Dr. Kelly Andrews Director Indiana Principal Leadership Institute Strategic Planning/Mission/Vision IPLI is a premier professional development opportunity for the practicing principals of Indiana. We support you, encourage you, and provide growth in your leadership as we learn together, lead together, and connect.

IPLI was established in 2013 with a clear strategic plan. The strategic planning of the IPLI Design Team was meticulous in guiding the institute’s success over the last nine years, through a change of leadership, and particularly through a pandemic. There are five steps in creating a strategic plan. IPLI is grateful for the details of this plan supported by the Indiana Legislature and all those who have been instrumental in bringing it to life over the past many years.

■ Define your Vision and Mission. A mission statement asks what do you stand for? This assists in bringing alignment to the work and creating a unified effort with a common language that increases efficiency. The vision is different in that it shares with the community where you want to go in the future and how you will get there.

IPLI MISSION The mission of the Indiana Principal Leadership Institute is to provide building-level principals with the skills and tools needed to increase their personal leadership capacities and increase the learning capacities of their schools.

IPLI VISION The vision of the Indiana Principal Leadership Institute is to be a nationally known model of intensive professional development, building and empowering Indiana principals to create a school culture that results in improved student outcomes for all children.

■ Values. Reflecting on what we do well is a good starting point to share what we are proud of at IPLI. These values help shape our culture reflecting the successes and how we want IPLI to be in the future.

IPLI VALUES AND BELIEFS The following values and beliefs are what undergird the services provided by the Indiana Principal Leadership Institute:

a. Improving is a moral imperative (intrinsic);

b. Building a professional learning network is key to continuous learning;

c. Positive effective school culture is the foundation for school improvement;

d. Improvement efforts should encompass the whole child;

e. Action research is a process principals, and school improvement teams can use to study their practices, take research based action for change, and analyze the results to improve student outcomes;

f. Effective leaders are life-long learners; therefore, our relationship with principals does not end with any institute

completion. IPLI will continue to explore opportunities to provide ongoing support for IPLI graduates and their schools;

and

g. IPLI cannot do it alone; therefore, partnerships with other organizations such as the Indiana Association of School

Principals, the Indiana Department of Education, the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents, and other

universities and organizations are critical.

■ Outcomes. The steps IPLI is taking to meet the vision and mission. We are constantly asking ourselves what does success look like?

IPLI OUTCOMES All graduates of the IPLI Institute should know and be able to:

a. Lead their schools in the development and implementation of a Vision for Learning;

b. Lead their schools in the development and implementation of a Culture for Excellence;

c. Serve as an Instructional Leader in their schools; and

d. Ensure effective management of their schools.

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LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

■ Defining accountability is part of determining the journey of IPLI. ASSESSMENT OF THE INSTITUTE As we consider building-level data as criteria to determine eligibility for participants, these same criteria will serve as dependent variables when evaluating the effectiveness of the IPLI. An external evaluator and graduate assistants will collect data from participants and their schools and observations from seminars. In addition, IPLI will administer exit surveys to all participants.

The time it takes for any school to improve can be difficult to determine; thus, case study research will also occur as these schools move forward. We hope to build a strong case for each school two to three years after completing IPLI. IPLI intends to take this institute beyond a “feel good” experience and provide empirical evidence of its impact. These assessments are part of the annual report when valid data are available.

■ Establishing leading Key Performance Indicators is a priority. Each year, IPLI provides an Annual Report and an Impact Report that shares the results and indicators of the work accomplished as critical performance indicators.

ANNUAL REPORT An annual report shall provide a framework for annual Advisory Board meetings and serve as items to be presented to the Indiana legislature and current ISU President each summer. The content of that report shall include:

a. A summary of the activities of the Institute;

b. Data on the number of individuals trained;

c. An analysis of the extent to which the purposes of the institute have beenaccomplished;

d. A proposal for a program and budget for the two (2) years following the year that is the subject of the report; and

e. A short-term and long-term vision for the institute.

The most current report is posted on the IPLI website (www.indianapli.org) and is available to the public.

IMPACT REPORT Each winter, IPLI publishes a brief Impact Report highlighting the Institute’s yearly activities and accomplishments. Copies of the report are distributed to every legislator and appropriate constituency. The IPLI Impact Report also serves as a marketing and recruiting tool for IPLI and an informational document for communication purposes.

