Indianagram_February2023

Relationships

Relationships

During interviews, there is a question I have asked every teacher or administrator I have hired. My staff refer to it as “Shockley’s Question,” and I have accepted that affectionate reference over the years. So here is the question: I will give you three words, and I need you to place them in priority based on your teaching philosophy. There are no ties. You need to determine an order and explain why. So, here are the words: rigor, relevance, and relationships. After briefly defining each of those words, I have the interviewee give his/her answer.

So, what might your answer be to the “Shockley Question”?

In my opinion, there is a correct order: relationships, relevance, and rigor. Why? I see relationships as foundational to our work. Our words and actions speak volumes to students about whether they can trust us and know that we care about them as a person and a learner. Then, we create engaging and meaningful learning experiences that help students connect their learning to themselves and their world beyond the school walls. As educators, if we can build those authentic relationships and create relevant experiences, I strongly believe that we can lean in and push students to higher levels of rigor than we and our students thought possible.

I encourage you to look at the School Leader Paradigm. When studying the intelligences related to becoming a “learning leader,” you notice that building and nurturing relationships is essential to an effective school culture. My interview question could equally apply to our work with staff, parents, and the community. If we can build connections (relationships) with those stakeholders and help them understand our mission and vision (relevance), they might be more apt to join us in removing barriers to student success (rigor). Although our relationships with students are paramount, our partnerships with staff, parents, and the community are vital to drive student learning to even higher levels and leave legacies of hope for our students.

When you receive this edition of the Indianagram, the General Assembly will be almost halfway through its long session, and it reminds me of a relationship that we, as educational leaders, may take for granted. That is one with our local legislators. Under Todd and Tim’s leadership, IASP has built valued connections with key policymakers in the Governor’s Office, SBOE, DOE and legislative committees. IASP also has our own cadre consisting of members who help advocate our legislative platform. Yet, all of us have a role in our efforts. At a recent Executive Committee meeting, we committed to writing to our own representatives about a proposed bill in the General Assembly. I challenge each of you to do the same on a matter you are passionate about. Please visit the advocacy resources on the IASP website for ways you can leverage your influence in supporting all principals and all students.

Matt Shockley IASP President

As I read through the articles in this issue of the Indianagram, I’m reminded of the real estate axiom, “location, location, location” when understanding what promotes the sale of a home. So, what promotes the ways in which our educators connect with kids, how we work well with all parents, and even how we can resolve some very tense legal issues, “relationships, relationships, relationships.”

From our President’s article, through our AP lenses, and from a consulting psychologist, the way in which we relate to and within our school community provides a way to build our desired culture and thereby impact student achievement and growth. From my own lens, somehow this made sense when I was beginning as an AP at Frankfort High School and likely made my share of mistakes. What I did learn, and grow from, was that how we worked with all kids and all staff was paramount to our school getting to the academics that we all hope students learn. Sometimes this was within the classroom and directly connected to learning, a good amount of time, it was related to student behaviors.

I had the opportunity to provide some small incentives to students through our business connections, and one has always stuck with me as I worked with a young lady who struggled with attendance. My conversations with her, and my consistent connections (and likely the incentives) kept her coming to school and allowed her to earn her credits. A more dangerous situation was when a young man informed me that a student had a gun in the school. First, it could not be fired, but second, that young man had been in my office way more than others across the year. Somehow our work together, though, remained positive (even when suspending him), as did my conversations with his grandma. His tip that day allowed us to keep our school secure and our students safe. It also reinforced to me that challenging students do still desire respect and honesty in our interactions, and that it is hard to know when our commitment to kids is rewarded though their actions and decisions. I happened to be able to witness two such positive decisions; I hope that my work with others manifested itself in positive decisions well beyond the school walls and their time at the high school.

We know the time it takes to build those relationships, and that this time you spend is often in conflict with the other varied demands on your time. We also know that your commitment to all kids makes the time you spend with them (and with adults) an investment in your school community and that you make the time for the other issues to ensure success for all.

Dr. Todd D. Bess

IASP Executive Director

Future Indianagram themes

Aimee Lunsford Past President

Amy Niemeier NAESP State Representative

Dave Strouse NASSP State Coordinator

Steve Baker Liaison to the DOE

IASP Executive Committee

Matt Shockley President

Dr. Crystal Murff Thorpe President-Elect

Dr. Holly Arnold Vice President

Dr. Daniel Peo Assistant Principal Liaison

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 all participants in the pursuit of learning!

Find A Full List Of Events at www.iasp.org/Events

Special thanks to our Platinum Corporate Sponsor

Power in Partnerships

Dr. Katie Jenner Indiana Secretary of Education

With January in the rear view mirror, February is often one of the most mentally challenging months of the school year…and yet, staying optimistic, we know that spring is right around the corner!

As you know, the 2023 legislative session is now in full swing, and with this being a budget session, we have an incredible opportunity to increase K-12 funding and build upon the work we are accomplishing together to improve outcomes for our students. Today, I’d like to reiterate some of our legislative priorities…none of which would be possible without ongoing collaboration and partnership with Governor Holcomb, members of the Indiana General Assembly, and our education stakeholders.

Literacy and STEM continue to be at the forefront of our collective work… ensuring Indiana students can read by the end of third grade and have access to high-quality, engaging STEM learning opportunities. And while many anticipated improvements to Indiana’s K-12 education system were outlined in Governor Holcomb’s 2023 Next Level Agenda, we must continue to actively pursue additional measures to further support quality schools in Indiana. House Bill 1590 is a product of the department’s extensive listening efforts…with parents, educators, community leaders, and employers…and is just one piece of the comprehensive 2023 legislative agenda for K-12 education that focuses on the needs of our students.

Literacy

Currently one in five Indiana third grade students is not proficient in key literacy skills–and this comes off of a 10-year decline in students’ foundational reading skills. In order to hit Indiana’s statewide goal of 95% of third graders passing IREAD-3 by 2027, a variety of educator-

focused and parent/family supports are available. In addition to Governor Holcomb’s proposed $20 million incentive program to recognize schools and teachers that improve students’ passing rate on IREAD-3, we are working to provide additional support for schools and students in greatest need of literacy support. This includes:

■ Establishing an evidence-based, science of reading literacy support plan for Indiana elementary schools with less than 70% of students passing IREAD-3 (243 of our state’s 1,051 elementary schools).

■ Utilizing existing federal and philanthropic funding to assist schools in implementing this plan, which includes:

- Using approved science of readingfocused curriculum and assessment,

- Utilizing a science of reading trained instructional coach, Administering IREAD-3 to second grade students as an early indicator of proficiency, allowing for earlier intervention and support, and

- Using a prescribed formative assessment to increase data-driven instructional practices and provide targeted instruction at the individual level.

STEM

As technology continues to advance, STEM education is essential to meeting the demands of a complex and competitive workforce reliant on critical thinking and communication. Research also suggests that high-quality instructional materials, accompanied by professional development to help teachers use those materials, can improve student achievement.

While some students have access to high-quality, engaging STEM opportunities, many students do not. Together, and through partnering with

community and business, we must continue to determine additional ways of increasing access to these important educational experiences, including expanding professional development opportunities for STEM educators and increasing quality work-based learning opportunities for students.

