JANUARY 2022 ■ VOLUME 24 ■ NUMBER 1
Professional Learning Communities
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Professional Learning Communities
JANUARY 2022 ■ VOLUME 24 ■ NUMBER 1
The Indiana Association of School Principals leads in the advocacy and support of all principals in their commitment to every child.
President’s Letter - Master Teachers or Master Learners?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 IDOE - Professional Learning Communities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 From the AP Lens: A Short Primer and A Real-Life Example of Professional Learning Communities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
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
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES
Professional Learning Communities: A Look Into the Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Navigating Team Dynamics in a PLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Infinite Capacity Community Partnership Series: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Professional Learning Communities for STEM Literacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
A Book Review of Trust-Based Observations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Together We Are Better: Navigating PLCs Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic.18
11025 East 25th Street Indianapolis, IN 46229 1-800-285-2188 or 317-891-9900 www.iasp.org tbarrett@iasp.org
IPLI News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 SERVICE
Riley Kids Caring & Sharing Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 LEGAL REVIEW
© 2020 Indiana Association of School Principals All rights reserved. Any duplication without prior written permission is strictly prohibited.
Legal Situation Brief: Trending Student Privacy Issues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Understanding the FERPA Exceptions as Lawmakers Push for More Transparency on School Curriculum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Return to Table of Contents
Connect with us
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
Master Teachers or Master Learners? Happy New Year, Indiana Leaders! I hope this month’s newsletter finds you rested from winter break and ready to take on all that the second semester holds for our students and our staff. Your role is vitally important! As an avid reader, I will admit that I have come to also be a geeky quote collector. Quotes that challenge me find their way into our weekly staff newsletter or on the wall for our whole school to ponder through the week. Mike Schmoker’s quote, “You cannot be a master teacher without being a master learner” is a great foundation to the work of PLC’s. Professional Learning Communities have become such a catch phrase in our profession but the reality is, they should be so much more than a catch phrase and more like a foundational cement of our work! I’d be willing to bet that most of us have seen “PLC’s” that range in practice from weekly “extra prep” time to gathered team time to discuss plans and scheduling field trips to true in depth PLC cycles centered around the four questions of Dufour. When it comes to true professional learning where we become master teachers because we spend the time being master learners, the latter is the only PLC format that will get us there. We all know that time is the number one thing our staff needs more of to accomplish the long list of to do’s they have and so often, our PLC time that has been embedded into many of our weekly (or even daily) schedules, is where time is used to catch up on that list. However, I will say that when I am with a team that walks true PLC norms and cycles out with integrity (notice I didn’t say fidelity….this is messy work and we have to be committed to it with our own integrity for it to work), then the sky’s the limit for the growth that takes place in our teachers and the learning that comes out of it for our kids! Now, I’ll be the first to say we must make sure we have been through the proper training for this to occur. It doesn’t happen overnight and we cannot just decide we are going to carry out PLC’s without the in-depth training it takes to get there but goodness, that training is so worth it! As we embark on a new year, no matter where you are on that spectrum of PLC practice, I think it is a good time to review the expectations and norms for this precious weekly time with our teams. Why do we do this? What is the expected outcome or what are the practice expectations? How will you as the supervisor know if this is carried out? Do all your teams have norms? Are they being carried out? What are your teachers learning through this process? Revisiting our why and auditing our practices in the new year to be sure we are committed to the right thing is a must! Our kids deserve it and many of us will have new faces on our teams for the second semester anyway; they need to know what this time is all about. I’ll end with another quote in true “geeky” fashion. Richard Dufour said, “The fundamental purpose of school is learning, not teaching.” That is a great litmus test for our PLC work. Teachers must learn too and it is in these circles that the best learning for them is done! Carry on, leaders! The second semester is a big one and the charge for excellence in this work has never been needed more by our kids! Aimee Lunsford IASP President
www.iasp.org
Return to Table of Contents
3
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
IASP Executive Committee Aimee Lunsford President Matt Shockley President-Elect Welcome to 2022 and the first Indianagram edition focused on Professional Learning Communities. We hope that the articles and insights contained within the January issue help continue your discussions and leadership of PLCs within your own school and corporation. And, if you think about it, IASP is our collective PLC where we learn and grow together as school leaders in our commitment to every child. The best part of the IASP PLC, it is always there when you need it, and it allows you to design your own model that works best for you, at this point in time.
Dr. Crystal Murff Thorpe Vice President
For some, the IASP PLC is straightforward, you read the Schoolhouse News each Monday, the Indianagram each month, and you attend your IASP District meeting to hear updates and learn from the speaker (and colleagues.) Remember the spring District Meetings are posted at www.iasp.org. Others do the same, but then also ensure they listen to Tiffany’s weekly LeaderCast and also Tim’s Legislative Update podcast to fill their bucket and so they know what advocacy efforts are needed. All the Podcasts are posted online, check them out as you travel and as you keep up with your wellness routine for 2022!
Amy Niemeier NAESP State Representative
IASP’s Leadership Development suite also fills your PLC bucket. Almost 1200 IASP Members attended our November conferences at the JW Marriott, and they continue to watch the recordings of the concurrent sessions. These in-person and on-demand opportunities allow each member to network and learn, and then learn on their own or with their local leadership team. INALI Cohorts 7 and 8 give our newer administrators additional chances to gain a solid footing as they launch their career, INALI Cohort 9 is also open for registration for APs and Principals with 0-3 years of experience.
