FEBRUARY 2022 ■ VOLUME 24 ■ NUMBER 2
Remediation / Interventions
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Remediation / Interventions FEBRUARY 2022 ■ VOLUME 24 ■ NUMBER 2
The Indiana Association of School Principals leads in the advocacy and support of all principals in their commitment to every child.
President’s Letter - Remediation and Interventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 IDOE - Remediation and Interventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 From the AP Lens: Remediation and Interventions (& Alphabet Soup!) . . . . 6 REMEDIATION AND INTERVENTIONS
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
Remediation at a Non-Title I Elementary School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Interventions in STEM Education: Facilitation through the Universal Design for Learning Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
IASP Welcomes New Vice-President! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Help! The Boys in My Class CAN Read, They Just DON’T! (Interventions for Boys Who Choose Not to Read). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 IPLI News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
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LEGAL REVIEW
Legal Situation Brief: “Let’s Go Brandon” & Student Free Speech. . . . . . . . . . 23
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Performance Improvement Plans: Helpful or Hurtful?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
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PRESIDENT’S LETTER
Remediation and Interventions Well it only seems fitting to be writing about remediation and interventions as I prep with a few of our leadership team members to head out to Austin, Texas this month for the RtI conference. I’m certainly anxious to sharpen my skills in this area as we soak in conference content but I’ll share a few things here that have our team deep in the trenches of this work on behalf of our kids. When I think about the greatest work we do through the lens of remediation/ intervention, I believe hands down that is the magic of the reteaching and intervention support that create growth and light bulb moments of mastery for our kids. However, I am quickly reminded that it takes strong systems understanding in this work to make that magic possible. Strong remediation and intervention to fill the learning gaps for our students does not take place without a clean, concise, well articulated and monitored system. Earlier this year, our building interventionist and I sat down to clean up our building-wide RtI Guidance document and really refine the steps for teachers. We had an RtI system in place and “remediation” was being done but we couldn’t say it was being done consistently across all grades nor that each teacher could well articulate the vision and planning needed to carry out strong remediation. The trench work began! After fine-tuning that document and aligning both our academic and behavioral systems to this framework, the real work of direct instruction for all staff and walking along teachers as they have students that need remediation/intervention support has continued to gain momentum. There are two big rocks that we have identified as strong “teach to” points for teachers when it comes to this remediation work. Big Rock #1: Identify the need for interventions at the Tier 1 level So many of our teachers do interventions at Tier 1 but they don’t think of them as true RtI support and the need to document this support for the student moving forward. If this is an ongoing support that allows the student to master their content or behavior expectations, then it should be recorded in an action plan for the student through the RtI process. Big Rock #2: The power of the grade level/department RtI meeting So often our RtI process involves the teacher spinning their wheels and supporting in any way they know how and then going directly to the building wide team when they are out of ideas and there is no progress. This does not benefit the system and it can clog up our pipeline with multiple students at the building level that really just need some stronger grade level/department support. Be sure your staff knows the power of the Tier 2 level being with their team brainstorming new ideas and supporting one another. This is where that action plan MUST be completed for paperwork to follow the student and support to continue for them and not just fall off the radar at the beginning of each new year. Remediation and intervention is a beast, but it is a beast that our kids deserve us to master and not carry out halfway. This is just another example of an area we need to support each other and help with systems set up and refining details. Remember, I’m a quote junkie and I think this one sums up our remediation work and focus best…”There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling kids out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in.” - Archbishop Desmond Tutu Aimee Lunsford IASP President www.iasp.org
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FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
IASP Executive Committee Aimee Lunsford President Matt Shockley President-Elect Welcome to our February Indianagram focused on Remediation and Interventions. We hope that the articles and insights contained within this issue help guide your efforts to advance academic achievement for all. We know that numerous students need our help, and our last three years have only exacerbated the learning needs of students. I am constantly amazed at all that is done to meet those needs and your own constant attention to how we support our educators within this effort, and this issue only emphasizes this great work.
Dr. Crystal Murff Thorpe Vice President
Let me deviate a bit from my standard normal Indianagram greeting to elaborate a bit on our Advocacy work during this 2022 General Assembly. While this session has not produced a large volume of bills we are tracking, House Bill 1134 has required a volume of our time. We have certainly testified as to the many challenges this bill language contains, more importantly Tim and I have held numerous meetings with legislators and stakeholder groups to coordinate our efforts on improving this bill. After 11 years of advocating for IASP, we have learned that our best advocacy is often the meetings and phone calls with legislators as bills and amendments are drafted, and this is where we have focused our efforts this year. We have also learned that our best advocates are you, so we have worked to keep our Legislative Cadre informed and then held a virtual meeting open to anyone to provide updates on the bill. Your work to stay informed and to then provide input to us and to your local legislators is critical to our collective advocacy work. Thank you to all who have devoted time to HB 1134, and other bills of concern.