Other priorities

Additionally, our ongoing engagement efforts have brought to light several challenges, and in turn solutions, that we are working closely with the General Assembly to address. These measures include, but are not limited to:

■ Providing free textbooks for students and families,

■ Making high school diploma requirements more flexible and relevant to students,

■ Increasing the number of high school students completing high-value postsecondary credentials,

■ Improving access to high-quality work-based learning opportunities,

■ Securing additional funding to support the growing costs associated with serving special education and English learner student populations,

■ Expanding access to high-quality early learning opportunities,

■ Prioritizing the health and overall well-being of our students, and

■ Strengthening Indiana’s educator pipeline.

There is much to be done in the weeks ahead, and we must continue to build new and strengthen existing partnerships in order to advance policies that put Indiana students first. This includes ensuring students gain the foundational knowledge and skills and forge connections to college and career pathways necessary for success beyond high school. Thank you, as always, for your continued partnership…let’s keep working to make it better!

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

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.”

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

Jeremy Coleman Ball State Alumnus

From the AP Lens: As an Assistant Principal, Being the “Bearer of Bad News” Can Have Positive Outcomes with Parents and Families

Dr. Dan Peo Assistant Principal Avon High School IASP Assistant Principal Liaison

“If you had to put these three words in order of importance, in what order would they go: rigor, relevance, and relationships?”

I first heard this question asked by our current IASP President Mr. Matt Shockley (also my friend and now boss!) during an interview with a teaching candidate. While a case can probably be made for putting these three combinations of words in many different orders, one cannot discount the important role that relationships have when thinking about these words in the context of classrooms. Many of us have heard the aphorism, “children don’t care what you know until they know that you care.” Building safety and connection is paramount in our classrooms as we welcome students who come from a variety of backgrounds. Without nurturing a feeling of safety and connection, it is impossible to ask our students to learn and to utilize the many executive functions that we expect them to develop as they grow, including functions like self-regulation, time management, organization, empathy, impulse control, and flexibility (Loving Guidance, n.d.).

This month, I’ve asked my colleague Mr. Justin Tucker, Assistant Principal at Batesville Middle School, to share some of his experiences with building relationships and communicating with families.

Being the “Bearer of Bad News” with Positive Outcomes

I have been described as someone who can always see the bright side of everything; however, when I first began my Assistant Principal journey eight years ago, I am not sure I had ever been more shocked by anything in my entire life. Transitioning from the classroom to the role of an Assistant Principal was tough, and I was not sure what the bright side of it was at the time. In the classroom, you control your classroom, you set the expectation for students in your classroom, but, most importantly, your contact with the community is mostly in a positive form. It leads to a mostly positive day of things that you control. And, while I imagined the role of the Assistant Principal as a positive one, the life of the Assistant Principal can be a daily negative grind and a lot of things can be out of our control: Correcting those wild

student behaviors from office referrals, tracking and correcting attendance for all students who have every excuse under the sun, developing and correcting safety protocols that sometimes don’t get followed, and, then, the dreaded phone call home of the discipline action where our contact with family members is typically bad news. Many times, between the school and the parents, we are the “Bearer of Bad News”. Have you ever gotten the line when a parent picks up, “Oh no, what is it this time? I do not like when you call.” However, if this is a line you and the parent can laugh about, you have already taken advantage of the many opportunities that come with the bright sides of the Assistant Principal.

While you cannot control many of the negative things that go through your day, if you want to have positive relationships with parents and families, here is something you can control: Giving respect towards anyone you come in contact with that day. In What Great Principals Do Differently, author Todd Whitaker writes, “One of the hallmarks of effective principals is how they treat people. Like effective teachers, effective principals treat people with respect….The real challenge is to treat everyone with respect every day- and great principals do” (Whitaker, 2013, p. 28).

Throughout my four years of experience as a high school Assistant Principal and four years as a middle school Assistant Principal, I can share that, although you are the “Bearer of Bad News,” you can have very positive relationships with the parents and families you work with, even though there are, many times, negative circumstances. It all starts with the relationship with the student. As we have all learned throughout our careers, building relationships is the most important attribute to anyone in education. Most times, if you have taken the time to build a positive relationship with the student, the positive relationship with the family and the parent will follow. This relationship with the student can be developed in the hallway, the cafeteria, and especially in your office. At the end of the day, our students are kids and our kids are going to make mistakes. When they make those mistakes, being respectful, empathetic

Mr. Justin Tucker Assistant Principal Batesville Middle School

and understanding towards them can result in the most positive relationship. Many times, parents and families will be understanding that their child did something wrong, but will never be understanding if they feel their child was not treated with respect.

Now, sometimes, regardless of how much respect or empathy you give, a moment or a relationship with a parent or family can go sideways. This is why it is imperative to always remain calm and positive, as people can always pick up on your energy, whether it be face-to-face or even through the phone. Poet Maya Angelou once said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel” (Squibb, 2016). While this goes for students, this goes for parents, as well, especially during those moments of disagreement.

All in all, while the job of the Assistant Principal can many times feel like the “Bearer of Bad News”, it can have many positive outcomes. Although I was once questioning what positives there were as an Assistant Principal, I have learned that there are so many positive opportunities for good outcomes, and it all comes down to relationships. Whether

it is with students, parents, or families, approaching them all with respect, empathy and understanding, will result in many positive relationships that will last a lifetime.

Mr. Tucker can be reached via jtucker@batesville.k12.in.us

References

Loving Guidance. (n.d.) Resource: Executive skill lending library. Conscious Discipline. https://consciousdiscipline. com/resources/executive-skill-lending-library/

Squibb, J. (2016, March 22). How you made them feel. Compass USA. https://www.compass-usa.com/how-you-made-themfeel

Whitaker, T. (2013). What Great Principals Do Differently: Eighteen Things That Matter Most. Taylor & Francis.

Students in Action

MaryAnn Abramson Manager of Programs & Partnerships

Multiplying Good Indiana

Students in Action (SIA) is a servicelearning leadership program for students offered by Multiplying Good Formerly known as the Jefferson Awards, Multiplying Good created Students in Action to work with middle and high schools helping youth identify what they are passionate about, and build the skills and connections needed to do something about it. In the 2021-2022 school year, Indiana based SIA teams comprised of more than 400 young people engaged more than 4,000 of their peers in over 6,500 hours of meaningful youth-led service, which represents the 3 core tenants of SIA: Service, Leadership, and Recognition.

I’m going to start off by giving you the basic information about the Students in Action program. However, if you are pressed for time, I urge you to skip to last two paragraphs, as they are the most important.

What is Students in Action?

A team-based student-led servicelearning leadership program for middle and high school students. Teams and participating schools are intentionally diverse and focus around 3 core components: Service, Leadership, and Recognition.

Service: We help young people look within their communities to find issues they care about, teach them to investigate community needs, and encourage them to multiply the good by partnering and connecting with local organizations and inviting their peers to join them in service.

Leadership: Twice a year, Indiana SIA teams are brought together for conferences held in partnership with Purdue and UIndy. With a diverse group of their peers, youth learn about topics including leadership, project management, community needs, bias and stereotype, and presentation skills. Students use the knowledge and skills learned from the provided curriculum and leadership conferences to capacity build service in their school and community.