Eric Gilpin Past President
Dave Strouse NASSP State Coordinator Steve Baker Liaison to the DOE Dr. Daniel Peo Assistant Principal Liaison
School corporations across Indiana are also asking IASP to come to them to provide customized programming for current APs and Principals. The LEAD program helps APs develop leadership skills aligned with the School Leader Paradigm with mentors walking alongside the school leaders. IASP is also bringing the School Leader Paradigm to corporations who want Principals to invest in both becoming a great school leader, and in developing their school (learning organization) to a higher level of success. And, over 125 current Assistant Principals are in our initial cohorts of the LEADing APs program that connects school level leaders together virtually with a facilitator. Monthly meetings and regular check-ins help support APs at a time when each needs that strong connection. IASP is also ready to launch our Emerging Leaders program focused on women and minority school leaders (both administrators and teacher leaders) to ensure our commitment to all principals is acted upon. Look for this program launch soon, we appreciate Indiana State University for assisting IASP in this important area. We look forward to learning with you in 2022, please join us in any way that works for you. And, let us know what other ways we can serve you as you move across the leadership continuum from Aspiring to Mastering, and as you entertain thoughts of retirement, we always need you to mentor for IASP! Dr. Todd D. Bess IASP Executive Director
Future Indianagram themes Remediation/Interventions Safety Strategic Planning/Vision & Mission Operations and Management Best of 2021-2022 School Year
February 2022 March 2022 April 2022 May 2022 June 2022
Share your thoughts on the Indianagram https://forms.gle/sCmLHwnh4aYcTJdr8 4
Return to Table of Contents
www.iasp.org
Professional Learning Communities Dr. Katie Jenner Indiana Secretary of Education Welcome to 2022…a new year, a new semester, and a new opportunity to learn and grow together as we maximize our collective impact for students! For this month’s message, when I saw the topic was professional learning communities, my mind went straight to our three pillars for learner-centered, future-focused education, particularly our second pillar - educator talent, quality, and value. When we first began this journey together in January 2021, we knew that there was a significant need to elevate and support Indiana’s educators…and while we have accomplished great work together in 2021 for our students (take a look at our 2021 recap here!), a new year brings a new opportunity to elevate our educators in their difference-making work and truly hone in on our second pillar. As principals, in addition to supporting the students, staff, and faculty in your building, a large portion of your job description includes recruiting and retaining quality, talented educators and ensuring they feel both empowered and uplifted as they prepare our students for a lifetime of success. As a department, we continue to strive to be a resource for you to empower our educators with quality, strategic opportunities to grow, both personally and professionally.
www.iasp.org
As many of you know, in fall 2021, our community and philanthropic partners came together to expand and transform the Indiana eLearning Lab into the Indiana Learning Lab. The Indiana Learning Lab provides a onestop-shop for instructional resources, professional development opportunities, and other best practices to support our educators…including live and ondemand workshops from educators across the state, as well as live coaching from IDOE team members (view our upcoming courses here!). As part of the Indiana Learning Lab, educators have access to expanded online communities, including courses focused on supporting literacy instruction, digital instruction, and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) instruction. In addition to expanding the Indiana Learning Lab, we have taken a unique approach to further emphasize our commitment to elevating the educator profession. As you may have seen in our weekly newsletter, we have created a monthly video series known as Teachers Who Shaped Us, which highlights the true impact great educators can have on their students. It was very special to sit down and talk to prominent Hoosiers such as Indiana Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box, Governor Eric J. Holcomb, and most recently, Hoosier
Return to Table of Contents
basketball great, Quinn Buckner, about the educators who shaped them and helped them chart their path to where they are now! Keep your eyes out for our next Teachers Who Shaped Us episode later this month…you won’t want to miss it! As we look ahead to all that 2022 holds, I also want to take this opportunity to thank you for your feedback and support on the Indiana Graduates Prepared to Succeed Performance Dashboard (Indiana GPS). With your help, the five characteristics and respective headline indicators have now been affirmed by the State Board of Education (SBOE). While significant progress was made in 2021, we will continue to keep our foot on the gas in the new year. This includes ongoing refinement of the indicators and building out the public dashboard, keeping stakeholder engagement at the heart of the process. We are thankful for the past year of camaraderie and shared mission to make a difference for our students, and we look forward to what the next year has in store!
5
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL CONNECTION
From the AP Lens: A Short Primer and A Real-Life Example of Professional Learning Communities Dr. Dan Peo Assistant Principal Wea Ridge Middle School Mr. John Pinson Vice Principal / Director of International Exchanges Kokomo High School To coincide with the Indianagram theme this month, I needed to do some homework on PLCs. While this is a widespread acronym and practice (Professional Learning Communities), I have learned that some people call regular faculty meetings PLCs; for those like Rick DuFour and others, PLCs refer to a much more rigorous process than a sit-and-get PD or even a meeting that has announcements and housekeeping items. The first half of this article is meant as a short primer on PLCs and will be followed by an example in the field from Mr. John Pinson, one of the Vice Principals at Kokomo High School. Zooming Out: Why PLCs? By working collaboratively with one another, Richard and Rebecca DuFour urge school leaders to encourage teachers who join together to form PLCs to seek to answer four questions: ■ What is it we want our students to learn? ■ How will we know if they are learning? ■ How will we respond when individual students do not learn? ■ How will we enrich and extend the learning for students who are proficient (DuFour & DuFour, 2012)? With these questions in mind, teachers in PLCs focus on students’ learning while utilizing data to constantly measure the impact of instruction on that student learning. This focus requires a collaborative culture with school leaders who value the work of PLCs and grant teachers the time to collaborate, examine data, and refine instructional processes (DuFour et al., n.d.). This month, I’ve asked Mr. John Pinson, a Vice Principal of Kokomo High School, to share the approach his staff at Kokomo uses within their PLCs.
6
A Professional Learning Community in Action Professional Learning Communities have become an integral part of Kokomo High School. Teachers in each department gather every two weeks, often but not always with a designated administrator, to critically evaluate the processes and outcomes happening in classrooms. The specific focus of each meeting varies but is always centered around student learning and achievement. Broadly speaking, curriculum alignment to state and national standards, student assessments, and classroom practices and procedures are the primary topics brought to the table. As one may suspect, PLCs can function without an administrator present. Some may believe administrators should not have an active role on a team at all. These are discussions that have taken place in other buildings where I have worked as a teacher. Strong teacher-leadership is vital for the health and success of any PLC. However, an administrator may provide better opportunities for discovery and development within a PLC. An administrator is on the outside looking in. The key to your interaction with the PLC is to understand where teachers are, both individually and collectively, in their ability to address the needs of students in their classrooms. We have a unique perspective of the classroom as visitors and not content providers or participants. Through our work and observation, we should be able to provide clear and unbiased data to the PLC for their consideration, but more importantly, ask the leading questions that will drive actions. A deep dive into classroom data (i.e. assessments, homework practices, attendance, discipline referrals, etc.) comparatively, across the department as well as by individual teachers, may provide some keen insight to systemic issues plaguing a PLC. If the administrator is well-informed of the data, better questions can be raised about appropriate actions that lead to positive change. An example many administrators have faced is the introduction of NWEA testing for math and English classrooms. A simple look at the data may confirm what teachers have been saying all along; “These students don’t come to us prepared to learn Algebra.” That is an easy statement for any math teacher to make and now they think they have the data to prove it. This is where the administrator can ask some important leading questions. These questions should steer conversations away from “problems” and direct them toward
Return to Table of Contents
www.iasp.org
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL CONNECTION
actions or solutions. Some simple questions in this situation may be: ■ “Ok, what are we going to do to catch them up?” ■ “Where do we adjust the curriculum to meet students where they are so we can get them to where they need to be?” ■ “How will we know when we can move on”? ■ “What data will we bring to the next PLC to compare across classrooms”? ■ “What tools do we have to address this issue and what is needed for our best chance of success?” This is not to suggest the administrator isthe “keeper of the data” nor should you be the only person who investigates student growth data. Administrators should encourage a kaizen approach (Japanese term meaning improvement comes from all levels of production, usually applied in manufacturing) where teachers bring their own data and ideas for improvement in the classroom. Empowering teachers to use data to change or enhance their instructional practices has become crucial to the success at Kokomo High School. It will continue to be a focus of ours, regardless of what obstacles are ahead.