Dave Strouse NASSP State Coordinator
Eric Gilpin Past President Amy Niemeier NAESP State Representative
Steve Baker Liaison to the DOE Dr. Daniel Peo Assistant Principal Liaison
So while my introduction doesn’t really relate to Remediation and Interventions, do know that IASP is here for you no matter the bill or the topic or issue. Our three pillars of Member Support, Leadership Development, and Advocacy are at our forefront each day. Just as you strive to take care of your kids each day, our mission of “All Principals” and “Every Child” guides us and we are proud to be your professional association. Dr. Todd D. Bess IASP Executive Director
Future Indianagram themes Safety Strategic Planning/Vision & Mission Operations and Management Best of 2021-2022 School Year
March 2022 April 2022 May 2022 June 2022
Share your thoughts on the Indianagram https://forms.gle/sCmLHwnh4aYcTJdr8 4
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Remediation and Interventions Dr. Katie Jenner Indiana Secretary of Education As I was putting the finishing touches on the February newsletter, we had a significant winter storm moving into our state…yet another example of the uncontrollables that we as education leaders navigate! Thank you for your continued commitment to accepting the things we cannot change, making the best of them, and supporting students through it all. The timing of this month’s IndianaGram, “Remediation and Interventions,” provides us with a spot-on opportunity to discuss a topic that is definitely central to our work. While we know all students learn differently, we have worked over the past several months to develop our shared priorities in literacy and STEM. Today, I’d like to provide additional details about these priorities and how we can continue working together to begin with the end in mind - ensuring all Indiana students are equipped and ready for success after high school. Priorities for Early Literacy Early literacy is more important than ever, with data illustrating that students unable to read by the end of third grade are likely to remain poor readers throughout their time in high school… and life. Here are some current literacy data points: ■ In 2021, 81.2% of our approximately 81,000 third grade students passed the IREAD-3 assessment. ■ Results highlight significant gaps for some student populations, including students receiving free or reduced lunch, racially and ethnically diverse populations, and English learners. In order to have the greatest impact for all students, we must be committed to expanding our focus on literacy – both locally and as a state. Beginning as early
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as the 2022-2023 school year, some of our high-need schools and others will have the opportunity to opt-in to an initiative which implements the Science of Reading framework in K-2 classrooms. This initiative will create a collaborative and sustainable model of preparing, educating, and supporting Indiana educators on the Science of Reading framework. This includes further emphasizing the importance of literacy by facilitating high-quality, ongoing, data-driven professional development and instructional coaching. Alongside this initiative, we are also offering an opportunity for schools to administer the IREAD-3 assessment to second graders. The benefits of this include… ■ Early indicator of proficiency means earlier intervention and support for students. ■ Early reading support leads to higher rates of reading success at grade three. ■ Early reading support may lead to reduced numbers of Good Cause Exemptions needed at grade three. ■ Students who pass IREAD-3 in grade two have reduced testing requirements at grade three. This program is voluntary, and to date, over 150 schools have opted in to participate! As that number continues to grow, the insights this data provides will enable us to respond quickly and provide targeted support for students who need it most. Priorities for STEM As we prepare our students for the technology-driven workforce of tomorrow, we know that knowledge and skill development in STEM is essential. Through STEM, students learn to think
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innovatively and apply creativity to solving real-life challenges, both today and in the future. ■ According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in mathematics occupations is projected to grow 27% from 2019 to 2029. Employment in computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow 11% in the same period. ■ In Indiana, Department of Workforce Development projections indicate that by 2028, jobs in the computer and mathematics fields in particular are growing faster than even predicted just a few years ago. The implementation of the STEM priorities follows the same model we’ll use for literacy, with research-based best practices informing coaching and professional development at the school-level. Indiana’s STEM initiative also includes an opt-in opportunity for selected schools to participate - find out more here! As schools increase access to STEM courses, a quick reminder to consider applying to be a STEM Certified School. This certification recognizes schools that prioritize and innovate the teaching of STEM and utilize strategic community partnerships in doing so. Find out more about how your school can become a STEM Certified School here! We look forward to getting both of these priority initiatives off the ground, and know that together, we can maximize our impact for students. Thanks for all you do!
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ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL CONNECTION
From the AP Lens: Remediation and Interventions (& Alphabet Soup!) Dr. Dan Peo Assistant Principal Wea Ridge Middle School Dr. Nancy Harrison Assistant Principal George Rogers Clark Middle School IASP District 11 Middle School Representative MTSS (Multi-Tiered Systems of Support) and RTI (Response to Intervention) are relatively new acronyms for educators. Starting with RTI, which was first cited in the 2004 reauthorization of IDEA (The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and continuing with MTSS, which was first cited in 2015 when ESSA (The Every Student Succeeds Act) was passed, these two acronyms refer to processes for putting supports in place for students (Ehler, 2018). Putting steps in place to help students who are struggling is something with which we as educators are very familiar! As someone who started as a junior/senior high teacher and then a high school teacher, the concepts of RTI and MTSS were new acronyms for me when I began as a middle school assistant principal, but the applications were ones that I had been doing in my classroom as a band director. In the music classroom, it often involved one-on-one help with issues or working in small groups with students at the same ability level. This application can apply to all educational settings, and in the elementary and middle school settings, this can also be a team effort. As we look into this topic, I’ve asked Dr. Nancy Harrison, Assistant Principal at George Rogers Clark Middle School in Vincennes, Indiana and IASP’s Middle School Representative to the Board of Directors from District 11, to share her school’s approach to remediation and interventions. Clark Middle School: Multiple Systems for Supporting Students A key component of assisting students in mastering content is collaboration and communication. Many students struggle when working to complete grade-level work; as a result, Clark Middle School teachers, support staff, and administrators have frequent meetings and discussions about how students are performing in the classroom to determine what remediation and intervention is most appropriate for students. All teachers at Clark Middle School keep a Google Sheet of data. The data sheet shows how students perform on ILEARN, NWEA, and classroom assessments. Not all students are able 6