Recognition: SIA teams recognize their peers and community members for excellence in service with Jefferson Awards, and are themselves recognized through a year-end celebration where teams compete for regional, statewide, and national honors, including a trip to the national Jefferson Awards and National Youth Summit in Washington DC.

What Does It Cost to Bring SIA to My School?

There is no cost to bring Students in Action into your school*. However, there requirements which may have an associated expense. Each team must attend at least one conference each year, which will have a transportation cost. Each team must have at least one advisor. If that advisor is a teacher, there will be the cost of a sub to cover their classes while they accompany their team to a conference or EOYC.

Note: We are aware that a lot is placed on educators, and one more responsibility can be a dealbreaker to adding a new program such as Students in Action. Please keep in mind the following:

■ This program should be student led with an advisor adding support and guidance when needed.

■ SIA can be easily incorporated into existing clubs, programs, or classes, alleviating the need to find additional staff to serve as an advisor.

*We are currently only able to offer Students in Action in certain regions. Contact MaryAnn Abramson if you have questions about this.

Benefit To Schools And Students Workplace/Life-Skill Development:

We measure key workplace skills growth in participating youth using a research-based pre-assessment and post-assessment, in relation to: commitment to community, empathy, leadership, career preparedness, impartiality, self-efficacy, goal-setting, and communication.

Provides Evidence that they are Indiana Graduates Prepared to Succeed: Students in Action can provide a high-quality service-based learning experience with documented data around employability skills. Work Ethic, communication and collaboration are key skills taught, practiced, and reinforced throughout each year.

All participants that go through SIA benefit from program participation, but the greatest impact is on disengaged or marginalized youth those who are rarely asked what they care about nor given the tools needed to change the world around them.

Why SIA is Not Like Other Service Clubs or Programs

I was a Students in Action advisor and JAG Specialist at Avon High School from 2017-2022. The reason I am passionate about making sure schools know about this program is that I saw how it can make a deep and lasting impact on students and the communities in which they live.

This program is not about doing community service for scholarship, college or job application purposes. It’s about students identifying issues in their own community and feeling empowered to do something about it. I saw this process transform disengaged students with poor attendance to motivated students who showed up to class with a purpose and a passion. They investigate issues and are encouraged to educate their peers and the greater community on what they have learned, ignoring the differences between them and focusing on addressing their common commitment to a cause. Being student-led means the majority of work falls on the students. Sometimes they knocked it out of the park, and sometimes not, but either way there was an opportunity for real conversations about failure and priorities and what it means to serve. If this has you curious as to whether Students in Action could work inside your school, please reach out. I’d love to have a chat to see how we can make it work for your community of students.

Click to listen to the IASP Leadership Podcast about Students in Action!

Service empowers youth to make a positive impact on issues they care about and harness their purpose and passion to build a brighter future.

STUDENTS IN ACTION (SIA)

, a program of Multiplying Good, is a unique youth service, leadership and recognition program. It combines immersive training, opportunities for engagement, and a prestigious recognition platform that honors achievement.

The unique benefits of Students in Action youth service-based program:

INDIANA GRADUATION PATHWAYS

Students in Action helps schools meet Pathway 2 as a service-based learning experience. Integrates academic study with service experience, reflects larger social, economic, and societal issues, and collaborative efforts between students, schools, and community partners.

MEETS YOUTH WHERE THEY ARE

We ask youth what they care about and help them develop over time through our leadership tracks.

FOCUS IS ON RELATIONSHIPS AND BUILDING CONFIDENCE

RESEARCH SHOWS YOUTH ENGAGED IN QUALITY SERVICE DISPLAY INCREASED:

• Soft Skills

• Civic Engagement

• Empathy

• Self Efficacy

• Positive Racial Understanding

• Career Trajectory

• Workforce Readiness

• Leadership Skills

• Presentation Skills

We help youth do impactful hands-on service, through which they develop a wide-range of skills and a deep passion for driving sustainable community change.

PRIORITIZES LEARNING THROUGH DIFFERENCE

Diversity is deeply rooted in our approach. We intentionally recruit youth and schools from a wide range of backgrounds.

ELEVATES AND RECOGNIZES IMPACT AND LEARNING

Recognition is at the heart of Multiplying Good. We empower participating youth to recognize excellence in service in their school and community and in turn recognize SIA teams for their impact each year through a year-end celebration.

To Be Seen, Known, and Safe: An Educator’s Take on Relationships

Ms. Joy Frush SEL Coordinator Fishers Junior High School

“Feeling safe is the single most important criteria for a relationship. It’s not the only thing we need, but none of the other things matter if we don’t feel safe physically, psychologically, and emotionally. Safety is the foundation of all functional relationships.” – Jillian

Turecki

Humans were built for relationships. Interconnectedness resides in our DNA. That drive and desire for healthy connection courses through our veins, giving us life and a sense of safety. Gabor Maté avowed, “Safety is not the absence of threat. It is the presence of connection.”

In relationships, we serve as mirrors to one another; what we see in others, we see (or don’t) in ourselves. Each of us is unique, matchless and when others openly affirm that they see us for who we truly are, then we feel safe to thrive and grow – oftentimes even beyond the boundaries of where we see ourselves going. All of this and more helps us cultivate, define, and self-actualize our own sense of worthiness. Consequently, in American society and education, we’ve reached the point where we tie individual worth and worthiness to external achievement(s) because the stakes are so high. We forget that individual worth has nothing to do with what a person does, but everything to do with who they are, internally. In effect, we forget to truly see and know our students, I believe, because we’ve forgotten to see and know ourselves. Educators have become wildly inundated with hefty standards-based curriculums, scaffolding and differentiating instruction to accommodate student needs, attending multiple staff meetings a week, sponsoring after-

school extracurriculars, etc. – we don’t take pause or consider to look within.

We do, and do, and do. It’s no wonder we expect our students to perform, perform, perform.

Post-secondary EDU 101 coursework taught us that our students will not thrive in our classrooms if they don’t feel safe, and that’s on us to initiate and foster that sacred, relational bond between teacher and student. If we only view our students by what and how well they do, perform, succeed, and achieve, then we’re completely missing the mark of being a safe place for them, altogether. We won’t see them thrive. We won’t see them for them.

However, when we mirror to our students that we see them uniquely for who they are as individuals, that’s when we see them bloom. When we show them that we see they are kind, they are interesting, they are altruistic, they are capable, they are enough - only then will we see them and their true potential rise to the occasion.

We are so tied to what our students can do, but they will do all of this and more when we start laying the foundation for a connected relationship with them, rooted in safety and curiosity, and showing them that we see them wholly and completely. May we see the worth inside of ourselves, so we see the worth inside of our students. Only then will our teacher-student relationship grow something truly remarkable.

Indiana State Board of Accounts

Extra Curricular Account Virtual Workshop

March 14, 2023 9am – 10:30 EST

Presenters, Chase Lenon and Jonathan Wineinger, Government Technical Assistance and Compliance Directors for the Indiana State Board of Accounts

This workshop will provide Extra Curricular Account (ECA) Treasurers occupation procedural information.

When you register you will receive a few items to help you prepare for the 90-minute workshop. Included, you will receive a link to a training video as well as a link to submit questions and topics you would like to cover at the workshop.

