Indianagram_August2021 by IASP

AUGUST 2021 ■ VOLUME 23 ■ NUMBER 7

Moving Forward in a Post-COVID World

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Moving Forward in a Post-COVID World AUGUST 2021 ■ VOLUME 23 ■ NUMBER 7

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

President’s Letter - Welcome Back Indiana Leaders!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 IDOE - New School Year: Challenges...and Opportunity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 MOVING FORWARD IN A POST-COVID WORLD

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

Urgent: Social-Emotional Learning Needed Now More Than Ever. . . . . . . . . . 6 Infinite Capacity Community Partnership Series: The TREAT Model and SEL Support for Returning Students . . . . . . . . . . 8 A Fresh Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Post Covid World- What’s Next. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

How Should We Think About Critical Race Theory? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 IPLI News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

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SERVICE

Riley Kids Caring & Sharing Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Spotlight on Service Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 LEGAL REVIEW

Some Considerations For School Leaders When Implementing Policy . . . . 25

Legal Situation Brief: Off Campus Student Speech. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

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PRESIDENT’S LETTER

Welcome Back Indiana Leaders! I’m wondering if you even remember the state of mind we were all in a year ago. We were navigating all the “to-do’s” of back to school but we were doing it by simply placing one foot gingerly in front of the other. What a year it was! I’m sure I’m not the only one giving thanks for the opportunity to unroll this year in more of a “normal” light. Oliver Wendall Holmes, Jr. once said that, “A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” As I read that quote I think about the multiple new experiences that Covid afforded us as leaders. They are too numerous to count, really. I certainly don’t want to be a leader that simply reverts back to my old dimensions. I want to remember the lessons that Covid taught us and the new ways that proved to be good practice with or without a pandemic. As we begin to tiptoe into what many refer to as the post-covid world, let me prompt you with two simple covid wins that I hope to take into the years ahead. I’d like to think that in the midst of all we navigated, we learned a lot about how to lead stronger and wiser on behalf of our staff and students. ■ Balance is a MUST - We all recognize the world that we live in honoring the unbalanced, overworking as prized employees. If we are honest, we are those very unbalanced and overworking people ourselves. May we remember, reinforce and model the value of better balancing our personal and professional lives. We are better workers and thinkers when we do and we create a much healthier atmosphere. ■ Meeting Family Needs Better - One of the best things that came out of virtual case conferences was an incredible increase in participation from families. It worked well for those working who didn’t have to take time off and for those at home that may have struggled to get in for a face to face in previous years. May we remember that technology is best when we leverage it for good and virtual conferences are a huge win! So, here’s to our best year yet. Blessings for your families, staffs and students as we embark on 21-22. Thank you for all that you do everyday! Aimee Lunsford IASP President

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FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

IASP Executive Committee Aimee Lunsford President Matt Shockley President-Elect Welcome back to the 2021-2022 school year, and welcome back to IASP and our support for you in the coming months. In this issue you will hear from experienced educators on lessons learned, and how to approach the new year with a fresh perspective on both school and self. As we compiled the articles and the features for the Indianagram, we also see and hear of how COVID-19 is continuing to impact us as schools, families, and individuals. We know fresh challenges will continue to face us as school leaders, but doesn’t every school year bring those to us? And since we are school leaders, we draw upon our attributes to facilitate and lead the changes that ultimately benefit our students. IASP is approaching 21-22 with a fresh perspective as well, the first you see today with the redesigned Indianagram as we know that digital content and links help you lead within your own school. Thanks to Tiffany Barrett and Chris Hammer for their work and leadership in this space. Another change we just announced was how we will provide to you access to support for school-related legal issues. As Dave Emmert officially retires, we wanted this service to continue, and we are pleased that the KGR Legal Help Desk will do just this. The KGR Legal Help Desk gives you access to two attorneys, Seamus Boyce and Taylor Hunter, plush additional resources KGR has within their own library of supports. See the announcement on page 26, and be sure to read their articles at the end of this issue.

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

Finally, we want to reconnect with you in the coming weeks and months. After a year of limited in-person events, look for our District Meetings, Conferences, and personal outreach all work to hear from you and support you. IASP is your professional association, and we are privileged to serve you and your students. Take care of your staff and students as your school reopens, and take President Aimee Lunsford’s advice, and take care of yourself and your family. Together we all will succeed and thrive. Dr. Todd D. Bess IASP Executive Director

Future Indianagram themes Social, Emotional and Behavioral Wellness (SEBW) Community Building Equity and Cultural Responsiveness Professional Learning Communities Remediation/Interventions Safety Strategic Planning/Vision & Mission Operations and Management Best of 2021-2022 School Year

September 2021 October 2021 November 2021 January 2022 February 2022 March 2022 April 2022 May 2022 June 2022