Principals continue to lead and are vital to the success of our Indiana students. We are grateful for their leadership as they are learning leaders, leading learners!

We are wishing everyone a continued safe and healthy school year.

IPLI Seminars IPLI began in July 2013 and is excited to offer Cohort 10 to kick off a decade of principals learning together in our Summer Seminar, held on the ISU campus on July 12, 13, & 14, 2022, with keynote speaker Rick Wormeli on July 13. Cohort 9 will be back to begin their Year 2 study of their schools, looking through the High-Reliability Schools framework lens.

IPLI celebrated Cohort 8 as their teams shared their action research for schools in the morning Showcase of Schools. These principals graduated in the afternoon after hearing Annette Breaux as the keynote speaker on the Seven Simple Secrets: What the Best Teachers Know and Do. We have had a great two years of learning and sharing with this group, and we wish them well as they continue to grow themselves and their schools.

IPLI is currently taking applications for IPLI Extended, Cohort #4. This year’s theme is “Leadership in Times of Change.” Speakers included this year are Doug Noll, an attorney from California who is a peacemaker and mediator specializing in difficult, complex, and intractable conflicts with de-escalation techniques. Dr. Mike Ruyle from Marzano Research will share research on personal wellness and resiliency. Check out the application on the website: www.indianapli.org IPLI looks forward to serving Indiana principals by growing leaders and improving schools. Let’s keep learning together as we continue to lead in 2022!

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IPLI graduates are invited to register for IPLI Extended Cohort 4.

IPLI Extended Cohort 4 will kick off with a one-day seminar at the IPLI Summer Seminar on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, featuring keynote speaker Rick Wormeli.

On Thursday, September 22, 2022, Douglas E. Noll, J.D., M.A. is a full time peacemaker and mediator, specializing in difficult, complex, and intractable conflicts.

On Thursday, January 26, 2023, Mike Ruyle, EdD, has served as a classroom teacher, school principal, university professor, and professional development presenter over a 30-year career. He will share research on personal wellness and resiliency.

What’s Included?

Cost

 Three, 1-Day Seminars (July, September, & January) featuring nationally-recognized educational leaders  Regional focus-cohort meetings (Seminars & August, October, February)

 Access to resources to support the needs of principals and their schools  27 Professional Growth Plan (PGP) points for full participation

$500—IPLI Graduate IPLI Graduates are encouraged to bring their two teacher-leaders from year two of IPLI to the three seminars.  Additional Team Members (up to 2)—$150 each Team members may receive 18 PGP points, only if they attend all three seminars. *IPLI Graduates may also elect to join IASP and register for the IASP Fall Conference at a reduced rate as part of IPLI Extended for an additional $500 (a savings of $94). 

Deadline to apply is May 29, 2022 20

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SERVICE

Riley Kids Caring & Sharing Update Susan Miles Officer, Kids Caring & Sharing TM Riley Children’s Foundation

Let’s work together to find creative ways to keep supporting Riley!

Riley Children’s Foundation in a New Location Professional work environments have certainly evolved in the past couple of years and my colleagues and I at the Riley Children’s Foundation have not been untouched. Our staff was sent home to work on March 13, 2020 where we discovered improved and cost-effective ways to collaborate with our many philanthropic partners throughout the state.

While we became quite adept at squeezing nearly 70 colleagues into a Zoom screen weekly, and along with the whole world grew more tech savvy, collaborating in person has always brought out our best efforts for Riley kids and families. Sooo, after months of research, design, and logistical maneuvers, and exhausting all opportunities to move closer to our Riley Hospital partners, we celebrated our move from the old L.S. Ayres Building in Circle Center Mall, to a hybrid-friendly work space at 500 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204, on Wednesday, March 30.

RCF staff will continue to work 80% of the time from home or in the field. Except for an office for our president Liz Elkas, there are no assigned work spaces in our bright, welcoming, 1st floor suite that feels somewhat like an internet café. Varied capacity meeting rooms, schedulable work pods and desks, and touchdown areas overlook the beautiful fountain on the historic American Legion Mall just north of the circle in downtown Indianapolis.