and achievement. Administrators should work diligently to ensure that when progress is being made, it is recognized and discussed. Again, as the outsider looking in, be cognizant of the work and progress being made. Celebrate successes, then get back to the work. Unfortunately this is not work that will someday be finished. Its importance will remain as change is constant. What works well for one cohort may not work for the next. What does work is the systematic use of data to inform instruction and practices of a PLC. If you have questions about utilizing PLCs or the role assistant principals can play within the PLC process, Mr. Pinson can be reached via email at jpinson@kokomo.k12.in.us. References DuFour, R., & DuFour, R. B. (2012). The School Leader’s Guide to Professional Learning Communities at work. Solution Tree Press. DuFour, R., DuFour, R., & Eager, R. (n.d.). A big picture look at commitment to the success of the PLC ... Professional Learning Communities: All Things PLC. Retrieved January 2, 2022, from https://www.allthingsplc.info/files/uploads/ brochure.pdf
The hard work of a PLC can be very rewarding, which is why it is also important to celebrate student improvement
www.iasp.org
Return to Table of Contents
7
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES
Professional Learning Communities: A Look Into the Process John M. Hudson Principal Bedford Middle School For years, anyone in and around the education world has heard those three letters...PLC. Phrases like, “When is the PLC?” and, “...during the PLC meeting,” are common vocabulary for educators. They are so common that those letters have come to be a sort of umbrella to cover any meeting held inside the school building. The definition of PLC has become so watered down that we use it without truly knowing its definition, meaning, and purpose.
terms, vocabulary, structure, and ideas of PLC but they get implemented in a way that fits what their school/district is already doing. If teachers meet together for a team meeting, they call it a PLC. If the school has a staff meeting, they call it a PLC. Let me be perfectly clear about my evaluation of the PLC process in those schools. I completely and wholeheartedly believe teachers, schools, and districts are doing the best they can with the information and training they are given.
PLC stands for Professional Learning Community. If we break down those three words we can get a picture of its meaning. Professional - we as educators work in a profession but we also conduct ourselves in a professional manner. Learning - educators are always striving to learn. We learn best practices when it comes to instructional strategies. We learn new curriculum. We learn academic standards. We learn throughout our lives. Community - we do not do our work alone. We work together in community and not in isolation.
Educators want to do their best and school leaders know that the PLC process will help increase student success. When school leaders know something out there will help their students, they want it. And they want it now. Maybe they have enough professional development money to send a small team of teachers to a conference or they’ve gathered a group of teachers and principals to watch a virtual presentation about PLCs. After the training is complete the attendees are tasked with leading this change at the district or school level. They go back to their schools and to their colleagues. They have a 10 minute spot in the upcoming staff meeting to get this paradigm shift up and running. The meeting might end with the principal stating that they will touch on this again at the next staff meeting. Between that meeting and the next, more items have come up that need direct attention and the PLC work is pushed to the next meeting. Very little, if anything else, is mentioned about this work. School leaders will stop by grade level or content area meetings to find out how the PLC process is going. They might see vague resemblances of the PLC process so they feel teachers have figured it out. Before you know it, the school says, “Oh, PLCs? Yes, we do PLCs.”
One of the pioneers and ambassadors on the subject, Richard DuFour, wrote in 2004 that “the term has been used so ubiquitously that it is in danger of losing all meaning.” For Dufour and other experts and researchers, the term professional learning community should only be applied to schools in which all teachers and school leaders use specific, recommended strategies. In my 20 year career I have observed districts with their own view of how to implement Professional Learning Communities. Most districts I’ve had personal experience with are implementing PLCs with an “ish” at the end. They are PLC-ish. They have the 8
Return to Table of Contents
Anyone who knows me knows that I love analogies and the TV show The Office. Humor me for a moment and let me try to incorporate both into this article. In one episode of The Office, the regional manager and lead character, Michael Scott, is going through financial difficulties. A co-worker tries to help him by entering his finances into a presentation tool. Michael knows nothing about the tool, or his finances for that matter, and his greatest takeaway from the presentation was that the co-worker had placed his name at the top of the presentation. Fast forward in the episode and Michael walks out of the conference room and yells, “I... DECLARE...BANKRUPTCY!” Eventually the co-worker comes to him and says that he can’t just say bankruptcy and expect something to happen. Michael says, “I didn’t say it. I declared.” How is this part of PLCs you ask? Imagine schools being these “characters” and the scenario above. We are given little information and training and then expected to complete a huge undertaking of implementing PLCs (Michael trying to understand finances). Teachers come back from PLC training and our colleagues are impressed by one aspect of PLCs but the thing they are impressed by isn’t critical (Michael saying that he really likes how his name is at the top of the presentation. Having a person’s name at the top of a presentation is so insignificant to the whole process but to some people, it’s really cool). We step out into the school hallways after a meeting and say, “We do PLCs,” (Michael declaring bankruptcy). Of course, just saying we do PLCs means nothing, just like simply declaring bankruptcy does nothing. There are more steps to the process for both. What are those steps? www.iasp.org
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES
Professional Learning Communities are built around three Big Ideas. 1) Focus on Learning. 2) Build a Collaborative Culture. 3) Focus on Results. These three big ideas are the foundation of a successful school that functions as a Professional Learning Community. How great is that?!? Imagine your school being known for a focus on learning, a collaborative culture, and focusing on results. It takes a lot of work to get to that point. There are long-standing education ideals that must be reevaluated and possibly completely done away with in order for that to happen. These three ideas are at the forefront of all staff members’ actions and decisions in the school. It’s not just one team or one grade level. This is everyone. This includes teachers, administrators, counselors, custodians, food service, etc. In a high functioning PLC, everyone has ownership and pride in these three Big Ideas. The first Big Idea - Focus on Learning houses the Four Questions of a PLC. 1) What do we want students to learn? What should students be able to know or do after each unit of instruction or course? 2) What will it look like when students know it? How will we know if
they have learned it? 3) What will we do if they don’t learn? What systematic process is in place to provide additional time and support for students who are experiencing difficulty? 4) What will we do if they already know it? This is where most schools and districts try to jump into the PLC process. Here is where they see the most potential for results and it’s where they focus their attention. And why not? This is where theory meets action. It’s where professional development meets change. School leaders and teachers can work together on this part of the process to make those changes. The changes can be seen quickly and most who are involved get a sense of satisfaction from seeing their work have a positive impact. However, we need to be careful with changes that come quickly and easily because those changes can end up being superficial, short-term, and actually have long-lasting negative impacts on student learning, teacher morale, and trust in the process. In order for schools and districts to successfully implement the Professional Learning Community model, we can’t
jump halfway into the process. We have to start at the very beginning. We have to start with the three Big Ideas as our guide. When we have a focus on learning, we build a collaborative culture, and we focus on results, then, and only then, can we start on the process of addressing the four questions of a PLC mentioned above. For schools and districts that are committed to the PLC process, I applaud you. You have selected one of the best, well-researched models to help improve schools. Stay the course and implement with fidelity. Go back on a regular basis to evaluate why you started the process in the first place. If you peel back the layers of your “why,” you will find many reasons you’ve made it this far in the process. Teacher, staff, and administrator happiness and morale are sure to be some of those layers, and I would imagine student success is at the heart of your decision and that requires us to make sure we are doing our absolute best to be a true Professional Learning Community. Information taken from https://www. allthingsplc.info/files/uploads/brochure. pdf.