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New School Year: Challenges...and Opportunity Dr. Katie Jenner Indiana Secretary of Education As we launch into a new school year, we are excited to welcome our students back! At the same time, many start-ofschool stressors emerge (e.g., staffing up, scheduling woes, bus route challenges, etc.). Yet in recent weeks, you have repeatedly shared your optimism… that despite some barriers, incredible opportunities lie ahead to impact students. So, while we will acknowledge the challenges, let’s spend our time on solutions! Since spring of 2020, our educators, students, and families have been continuously adapting to the unique challenges posed by the pandemic. The impacts have been significant across the state, and we know there is much work to do to mitigate these impacts. Furthermore, the pandemic is not yet behind us, so let’s anticipate additional challenges and needs in the weeks and months ahead. While we have no control over COVID-19, we can control how we respond to it and plan for it on behalf of our students and colleagues. There’s no doubt the academic impact of COVID-19 disruptions presents one of our top challenges. As we expected, results from the spring’s federally- and state-required assessments indicate that these impacts were substantial — ranging from moderate to significant across schools, academic subjects, and demographic groups. Significant proficiency gaps persist among Indiana’s racially and ethnically diverse, lowincome, special education, and English learner students. Considering the educational disruptions brought on by the pandemic, for many, this was expected and is now confirmed. While these results provide one piece of information and establish a new baseline, we must also consider a variety of data points as we build strategies to best serve individual students. www.iasp.org

To assist with this work, below are some broad intervention strategies that may be helpful as you work to implement a comprehensive, multi-year response. This includes: ■ Understanding the Data - First, analyze multiple individual student data points using state and local data to meet student needs where they are today. ■ Intervening with Strategic Support Use the right tools to help students, including additional staff resources to allow small group instruction and strategic leveraging of community resources and talent. ■ Acting to Meet Students at Their Current Level - Based on data analysis, determine the action steps for individual students. ■ Recognizing That One Size Does Not Fit All - Tailor instruction for individual or small groups, in particular those with specific learning needs. ■ Innovating to Strategically Accelerate Learning - To support all students, new, bold, and dedicated efforts are essential. ■ Leveraging Every Minute and Keeping the Focus on Student Impact - Be intentional with, and consider ways to expand, learning time. Devote uninterrupted blocks of time to literacy and math. ■ Providing Intentional and Focused Instruction - Focus on grade-level instruction with remediation as needed for individual students, which includes ensuring understanding of fundamental, essential previous grade-level standards.

our students’ learning, making sure that each student is mastering the essential knowledge and skills from one grade level to the next to best prepare them for pathways and opportunities ahead. I’ve heard stories from so many principals across the state who are leaning-in on this work and overcoming barriers to find solutions that result in positive outcomes for students and their communities. As you know, each student’s pathway is unique and depends on whether they seek enrollment, enlistment or employment. Some students’ paths will include the completion of the Indiana College Core; others might include an apprenticeship, internship, or high-value industry certification. Looking ahead over the next few months, we will be collaborating with various stakeholders (including principals!) to develop a dashboard to better display the many data points that tell the story of school and student outcomes. We look forward to the work that lies ahead, and we know that together, we can develop collaborative solutions that help transform challenges into opportunities. Thank you for your work. Let’s make it a great 2021-2022 school year!

With this in mind, the opportunity ahead of us is clear and full of promise. Informed by a range of student-level data, we must strategically accelerate

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MOVING FORWARD IN A POST-COVID WORLD

Urgent: Social-Emotional Learning Needed Now More Than Ever Dr. Brandie Oliver Butler University Life after COVID? What does this look like for our students, staff, and families? Unfortunately, it will be years before we know the impact that COVID has had on our lives. However, there is no better time to emphasize and prioritize socialemotional learning (SEL) in schools. SEL is not new - it has been “talked about” for decades, yet many schools have found challenges in “walking the talk”.

Over the last academic year, we have encountered various stressors, challenges, losses, and changes that have impacted many parts of our lives, significantly affecting our overall mental wellbeing and development of SEL knowledge and skills.

Why Make SEL a Priority? The bulleted items below capture the main points that support making SEL a priority to best support the entire school community (educators, students, and families). ■ Academic goals cannot be fully achieved without SEL knowledge and skills. ■ Students, even those who were in physical classrooms for the past year, have not experienced optimal learning environments for developing SEL. ■ Given the very different academic and SEL opportunities during the pandemic, returning to face-to-face learning will require additional support and dedicated time for teaching and practicing SEL knowledge and skills. ■ Recent study reveals that high school students participating in virtual learning report feeling ‘worse off ’ socially, emotionally and academically than peers attending school in-person; the report calls this finding a ‘thriving gap’ in students. ■ Research shows nearly all students have experienced some challenges to their mental health and well-being during the pandemic and many have lost access to schoolbased services and supports, with early research showing disparities based on race, ethnicity, LGBTQ+ identity, and other factors. ■ Educator stress, fatigue, and burnout have significantly increased. - According to a study completed in October 2020, approximately one-quarter of teachers said they were likely to leave the profession. - Eighty-four percent of teachers surveyed by the EdWeek Research Center in March said that teaching is more stressful than it was before the pandemic.

What Can We Do? It can feel overwhelming to think about ‘adding’ one more thing to the school year. I encourage you to start small and be intentional about highlighting SEL within the school day with the long-term goal of having a comprehensive integration of SEL. Below outlines a few ideas and strategies to consider as you begin this school year. ■ Examine challenges that students may encounter as they transition back from virtual to in-person learning - Students may need support with communication skills, attachment issues, and feeling safe at school. ■ Implement regular meetings or other supports where educators can collaborate to share ideas, resources and discuss opportunities to work together. ■ Make adult educator wellbeing a priority. - Ideas include: dedicate time in faculty/staff meetings to facilitate and model wellness activities, share wellness resources available to educators in the community (including mental health resources), discuss mental health to reduce stigma commonly associated to this topic, designate areas in the school where educators can de-stress or re-energize. ■ Acknowledge the potential stressors that everyone may be experiencing in the school community. - Teach and practice stress management strategies. These can include mindfulness practices (mindful breathing is a great place to start). ■ Emphasize the importance of routines. Students feel a sense of safety and security when routines are present. *Remember, students may need extra time and support this academic year to adhere to the routine - have patience and practice, practice, practice. ■ Regardless of the age of the students you teach/support, play/fun is critical to social-emotional learning and to help establish rapport. - SEL can be fun and exciting - your approach and excitement about SEL are critical in how students will engage and respond to SEL!