to master the content at the same pace; therefore, teachers implement various strategies to help with remediation in their classrooms. Teachers use teaching strategies of bell ringers and exit tickets to do formative assessments. They enter the data in the spreadsheet to gauge how well the students are mastering the content. If students are not showing understanding, the teachers reteach concepts. Sometimes they do whole group instruction; sometimes teachers do small groups based on needs. During observation conferences, administrators and the teachers review the Google Sheet to discuss how the students are performing on the standards and what needs there are. Additionally, our students have shown a need to improve in writing skills. Therefore, the last few years we have focused on using RACE (restate, answer, cite, and explain) to assist students in answering constructed response questions. During the 2020-2021 school year, the principal and I set the goal that each teacher in all subject areas would have students write an essay that is tied to the content each nine weeks. Our goal was (and continues to be) getting the students to practice the skills that they need to practice the most. This year, we added to the goal. We wanted to have the students get quality feedback from teachers on the writing. It is not just for students to do the writing; they must learn what to do to become better writers. Therefore, during an in-service an ELA teacher presented on how to give quality feedback to student writing. Teachers now complete a TAG IT! form for each student essay they grade. Teachers must (T) tell something they like about the essay, (A) ask a thoughtful question about the essay, and (G) give a suggestion to improve the essay. They also have a bank of common grammar problems ( fragments, spelling, punctuation, etc.) that they can then circle what the student’s most common mistakes are in writing the essay, so the student knows what he/she needs to work on improving. All ELA teachers get a copy of the TAG IT! form, so they can also gauge how students are doing in writing in all content areas. This helps all students become better writers. Clark Middle School also offers a math lab and an ELA lab. These two classes are utilized as both remediation and as an intervention. These classrooms have general education, 504, English language learners, and special education students sitting next to each other in the same class period. We have changed our approach for math lab several times throughout the years. What we have found works best at
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ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL CONNECTION
Clark Middle School is our math lab teacher pre-teaches all concepts. We have math lab at all three levels (6th, 7th, and 8th). The math lab teacher follows all three curriculum maps in order to meet the needs of the students. She pre-teaches the concepts a week before they will be presented with the material in math class. This helps the students gain an understanding of the concepts, and the students are more confident in math class. Additionally, the teacher does skills practice on fractions, computation, and understanding key math vocabulary terms. In our ELA lab, the teacher has leveled classes based on where the students are currently performing. The teacher is using the SRA program as the foundation of her classes. However, she goes far beyond that with supplementing what students need. Furthermore, when the teacher recognized we had a core group of students that were not showing progress with the SRA program; she worked to develop her own curriculum using resources from Brainspring and Heggerty. For students who have a documented need for intervention we offer some supports during the day; besides having ELA lab and math lab, we also offer co-teaching classes in English and math, resource, and English as a second language class. A general education teacher (math/English) and a special education teacher work together during math or English class in order to meet student learning needs. During resource time, students work on their targeted needs according to their IEP individual goals. Teachers have built structure and support during the class time Monday through Thursday. Fridays are reserved for homework time, checking grades, and working on executive
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functioning skills. Additionally, our English as a second language students receive support from our ESL teacher to work on their specific needs based on lack of understanding the language and filling gaps that may have occurred in learning due to being migrant. In order to determine which students need which support services, we examine data. Each teacher has his/her individual Google Sheet that is a compilation of how the student has performed in the content throughout the year. We also use NWEA, ILEARN, and IEP progress monitoring. All teachers, support staff, and administrators work together in order to best meet the needs of the students. All teachers are working to ensure that students are mastering reading, writing, and math as well as their particular content area. Special education teachers work extremely well with administration when it comes to scheduling the students. Teamwork and communication are extremely important factors in meeting the needs of students. As assistant principal, my role is to schedule the students, provide professional development, examine data, and to support all CMS adults and students. If you have questions about remediation, interventions, or the role assistant principals can play within these processes, Dr. Harrison can be reached via email at harrisonn@vcsc.k12.in.us. Reference Ehlers, L. (2018). MTSS vs RTI vs PBIS – what’s the difference? Illuminate Education. Retrieved January 28, 2022, from https://www.illuminateed.com/ blog/2018/11/mtss-vs-rti-vs-pbis-whats-the-difference/
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REMEDIATION/INTERVENTIONS
Remediation at a Non-Title I Elementary School Bonnie J. Stephens Principal Heavilin Elementary School When I was a principal at a Title I elementary school, I remember thinking that the non-Title I schools must have it easy. The truth, of course, is that every school has its challenges. Non-Title I schools also have students who do not perform at grade level. The challenge is finding time, people, and programs to deliver interventions to meet those needs. At our non-Title I school, we build in a half hour each day to the master schedule for each grade level that we call WIN (“What I Need”) time. During this half hour, we blitz the grade level with our instructional aides, special education staff, and grade level teachers. We have four sections per grade level, and students are divided into small groups based on their greatest current need. During WIN time, we determine what needs to be addressed based on the data of that particular group. Every grade uses WIN time to deliver Response to Intervention groups, which are always taught by the grade level teachers. Some grades have an affective/behavior group. Some grades have high ability groups. And every grade has supplemental studies for students who are on grade level.
bi-weekly. We have attempted a variety of means to accomplish this - from assigning an instructional aide all of the progress monitoring duties, to using one day a week during WIN for progress monitoring. What we have landed on at this point is basically to build progress monitoring into the daily classroom lessons, whether that is doing running records for comprehension and fluency or giving a quick check in problem solving or computation. We used to try to find special tools that were different from our daily resources to progress monitor, but again, we have learned to use the Intervention Resources in our adopted materials which typically have a progress monitoring component built in. In the end, the rule of keeping it simple has worked best for us.
We find ways throughout the day outside of WIN to address the remedial needs of our students. We are fortunate to have a troupe of parent volunteers who come in on a regular schedule to help in our classrooms, often working with on-level and high ability students in order for our teachers to work with remediation. Our teachers are also very dedicated to delivering differentiated instruction through small groups for 30 minutes daily in Math and 60 minutes daily in Reading. In the end, each school can only assess the resources they have and figure out how to put them to good use to meet the needs of the students. In my experience, that effort always is most effective when the adults work as a team on behalf of the kids.