Special thanks to our Silver Corporate Sponsors:
www.iasp.org
Return to Table of Contents
9
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES
Navigating Team Dynamics in a PLC Sara Agee Assistant Principal Mohawk Trails Elementary “Teamwork makes the dream work”. This adage has been used on bulletin boards, email signatures, and staff shirts for years. The irony and unfortunate reality is that, too often, people’s experience as part of a PLC more closely resembles the often unknown rest of John C. Maxwell’s quote, “but a vision becomes a nightmare when the leader has a big dream and a bad team.” One of the pillars of Professional Learning Communities is interdependent collaboration, where educators work as teams to analyze data, discuss practices, and focus on increasing results for all students. The work itself is challenging, and when you add in the inevitable obstacles and messiness that comes with working closely with different people and personalities, many well-intentioned educators lose faith in the process and give up. As leaders, we know the value of relationships and the impact collective efficacy can have on student achievement. It’s worth the time and effort to help our teachers lean in and leverage the benefits of a strong team. Most schools have individual rockstars or groups of educators who get along well and work hard, and for some, it’s easy to believe that the current collaboration model is sufficient. Test scores are high enough, teachers are friendly and polite, and from the outside looking in, the school is successful. In other schools, the culture and climate negatively impact teaching and learning as a result of obvious, erosive staff behaviors. Example behaviors include high staff absenteeism, closed doors, cliques, and even arguing. Other, less blatant but equally harmful behaviors may look like surface conversations during meetings without any follow-up action, passive aggressiveness, or the “meeting after the meeting”. Regardless of how overt they are, these behaviors chip away at trust, build resentment, and detract from our purpose and vision. So how can we help our teachers persevere through the challenging, complicated dynamics of working with people, particularly as people are feeling fatigue and anxiety more than ever before? How do we move from teachers seeing team time as another meeting they’re forced to attend to relying on this invaluable time to lean into each other’s strengths and ideas? The short answer: refocus on our purpose to serve students and each other. The longer answer: build our capacity to navigate the vulnerability, ego, miscommunications, and conflict that inevitably come with working alongside people who take their profession personally. Below are 8 strategies that you may consider adding to your toolbox as you lean into building authentic teams. ■ Team building - There are a number of personality tests, inventories, and surveys that can help teams discover 10
commonalities or better understand the reasons behind their differences. Look for activities that uncover communication styles, ways of approaching disagreements, processing preferences, and personal motivators. Some see these activities as too fluffy, but when used thoughtfully and intentionally, they can lead to increased grace, empathy, and productivity. ■ Shared vision - Do your teams have a shared vision? Is it aligned with the vision of the school or district PLC? If not, work together to create your vision for learning for all and return to it consistently. Common goals, purpose, and definitions of success are critical to buy-in, prioritization, and clarity when you feel overwhelmed with initiatives, data, or outside opinions. ■ Routines and roles - Agendas, minutes, norms, and designated roles provide structure, increase productivity, and help ensure all team members have a purpose. Additionally, these serve as objective parameters or guide posts that can be used when a team member goes on a tangent, does not follow through with a commitment, focuses on people instead of practice, or is hesitant to share their ideas due to assumed hierarchy. ■ Empowerment through purpose - Many teachers feel uncomfortable initiating difficult conversations with colleagues because they don’t think it’s “their place” or want to avoid making lunch in the teacher’s lounge awkward. The key here is to go back to why the conversation feels necessary and to speak from a place of care instead of judgment. Is something happening on the team that is making it harder to serve students and reach your shared vision? Teachers, especially team or guiding coalition leaders, should feel empowered to engage in respectful dialogue. ■ Rumble Starters - One of the most impactful tools for approaching a sensitive conversation is a list of rumble starters found in Brené Brown’s transformative book, Dare to Lead. Rumble starters are scaffolds that can help teachers articulate their concerns through questions or nonthreatening language. Brown provides 9 starters, including one that is highly effective in professional and personal situations: “The story I make up”. Examples include, “The story I’m making up is that you don’t think the assessments I’ve made are helpful which is why you used your own.” and “The story I’m telling myself is that there are conversations about me happening after our meetings and I’m feeling hurt.” Both examples highlight how rumble starters can help signal an honest conversation . ■ Interview questions - When hiring new staff, include questions that elicit a candidate’s collaboration style.