- Another study revealed that teachers were more likely to report feeling stressed and burned out than other state and local government-sector employees. ■ Educators are the ‘first line of defense’ to address mental health, emotional, and social concerns.

A great place to start is to invite your staff to participate in the Social-Emotional Learning Professional Development Course offered FREE by Butler University. *The first 500 educators to complete 10 of the 12 learning modules will receive a $100 stipend. To register, click here.

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No Kid Hungry Indiana

is a public-private coalition

working to ensure no kid will grow up hungry. Together, we are ending childhood hunger in Indiana by ensuring every child has healthy food every day.

We can't accomplish this mission without you. Our team is here to help, now more than ever, through: Grant funding

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brainstorming and troubleshooting through one-on-one

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MOVING FORWARD IN A POST-COVID WORLD

Infinite Capacity Community Partnership Series: The TREAT Model and SEL Support for Returning Students Krista M. Stith Infinite Capacity, LLC

( formerly STEM Integrations LLC)

Rachel L. Geesa Infinite Capacity, LLC

( formerly STEM Integrations LLC)

Dr. Camille Scott Tolliver Camille Scott Tolliver, LLC Impact Life Decisions, Inc. A critical component for student overall success is the foundation of social and emotional capacities to navigate complex intrapersonal (self), interpersonal (with others), and intergroup relationships. Over the last year and a half, students have faced exceptional challenges in establishing social and emotional capacities. According to Martin & Sorensen (2020), the closures of United States PK-12 school systems impacted approximately 124,000 schools and 55.1 million students, catalyzing significant impacts for students such as social isolation, frustration, boredom, weight gain, disruptive sleep cycles, post-traumatic stress, and symptoms of depression. As students return to campus, educational leaders should consider current socio-emotional wellness systems in place and if those systems are equitably serving all students. A free self-assessment tool on social-emotional learning (SEL) practices is available through the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders at the American Institutes for Research (https://gtlcenter.org/selschool). Dr. Camille Scott Tolliver, Founder and CEO of Impact Life Decisions, Inc., is dedicated to guiding students throughout the state to make positive 8

decisions and have promising futures. In this month’s Community Partnership Series, Dr. Scott Tolliver shares her TREAT Model as a theoretical framework and actionbased approach toward facilitating SEL learning and teaching environments. TREAT (Transparency, Relationships, Emotional Safety, Access to Teachers, Time) provides educational leaders and teachers a framework to support students in the classroom. ■ Transparency - Students need to experience and understand that teachers also have to manage their social-emotional growth. Sharing appropriate life experiences or stories that require the teacher to express and model their personal emotions and social awareness will help students see their teacher as a human being who has also been dramatically affected by COVID-19. ■ Relationships - Every student has a story, or a cultural experience that shapes their personalities, social awareness, and ability to understand and manage their emotions. Teachers’ transparency gives the students permission to share their stories and build mutual relationships. Teachers gain access to their students’ perspective and can use these experiences to make connections and to create an environment of emotional safety. ■ Emotional Safety - The classroom structure should exude emotional safety for both the teacher and the student. Students need space to process their emotions appropriately in a safe manner. An example of creating an emotionally safe space

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could be designing a calming area for students to appropriately express their emotions by journaling, squeezing a stress ball, or practice mindfulness. Some schools even have a calming area for students to work with the school counselor or behavior specialist to help students process, manage, and use their emotions to elicit positive critical thinking and problem-solving skills. ■ Access to Teacher - Students spend approximately 36-40 hours per week with their teachers, but may not have access to an adult outside of the school who can genuinely value and care about their well-being. Students need to feel secure in knowing that they have access to their teacher not only as an instructor, but also as an adult who cares about their lives. Students may share their own personal struggles and experiences, and the teacher should be equipped with the resources to meet their needs. ■ Time - Every aspect of the TREAT model requires time for the teacher to become more transparent and to embed students’ stories and cultural experiences throughout the day. Creating an emotionally safe atmosphere will require time and patience to model how to appropriately express and manage emotions with social awareness. And finally, teachers giving students access to them outside of the typical instructional construct will require time, patience and vulnerability. Teachers will not immediately see results, but will definitely notice gradual improvements and social emotional growth over as the school year progresses.