Kids love WIN time. We know kids are more engaged and grow when the instruction is designed to fit their needs. The added bonus at our school is that they also get to be in groups with students from other classrooms, which means more connections for kids and a change of pace during the day. Progress monitoring in a non-Title school can pose another challenge. We progress monitor our RtI students 8
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REMEDIATION/INTERVENTIONS
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REMEDIATION/INTERVENTIONS
Interventions in STEM Education: Facilitation through the Universal Design for Learning Framework Krista M. Stith Infinite Capacity, LLC
( formerly STEM Integrations LLC)
Rachel L. Geesa Infinite Capacity, LLC
( formerly STEM Integrations LLC)
All students should have access to prerequisite science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses, role models, mentors, and access to individual academic, socioemotional, and motivational support. Intervention services can provide a keystone for educational learners to succeed in the classroom and beyond. As educators, it is our goal to support and meet the needs of all students to be career and college ready and research indicates intervention services can reduce rates of incarceration, depression, and drug use (Chesmore et al., 2016). For learners with disabilities and other diverse needs, there is a deficiency gap in STEM education. “While interventions are being used to close the deficiency gap, the gap itself is widening because the ‘average’ learners are also advancing, usually at a more rapid pace” (Basham et al., 2020, p. 129). Students with diverse needs are capable of performing well in STEM education, but educators often lack the preparedness and content credentials to provide high quality STEM education in inclusive interdisciplinary environments (Williams et al., 2018). More and more students with disabilities hope to enter STEM fields and the Universal Design of Learning as a framework for STEM equity is gaining traction in the research for building student capacity in STEM (Basham et al., 2020; Geesa et al., 2022; Schreffler et al., 2019). Universal Design for Learning guides educators through developing learning experiences that honors the backgrounds of all students. There are three guiding principles: multiple means of engagement, multiple means of representation, and multiple means of action and expression (Center for Assistive Special Technology [CAST], 2018). We would like to provide a few examples in the diagram to explain how these principles can support interventions for students in STEM. 1. Multiple means of engagement- Provision for students to engage with new content. 2. Multiple means of representation- Provision for students to access new content through multiple avenues. 3. Multiple means of action and expression- Provision of support for students to demonstrate mastery of content and skills through multiple avenues.
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Indiana hosts a number of high quality community partners that may assist educational leaders, intervention specialists, program coordinators, and educators in designing flexible ways of engagement, representation, and action/expression for a diverse population. Indiana Youth Institute (IYI) - https://www.iyi.org/ - As a nonprofit organization serving educators, students, and families across Indiana, IYI supports the youth services field through data accessibility, trainings, and resources. Indiana Institute on Disability and Community Center of Education and Lifelong Learning (ICTQ) - https://ictq. indiana.edu/ - The ICTQ Center supports educators through on-site trainings, consultations, coaching, and asynchronous online modules in UDL and PBIS. Ball State University Online STEM (O-STEM) Series - https:// ostem.bsu.edu/ Available Spring 2022, Ball State University has created self-guided modules for educators on incorporating STEM into online environments. Within the modules, course creators integrated UDL principles, professional standards, and social justice standards. Local partners: A number of professionals may be available in your school community to support the integration of UDL in STEM classrooms. Psychologists, AT team, English Language Learner coordinators, speech and language pathologists, instructional technologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, behavior consultants, social workers, special education directors, paraprofessionals, and afterschool inclusion specialists, and culture specialists.
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REMEDIATION/INTERVENTIONS
Conclusion: Universal Design for Learning can be an impactful framework for students to engage in STEM learning. We provided examples that align with UDL’s three principles and highlighted potential community partners around the state who may help educators support students. Considering more students endeavor to enter STEM fields in their postsecondary career, supporting educators in capacity-building in STEM and intervention services is a critical component for inclusive interdisciplinary learning. Infinite Capacity is dedicated to inclusively fostering personal and professional growth for educators, leaders, and community partners through innovative educational practices. Consulting services are available for school and district-level support. Please e-mail us at contact@infinitecapacity.com for more information. Our book, Leadership in Integrative STEM: Strategies for Facilitating an Experiential and Student-Centered Culture, is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Rowman & Littlefield.
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References: Basham, J.D., Marino, M.T., Hunt, C.L., Han, K. (2019). Considering STEM for learners with disabilities and other diverse needs. In C. C. Johnson, M. J. MohrSchroeder, T. J. Moore, & L. D. English (Eds.), Handbook of research on STEM education (pp. 128-137). Routledge. CAST. (2018). Universal design for learning guidelines version 2.2. https:// udlguidelines.cast.org/ Chesmore, A., Ou, S., & Reynolds, A. (2016). Childhood placement in special education and adult well-being. The Journal of Special Education, 50(2) 109-120. Geesa, R. L., Rose, M. A., Stith, K. M., Lowery, K., Caniglia, J., (2022). Equity, diversity, and inclusion within integrative STEM education. 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. 51-70). Rowman & Littlefield. Schreffler, J., Vasquez III, E., Chini, J., & James, W. (2019). Universal design for learning in postsecondary STEM education for students with disabilities: A systematic literature review. International Journal of STEM Education, 6(1), 1-10. Williams Jr., T. O., Ernst, J. V., & Rossi, L. (2018). Teaching credentials in the inclusive STEM classroom. Journal of STEM Education, 19(4), 30-34.