We are still getting settled and it will be a while before we are ready to entertain guests, but we look forward to hosting you in this accessible, secure, and adaptable meeting space as we work together to raise funds to provide the very best pediatric healthcare to Hoosier families in need.

Red Wagon Sponsorship There is still time this school year to sponsor a Riley Red Wagon for families to use while at the hospital. Schools may sponsor a red wagon with a gift of $4,000 or more, providing fun transportation for Riley kids as they visit various areas within www.iasp.org

the hospital for treatment and care. This sponsorship amount supports the most immediate needs of the hospital, unless you direct otherwise, with only $200 of your total gift directed toward actual wagon procurement and maintenance.

While we are not yet able to host Red Wagon launch celebrations inside the hospital, I am happy to travel to you to present your duplicate copy of the personalized license plate that matches the plate on the hospital wagon.

KCS Update Last month I introduced you to South Central Elementary (District 2) and their amazing KCS debut where they raised more than $15 per student for a total $7,289.45. The SCE Satellites not only secured Red Wagon school status and are sponsoring a Riley Red Wagon for use in the hospital, but also celebrated their first all-school assembly in two years complete with more than one pie in the face for Principal Nick Kimmel and several staff !

Event organizers surprised Mr. Kimmel when his own Riley kid, 2nd grader Maggie, and her two sisters Sophie and Lucy, and school counselor mom Jennifer got their own pies to toss at dad! Younger brother Dawson did not get to participate in the festivities – this year...

2021-2022 KCS Gift Recognition Deadline June 30 While our foundation office street address may be new, all gift submissions should be directed to our secure bank box. Please update your school treasurer.

Riley Children’s Foundation, P.O. Box 3356, Indianapolis, IN 46206-3356.

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Special thanks to our Silver Corporate Sponsors:

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LEGAL REVIEW

Legal Situation Brief: Mandates Involving DCS Séamus Boyce Attorney Kroger Gardis & Regas, LLP We receive a variety of issues through the KGR Legal Help Desk Service, each requiring an individualized analysis.

However, despite the unique nature of each situation, there is a recurring reminder for all: if you suspect a student is experiencing abuse or neglect, you must immediately report to the Department of Child Services (DCS) or local law enforcement. While this DCS-related requirement is the most well-known, there are other DCSrelated mandates that every education leader should be aware of. In this legal situation brief, we cover the DCSrelated requirements, including some of the more recent coming out of the Indiana General Assembly.

Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect. If you’re asking yourself, “Should I report this?” ... REPORT IT! In 2017, legislation passed that required all school employees, and in their individual capacity, to immediately report suspected abuse or neglect to DCS or to a local law enforcement agency.

This duty is PRIOR to any discussion or notification to the building principal.

Additionally, this requirement is not waivable, and schools are prohibited from establishing a school policy that would restrict this duty in any way. We suggest when possible without delaying reporting to: (1) pull in a witness to your report; (2) report using the DCS hotline (1-800-800-5556) on speakerphone so the your witness can hear the conversation; and (3) you and/or your witness should take detailed notes on what was reported and the information from the DCS hotline operator.

Reporting to Law Enforcement. If you suspect other criminal implications 24

(i.e. sexual assault, child pornography) you must report immediately to local law enforcement. It is of note that in the 2022 legislative session, the General Assembly expanded the circumstances for which an individual can be prosecuted for the crimes of child pornography and child exploitation. Suspected exposure to these crimes would trigger the duty to notify law enforcement. Also, if you think the circumstances you are encountering require action beyond DCS caseworkers, you should contact emergency responders immediately.

Mandatory Interviews. In 2021, legislation passed that specifically addressed mandatory DCS interviews in the school setting. The new provision requires a school to grant access to a DCS case worker if they present: (1) credentials verifying their employment as a case worker; AND (2) either written parental consent, a court order or exigent circumstances exist (on a DCS form). In a situation where a DCS case worker presents written parental consent for the student, the school is prohibited from keeping the written consent on the student’s file and must protect the student’s and the family’s privacy rights.

Exigent Circumstances. If a case worker provides documentation and proof of “exigent circumstances,” a school is required to permit DCS to interview the child. For exigent circumstances to exist, DCS must have definite evidence that gives rise to reasonable suspicion that the child is in imminent danger of physical or sexual abuse or neglect.