Register online at www.iasp.org (under Principal Programs) Questions, email Beth Moore Kissel at emoore@iasp.org

Method of Payment - $50 per person Check (payable to IASP), P.O., or Credit Card

Building Trusting Relationships in the School Community

Brian Behrman Principal Fishers Elementary School

As an educator, I have long believed in the value of relationships. When I was still in the classroom, I worked hard to get to know all my students. I was a big fan of utilizing free moments in the day to talk with kids. I’d ask them about their family, pets, outside interests, or whatever they wanted to talk about. I felt that the more I knew about my students, the easier it was to connect with them during class time because they knew that I cared about them as a person first. As a classroom teacher, I probably had a good relationship with some of the families of my students, but I don’t think I realized the value of investing in meaningful relationships with my students’ families.

When I moved into an administrative role, I knew that it probably wouldn’t be possible to know all our students as well as I had when I was a classroom teacher. But in the administrative role, I soon came to realize that I needed to know more than just my students. It quickly became apparent that in this role, I needed to know the families of my students. Early in my administrative career, I participated in a book study around The Speed of Trust by Stephen M. R. Covey. It is a book that comes to mind regularly in my current role as an elementary school principal. The key takeaway from the book is that when trust is high, the speed of our relationships is that much faster. To me, the key to a high trust environment is meaningful relationships.

Here are a few are just a few of the reasons that I take the time to build strong relationships with the families of our students:

■ Improved student outcomes – According to youth.gov, when parents are actively involved in their child’s education, students tend to perform better academically and have better attendance. I have learned that sometimes the families of our students have had negative interactions with schools in their past. Sometimes those situations go back to their own childhood.

■ More effective collaboration – When we have strong relationships between school and our families, we can develop plans to meet the needs of our students both at home and at school. In a high trust relationship with a family, having conversations about home life and strategies parents might try with their child at home are more welcome. Parents will see that we are trying to help provide the support that students need to learn and grow into their greatest potential.

■ Better school culture – When relationships are strong between school and our families, parents are more likely to be involved in school events. This involvement helps to support a positive and supportive school culture.

There are several ways that I work to build relationships, and by extension, trust, with our families. When we have events at school that parents will attend, I make a point to connect with as many of the families as possible. These small interactions show that I care about their child, and by extension, them. The welcoming and warm environment we strive to create helps our families feel comfortable to be here. I often encourage parents to volunteer in classrooms, sign up to be a substitute teacher, or help with events being led by our PTO. I also see the role of principal as being the head communicator of a building. I strive to tell our story in multiple ways. Each week, in our school newsletter, I do a video update called “The Tiger Update.” Using video, I find that families can hear my voice and see my face – it seems more well received than a weekly note from the principal in our newsletter. I also strive to share our school’s story on social media. As a school we have a Facebook and Twitter feed. When parents know what’s happening at school, the connection is stronger, which helps build that relationship.

Overall, building a strong relationship with the families of our students helps create a high trust environment that will better support our goals of having an impact on the learning and growth of every student who walks into our school.

Relationships as Interventions: The Four MustHave Skills to Build Meaningful Relationships

Adam Sáenz

C.E.O. of the Applied EQ Group & Consulting Psychologist Texas A&M College of Medicine

We—humanity—are like a massive collection of Legos. Our individual pieces of human experience vary in size, shape and color, but all were designed and evolved specifically to connect one with another. When we connect with the right people the right way, we become a part of a narrative or unfolding story that gives us deeper meaning and purpose, both individually and collectively. That holds true universally—across cultures, across sexes, across generations, and across ideologies. It certainly holds true in schools.

The Principal as the Campus-level Culture Leader

My theoretical approach working in schools over the past twenty years gradually shifted from focusing on student behaviors to relational systems. Behavioral psychology, at its core, is about sticks and carrots: how can I use pleasure or pain to shape behavior? Systems psychology, however, understands behavior as being influenced by a relational environment.

The shift actually started in my private practice, when I realized that 50-minutes of direct intervention with a child rendered little positive permanent effect when the child was returning to an overwhelmed or dysfunctional family system. Thus, much of my work with children now involves a significant piece of work with the adult caregivers in the home. The carryover in the school setting was that having created countless behavior intervention plans anchored to sticks and carrots (positive behavior support focuses on carrots), I realized that these plans resulted in little positive permanent effect when implemented in a campus culture that

either devalued the relational aspect of learning or was deeply entrenched in a dysfunctional relational climate. As a result, much of my work in education today focuses on establishing a culture of relational wellbeing at a campus level—in essence, culture is a power tool of Tier 1 interventions, in the sense that all students benefit from educators living balanced lives and capable of adaptive relational skills.

My sense is that very few who have served as educators for more than three years need to be convinced of the importance of relationships. The deeper and more compelling question is “How?” What, exactly, are the steps to build healthy colleague-to-colleague, teacher-to-student, and educator-toparent relationships? And, what are the implications for me as the leader of campus-level culture?

The answer to that compelling question, to quote a relationship status option on a popular social media website, is “it’s complicated.” Since dozens of variables interact to determine the quality of interaction between any two individuals, to offer a standard, one-size-fits-all relationship protocol (i.e., simply do X, then Y and then Z) would be at least scientifically disingenuous and, at worst, potentially damaging.

We’re not stuck, though. We will find our answer via analogy. Imagine coaching a large group of athletes from a wide variety of sports. At first glance, the task might seem incredibly difficult: how could one coach possibly know enough about all of the sports to be helpful? This becomes another dozens-of-variables-interacting

scenario. We know, though, that regardless of the particular sport, every athlete will benefit in their particular sport from practicing four essential skills: 1) proper nutrition, 2) flexibility training, 3) strength training, and 4) conditioning. Coaching that diverse group, then, would be about my leading the group in the practice and development of those four core physical skills. By analogy, then, my capacity to successfully interact with a wide range of individuals becomes a process of my practicing and developing four essential relational readiness skills: 1) reflecting, 2) directing, 3) connecting, 4) protecting. When I as the campus leader develop my capacity in those for four essential relational readiness skills, I model a level of relational wellness that will drive a healthy relational culture on my campus.

Skill Number One: Reflecting (Why am I here?)

If I have not linked what I’m doing on a daily basis on my campus with my core values (by practicing the skill of reflecting on my identity and calling), it is unlikely that I will understand my role as an educator as anything more than a job, which is simply a basic agreement to exchange labor for a paycheck. In the job model, I will tend to default to offering my employer the minimum amount of my effort in exchange for my established pay rate (a psychological mechanism that allows me to feel that I am getting the highest wage possible). In this mentality, I am unlikely to be willing to spend the effort required to initiate and sustain impactful relationships with colleagues and students (Palmer, 1993).

If, however, I am operating from a

Dr.

calling model, I understand that what I am doing is much less about my paycheck and much more about my living out why I believe I am on this planet. I call this “finding the right why.” When I find the right why, I am committed to spending the resources of my time and energy to build relationships because I understand relationships to be the kinds of investments that offer the maximum return as I live out my calling. This is the identity check: Am I primarily an employee who receives a paycheck from a school district, or am I primarily an individual whose calling is to impact the lives of young men and women and to draw excellence from classroom teachers?