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MOVING FORWARD IN A POST-COVID WORLD

Additionally, the community can provide a rich source of social-emotional support. For example, Love On A Leash (https://www.loveonaleash.org/) hosts several chapters around Indiana with volunteer teams of support dogs that regularly visit schools. The Indiana Youth System of Care through the Family and Social Services Administration (https:// www.in.gov/fssa/dmha/youthservices/) links schools with community programs, resources, and literature. Martin & Sorensen (2020) recommends additional actions to support students: ■ Ensure continuation of nutrition assistance and health services ■ Partner with organizations that can support schools and districts in providing health, mental health, social work resources, and tutoring options ■ Provide training in trauma-based practices ■ Engage with students through social media and other creative means

■ Be adaptable to emerging behavioral health needs ■ Promote an organizational culture that supports quality improvement tools ■ Address behavioral service gaps As students return to school this year, the TREAT Model provides a lens through which educational leaders can perceive strengths and potential gaps in SEL learning, as well as initial strategies that can be implemented. Community partnerships can supplement available school services. We thank Dr. Scott Tolliver for contributing to this month’s Community Partnership Series. She may be reached at camille@impactlifedecisions.org. Infinite Capacity is dedicated to inclusively fostering personal and professional growth for educators, leaders, and community partners through innovative education. Please e-mail us at contact@infinitecapacity. com for more information.

References: Center on Great Teachers and Leaders at the American Institutes for Research. (2021). Self-Assessing social and emotional instruction and competencies: A tool for teachers. https:// gtlcenter.org/products-resources/selfassessing-social-and-emotional-instructionand-competencies-tool-teachers Indiana Youth System of Care. (2021). Indiana system of care. https://www.in.gov/fssa/ dmha/youthservices/ Love On A Leash. (2021). Unleashing the love. https://www.loveonaleash.org/ Martin, E. G., & Sorensen, L. C. (2020, June). Protecting the health of vulnerable children and adolescents during COVID-19– related K-12 school closures in the US. In JAMA Health Forum (Vol. 1, No. 6, pp. e200724-e200724). American Medical Association.

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MOVING FORWARD IN A POST-COVID WORLD

A Fresh Perspective Steve Baker Principal Bluffton High School

My name is Steve Baker and I have been an administrator for 25 years. I have served 22 years as principal of Bluffton High School. It doesn’t matter how many years you have been a building leader, this past year has tested your leadership skills like never before. You are to be commended for your perseverance, grit, and attitude. You did it. Now what? Do we just put COVID-19 and everything that came with it into a nice box, put it on a shelf and move on? Before we do that, I would like to challenge us to look at how we can lead from a fresh perspective this coming school year. We have been given a gift that few generations have been given. An opportunity that may only come once in a lifetime. I know this sounds strange but let’s not waste a pandemic. This is a chance for a fresh start…to start over. What will that look like? I would like to offer some tips as we head into another year of unchartered territory: ■ Lead from the viewpoint of a fresh start. What will you do to be relevant and to make a difference in the lives of your students and staff ? A fresh start is a process. A fresh start is a journey that requires a plan. What will your plan be this year? ■ Lead with a fresh heart. COVID -19 knocked us down but we got up again. Cue “I get knocked down but I get up again” by Chumbawamba. Heroes and victims both get knocked down, but heroes get back up. You are all heroes!!! Who will you be when adversity strikes again? Covid-19 will take nothing from us unless we give it away.

■ Lead with fresh eyes. How will you choose to see this school year, your students, and your staff ? A year full of drudgery or one full of exciting opportunities and hope? Force yourself to step back and look at your building with fresh eyes. What did you learn last year that you want to keep doing? What should you stop doing because it is time? What could you do better if you were given the chance?

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Colleagues, lead with confidence, courage, and compassion. Your students and staff want to believe in a leader who they can trust, who cares for them, and who will lead with his/ her heart. It won’t be easy but it will be worth it. I leave you with a quote from Albert Einstein, “There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” We are in a profession where miracles happen every day. Thank you for being part of those miracles. Good luck.

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MOVING FORWARD IN A POST-COVID WORLD

Post Covid World- What’s Next Dave Strouse Principal Batesville Middle School A few weeks ago, the focus of the 2021-2022 school year was to resume to normal as much as possible but be prepared to switch back to more restrictive protocols from the previous school year, if needed. As new information evolves regarding the Delta variant and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issues new guidance, it has administrators reviewing their school reopening plans for the new school year. If COVID-19 has taught us anything the past 18 months, it has taught us to be fast and flexible because circumstances can change at a moment’s notice. When planning for school reopening during a pandemic or a post-pandemic with a resurgence of the virus, it is important to have Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, and Plan Z. After ending the 2019-2020 school year online in a lockdown, the main focus of the 2020-2021 school year was to get students back in person for many reasons. Students and staff were willing to make the needed sacrifices to get students back into the building. Many school districts were forced to remain online and continue teaching their students in the virtual world. Curriculum maps, Student Learning Objectives, and high stakes assessments all took a back seat to ensuring our students felt safe. There was no playbook on how to run a school during a pandemic. Two years ago, I could not tell you the duties of the County Health Officer, nor could

Arrival

Classrooms

I know administrators are struggling with whether they need to return to the restrictions they had in place last school year. Even though some decisions will be made on our behalf, we will have the ability to control certain aspects of welcoming students to the 2021-2022 school year. Students will be looking to us for comfort. Their educational experience and life, in general, have been impacted in ways we could have never imagined. The biggest question we need to answer as building level administrators is - How do we make school as normal as possible for our students while maintaining a safe and healthy school environment? Each school corporation and building may answer this question a little differently based upon multiple factors. Ultimately, building leaders will adapt and overcome by doing what is best for students, keeping them safe, and helping them learn as best they can. We will control what we can control. Below are a few examples of protocols we plan to start the school year knowing we will be fast and flexible to adjust as needed.