Return to Table of Contents
www.iasp.org
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES
Consider scenarios related to team conflict, a person’s typical role on a team, or how they most frequently contribute on a team. Dig deeper to find the right fit for your PLC’s vision and team needs. ■ Teacher mentors - On her website, Cult of Pedagogy, Jennifer Gonzalez writes about the importance of finding your marigolds, specifically for new teachers. This reference to surrounding yourself with good people who will help cultivate your growth is not just for new teachers, and is an important component to curating and maintaining strong teams. Proactive and intentional mentor teacher pairings, new teacher support systems, and thoughtful team makeups help the marigolds thrive and discourage those who Gonzalez refers to as poisonous walnut trees who infect teams with negativity and fixed mindsets. ■ Instructional coaches and administrators as partners - Administrators, DCs, coaches, and other building leaders play many critical roles on PLC teams. They are cheerleaders, celebrating small and large successes; instructional leaders, knowledgeable of current best
www.iasp.org
practices and curricula; analysts, able to interpret and leverage data; safe keepers, creating and encouraging space for authenticity and vulnerability without fear or judgment; and accountability supervisor, holding staff to the shared standards when necessary in order to honor the efforts of the team and provide the educational experiences all students deserve. Leaders should be transparent before meetings regarding their role to avoid mistrust or confusion. As we start the new year, whether you’re skipping or tiptoeing in, resolve to help your teams build and refine the skills required to work interdependently. While quick fixes and perfectly matched teams are rare, the good news is that with sustained, shared commitment and an intentional focus on supporting staff through messy dynamics and emotionally charged work, teams can make incredible impacts on student achievement and can lead to a thriving school culture. References: Brown, Brené. (2018). Dare to Lead. Penguin Random House. Gonzalez, J. (2013, August 23rd) Find Your Marigold: The One Essential Rule for New Teachers. Cult of Pedagogy. https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/marigolds/
Return to Table of Contents
11
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES
Infinite Capacity Community Partnership Series: Professional Learning Communities for STEM Literacy Krista M. Stith Infinite Capacity, LLC
( formerly STEM Integrations LLC)
Rachel L. Geesa Infinite Capacity, LLC
( formerly STEM Integrations LLC)
This month, we explore professional learning communities (PLCs) that can serve a collective purpose for learning, particularly in building STEM literacy integratively in both students and teacher groups. While STEM literacy itself is an ambiguous term (Zollman, 2012) and operationally defined differently amongst schools, STEM-literate individuals do not have to be experts in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics content knowledge. Instead, STEM-literate individuals should have metacognitive capacities and skill sets in synthesizing, analyzing, and managing from multiple streams of information, collaborating in diverse environments, and developing solutions to ill-defined problems that are locally, regionally, nationally, or internationally occurring. Can PLCs support increased STEM literacy in educators? The National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future (NCTAF) released a report titled STEM Teachers in Professional Learning Communities (Fulton & Britton, 2011), which investigated teams of teachers in STEM subjects. In the report, Fulton and Britton (2011) argue The tradition of artisan teaching in solo‐practice classrooms will have to give way to a school culture in which teachers continuously develop their content knowledge and pedagogical skills through collaborative practice that is embedded in the daily fabric of their work. (p. 5)
12
STEM literacy can and should be built collaboratively and integratively. PLCs can offer a unique opportunity for educators to build their own capacities while also inquiring on how they can build the STEM literacy of their students. A decade after the report was released, researchers are still highlighting the benefits of teams of teachers who explore STEM literacy for themselves and for their students. Sinha et al. (2022), encourages interdisciplinary teams to be composed of “like-minded educators to plan, question, and think deeply together about common themes to unify integrative STEM/STEAM curriculum across subjects” (p. 134). Are STEM PLCs different from other PLCs? The Fulton et al. (2010) report highlights that the components of a STEM-focused PLC does not appear to deviate from “generic PLC” research (e.g., supportive leadership, collaborative learning focused on students’ needs, shared vision and values focused on student learning, supportive interpersonal conditions and shared practice); however, STEM-focused PLCs have supplementary components that are essential for collaborative praxes. Some examples by NCTAF and Sinha et al. (2022) describe how leaders can situate STEM PLCs. ■ Leaders and educators designate unique roles. A knowledge facilitator makes recommendations in strategies and knowledge to Return to Table of Contents
fellow team members. With interdisciplinary teams, this role should be rotating. A process facilitator ensures the PLC’s communication and actions are equitably interactive and productive. A focus facilitator keeps the team on target. ■ Educators have an inquirybased approach to their own learning. Sinha (2022) extends this recommendation to create physical and virtual spaces for educators to engage in inquiry-, problem-, design-, and project-based learning. ■ Educators have agency in what they inquire about; activities are grounded in educator questions and concerns. ■ Leaders schedule time for integrative planning in the school’s master schedule. ■ Educators use data to improve teaching rather than use data to justify that a particular teaching approach works/does not work. ■ Leaders advocate and align resources to bring coherence. ■ Leaders facilitate debriefings from frequent peer observations, coaching, and co-teaching partnerships. Across the state STEM-focused PLCs There is also interest in the emerging trend of PLCs in cross-state communities. Though not always a traditional PLC with face-to-face interaction, cross-state PLCs can serve as a platform for working with other educators and grow in professional
www.iasp.org
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES
knowledge and skills. Below are a few examples of these STEM communities for educators: Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Community Once educators have gone through the PLTW Core Training, they have access to the PLTW Community, made up of educators from across the United States who are implementing the same curriculum. Educators can also have their own community threads (e.g., all of the PLTW educators within the district) for more tailored support. Keep Indiana Learning Under the department of the Central Indiana Educational Service Center (CIESC), the Keep Indiana Learning initiative provides a copious number of professional learning resources for Hoosier educators, families, leaders, and students. This learning community connects stakeholders across the state in a variety of constructs with talks, blogs, workshops, and networking opportunities.
www.iasp.org
Indiana STEM Education Conference Based out of Purdue’s Center for Advancing the Teaching and Learning of STEM (CATALYST), the Indiana STEM Education Conference is hosted inperson and virtually every year in midJanuary. Educators across the state can meet at the conference and exchange resources and solutions for supporting STEM in schools and districts. Conclusion Professional learning communities that focus on STEM/STEAM education initiatives are highly impactful for educators, and ultimately, students. Educators with expertise and passions in different disciplines can collaborate together and drive an integrative curriculum forward. STEM-focused PLCs are in need of similar care and consideration by educational leaders as any PLC framework, however researchers recommend additional constructs to build impactful PLCs that build educator and student STEMliteracy.