Take away: my being in touch with the right “why” is necessary for my campus-level and classroom-level relationships to thrive; if I don’t want to be here, I won’t be invested in building healthy relationships.

Questions for Reflection…

- Have I crafted a personal mission statement?

- Has my leadership team crafted a mission statement for our campus?

- Does our faculty refer back to our mission statement regularly, particularly in times of peak stress and amid situational feelings of frustration and discouragement?

Skill Number Two: Directing (How adaptively do I manage my emotion?)

Emotions are fuel, like gasoline. Gasoline can be used to power a vehicle that can drive a family on a dream vacation, or it can be used to start a fire that will burn down a family home. To preserve nurturing relationships, then, I must practice the skill of experiencing all emotions and directing emotional fuel wisely. If I spend even an hour on any campus in my professional capacity, I am likely to experience a wide-range of emotions, some of which might be both uncomfortable and intense: anger, anxiety, incompetence,

sadness. If I do not give myself permission to experience an emotion (to name an emotion is to claim an emotion), I am repressing and storing emotional energy in my body that will eventually cost me. Further, if I am not mindful of how I manage (e.g., express) my emotions, I may be destroying relationships with my colleagues and students by criticizing, attacking, blaming, passive aggression or withdrawal. My fluency in experiencing and expressing emotion is closely linked to family-of-origin experiences and to my experiences in interpersonal relationships.

Take away: if I habitually suppress emotion or express emotion in hurtful ways, I lose credibility and undermine my capacity to build healthy relationships; wise and appropriate experience and release of emotional fuel is necessary for relationships to thrive.

Questions for Reflection…

- Whom on my campus will confront me if and when I allow my emotion to drive me to toxic, hurtful behavior?

- Am I comfortable with and competent in my ability to appropriately confront a colleague who allows emotion to drive them to toxic, hurtful behavior?

Skill Number Three: Connecting (Can I build a bridge across interpersonal differences?)

Bridges are about joining, and to be relationally joined, I must practice the skill of connecting to my colleagues and students. The river of difference that separates and divides us can be wide and deep, and it can run with strong undercurrents. Our looks differ. Our speech differs. Our values differ. Our generations differ. Our neighborhoods differ. We are organically hardwired to at least avoid that which is different, and at most, to fear that which is different. Differences create relational stress. Will I tap the emotional stress energy that arises within me as I face that which is unfamiliar to build a

bridge across differences, or will I use that same energy to avoid and disengage?

If building bridges does not come naturally to me, I probably am known as a task-oriented individual who can get things done. Perhaps I am someone who lives more in her mind than in her heart. I may also be known as someone who is less-than-approachable in conflict, someone who values a final product over a person.

Take away: we are by nature relational creatures, and building connections across differences is necessary for relationships to thrive; if I have talked myself out of my need to be connected to my colleagues, students and their parents, it is unlikely that I will do the work necessary to develop healthy relationships.

Questions for Reflection…

- Have I purposed to seek out to get to know colleagues with racial backgrounds, sexual orientations, political or religious value systems or generational identities that differ from mine?

- Have I purposed to seek out and get to know students and parents with racial backgrounds, sexual orientations, political or religious value systems or generational identities that differ from mine?

Skill Number Four: Protecting (Can I build a fence to prevent interpersonal trespassing?

Fences are about defining boundaries— what belongs to me and what does not? As we engage relationships, as we build bridges, we will be hurt. To stay relationally-engaged when I know I am continually at-risk of being hurt, then, I must practice the skills of protecting my mind and my heart without isolating myself and falling into bitterness and cynicism.

My fence-building skill is closely linked to whether I view myself as someone worth being treated with love and respect. If setting boundaries feels

uncomfortable for me, I probably am known as someone who is warm, nurturing, and emotionally accessible. Perhaps I am someone who lives more in his heart than in his mind. I may also be known as someone who avoids conflict and has difficulty enforcing consequences consistently.

Take away: self-protection is a basic human instinct, and setting healthy boundaries is necessary for relationships to thrive; if I have not empowered myself to protect my mind and heart appropriately, it is unlikely that I will be able to maintain healthy relationships or deal effectively with toxic people.

Questions for Reflection…

- Do I frequently feel resentful and taken for granted? (If so, my skill in setting boundaries may be lacking).

- How are my conflict resolution skills?

In the Words of Polonius…

I don’t know where or whom I would be today had educators not built relationships with me and constructed

the platform in my heart upon which they spoke truth into my life about my identity. I don’t know that I ever would have gone to college. I do know that once I did go to college, the fact that I majored in English was a direct result of the influence of three of my high school English teachers, women who taught me, apart from the deep life-lessons about my identity, the value of the spoken and written word.

While I am deeply grateful for the opportunities my education has afforded me, let me be very clear: education did not change my life. Educators did. If you asked my teachers about their secret sauce— what exactly they did to connect with me—I doubt they would provide answers that emphasized superior pedagogical techniques or airtight classroom management plans. While I can’t speak with absolute certainty on their behalf, I do imagine they would simply respond with something along these lines:

“I knew why I was there; something very deep in me valued making a difference in students’ lives. When things got difficult—and they often

did—I made a decision to do no harm and manage my intense feelings like an adult. I made it a point to reach out to kids, especially those who were different from me, and I set clear boundaries when I felt disrespected. I did that day after day, week after week, semester after semester, year after year. Now, I look back with gratitude because I can’t imagine a more worthwhile endeavor in which to have invested my life.”

Although my college years were incredibly difficult in many ways, the hours I spent between the covers of my Riverside Shakespeare anthology are among my sweetest memories. In honor of Mrs. Brewer, Mrs. McRoberts and Mrs. Exley, I leave you with a quote from Hamlet. Although Polonius is often viewed as being a chief counselor sorely lacking in good judgment, his parting advice to his son, Laertes, in Act 2 captures a truth relevant to us and worth repeating:

“ This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man. Farewell, my blessing season this in thee!” Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 3, 78-82

Infinite Capacity Community Partnership Series: Newsletters to Build Connections in STEM/ STEAM Programming

Krista M. Stith Infinite Capacity, LLC

Rachel L. Geesa Infinite Capacity, LLC

The Indiana Department of Education’s (IDOE; 2022) K-8 STEM Certification Evaluation Rubric includes a substandard focused on “STEM Program Engagement” (1.6). For schools to be recognized as in the category of “Innovating,” schools must refer to the following rubric guidelines:

Schools actively engage stakeholders, including parents, educational leaders, and community partners in activities to reflect, grow, and promote the school’s STEM program using five of the following activities:

1. Surveys

2. STEM-focused community forums

3. STEM community partner celebrations

4. STEM volunteer opportunities and recognition events

5. STEM career, community, or business presentations

6. STEM-focused press releases/newsletters

7. STEM-focused community/family nights. (IDOE, 2022, p. 2)

For this month’s Indianagram, we wanted to highlight the opportunities of STEM Program Engagement through newsletters. Disseminating a school newsletter to school stakeholders can inform individuals about “what’s happening” in the STEM/STEAM program, helping to build pride and support and increase engagement and support in the STEM/STEAM culture. If your program does not currently disseminate a newsletter of this nature, here are some items to consider:

■ Alumni success: Share success stories of alums who have pursued STEM/STEAM careers.