More Restrictive

Less Restrictive

2020-2021 School Year

2021-2022 School Year

Students report to classrooms starting at 7:30

If infection remains low in community and school, gradually keep students until 7:45 allowing for teacher collaboration time.

Start with students reporting to classrooms at 7:30.

Rows, facing forward, as far apart as possible.

Classroom returns to normal, trying to maintain 3ft separation.

Limited groups.

Utilize small pods/groups to reduce the number of quarantined students.

Reduce lunch numbers in half by doubling the number of lunch periods. (6 total)

Return to one lunch period per grade level but we are ready to switch back to multiple lunch periods. (3 total)

Use seating charts.

Entire grade level at lunch then to recess. Prepared to split in 1/2 lunch and 1/2 at recess, if needed. Open seating. Seating charts at the ready.

Six to a lunch table.

12 to a lunch table. Prepared to go to six per table.

Scan student cards instead of keypads.

Use of keypads. Have student cards prepared.

Case Conferences

Virtual case conferences only.

Offer the choices of in-person or virtual.

Water Fountains

Closed cups only at water filling stations.

Water fountains are open and cups will remain at water filling stations.

Masks

Masks in classrooms and hallways.

Convocations

No school wide convocations.

Student of the Month Presentations

Grade level presentation only. Record presentations for parents to view.

Grade level presentation only. May allow parents to view in person If infection remains low in community and school.

Dances

No school dances.

If infection remains low in the community and school then school dances may resume.

Visitors

No visitors beyond the main office.

Limited visitors beyond the main office. Must be vaccinated or masked and remain socially distanced from students.

Lunch

I name the person who held the position. Now, I email plans regarding school activities to our County Health Officer for approval.

1/2 grade level at lunch, 1/2 at recess (rotate)

Masks are optional. Exception - masks are mandatory on busses. Masks are recommended for unvaccinated students and staff.

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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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SHARED SOLUTIONS & EPIC EPISODES The strategy behind the support

WHO/WHEN/WHERE WHO CAN ATTEND? Virtually anyone, no pun intended. Shared Solutions and EPIC Episodes are both intended for Indiana administrators that may be interested in this professional development as an added benefit to your membership. WHEN ARE THEY? Our Shared Solutions Series and EPIC Episodes are offered at 10:00 a.m. (EST). They are offered monthly and correspond to the topic you read about in the Indianagram. WHERE ARE THEY? These sessions are both offered virtually monthly to provide you with important content in an easy to consume format without ever having to leave your building.

WHAT ARE EPIC EPISODES?

WHAT ARE SHARED SOLUTIONS?

EPIC Episodes

Shared Solutions

are a 2-part professional development series in

are single monthly sessions that are

presentation format on a relevant topic. Each

interactive and presented by Indiana

2-part series contains different material each

administrators. Each session offers an

session that builds and is presented virtually

opportunity for Indiana administrators to

by an expert on that topic. These topics are

discuss highly valuable and relevant topics

aligned to the topics in the Indianagram, IASP

that are currently impacting educators. All

blogs, and the IASP LeaderCast to create an

recordings and chat logs are shared with

easy to follow, consistent resource. All

attendees for references, as well as located

recordings and chat logs are shared with

in our resources library for all members to

attendees for reference, as well as located in

access. They provide multiple perspectives

our resource library for all members to access.

on a given topic. Audience participation is highly recommended.

LE AR N M OR E BY VI S ITI N G TH E E DU C ATO R R E SO UR C E P A GE U ND ER TH E H O M E TAB AT WW W . I A SP . O R G

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LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

How Should We Think About Critical Race Theory? Fenwick W. English Professor & Dept. Chair, Educational Leadership Ball State University Critical race theory or CRT, as it is known, has become the latest political piñata to be hoisted and bashed by critics who are criticizing public schools under the CRT banner. While it is highly unlikely that CRT is being taught in Indiana public schools, how should we think about it? Is there a lesson for all of us to consider regarding such controversies. Some History: CRT As A Dispute Among Legal Scholars Far from being the doctrine of wild-eyed ideologues as some of the CRT critics aver, critical race theory is a derivative of first, critical theory and secondly, critical legal theory. It has a long and respected academic history. When combined with legal studies it, “draws on social theory, political philosophy, economics, and literary theory. One of the main tenets of critical theory is the elimination of unjust hierarchies of privilege that are created and perpetuated through educational practices” (Samier, 2008, p. 210). Critical race theory emerged in the 1970s from legal advocates who were fed up with traditional legal scholars (residing in critical legal studies or CLS), for being too soft on institutional racism. “CRT begins with the premise that racism is a normal part of society and is a permanent part of American life. Critical race theorists expose different forms of racism and critique legal, educational, and other social institutions that perpetuate inequality…CRT looks for ways to deconstruct racism in government, law, policy, and schools” (Rodriguez, 2007, p. 410).