Return to Table of Contents
References Fulton, K., Doerr, H., & Britton, T. (2010). STEM teachers in professional learning communities: A knowledge synthesis. National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future. Fulton, K., & Britton, T. (2011). STEM teachers in professional learning communities: From good teachers to great teaching. National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future. Geesa, R. L., Stith, K. M., & Teague, G. M. (2020). Integrative STEM education and leadership for student success. The Palgrave Handbook of Educational Leadership and Management Discourse, 1-20. Sinha, S., Shernoff, D. J., & Cuddihy, C. (2022). Collaboration in PK–12 integrative STEM instruction. Leadership in Integrative STEM Education: Collaborative Strategies for Facilitating an Experiential and Student-Centered Culture, In R. L. Geesa, M. A. Rose, & K. M. Stith (Eds.). Leadership in Integrative STEM Education (1st ed., pp. 112-130). Rowman & Littlefield. Zollman, A. (2012). Learning for STEM literacy: STEM literacy for learning. School Science and Mathematics, 112(1), 12–19. https://doi .org/ 10.1111/ j.1949-8594.2012.00101.x
13
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 Professional Learning Communities (PLC’s) to leading with heart in our buildings.
14
Return to Table of Contents
www.iasp.org
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
www.iasp.org
Return to Table of Contents
15
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
A Book Review of Trust-Based Observations Dr. Michael Shaffer Assistant Clinical Professor of Ed Leadership Ball State University I have to be honest that I don’t usually get excited about yet another book on the observation of teachers, but after studying the big three (Danielson, Marzano, and Marshall), utilizing state-mandated approaches (as a principal and Assistant Superintendent both for teachers and principals), and teaching at the university level the “how to” of observing and evaluating teachers, I found myself wanting MORE: more substance, a more positive way to observe teachers that would support them -- not tear them apart, more ways to build teachers up through observations. I was so frustrated that observations for teachers by principals and for principals by superintendents were so very often done in a rushed capacity to meet deadlines and most often were done more to satisfy district or state requirements than they were to support teachers.
ations today knows that those observations have become highly specialized checklists which are so very extensive that principals must be highly trained to administer said checklist and to make certain they have observed every item on the checklist so that they can prove the teacher is worthy of being named to whatever category to which they are assigned which are usually something like “Master of the Universe”, “King of the Country”, “Capable of Running for Governor” if no one else will, and finally, “Couldn’t Get Enough Votes to Win as Dog Warden” or some kind of title like those. These observation/evaluation sessions have often turned into a dog and pony show reminiscent of a grand three-ring circus. Unfortunately, the teacher, besides learning how to deal with stress, rarely gets usable information on how to improve practice.
So, enough to say about my doubts. I saw this book, TrustBased Observations: Maximizing Teaching and Learning Growth by Craig Randall, and thought, ho hum, “Well, here’s one more.” Honestly, I can’t even remember where I saw the book advertised. But, I did contact the author, and told him that I found his book idea intriguing, and that I was looking for ONE specific thing, and if I found that ONE specific thing, I would happily recommend his book. BUT, and this is big to me, I would not tell him what that ONE big specific thing was that I had searched for but had not found in any other system of evaluation. I wanted to find it for myself in the book, not have the author convince me it was there.
Randall’s ideas are so profoundly simple, and yet so incredibly radical that if followed, would turn the world of teacher observation on its head, and that is exactly what is needed. We have an issue today in our country that is getting worse by the day and that is a terrible teacher shortage, caused I am convinced on two fronts: one by not getting enough students to enter teacher ed programs in college and the one I am most concerned about, those veteran teachers who are leaving because of school cultural and internal climate issues. Having been a principal that supervised large faculties and now working at the University level training principals and school superintendents, I can tell you that Randall’s approach would be a major step in combatting the teacher shortage, even though that is not the reason for the writing of the book. From my point of view, Randall has two purposes in the book and they permeate every sentence, every paragraph, every chapter: support and encourage teachers and they will improve, and that those teachers who are supported and encouraged will help students learn.
The author, Craig Randall, was interested enough in my cloak and dagger that he sent me an exam copy of his book. I thought that was nice of him, but the jury was still out. I started reading. Truth be told, I have highlighted more in this book than in any other book on educational leadership practices that I have ever read, and that number has to be well over a hundred, but who’s counting? The reason I found myself highlighting so much is so simple it is profound. Craig Randall gets it. He has been a teacher at all levels, a counselor at elementary and middle schools, a college basketball coach, an Assistant Principal, and a Principal. One thing stands out, however, and that is a BIG audacious HOWEVER. Craig has never forgotten what it was like to be a teacher, and that informs and impacts every single step of his approach, which he rightly calls Trust-Based Observations. Craig starts off with the major fundamental of conducting great observations: building real trust between teacher and principal. Anyone conducting teacher observations/evalu16
Randall goes on to say that teachers who feel that their administrators trust them and support them have learned one thing – they can take risks, because even if they fail, learning occurs through the taking of risks. Risk-taking can only occur in a situation where the teachers trusts the principal. When I first saw Randall’s book advertised, I thought to myself, “here is another writing about an angle of teacher observation, but I bet you anything he will not target the ONE THING I have found missing in every observation/ evaluation approach I have ever studied or used or taught
Return to Table of Contents
www.iasp.org
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
to graduate students.” Rather than leave it at that, though, I took the brash move of requesting a review copy and starting a stream of emails back and forth with Craig Randall telling him that if I found that ONE THING in the book, I would add the book to my Superintendency course but that I would not tell him what that one thing was, preferring instead to find it there myself. I didn’t want to fall prey to someone convincing me of something that I wanted to find, but wasn’t really there. Randall sent the book, and I dived in. Right from the introduction, I was convinced that Randall’s approach contained that ONE THING. I read on, hoping to find it spelled out in no uncertain terms. And then, I hit what I consider to be the heart of the book, and it was in one simple sentence. You may not at first get why this statement is so profound, but stay with me. Randall is discussing a situation in which it may be difficult to find evidence of “good practice” when observing a teacher who may be struggling, knows it, and is full of anxiety because of that. “These situations are common enough to know that it pays to get creative. Sharing evidence of strengths, no matter the minimal degree, builds relationships and factors into teachers’ willingness to work with you later and take risks to grow their practice” (p. 130). So, here is the take away, the ONE THING. I have been calling it “evaluating up” because I have never seen any other educator address this situation clearly enough to give it a precise educational term. Craig Randall calls it sharing evidence of strengths, but it means the same thing. In a situation where you have to choose between tearing down a teacher because the areas of weakness are ever present, make a choice that while you will be working WITH that teacher personally to help them improve, you will do that through a process that starts with their strengths and builds them into great teachers. It does not mean that you will never work with that teacher on areas of weakness but it does mean that the majority of your work with that teacher will be building trust and building upon strengths. Evaluating up.