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IASP Welcomes New Vice-President! IASP is pleased to welcome Dr. Holly Arnold to the position of Vice-President representing the elementary school level. As a member of the IASP Executive Committee, Holly will serve 1-year terms as Vice-President, President-Elect, President, and Past President, and we appreciate the commitment to IASP over the next four years. Holly is currently the Newburgh Elementary School Principal, beginning in 2019, in the Warrick County School Corporation, and has enjoyed her entire education career in Warrick County. Holly began teaching in 1994 at Castle High School, then moving to the Guidance Counselor position at Castle in 2008. In 2011 she began her administrative career as an Assistant Principal at Castle High School, transitioning to the Elberfeld Elementary Principal in 2014. Holly received her Bachelor of Arts (Business Education) and her Principal’s Licensure from the University of Southern Indiana. She also received her Master’s Degree from Western Kentucky University and her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Oakland City University. Holly has been active with IASP by serving on the Board of Directors since 2021, helping facilitate the Fall Professionals Conference, and serving as a Mentor for the INALI and the LEADing APs programs. As an IASP Board Member, Holly currently is assisting with developing the Emerging Leaders Program, and helps advise the Indiana DOE on the new Accountability Dashboard. Prior to Holly joining the IASP Board of Directors, she helped lead District 11 and completed IPLI in 2020. Clearly IASP is in great hands as Holly joins the Executive Committee and we are fortunate to be able to take advantage of her obvious dedication to IASP and to helping lead education in the state of Indiana.
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 Remediation and Interventions to leading with heart in our buildings. 12
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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 March 1 | 4 p.m. Eastern
bsu.edu/online/EdAdmin
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LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Help! The Boys in My Class CAN Read, They Just DON’T! (Interventions for Boys Who Choose Not to Read) Dr. Ruth Jefferson Associate Professor of Special Education Ball State University Dr. Michael Shaffer Assistant Clinical Professor of Ed Leadership Ball State University
There is nothing quite as satisfying as igniting a passion for learning and reading in our students. As administrators and teachers, we have learned pretty quickly that once boys especially mastered the art and science of reading, the issue was not so much that they could not read, it was more often that they just had no interest in reading…..not really sure where the problem originated…. but let’s be honest - there are a lot of things stacked against the typical mind of most boys. So, let’s start looking at some ways to re-think boys and reading: ■ Until just recently, books in school libraries were organized based on the wonderful idea of G. Gordon Liddy or Mitch Daniels or, wait, we’ve got it, Melvil Dewey (didn’t he write a book about a great white whale or something?). Actually, Dewey was a self-proclaimed librarian and reformer who created the Dewey Decimal System that makes sense to exactly (wait for it) NOBODY. If your media center person has begun the arduous task of genre-fying your library (Torres, 2021), or organizing it by genres or categories, you are well on your way to helping boys find books they will be interested in reading. ■ Why does that matter? If you have ever followed a boy through the library, you know that boys look for library books differently than girls do. Boys tend to find a book in which they are interested, if they are lucky, then the next week go back to that same section, week after week, hoping to find a similar book they can check out. It is much easier than searching through a (Dewey Decimal) system that makes no sense to them at all. ■ If you are reorganizing your library, consider dedicating a section of books in the library to a Boys Read Area (Could do a Girls Read as well…). Same reason as above, but in the Boys Read spot you would fill it with all books that are selected by a guy on your faculty that are all books guys would like to read: sports, biographies, military and war stories, cars, motorcycles, Guinness Book of World Records, Top Ten Books, graphic novels, zombie books, animals (especially snakes) – you get the picture. ■ Make sure you allow girls to check books out of the section also but mark it as Boys Read Area, as that will help the boys find it. (Actually serious about this! Every little bit helps. Sometimes guys need that little extra push!) As referenced above, guys can be a little thick sometimes! ■ Another very effective concept is that guys like to belong to something. If you have a male staff member who is a 14
charismatic, enthusiastic adult who loves to read, whether he is an administrator or a teacher, tap that person to start a book club for boys. Yes, it could be run by a female staff member, but trust me, it will have greater impact if run by a guy. ■ Hype it up, let boys sign up, and be sure to tell them that not all who apply will be accepted (makes it sound extra cool) and then, of course, take all who sign up, post signs that “it” is coming, think big for your first day, tell all the boys who will be attending to bring a book they have read or are reading, plan it during a recess so you don’t take up teacher time, in short, make it a big hairy deal. ■ Then, when you actually start the club, plan for a guest speaker who does something, anything, cool (think firefighter, member of the military, biker, rapper, sports star) to be your first guest. Let them talk, but only for about five minutes, and part of their talk should be about a book that influenced them as a boy growing up. Take the time to let the boys make up rules (you will want to guide this part – like no girls allowed, don’t tell girls what we do in book club but it’s always ok to tell parents, etc.). ■ Finally, teach them how to do a book talk. If you don’t know how, go to Scholastic Book Fairs webpage; they have a video that will teach you how. Really simple. The leader should always bring a book he is reading and the leader does a book talk the first day. Ask for volunteers to do one. Your special speakers should always do a book talk (let them know that ahead of time.) Here’s the thing, after the first meeting, you will be shocked how much boys will start telling you about the books they are reading and asking you if they can tell about it in the next book club! As J.D. Wilhelm, author of Reading Don’t Fix No Chevys states in the forward written for From Pushups to Angels Wings: Great Things Happen When Boys Read (Shaffer & Jefferson, 2021), “The challenge remains. It is a persistent challenge. And yet the message here [in this book] is that there is much we can do, that what we can do matters and can make a difference to boys’ engagement, capacity, overall development and life chances. This book is not just a turn in the conversation about boys’ literacy, but a gift that offers many concrete ways forward.” We realize that there are many reasons that students choose activities other than reading. Some kids just need additional help in mastering the mysterious squiggles on a page. Some are distracted by outside activities or technology, or who knows what else. Whatever the cause for reluctance, it is the duty of adults in the environment to fan the proverbial literacy spark until it becomes the flame that ignites the male (and female) interest in the written word. A BBC (Boys’ Book Club) may just be that spark. Torres, J. (2021). The switch to genrefication: https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2021/09/01/the-switch-to-genrefication/
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Check Out What People Are Saying About This Book!!!!!