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The Real Issue in CRT: How Do We Teach A Theory? How do the schools teach a theory? A theory is a form of a narrative, i.e., a story. To be considered scientific, a theory has to first explain, and then secondly it has to predict. When they do both they become useful tools in shaping research. CRT continues to be applied in many doctoral dissertations as a framing tool, especially when dealing with aspects of racism in schools. So far the record is pretty good for CRT. When teaching a theory there is a fundamental issue of integrity, which can be violated if not understood by those who teach it. The first is that theories can’t be proven, or as Karl Popper (1968) observed, “Theories are never empirically verifiable” (p. 40). Instead the truthfulness of a theory is established by a test of refutation. Popper (1968) called this method falsifiability. Basically a theory can be rejected as false if a conclusion it reaches or something it predicts can be refuted. Take the case of Darwin’s theory of evolution, something which is still taught in schools after one hundred years of often bitter contestation and controversy. In fact, Ernst Mayr, Professor Emeritus in Zoology at Harvard University (1991) remarked that, “One hundred and thirty years of unsuccessful refutations have resulted in an immense strengthening of Darwinism” (p. 164). The theory of evolution is still considered viable after no refutation test has been successful in showing it is false.

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CRT is a narrative that seeks to explain and predict events and/or outcomes regarding race. As it and or its derivative corollaries try to explain events or outcomes it will be repeatedly subjected to the possibility of refutation. And like the theory of evolution, accepted as true momentarily, even if that moment is over a century. However, as a theory, it still remains open to repeated efforts of falsification. The Bottom Line: Theories Remain Theories Until They Are Eventually Refuted The most important response to the right wing’s denunciation of CRT is that if it is in our schools, it is taught as a theory, a narrative awaiting testing and possible refutation no matter how long that may take. It is never a fact. Our students should learn that lesson before the content of any theory is taught to them. No theory can ever be designated as scientific or truthful until all efforts to refute it have failed ( for the moment). Our efforts to properly prepare for a political attack about CRT, or any other theory in our curriculum, begins with our administrators and teachers understanding how to teach a theory properly. Any defense of CRT begins and ends with the pedagogy we embrace. References: 1 Samier, E. (2008). Critical theory, In C.J. Russo (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Education Law, Vol. 1 (pp.210212). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE. 2 Rodriguez, D. (2007). Critical race theory. In G.L. Anderson & K.G. Herr (Eds.) Encyclopedia of Activism and Social Justice (pp.409-412). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE. 3 Mayr, E. (1991). One Long Argument: Charles Darwin and the Genesis of Modern Evolutionary Thought. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

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Standard for Success partners with AASA to assess how your school stacks up to other schools in your district or cohort, and offer a AASA Learning Certification once rubric is completed.

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Schedule a demo with an SFS team member today at: 844-SFS-EVAL x 1 or info@standardforsuccess.com

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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 first episode of the new school year we introduce Mrs. Aimee Lunsford, IASP President, and she shares her vision for the new “Leading from the Heart” series.

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LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

IPLI News Dr. Kelly Andrews Director Indiana Principal Leadership Institute IPLI is a premier professional development opportunity for the practicing principals of Indiana. We are here to support you, encourage you, and provide growth in your leadership as we learn together, lead together, and connect with one another. IPLI is so excited to begin taking applications for Cohort 9 participants and mentors, scheduled to begin July 6, 2021, on Sunday, November 22, 2020. Information about Cohort 9 will be available on IPLI’s website - http://indianapli.org/, starting November 1, 2020. If you or you know a principal who wants to grow their leadership, please consider connecting with IPLI. Stay up to date with IPLI through Twitter and like us on Facebook. Upcoming IPLI Seminars:

■ September Seminars - Virtual: - Cohort 7 Seminar, Tuesday, September 22, 2020, via Zoom, with Dr. Phil Warrick - The Journey to Becoming a Professional Learning Community – Effective Teaching in Every Classroom - Cohort 8 Seminar, Wednesday, September 23, 2020, via Zoom, with Dr. Rhonda Roos – Principal Toolbox Time! - IPLI Extended Cohort 2 Seminar, Thursday, September 24, 2020, via Zoom, with Dr. Phil Warrick – Digging in Deeper to HRS Level 2 – Effective Teaching in Every Classroom

■ November Seminars: - Cohort 7, 8, & IPLI Extended Seminar, Sunday, November 22, 2020, JW Marriott in conjunction with IASP Fall Conference, with Rick Wormeli - Principles First, and Tina Boogren - 180 Days of Self-Care for Busy Educators - Cohort 7, 8, & IPLI Extended Cohort 2 Regional Focus-Cohort Meetings, Monday, November 23, 2020, JW Marriott in conjunction with IASP Fall Conference