With these new provisions, education leaders no longer have to make a determination of the merits of a DCS

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request to interview a student without parent consent.

CHINS. With a student who is a Child In Need of Services (CHINS), the decision regarding where they attend school is made through the best interest of the child analysis. Every CHINS student is required to have a case plan and the child’s school must be invited to participate in the development of the plan. The plan must include a description and a discussion of ensuring the educational stability of the child. The development of the case plan can be a great opportunity for wrap-around-service providers to share information and collaborate to help the student. DCS is now obligated to reach out to a CHINS student’s school representative to participate in the case plan development and meetings.

Think of this as the case conference committee for the CHINS student.

We encourage you to reach out to our regional DCS leaders about the case plan notification and development process and remind them about the new requirements to include school representatives.

What is the legal lesson from this brief ? Do not mess around with DCSrelated obligations. It can get you and your colleagues in hot water if you do.

More importantly, compliance with and consistent practices regarding your interaction with DCS could prevent harm to your students. Make sure to walk through how you and the colleagues will respond to the circumstances described in this article.

We at the KGR Legal Help Desk are here to address legal issues for IASP members. Until the next Situation Brief, stay legal! www.iasp.org

LEGAL REVIEW

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LEGAL REVIEW

Helping Administrators Understand FMLA’s “Constructive Notice” to Avoid Legal Exposure Taylor Hunter Attorney Kroger Gardis & Regas, LLP The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal leave law that impacts nearly all school employers with 50 or more employees.

It’s a complex statute, but its premise is simple enough in the abstract: certain eligible employees get to take job-protected leave under certain circumstances (FMLA-qualifying events).

And since FMLA is a legal entitlement for those qualified school employees, there is also a corresponding legal obligation for the school employer. If you’re paying attention, that legal obligation should raise immediate questions: who?... when?... and what?

Who is responsible for telling the school employer about the need for FMLA leave? There is often a misunderstanding that school employees have the responsibility to notify the school employer about the need for FMLA leave. That’s just not the case. Unlike other employer-provided leave benefits (vacation, sick, personal bereavement, etc.) where the employee is responsible for notifying the school employer of the reason for leave, the FMLA requires the school employer to take a proactive approach.

When are FMLA obligations triggered?

The school employer’s obligation under FMLA is triggered in two circumstances: 1) when the employee clearly asks for the leave; and 2) when the school employer “acquires knowledge” that the employee’s absence may be FMLA-qualifying. 29 C.F.R. §300(b)(1). In other words, “actual” or “direct” notice of an FMLA-qualifying event is not required – “constructive notice” is enough. Stevenson v. Hyre Elec. Co., 505 F.3d 720 (7th Cir. 2007).

This means that administrators should both listen and watch for changes in employee conduct and behavior – especially sudden, dramatic changes. Let’s take for example an employee with sudden habitual attendance issues. Prior to the repeated

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absences, the employee was a model employee. Courts have held that clear abnormalities in behavior may be enough to alert the employer to a FMLA-qualifying serious health condition. And to be clear, school employers do not have to automatically approve absences as FMLA merely because they learn an employee might qualify. But (and a big but) school employers do have to “start the process” by issuing specific required notices. Id. at § 300(b)and (c). In other words, the employee might qualify, so they should be given the initial paperwork.

What should administrators say?

Be VERY careful not to raise unnecessary issues.

Administrators should rarely (and frankly never) ask questions like: “Are you or a family member struggling with a health issue or physical condition.” Instead, if you are aware that an employee’s circumstances or behaviors have changed and may warrant FMLA paperwork, a more appropriate statement is: “You may qualify for FMLA leave – here’s the notice and forms you should review if you want pursue that, and let us know if there’s anything else we can do to help.” This not only meets the employer’s legal obligation to “start the process,” but also shows the employee you care. It also puts the next move on the employee to provide the requested information. Oh, and make sure you document that you provided the FMLA paperwork!

Bottom line, administrators should be educated and proactive with potential FMLA situations and understand when the initial FMLA paperwork should be provided.

We at KGR routinely provide day-to-day legal counseling on these important topics. We, along with IASP, stand ready to support you.

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