From Pushups to Angel’s Wings: Great Things Happen When Boys Read
This book will get your…
…boys reading for fun, and begging for more! …it will share with you…
…stories that grab you by the heart AND give you great ideas that are easy to implement… …and then you …
…will try some things, and a few more, and before you know it, you will have…
A GREAT
Culture of Reading in YOUR School
and Getting Your Boys Reading Is the Place to Start! Shaffer and Jefferson share experiences in a quick and practical manner. Each chapter focuses on a different strategy along the way, while at the same time introducing you to different students, whom you start connecting with and start rooting for. I was also entertained by the honesty of stories which describe the busyness of a principal who didn't necessarily have time to read with students but was greatly influenced by a teacher trying to make a difference for one hard-to-reach student. This book has simple strategies from helping one student to making a difference for a whole building. Amy Korus, Principal I am a black male who grew up reading because my mother always had a book in her hand. That is not always the case for many inner-city black boys. Shaffer and Jefferson have given educators a toolbox of ideas and strategies of how to use curiosity, boys’ personal interests, and student/adult connections to foster a love of reading in young black males. Dr. Jason Smith, Principal
There are so many nuggets of wisdom to glean from this book…As veteran educators with decades of experience, anecdotes and research to share, their stories will resonate with anyone who has worked with struggling readers. You may be one of the “charismatic adults” that existed for every student in this collection. It is a heartwarming affirmation to know that there are teachers and principals who will do almost anything to make reading come alive and essential for children. Robin Hoffman, Book Reviewer Unlike the majority of professional books in education, this one is a quick and easy read, perfect for the tired teacher who needs encouragement and practical advice. The passion and experience of the authors are impressive and inspirational, and the advice is practical and feasible, even for those with limited resources. I especially commend this book to teachers looking to build the joy of reading in their classrooms, or to those considering starting book clubs, especially at the middle school level. Kimberly Christiansen, Teacher.
Contact us for training and implementation information: Dr. Michael Shaffer mbshaffer59@gmail.com www.iasp.org
Dr. Ruth Jefferson pushupstoangelswings@gmail.com
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LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
IPLI News Dr. Kelly Andrews Director Indiana Principal Leadership Institute Remediation/Interventions 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. As we have experienced interruptions in learning over the last two years, our schools have been committed to creating opportunities for learning that are meaningful and specific. Whether a school utilizes the acceleration, remediation, or intervention via RTI or MTSS, decisions are made based on the needs of the students. A structured, organized, and systemic way to reach students is based on the leader’s knowledge of the students’ academic performance. This is critical to the success of each student and the school as a whole. In the second year of IPLI, each principal brings two teacher leaders to the seminars and learns more categorically about the HighReliability Schools framework. This framework developed by Dr. Robert Marzano specifically allows IPLI leaders to dig into the first three levels of their school’s culture, effective teaching, and curriculum….all at the heart of providing a systemic and structured way to provide for every student. Principals and teacher leaders learn together and develop action research to improve their schools based on the needs of their students. Schools in Indiana are getting better as leaders employ action research to deliberately learn more about their schools and assist each student despite the hurdles they have endured these past two years. And the network developed for the principals of colleagues across the state ensures that sharing practices continue so all schools can rise. 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 In April 2022, IPLI will enjoy learning with the AR Showcase for Cohort 9, where principals will share their action research projects. Dr. Steve Gruenert will share Culture Rewired in the afternoon. IPLI will celebrate Cohort 8 as their teams will share their action research for schools in the morning Showcase of Schools. These principals will graduate in the afternoon after hearing Annette Breaux as keynote speaker on the Seven Simple Secrets: What the Best Teachers Know and Do. We anticipate a great two days of learning and sharing. 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 Dr. Michael Fullan on July 13. Applications can be found on the IPLI website at www.indianapli.org and are due by March 15, 2022, for consideration. 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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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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SERVICE
Riley Kids Caring & Sharing Update Susan Miles Officer, Kids Caring & Sharing TM Riley Children’s Foundation Great Riley Hospital news to share! Collectively, the research team – a partnership between Riley Children’s Health and the Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics -- received a total of $34.8 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health in the fiscal year that ended in September. That once again makes the Riley/IU program one of the top 10 pediatric research groups in the country. It represents a 7 percent increase in NIH funding over the previous year and the program’s highest level ever. Research conducted in Indiana also means Indiana kids have access to the most promising therapies as they are being developed through clinical research studies. When standard therapies have failed, these clinical studies are often the best hope for families. Growth in the Riley/IU research program can be directly traced to increased support from donors like Indiana K-12 schools! Gifts to Riley Children’s Foundation have enabled the team to recruit more researchers from around the country, and to train the next generation of research leaders. They provide critical resources to test ideas and generate early results. Armed with those findings, scientists can then apply for large grants from entities like the NIH. Riley Children’s Foundation is investing more than $11.5 million in Riley/IU research this year alone. And our goal is to continue growing that number thanks to your generosity. We are all motivated by the idea of what’s possible… of what’s next… of how research can ease suffering and restore health. Most importantly, we’re motivated by the thousands of kids who will benefit from research discoveries being made at Riley. You can read more about this Top 10 ranking on our blog.