■ Community partners: Provide information about STEM/ STEAM-related community resources and organizations.

■ Focus: Keep the newsletter concise and to the point concerning STEM/STEAM education, college readiness, and career development.

■ Engagement: Encourage reader participation through polls, questionnaires, or other interactive features.

■ Events: Include upcoming events and opportunities for students (and community-at-large) to get involved in STEM activities.

■ Quotes: Include quotes from experts and leaders in STEM/STEAM fields.

■ Global Connectedness: Explore what is happening in other countries related to STEM innovation.

■ Research: Include relevant and up-to-date information about STEM education and research.

■ Resources: Include resources for parents, caregivers, and teachers to support STEM/STEAM education at home and in the classroom.

■ School programs: Include information about the school’s STEM/STEAM programs and initiatives.

■ Student success: Highlight student achievements and successes in STEM/STEAM fields.

■ Tips: Offer tips and tricks for teaching STEM/STEAM concepts in a fun and engaging way.

■ Visual imagery: Use images, diagrams, and infographics to make the newsletter visually appealing and easy to understand.

■ Workforce development: Provide information about STEM/STEAM careers and the importance of STEM/ STEAM education.

■ Feedback: Encourage feedback and suggestions from readers. For example, we have provided a poll of possible newsletter names on which the school community could have input on.

Additionally, there are innovations to the traditional school newsletter! While many schools send out digital newsletters already, here are some other areas of consideration:

■ Augmented reality (AR): Some newsletters use AR to enhance the reading experience by providing additional information, animation, and interactive features.

■ Automation: Many technologies automate the process of creating and sending newsletters, making it easier for organizations to send regular updates to their subscribers.

■ Interactive newsletters: Some newsletters now include interactive elements, such as polls, quizzes, and games, which can make them more engaging for readers.

■ Micro-learning: Some newsletters now include bite-sized chunks of information, which are easier to consume and retain.

■ Mobile optimization: More and more people are reading newsletters on their mobile devices, so it is important for newsletters should be optimized for mobile viewing.

■ Personalization: Newsletters can be personalized to different readers based on their interests and preferences, making them more relevant and engaging for the reader.

■ Social media integration: Some newsletters now include social media integration, allowing readers to share articles on their social media channels.

■ Video integration: Some newsletters now include videos, making it more engaging and providing a new way to consume information.

Resources

There are several resources available to help your team create a newsletter for STEM/STEAM programming. Some options include:

■ Education-specific resources: Education-specific resources available to help you create a newsletter for STEM/STEAM education. For example, you can find STEM/ STEAM education blogs, websites, and organizations that offer tips and resources for teaching, learning, outreach, and more.

■ Graphic designers (professional or in-house): You can hire a professional graphic designer to help create a visually appealing newsletter. They can help you create custom images, diagrams, and infographics to make your newsletter more engaging. A School’s Journalism Program may be an excellent fit for this as well. Many school districts have a communication specialist that can help you with creating and distributing a school newsletter. They can provide you with templates, help with designs, and help you with distribution.

■ Online tutorials: There are many online tutorials available to help you learn how to create a newsletter using different software such as Adobe InDesign, Canva and other graphic design software.

■ Professional newsletter templates: Websites offer professional newsletter templates that you can customize for your school. These templates can provide a great starting point for creating a newsletter, and templates can help you save time in designing a newsletter.

Conclusion

By sharing a school newsletter with stakeholders, school leaders can encourage stakeholder participation and support for a STEM/STEAM culture. This focus can include encouraging the school ecosystem to support and guide their children’s learning in school and at home, providing ways community members can volunteer in schools in relation to STEM/STEAM activities, or sharing how businesses may provide resources and support to enhance STEM/STEAM programming. In this month’s Indianagram, we have shared ways school STEM/STEAM newsletters can be created to help build relationships with school stakeholders in regards to the happenings in a school. Have other newsletter ideas you would like us to share? Feel free to reach out to us at Contact@infinitecapacity.com! Also, check out our book, Leadership in integrative STEM education: Collaborative strategies for facilitating an experiential and student-centered culture where we highlight other approaches to build and sustain stakeholder engagement.

References

Indiana Department of Education (IDOE). (2022). Indiana Department of Education K-8 STEM certification evaluation rubric. https://media.doe.in.gov/news/k-8-stem-certificationevaluation-rubric.pdf

Adapting to Change: Understanding Permanent Shifts in Virtual Teaching and Learning with School Stakeholders

While we have used the Modern Classrooms Project’s components in our own teaching and learning at Ball State University, and have experienced notable success with our students, we also have observed some fellow PK-12 educators experiencing challenges with blended and hybrid learning acceptance by families, parents, and caregivers. Educators, themselves, may see positively impactful outcomes in the classroom, but families, parents, and caregivers may not understand the why of continuing with virtual learning practices in schools.

Educational experiences have shifted dramatically over the last 20 years with greater technology integration within pedagogical praxis. While many of us experienced teachercentered instruction with minimal technology in our PK-12 educational program/upbringing, the same cannot be said for today’s digital natives. Virtual modalities like hybrid and blended learning have experienced greater adoption in teaching and learning with the expectation of future innovations. According to Lockee (2021),

The well-established best practices of hybrid or blended teaching and learning have served as a guide for new combinations of instructional delivery that have developed in response to the shift to virtual learning. The use of multiple delivery modes is likely to remain, and will be a feature employed with learners of all ages. (para. 7)

Arguably, as society returns to pre-pandemic normalcy, virtual learning is here to stay. Educators do not have to implement different learning modes through creating new content and practices, though. Identifying organizations that can support multiple delivery modes (e.g., hybrid and blended learning) can provide a new level of instructional flexibility. One example of a company that has developed a framework to leverage technology in the classroom in a way that promotes self-paced learning is the Modern Classroom Project. According to the Modern Classrooms Projects’ (n.d.b) analysis of data collected in January 2020,

Modern Classroom students feel significantly more connected to their teachers, and they receive more personal support and encouragement. By leveraging technology, Modern Classroom teachers are freed up to move around the classroom, providing one-on-one supports and small-group interventions to students. (para. 4)

For example, many families, parents, and caregivers are familiar with the A-F grading system, whereas the Modern Classrooms Project uses mastery-based grading. This type of grading system may provide more equitable practices in assessments and grades of PK-12 students. Additionally, mastery-based grading systems may prepare students for their futures and develop more confidence and determination in their work. Families, parents, and caregivers may need additional communication on why educators are using mastery-based grading over other traditional grading frameworks (especially before receiving report cards and other summative assessments).

In an effort to build a positive school culture and sustain supportive community partners, school leaders can help with informing stakeholders of the purpose of continued virtual instructional strategies. To better lead in the implementation of virtual instruction programs in PK-12 schools, we provide the following discussion topics for school leaders to consider:

■ Educator guidance and support: Teachers, instructional assistants, and school staff should have information about why resources and materials are being implemented, and how they can receive support and training to properly utilize digital devices, applications, and instructional materials. Ongoing professional learning opportunities should be offered.