pull out of every teacher the very best they have to offer every minute of every day. And there you have it. That is exactly why I am a believer in Trust-Based Observations. I believe in “evaluating up” and have done if personally for years (25 years as a principal, and 4 years as an Assistant Superintendent). I have purposely looked for strengths, emphasized those strengths, built the relationships, evaluated teachers and principals more on what I believed they could become by setting high standards and expectations, and then supporting them until they could do more than they ever thought they could do. And THAT is the very basis of Trust-Based Observations in a nutshell: develop trust, build on strengths, commit to spend the time actually observing teachers in meaningful way, develop expectations based on strengths, and watch out because the school will grow collectively as teachers improve radically. Because we live and work in IN, I am very aware that we use the RISE rubric or some form of it. The beauty of TBO is that it would actually be a wonderful foundation to support everything we do with RISE or any similar approach. If you are nor using RISE, TBO is a complete approach, with all of the tools needed for observation. I don’t often tell principals that if you read one book this year that will change your practice, this is the book you should read, but I am saying it now. If you want to read one book this year to change your practice, you MUST read TrustBased Observations. I guarantee you that if you let it get under your skin, allow it to permeate your brain, and seep deeply into your heart, you will never observe teachers in the same way again. That’s my promise, and I almost never make promises.
I believe, and I am coming at this from a position of many years of experience being a principal, that we have been looking at the process of evaluation all wrong for many years. Instead of looking at the things that a teacher possesses (their strengths), we have spent hours looking to see what they do NOT have (their areas of deficit.) In this great book – and it is rare for me to attach the word “great” to a book on teacher evaluation – but I just did, Randall lays a grand foundation for the observation of teachers. Trust. Trust does not happen when a new principal walks in the door. Trust does not exist because the title “Principal” resides under the name on the nameplate attached to the office door. Trust does not occur because someone has won Principal of the Year. Trust is won or lost in the battlefield of the everyday occurrences of school life, and if a principal has earned that trust through Trust-Based Observations, not only will that principal become more successful evaluating their teachers up to the highest level possible, they will also encourage and
www.iasp.org
Return to Table of Contents
17
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Together We Are Better: Navigating PLCs Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic Jennifer Greene, EdS Carmel Clay Schools
Serena Salloum, PhD Ball State University In March 2020 the novel COVID-19 pandemic instantly changed education as we know it. Learning, while still important, took a back seat to health concerns and safety; as a result, schools across the country transitioned to a variety of online instructional strategies. Online learning is tricky for K-12 students, to say the least, particularly for our youngest learners. Though we knew students did not have equal access to online instruction, given access to technology, internet, and adult time, this inequity was quickly apparent. Some families had more flexibility to offer children to supplement learning and keep students on track; others had fewer resources (particularly time) available. Online teacher collaboration was also complicated as zoom meetings are more cumbersome than meeting in person - or just walking next door to ask a question. The pandemic forced teacher isolation and fractured collaborative practices that many teachers have relied upon. Considering our collective pandemic experience, strong pedagogical practice is more urgent now than ever. While some frame our children’s experience as “learning loss,” we prefer to focus on how learning was disrupted and keep our focus on learning forward. How do schools focus on learning forward? One key suggestion is for teachers to lean into collaborative spaces and build on each other’s experiences through professional learning communities (PLCs). A PLC is defined as an ongoing process in which educators work collaborative18
ly in recurring cycles of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the students they serve. PLCs operate under the assumption that the key to improved learning for students is continuous job-embedded learning for educators (Dufour et al., 2016, p.10). This means the adults are involved in collectively reviewing and analyzing student data, problem solving, and sharing effective instructional strategies to address students’ needs. This sounds wonderful. Is your school at this point? Do you want to get there? Consider, first - do your teachers engage in protected time to collaborate and discuss student data? If the answer is no, how can you create space, either in person or online, to provide this invaluable time to your teaching staff ? Merely organizing educators into a team does not necessarily lead to a focus on student or teacher learning. Getting to this place takes supportive leadership, shared beliefs (collective efficacy), and collective responsibility. Leaders, you must set the stage for the PLC process to be successful within your school. This includes setting aside the time for meeting, creating a vision for what the time will look like and sound like ( focusing on student and teacher learning), and finally establishing teacher leadership within a school leadership team. By taking the time to tend to teacher leadership, the school leader builds the capacity within grade level and department leaders to take on the role of PLC leader which is an integral part of their success. Team leaders help the team set the initial norms, share day to day responsibilities, and keep the focus on learning forward for students and adults. As teams become better at analyzing their common student data and improving professional practice, teams develop their capacity.
Return to Table of Contents
Teams work interdependently, share beliefs and collective responsibility for ALL students within a grade level. If PLCs are part of your school practice, ask yourself, is the time being used as productively as possible? What happens in PLC meetings? How do you know? Does your school have routines and systems that make the PLC process efficient and effective for teachers? Consider taking the Professional Learning Community Assessment Revised (2008). The PLCA-R provides perceptions of the staff relating to specific practices observed at the school level regarding shared and supportive leadership, shared values and vision, collective learning and application, shared personal practice, and supportive conditions, including both relationships and structures (Olivier et al., 2008, p. 5). This can help you as the leader assess what is going well with your PLC practices and what aspects might need to be revisited. Whether you are getting started or recalibrating, PLCs are key in learning forward during these precarious times. As educators we must be nimble with our pedagogy, both online and in-person. To be as effective as possible for our students in promoting learning forward, we urge you to remember that we are better together. References DuFour, R., DuFour, R. B., Eaker, R. E., Many, T. W., & Mattos, M. (2016). Learning by doing: A handbook for professional learning communities at work. Solution Tree Press. Olivier, D. F., Hipp, K. K., & Huffman, J. B. (2008). Assessing and analyzing schools as PLCs. In K. K. Hipp & J. B. Huffman (Eds.). Professional learning communities: Purposeful actions, positive results (pp. 5-9). Rowman & Littlefield.