Amelia’s Bakery: February 1- 28 (Indianapolis) ■ Amelia’s Bakery will be donating a percentage of sales from the month of February towards the Stephanie Pottenger Nursing Award. ■ Stephanie was a Certified Pediatric Nurse at Riley Hospital who passed away in 2020. ■ This award is given to a nurse in the Riley Heart Center so to them with professional development or advanced schooling. ■ Located: 653 Virginia Ave, Indianapolis Hot Box Pizza: Feb 17 – Feb 27 (statewide) ■ The Hot Box Riley Deal is back from February 17-27! New cups will be hitting stores soon. Use code “Riley” when ordering online or mention over the phone or in store for 20% of your order to come back to Riley. ■ WHEN you order (not IF, WHEN), make sure to post a picture with your Hot Box and tag @rileykids and @ hotboxpizza! ■ Location Finder: https://orders.hotboxpizza.com/#/ locations Panda Express (statewide) Celebrate the Lunar New Year throughout February with Panda Express and round up at the register to support Riley. Lunar New Year is all about togetherness and a time when family and friends gather to feast and welcome the New Year. When ordering, consider these options: egg rolls symbolize wealth, chow mein noodles symbolize long life and shrimp symbolize happiness. Find your nearest location here: https://www. pandaexpress.com/userlocation.
Thank you for all you do for our Riley kids and families! Ways to support Riley Hospital outside of school JOANN: February – October (statewide) ■ JOANN, the nation’s leading fabric and craft specialty retailer, has inspired customers to create and give back with their hands, hearts, and minds for over 75 years! We are excited that JOANN is bringing that philanthropic spirit to Riley Hospital as a new CMN Hospitals national partner! ■ Beginning in February, customers can donate to Riley at the registers while shopping at JOANN. ■ Location Finder: https://www.joann.com/stores
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Let’s work together to find creative ways to keep supporting Riley!
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SERVICE
IHOP: Feb 1 – March 1 (statewide) ■ Beginning Feb 1, IHOP locations will be accepting donations in-store during their Month of Giving. ■ National Pancake Day is 3/1/2022! IHOP will be offering a free short stack of pancakes to their customers while asking for a donation to Riley Hospital in return. Guests can also order online and make a donation when checking out. www. ihop.com Riley Radio Days: March 10-11 Riley Radio Days will broadcast live on March 10th and 11th in Warsaw, Indiana. WRSW and the Kosciusko Community Foundation will put on the 2-day event raising funds for local Riley families and Riley Children’s Foundation. They will be broadcasting live on 107.3 FM Thursday and Friday from 6am – 6pm. You can listen live here: https://www.1073wrsw.com Speedway: March 17 ■ Speedway raises money for Riley every day at their convenience stores. ■ In 2021, Speedway raised over $2M for Riley Kids!
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■ Speedway employees additionally host the popular Bear in the Chair program which places bears (as big as a 3rd grader) in classrooms where a student is absent for an extended period of time due to hospitalization at Riley. ■ On March 17th, customers can purchase green beads in exchange for a donation to Riley. ■ Location Finder: https://www.speedway.com/locations Your gift for Riley is just a click away Don’t’ forget that your school’s Riley campaign coordination team can now offer your supporters an even easier way to make a gift to benefit Riley Hospital. Digital wallet options are now live on all contact-free, online giving pages set up under the KCS main page including ACH (bank transfer), Apple Pay, Google Pay, Microsoft Pay and most recently Pay Pal. Please contact smiles@rileykids.org if you need assistance in starting your school’s online giving page here: https://give. rileykids.org/KCS21_22.
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LEGAL REVIEW
Legal Situation Brief: “Let’s Go Brandon” & Student Free Speech Séamus Boyce Attorney Kroger Gardis & Regas, LLP Student speech issues have consistently come up in discussions with IASP members through our KGR Legal Help Desk (LHD). In particular, we have received many inquiries about the First Amendment application to students wearing or otherwise using messages with “Let’s Go Brandon” depicted. Never a dull moment. This article provides general direction for how to address some of the most prevalent questions we receive on student speech. What is “Freedom of Expression?” The First Amendment applies when “government” attempts to restrict expression. As an arm of the government, First Amendment protections are triggered when a public school takes action to limit expression. Although it is well settled that public school students do not lose their constitutional rights by virtue of being in public school, courts have recognized that school leaders have a special need to address student speech at school. As the Supreme Court explained in Tinker, “learning is more important in the classroom than free speech.” Public schools are given authority to regulate expression such as: verbal speech, writings, messaging, clothing, jewelry, and so much more. As evidenced by the prevalence of questions that we receive through the LHD, balancing freedom of expression rights with the responsibility of the school to protect the learning environment can be tricky. Within the public-school setting, a school corporation has authority to limit expression that is: (1) materially and substantially disruptive; (2) schoolsponsored (such as yearbooks); or (3) otherwise lewd, vulgar or obscene. Material & Substantial Disruption. A recent trend of LHD inquiries that exemplifies the application of www.iasp.org
these standards is the phrase, “Let’s Go Brandon.” In case you have been hibernating in a pandemic cave, here is an article with some context. You may see the phrase printed on a student’s shirt, messaged through a bumper sticker on their car, or displayed in another way on personal items belonging to the student. “Material and substantial disruption” is a high standard and requires that the school show that an actual disruption occurred (as opposed to a perceived disruption) or at the very least can be reasonably forecasted. Factors to consider include: interference with classwork or school activity, disorder within the school setting, impacting other students (the number of students impacted is relevant) to an extent that they were not able to concentrate on their classwork, and whether administrators and/or teachers had to spend significant time away from their responsibilities to address the disruption. If a student wearing “Let’s Go Brandon” depicted on apparel does not result in an actual disruption to the learning environment, but the administration fear that it will, there may be authority to prohibit the message based on that prediction. Again, the standard here is high. The administration would have to be able to articulate that the predicted disruption was reasonable, specific, and significant. A general annoyance, worry, or vague fear is insufficient. Lewd, Vulgar or Obscene. The Supreme Court in Bethel v. Fraser decided that a school’s responsibility to advance “socially appropriate behavior” outweighs the student’s right to freedom of expression. As such, a school can regulate expressions at school that are lewd, vulgar, or obscene. The “Let’s Go Brandon” example presents a precarious situation for schools. There is nothing patently lewd, vulgar or obscene in the expression, but is understood as euphemism for expression that would absolutely fall within the vulgar category. Although Return to Table of Contents