■ Learning formats: Shifts in new learning platforms and formats may cause stakeholders to pose questions or seek additional information about the needs for and use of the formats. Through the use of blended and hybrid learning models, PK-12 students may engage in self-paced and/or mastery-based educational programs. Digital educational interactions may be new for families, parents, and

Krista M. Stith Ball State University

Rachel L. Geesa Ball State University

Kate Shively Ball State University

caregivers, which may require additional information and education about learning formats for stakeholders.

■ Online newsletters and interactions: School stakeholders may benefit from regular information regarding the foci on student learning, engagement, and implementation of online learning programs through online or digital school newsletters. Online and digital school-related interactions (e.g., webinars, conferences) with students, community members, and stakeholders may be helpful.

■ Stakeholder communication: Families, parents, and caregivers need to receive consistent communication and shared information from educators and administrators to best support their students at home. Descriptions and examples of hybrid/online/remote/virtual learning models, with data to support the use for and need of the models, may be useful to stakeholders.

Conclusion

With the likelihood of a permanent shift in greater technology integration in PK-12 schools, school leaders should be aware of the need to communicate the shift to school stakeholders. With clear communication, families, parents, and caregivers may be well-positioned to understand the benefits of virtual instruction in hybrid and blended learning environments.

References

Kolb, L. (2020). Learning first, technology second in practice: New strategies, research and tools for student success International Society for Technology in Education.

Lockee, B. B. (2021). Online education in the post-COVID era. Nature Electronics, 4(1), 5-6.

Maglasang, A. P., De la Cruz, F., Gallardo, G. R. B., Tangkli, K. Y. M., & Ea, E. P. (2023). Exploring the Experiences of Senior High School Parents in Online Learning Context. ASEAN Journal of Educational Research and Technology, 2(1), 41-46.

Modern Classrooms Project. (n.d.a). Our impact. https://www. modernclassrooms.org/impact-overview

Modern Classrooms Project. (n.d.b). Student outcomes https:// www.modernclassrooms.org/student-outcomes

IPLI Updates

Dr. Kelly Andrews Director Indiana Principal Leadership Institute

Relationships

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 educational leaders, we have always known that building relationships with those we work with, teachers, students, parents, and stakeholders, is a critical part of navigating school culture. Rita Pierson told us about the value and importance of human connection. She said, “every child deserves a champion, an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insist that they become the best they can possibly be.” (Pierson, 2013). We rarely pick up an inspiring leadership blog, article, or book these days that doesn’t address the importance of relationships in schools today. So it seems vital that as school leaders that we should reflect on ourselves as leaders on how we connect with others. Knowing our strengths and challenges with communication and how we reach out to others helps us see if we connect in a meaningful way.

In a personal conversation with Dr. Michael Fullan, Dr. Jean McMaster stated, “People become good at life when they feel safe and valued and have a good sense of purpose and meaning. (Fullan & Edwards, 2021, p.20). Connecting with people is a basic human instinct. How can we, as educational leaders, provide a safe space for human connection to build relationships that will inspire the future generation to succeed? It may be as simple as reaching out and accepting others into our circle to provide support, encouragement, and service. It is about helping others feel valued so they can see their sense of purpose and meaning and become good at life. It sounds easier than it is. However, the intentionality of being relationship builders is leadership. Dig deep into your leadership skills and actions—there are always areas where we can grow ourselves as we are learning leaders.

IPLI is celebrating a decade of support for the principals of Indiana. With bi-partisan support from the Indiana General Assembly, IPLI was signed into law in 2013. After a decade of service, over 550 principals and schools have been supported by the IPLI conceptual model developed and the curriculum implemented to grow leaders and schools throughout Indiana.

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! Wishing everyone a continued safe and healthy school year. Happy Valentines Day – 2023!

IPLI Seminars

In April 2023, IPLI will enjoy learning with the AR Showcase for Cohort 10, where principals will share their action research projects. Dr. Steve Gruenert will share Culture Rewired in the afternoon.

IPLI will celebrate Cohort 9 as their teams will share their action research for schools in the morning and graduate in the afternoon after hearing Annette Breaux as the keynote speaker on the Seven Simple Secrets. We anticipate a great two days of learning and sharing.

IPLI began in July 2013 and is excited to celebrate a decade of learning together. Cohort 11 will kick off a new decade of principals learning together, starting in July 2023, with keynote speaker Dr. Peter DeWitt as he shares Leader Self-Efficacy. Applications can be found on the IPLI website at www.indianapli.org and are due by March 15, 2023, for consideration. IPLI looks forward to serving Indiana principals by growing leaders and improving schools.

IPLI Extended enjoyed three great seminars under the theme, Leadership in Times of Change. As we begin planning for the 23-24 Extended Learning Opportunity, a survey will be available shortly to every IPLI graduate. Our theme for the 23-24 school year will be “Leaders in Action!” Look for more information soon.

We are grateful for all the mentor nominations that came in by the January 31 deadline. All those nominated will receive an application to complete and submit. We anticipate the selection process for mentors to occur in early April 2023 to match our new cohort of principals.

We are looking forward to a new journey with learning leaders. Let’s keep learning together as we continue to lead in 2023!

References

Pierson, R. (2013). Every Kid Needs a Champion [Video]. Ted Conferences. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ query=rita+pierson+ted+talk

Fullan, M., & Edwards, M. (2021). Spirit work and the science of collaboration. Corwin Press.

Riley Kids Caring & Sharing Update

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

Sometimes I hate my job. Oh, not every day, or even most days, or I wouldn’t be in my 23rd year with the Riley Children’s Foundation and my 17th year working specifically with K-12 schools through the Kids Caring & Sharing program, but on days like January 27, when I was reminded quite heartbreakingly why I do what I do.

In early December I was introduced to a high school senior beginning plans for her spring senior project. She wanted to combine her love of animals with her desire to give back to Riley Hospital where she was actively receiving care. I talked to her and her mom on a video call from their car on her way to cheer at a school basketball game. I agreed to be her project mentor and she was excited to develop an online pet photo voting campaign to augment an in-person fundraiser she wanted to host at her school. We agreed to reconnect after the holiday break to initiate her online set up.

This is the part of the job that I love. Making connections and developing relationships with students, teachers, student council advisors, school counselors, athletic coaches, principals, superintendents and school boards, all who are

interested in helping the children and families who need Riley Hospital. Some of the very students whose projects I’ve mentored or school campaigns I’ve celebrated are now teachers and principals carrying on the tradition of giving they started years ago. Some are even medical professionals working at the very hospital where they or a family member received care. It really is a big Riley family.

But on January 27 I received an email telling me that this young lady, who I had only begun to know, had lost her very brief battle with Glioblastoma. It’s the relationships that we build through a common purpose that brings joy to this job and amazing support for the hospital. And sometimes it’s the pain in these relationships that reminds me how important we all are in this united cause – to fund the research that finds a cure, to bring hope and healing to thousands each year.

You may all have a relationship with a Riley family in your own school community that brings you joy and maybe even had a relationship with a Riley family with whom you grieved. Please, join me in rededicating our Kids Caring & Sharing philanthropy efforts in honor of them all. www.rileykids.org/KCS.

Special thanks to our Bronze Corporate Sponsors:

IASP Welcomes New Vice-President!