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SERVICE

Riley Kids Caring & Sharing Update Susan Miles Officer, Kids Caring & Sharing TM Riley Children’s Foundation Celebrating KCS 2020-2021 Thank you all for your generous and dedicated philanthropic support! Two hundred ninety-seven Indiana K-12 schools hosted a wide variety of fundraising efforts benefitting Riley Hospital during the 2020-21 school year, with 87% of the schools achieving Red Wagon status contributing at least $1 per student. Fiftyfour high schools hosted Riley dance marathons as part of this effort bringing the total K-12 school contribution to $1,287,578 supporting clinical care, family and patient support services, research initiatives, and helping secure Riley Hospital’s national ranking in nine pediatric specialties. https://health.usnews.com/ best-hospitals/pediatric-rankings Five school corporations achieved Red Wagon Corporation status with every school participating at the Red Wagon School level. Framed certificates will be presented to MSD BlufftonHarrison, Rossville Community School District, Southern Hancock County Community School Corporation, Warsaw Community Schools and Yorktown Community Schools. Congratulations! Forty-eight school corporations achieved Riley Corporation status with every school participating, or the participating schools cumulatively raising an amount equal to or greater than the entire school corporation population. Riley Corporations will receive a printed certificate. See the complete list in the side bar. KCS Decals in the mail. Participation plaque decals will be mailed to school principals this month. If you are a new principal in the school, please watch for the Riley envelope which may not yet specifically address you. Please update smiles@rileykids.org with new contact information. Recognition plaque decals acknowledging participation back to 2006-2007 are available as is your school’s KCS gift history. Regardless of your school’s Riley fundraising model, including Riley Dance Marathon high schools, philanthropic partner schools should have a KCS recognition plaque. If you need a new plaque contact smiles@rileykids.org. New Address for School Gift Submission As business continues to evolve in reaction to the pandemic and hybrid work models are adopted, the Riley Children’s Foundation is changing how gifts are received and processed. Please alert your Riley philanthropy coordinator, school secretary and treasurer of the new address for all Riley gift submissions. Please direct checks to the Riley Children’s Foundation, P.O. Box 3356, Indianapolis, IN, 46206-3356

Updated KCS online giving portal For those schools using our online giving resource to augment Riley fundraising efforts, the new KCS main page is live! Please visit https://give.rileykids.org/KCS21_22 to set up your school’s online giving page under this KCS “umbrella”. I am happy to host information sessions to help Riley philanthropy coordinators navigate the online opportunity. New Community Fundraising Partner Resource Schools, individuals, special interest groups, corporations and community fundraising events are all part of the statewide Riley philanthropic partner family. You may have treated staff to Dairy Queen Blizzards on a Miracle Treat Day or rounded up at the register at a neighborhood Speedway station, bought lemonade from a neighborhood stand, tuned into a Riley radiothon or participated in a local mini-marathon - all benefitting Riley Hospital. KCS is just one element of the community fundraising team working hard each year to raise funds to benefit the children who need Riley Hospital. In an effort to notify you about additional Riley-supportive opportunities, to highlight the outstanding work of fellow Riley fundraisers, and to share tips about fundraising resources, the Community Fundraising team has created a new online tool. Check it out here https://give.rileykids.org/RileyResource and let us know what you think! It’s a boy – and a girl! New Riley Maternity Tower opening It seems appropriate to share a picture with my first grandchild, Abe, as we excitedly look forward to a new chapter in Riley Hospital history with the opening of the new Riley Maternity Tower on Sunday, September 12. Staff have spent months finalizing building readiness and validating resources and systems to provide safe care for both mothers and babies. Training sessions covered a range of scenarios from scheduled inductions to mother/baby admission and discharge day activities to Stork Team deliveries in the new space. Perhaps your school could host a special baby shower to raise funds for Riley Hospital and collect items for moms and babies at a local women’s shelter! 2020-2021 Riley Corporations Thank you to all participating schools, or those participating cumulatively raising an amount equal to or greater than the entire school corporation population. Click here to view the full list of 2020-2021 Riley Corporations! Let’s work together to find creative ways to keep supporting Riley!

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SERVICES AVAILABLE STATEWIDE WE FOCUS ON THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: HOOSIER HEALTHWISE HEALTHY INDIANA PLAN MARKETPLACE To schedule an appointment for enrollment assistance or an educational session visit www.indianaruralhealth.org/CKC-IN Call 812.478.3919, ext 248 or Email: navigator@indianarha.org This project is supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $469,408.00 with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

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SERVICE

Spotlight on Service Learning

Click on a Snapshot below to see service learning projects in Indiana classrooms.

Resilience Literatures

Let the Reading Begin

Literacy for All!

INSPIRE3 provides resources to Educate, Engage, and Empower students, classrooms, schools, and communities as they seek opportunities for servicelearning and philanthropy. There have been many classroom activities highlighted over the years and you can view those under the INSPIRE3 Snapshots of Service Learning page at www.iasp.org. www.iasp.org

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LEGAL REVIEW

Some Considerations For School Leaders When Implementing Policy Taylor Hunter Attorney Kroger Gardis & Regas, LLP (KGR) Although the 2021-2022 school year brings new optimism that work and life are inching toward some normalcy, school leaders must continue to adapt to the ever-changing health guidelines and mandates that impact the education environment. One of the biggest challenges for school leaders has unquestionably been how to respond to COVID-19 in the absence of a local or state public health mandate. School leaders have been left to decide whether and how to implement safety measures, such as masks, and how to account for those who have been vaccinated without running afoul of privacy laws. Before making decisions about issues associated with COVID-19, there are several factors education leaders should take into consideration. Understand Local Enforcement Powers Indiana lawmakers passed a new law that requires elected county commissioners or city councils to vote on approving any local health orders that are more stringent than state executive orders. This new law essentially provides a check and balance on local health officials and provides some flexibility to education leaders to implement or push back on safety measures that may otherwise be inconsistent with a local health order. School leaders should be familiar with this new law and how it can be applied in the school setting. Privacy Law Compliance For school leaders who have implemented policies that incentive vaccinations (e.g. no mask policy for vaccinated persons), they should be especially aware of privacy laws. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires school leaders to keep any documentation or other confirmation of vaccination obtained in connection to policy confidential. The ADA regulations do permit sharing confidential medical information in limited circumstances on a “need to know basis.” For example, administrators must know the vaccination status of the employees reporting to them in order to enforce a mask policy with respect to those who are not fully vaccinated. Nonetheless, school leaders should put in place measures to www.iasp.org