the messaging is ambiguous, there is no precedent that would support restricting expression on probable interpretation. Doing so exposes the school to significant risk of losing a lawsuit. But that may be a risk you are willing to take. Off-Campus Speech. Public schools have much more authority to regulate on-campus freedom of expression than off-campus. However, Supreme Court recently decided in Mahanoy v. BL that there are only narrow circumstances when a public school may limit or a student’s off-campus speech. For example, schools may be able to provide consequences for off-campus speech when it involves threats of violence, bullying or cheating. The facts of that case are directly relevant to the “Brandon” hypothetical as well. The case involved a Snapchat photo of the student flipping off the camera with the caption, “F**k school, f**k softball, f**k cheer, f**k everything” and the Supreme Court ruled that this social media post taken and posted outside of school was off limits to use as grounds for school discipline. What is the legal lesson from this brief ? Regardless of whether the speech occurred on or off campus, schools should be quick to respond and put an end to dangerous expressions such as bullying and threats. Additionally, schools should be sure to communicate with education leader colleagues to ensure that there is a uniform understanding and consistent implementation of policies relating to the regulation of student expression. We recognize that the legal standard for restricting student expression can be murky and encourage you to use the LHD to talk through these situations. Despite this article, we anticipate we’ll continue to get new twists to the “Let’s Go Brandon” and similar issues. We at the KGR Legal Help Desk are here to address legal issues for IASP members. Until the next Situation Brief, stay legal! 23
LEGAL REVIEW
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LEGAL REVIEW
Performance Improvement Plans: Helpful or Hurtful? Taylor Hunter Attorney Kroger Gardis & Regas, LLP Is one of your employees failing to meet workplace expectations? Before resorting to termination, education leaders need to follow a fair process to address the performance deficiencies or behavior-related issues. There may be a variety of reasons why an employee is not meeting expectations: the employee does not have a clear understanding of his/her duties or your expectations; the employee did not receive proper training; the employee may be going through a personal issue; or the employee is simply not capable or unwilling to perform the duties. Understanding why the issues are occurring and communicating your expectations to the employee, allows you to assess appropriate intervention strategies and reduces risk inherent in any termination decision. The question to ask yourself before making a termination decision is: “Did I give this employee a legitimate chance to succeed?” Your answer should be yes, if you: communicated to the employee that his/her performance was deficient, or the behavior was not acceptable; provided directives for expectations; and documented those interactions. And if your answer is yes, you will find yourself in a good position to defend your decision against a disgruntled employee’s claim for unlawful termination. If the answer to that question is no, there may be risk involved in terminating the employee. Let’s consider an example: An employee is approved for intermittent FMLA leave. The employee fails to call-in and report FMLA absences in violation of the attendance policy. The employee does not receive any written warnings or verbal communications notifying the employee of the violations. The employee is then terminated, and the education leader relies on the attendance policy and procedures for the termination. The employee files a claim for unlawful termination claiming that he had notified the employer of the FMLA leave and that he believes he was terminated because his disability.
There are many intervention strategies to address performance or behavior. First, consider whether the employee is classified or certified as there may be certain policies that apply and must be followed to ensure due process is provided (e.g. grievance procedures, progressive discipline policy, etc.). Once you have determined what options are available to address the performance or behavior, consider whether there is a true commitment to allow the employee to demonstrate growth and improvement. If the mindset or intent is to terminate the employee regardless of the capability for improvement, a performance improvement plan is not the appropriate vehicle to “start the termination process.” By the time a termination decision is made, the necessary documentation (e.g. evaluations, warnings, etc.) and explanation of the consequences should already exist. Otherwise, the employee will view the plan as a pretextual instrument that was implemented only to support termination. This will only perpetuate an already edgy working environment for both the education leader and the employee. The purpose of such plan is to provide an employee a legitimate opportunity to improve and succeed by putting the effort back onto the employee to show that he/she wants to improve and remain employed. The plan should be structured with timesensitive goals and generally last 30-90 days, depending on how long it would take for the employee to reasonably to demonstrate improvement. This includes providing continually oversight, feedback, and coaching to the employee. Communication is also key. An employee who has been apprised that he/she is not meeting the expectations of his/her position and is given an opportunity to correct it, will be far less likely to sue than an employee who feels that he/she was terminated without fair warning. Bottom line, regardless of the intervention chosen to address performance or behavior issues, remember to document… document… document! We at KGR routinely provide day-to-day legal counseling on these important topics. We along with IASP stand ready to support you.
Here, although the education leader may have been legitimately terminated the employee for attendance violations, the lack of communication and documentation creates exposure for a wrongful termination claim. Why? The employee can show that he provided FMLA paperwork of the leave and was terminated close in time to taking the protected leave, whereas the employer can only demonstrate that there is a policy but cannot show that the employee was aware of the violations. As the saying goes in the movies “it’s not what you know, it’s what you can prove.” As an education leader, what can you do to address an employee’s lackluster work performance or behavioral issues?
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