IASP is pleased to welcome Jennifer (Jenni) Matasovsky to the position of Vice-President representing the high school level. As a member of the IASP Executive Committee, Jenni will serve one-year terms as Vice-President, President-Elect, President, and Past-President, and we appreciate the commitment to IASP over the next four years. Jenni is currently the Franklin Central High School Principal, taking on this leadership in 2019. Her high school administrative experience is also evidenced as she served as the Assistant Principal at Franklin Central HS from 2009-2015, and also as an AP at Hamilton Southeastern High School from 2015-2019. Jenni began her education career at Warren Central High School as a Social Studies teacher in 1997, and then was also the Social Studies Department Chair from 2005-2009. She obtained her B.S. in Liberal Arts from the University of Southern Indiana and her Masters Degree and administrators license through Indiana Wesleyan. Jenni has been active with IASP as she has presented at the Fall Conference multiple times and has served on our advisory committee to the Indiana State Secretary of Education and on our IASP Legislative Committee. In 2012 Jenni was recognized as the District 7 Assistant Principal of the Year, and in 2022 as the District 7 Principal of the Year. She has also been recognized by the College Board for “Equity and Excellence” in student scores and is an ISSA Nationally Certified School Safety Specialist. Jenni is passionate about the “We the People” program through her participation as a student, a mentor, and as a team judge.

We welcome Jenni to the Executive Committee and know that we are fortunate to have her experiences and wisdom guide us. Her passion for developing student programs and her focus on equitable opportunities for students will complement and support the IASP mission.

KGR Law Briefing: Noteworthy Education Caselaw Updates

Cass Edrington Attorney Kroger Gardis & Regas, LLP

Séamus Boyce Attorney

As school building leaders, we know it is difficult endeavor to stay current on education caselaw. From your use of the KGR Legal Help Desk (LHD), we know you are just barely keeping your heads above water dealing with the latest substances found in vape cartridges and getting kids to show up on time at school. So we thought we’d give you an update of cases decided applying trending legal issues. In recent years, two areas of significant development have been in the areas of (1) the First Amendment protections of students; and (2) issues involving transgender individuals. In this article, we will delve into two of the key cases that impact these areas and discuss how they can be practically applied within your school setting.

The First Amendment and Off-Campus Social Media. As you have may tattooed on your forearms by now for quick reference, you know that students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” (If it is, please spend some time with Tinker v. Des Moines.) However, given the expansion of technology and the access to school-related communication off school property and not at schoolsponsored activity, the standard for a public school’s ability (or sometimes responsibly) to regulate off-campus speech is being shaped right in front of us. In 2021, the Supreme Court in Mahanoy v. B.L. held that “while public schools may have a special interest in regulating some off-campus student

speech, the special interests offered by the school are not sufficient to overcome [the student]’s interest in free expression in this case.” The facts of Mahanoy tell us that expressing frustration with the school for not being selected for the school’s varsity cheer squad and posting on Snapchat with explicit language about the school does not place the student within the jurisdiction of the school for discipline. However, the court goes on to say that the special characteristics that give schools additional license to regulate student speech do not always disappear when that speech takes place off campus. Let’s explore those situations.

Circumstances Implicating a School’s Regulatory Interests. Although the court in Mahanoy ultimately denied the school’s regulatory authority in this case, they did lay out the factors they considered to reach their conclusion. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals recently applied those factors in the case Chen v. Albany Unified School District. In this case, two students created and interacted with a private Instagram account that posted racist remarks and insults towards fellow students. The images included superimposing nooses around the necks of black students and historical photos of lynchings. The students were suspended and later sued the school alleging that their First Amendment rights were violated. The 9th Circuit applied the Mahanoy factors and weighed: (1) the likelihood of harm to the school; (2) whether it was

reasonably foreseeable that the online speech would reach and impact the school; and (3) whether the content of the speech required the school to protect students within the school setting. In weighing the factors, the court decided that disciplining the students for this off-campus speech was not a violation of their First Amendment rights. The court laid out situations that would give the school an interest that is more important than the First Amendment interests of the student. These situations include severe bullying and harassment, threats aimed at teachers or other students, and the failure to follow rules concerning cheating or breaches of school security devices. However, even if a school finds themselves squarely within one of these situations, their authority to regulate the off-campus speech is always diminished in light of the following three factors: (1) a school is rarely in loco parentis off-campus; (2) increased skepticism by the court in analyzing a school’s authority to regulate speech 24 hours/day; and (3) the school itself has an interest in protecting a student’s unpopular expression. These three factors mean that the leeway the First Amendment grants to schools in light of their special characteristics is diminished. In other words, only when interest of the school remains triumphant after the diminishing effect of these 3 factors (taken together) has been considered may a school regulate off-campus speech.

Kroger Gardis & Regas, LLP

Case Law Regarding Transgender Students. The laws and policies regarding transgender students’ rights vary from state to state and are a-changing, so it is essential for school leaders to stay informed and up-to-date on any developments or changes in the law. Because the Supreme Court has yet to accept review of a transgender student case, our guiding law in Indiana comes from the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. In 2017, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals heard the case of Whitaker v. Kenosha Unified School District No. 1 Board of Education. The case involved a transgender student who was denied access to the boys’ restroom at his high school in Wisconsin. The school district argued that the policy was in place to protect the privacy of all students, but Whitaker argued that the policy was discriminatory and violated his rights under Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in education. The 7th Circuit ultimately ruled in favor of Whitaker and the decision was significant in that it established that transgender students have a right to access restrooms that align with their gender identity and that denying such access is a violation of their rights under Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Similar to how the standard for school’s ability to regulate off-campus speech is being shaped right in front of us… so

is transgender student regulation. For example, coming out of Florida in the 11th Circuit is the case Adams v. School Board of St. Johns County. In this case, a transgender student in Florida who was denied access to the boys’ restroom and was required to use a separate, singlestall restroom argued that the school’s policy violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. However, the full panel of the court overturned and ruled in favor of the school, establishing legal precedent in the 11th Circuit regarding the rights of transgender students.

Circuit Split. A circuit split refers to a situation where different federal appellate courts have issued conflicting rulings on the same legal issue. This can create confusion and uncertainty for individuals and organizations that are affected by the law, as well as for the courts themselves. In such situations, the Supreme Court may step in to resolve the conflict and provide a single, authoritative ruling on the issue. The case law regarding transgender students could be RIPE for Supreme Court intervention. The need for clarity, consistency, and uniformity in the interpretation and application of federal law, as well as the significance of the Supreme Court’s role in resolving legal disputes and interpreting the Constitution may inspire the Court to give us a single standard for everyone to follow.

Conclusion. Through its decisions, the Supreme Court has established legal precedent and provided guidance to schools on how to balance the rights of students with the need to maintain a safe and orderly educational environment. However, if inquiries to the Legal Help Desk tell us anything, it is that the law could NEVER contemplate the myriad of situations that school leaders find themselves in and that many situations fall within a “gray area” risk assessment. As such, and as the legal landscape continues to evolve, it is crucial for schools to stay informed, seeking guidance through the KGR Legal Help Desk or otherwise to ensure that their schools are in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. By doing so, they can help to protect the rights of their students and create a safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environment for all.

We at the KGR Legal Help Desk are here to address legal issues for IASP members. Until the next KGR Law Briefing, stay legal!