ensure confidentiality and inform employees who receive such medical information of their obligation to keep it confidential. For those school leaders who use an “honor system” when it comes to vaccination status, be prepared to address what action to take when confronted with an employee who falsifies his or her status. When investigating an employee’s vaccination status, school leaders should refrain from asking any questions that may elicit disability-related information or requiring the employee to provide medical information, other than confirmation that an employee obtained the COVID-19 vaccine, as part of the proof of status. Bottom line, with the ever-changing regulatory environment, school leaders should be familiar with mandates and whether the law provides for flexibility from certain mandates. School leaders should also understand how to properly receive and handle confidential medical information when rolling out new safety guidelines for the 2021-2022 school year. We at KGR routinely provide day-to-day legal counseling on these important topics. We, along with IASP, are stand ready to support you.

Click the image above to view a welcome video from 2021-22 IASP President, Aimee Lunsford!

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LEGAL REVIEW

Legal Situation Brief: Off Campus Student Speech

A legal resource we have all valued has been reading Dave Emmert’s Indianagram “Situation Briefs” or contacting Dave for school-related legal questions. As Dave communicated in the June Indianagram, he has officially retired from serving IASP in these capacities and we wish him the best. If you would like to provide Dave with a “Thanks”, please click here.

Séamus Boyce Attorney Kroger Gardis & Regas, LLP (KGR) Welcome back! We have observed you as school leaders truly being positive influences on your students and communities. This is particularly true when parents entrust you and your colleagues with the education and safety of their children at the beginning of each school year. But when does your jurisdiction over student behavior end? This has and continues to be an uncertainty under the law. That said, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) decided a landmark student speech case via Mahanoy Area School District v. BL. Through this decision, SCOTUS has provided us some clarity on when public schools can and cannot provide consequences for student offcampus speech. As a review, SCOTUS had previously made clear that student speech is unique in the educational environment. While students may have diminished rights under the First Amendment, they still do have the right to express themselves. At school or a school activity, public schools can take action to address a student’s speech where that speech creates or you can reasonably forecast a substantial disruption. And even if there isn’t a substantial disruption, public schools can still address student speech “on campus” in several situations including “lewd” content, school-sponsored publications like yearbooks, or harmful messages that promote, for example, drug use. But what about off-campus student speech? The Mahanoy decision tells us that public schools have diminished 26

Included in this email are instructions for accessing the new Kroger Gardis & Regas, LLC Legal Help Desk. The KGR firm will now be able to assist IASP Members with school-related legal questions and we appreciate this relationship with KGR. KGR has been providing “Legal Review” articles in the Indianagram, and will also continue writing the “Situation Briefs” column. A reminder of how you may access legal advice is provided below, and we encourage you to always seek assistance as questions or issues arise. 1. Indiana School Board Assoc. attorneys are available if your school corporation is an ISBA member. 2. Your corporation attorney may be your resource, and school corporations may prefer this option. 3. The KGR Legal Help Desk is available as a part of your membership with IASP. 4. For matters involving your own employment, contact IASP Directors Dr. Todd Bess or Tim McRoberts and they can help direct you to legal resources. Click here for more!

“leeway” to regulate a student’s speech unless the speech occurs at school or a school activity. SCOTUS set out three factors for school leaders to consider before taking action in response to off-campus student speech: (1) in loco parentis status of the public school; (2) the opportunity for the student to express themselves; and (3) whether regulation would chill unpopular expression. In the facts of the Mahanoy situation, a high school student posted an image of her and a friend to her “story” on Snapchat. The image depicts them flashing middle fingers and the following text: “F*** school f***softball f*** cheer f*** everything”. The post was made off campus at a local convenience store after the student had learned she did not get her desired spots on cheerleading and softball teams. Another student took a screen shot of the post and shared it with other student athletes and the screenshot was shared with coaches and the principal. The school suspended the student from the team. Applying the off-campus speech factors previously described, SCOTUS found that it was unconstitutional for the public school to discipline the student in this situation. In the written decision, SCOTUS also provides us a nonexhaustive list of situations where public schools could still regulate off-campus speech. Return to Table of Contents

Perhaps the most widespread example is discipline in response to “serious or severe” bullying or harassment. Unfortunately, SCOTUS did not provide further clarity on what meets this standard. Another prominent example is if the consequence is for violation of a reasonable extra-curricular code of conduct agreement. Be careful with this one though as a student cannot waive all of their speech rights. For example, SCOTUS warns us not to focus on student vulgarity in off-campus speech. Other examples are threats against students and staff, student cheating, and violating reasonable school technology use policies. What is the legal lesson from this situation brief ? School leaders must be cautious before providing any consequences for student conduct that could be considered expression. This is particularly important for student expression not made at school or a school activity. In these situations, school leaders must apply the three factors SCOTUS sets forth in the Mahanoy decision and it would be wise to run through the facts with legal counsel. We at the KGR Legal Help Desk are here to address the IASP member situations involving legal issues. Until the next Legal Situation Brief, stay legal!

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AUGUST 2021

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