www.iasp.org
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
IPLI News Dr. Kelly Andrews Director Indiana Principal Leadership Institute Professional Learning Communities 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. Dr. Nancy Dana states, “PLCs, when well done, allow teachers to collaboratively untangle some of the complexities associated with student learning within their school buildings and classrooms.” When teachers feel empowered to study together in their schools and have a professional dialogue around what works and what is not working, growth occurs for all students. Getting started with PLCs can come naturally with already formed departments or grade levels. Sometimes, a PLC is formed around a problem of practice, but however it is determined, creating a collegial trust among the small group of members will assist in moving the group forward. Agreeing on protocols that will keep the meetings focused is essential for keeping our eyes on the path ahead. IPLI has adopted this approach for learning leaders’ two-year professional development journey in the large cohort and the small focus groups. It is then a structure taken back to the school, if not already in place, that can strengthen collaborative discussions and increase progress for school improvement. We no longer live in a world of education where we can close the door to the classroom and go it alone. We need colleagues to share best practices and explore the complexities of educating today to move forward the progress of our schools. IPLI offers the opportunity to learn from others outside of their district and share knowledge and best practices that can enhance each school. The PLC process is a structured community of respect that stimulates the thinking of the collective. Socrates says, “Wisdom begins in wonder,” Having the opportunity to question, share and encourage our passion for educating our students is the foundation of forming professional learning communities. “The PLC Book” by Nancy Fichtman Dana and Diane Yendol-Hoppy is an essential resource for all educators getting started in forming PLCs in their schools. 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. IPLI Seminars January 2022, IPLI will welcome the following speakers to our seminars at the Lawrence Township Community and Education Center in Indianapolis: Cohort 8 – Dr. Phil Warrick discusses HRS Level 3 Curriculum Cohort 9 – Dr. Rhonda Roos discusses “Principal Toolbox Time”, and Dr. Steve Gruenert discusses selecting two teacher leaders for Year 2 of IPLI. Extended Cohort 3 – Dr. Tameka Hobbs and Dr. Dennisha Murff discuss Advancing Equity and Inclusion Through Effective Teaching and Curriculum. 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 and graduate in the afternoon after hearing Annette Breaux as keynote speaker on the Ten Minute Inservice. 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, which will begin in July 2022 with keynote speaker, Dr. Michael Fullan. 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. IPLI will also be selecting mentors for Cohort 10. If you have graduated from IPLI and would like to be considered for a mentor position, applications can be found on the IPLI website and are due by January 31, 2022. Let’s keep learning together as we continue to lead in 2022! www.iasp.org
Return to Table of Contents
19
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
20
Return to Table of Contents
www.iasp.org
SERVICE
Riley Kids Caring & Sharing Update Susan Miles Officer, Kids Caring & Sharing TM Riley Children’s Foundation I am pleased to welcome in a new year and introduce you to the 2022 Riley Champions! It’s always difficult to contain to one article the stories of these amazing young ambassadors who not only represent Riley Hospital well by facing medical challenges with strength and grace, but serve their schools and communities with their inspirational giving spirit. District 1 Rensselaer Middle School student Savana Celero started life three months early weighing just under two pounds. Her prematurity led to multiple surgeries at Riley Hospital – six before her second birthday. An automobile accident on her way home from Riley following a small intestine transplant led to a multi-organ transplant when she was just five years old. While Savana’s Riley story continues, her positivity and resiliency bring joy and hope while raising awareness about the importance of organ donation. District 2 The straight-A Plymouth High School senior who manages the football team and enthusiastically participates in Riley Dance Marathons has come a long way since an unknown virus attacked her heart at 13 months of age. After years of complications from the virus that nearly claimed her life, Brenna Blosser made a very difficult decision when just 11 years old to have her lower left leg amputated. While being a teenager can be challenging at any time, Brenna’s father Brad Blosser says Brenna “has done nothing but shine.” District 3 The prognosis was not good for Aboite Elementary student Bryson Faus who was on a LifeLine flight to Riley Hospital before he was 24 hours old to care for an extremely rare combination of heart defects. Bryson was just seven days old for his first open heart surgery and now the singing, dancing, baseball-, robot-, and Lego-loving eight-year-old has had 13 surgeries on his heart and kidneys. Bryson shares his story “to help other kids like me just in case they are afraid.”
District 7 Elliott Preddie is a living testament to the importance of research. The 13-year-old Perry Meridian Middle School student now actively participates in the sports he used to only dream about while experiencing sickle cell disease symptoms. Elliott was just 6-months-old when he made his first visit to Riley Hospital. The disease progressed to a point where Elliott needed monthly blood transfusions before stem cell transplant became an approved treatment option for sickle cell patients. Elliott was in the hospital for 37 days and tests show that his bone marrow grew back 100 percent free of sickle cell. District 9 A Bloomington Academy of Arts and Entrepreneurship teacher describes 15-year-old Riley Champion Allie Bowman as having “spirit and wisdom beyond her years.” Allie’s mission is to spread awareness and understanding about Tourette’s Syndrome, with which she was diagnosed at age eight. When she is not participating in her school’s drama and art clubs or losing herself in books, writing and drawing, Allie shares her experience with classmates and advocates for the Tourette Association of America in both state and national forums. District 12 Evansville Resurrection School first graders learn about philanthropy in a special annual project with each student choosing their own organization to support. Last year of course, now second grader Drew Barnes chose Riley Hospital, like his big brother and sister did years before, because Riley cardiologists operated on Drew when he was just 4 days old. That was the first of six surgeries including one before Drew was five years old that gave him a pacemaker. Not only is Drew connected to Riley through technology, he is “family” to the team at Riley who participate in his ongoing care.
District 5 A low-grade fever and fatigue signaled the start of the Riley journey for then 6-year-old Samantha Brown. The Carey Ridge Elementary student had a cancerous kidney removed and underwent 20 rounds of chemotherapy before returning to an active life filled with gymnastics, tumbling, cheerleading and Girl Scouts. In July 2021 Samantha participated in a very special bell-ringing ceremony to celebrate being cancer free.
www.iasp.org
Return to Table of Contents
Let’s work together to find creative ways to keep supporting Riley!
21
SERVICE
2022 Riley Junior Champions There is at least one familiar name in the 2022 Junior Champions class – Riley patients younger than 8 years old whose families have a heart for giving back. Just five months after his big sister Samantha started treatment for Wilms tumor, 4-year-old Miles Brown was diagnosed with Burkitt’s leukemia, an aggressive cancer that left multiple tumors on Miles’ kidneys and liver. Miles spent 54 straight days at Riley and underwent six months of chemotherapy. The August bell-ringing ceremony was very meaningful for the Brown family who had a special bell made for the occasion because it announced that both children were cancer free. A critical heart defect threatened the already tenuous life of 1-pound, 4-ounce, micro-preemie Carlie Evans in 2019. After struggling to grow large enough for surgery, physicians at the hospital where Carlie was born could only offer her parents palliative care to let their now 3-month-old daughter die peacefully. Not yet ready to say goodbye, Carlie’s mother Carrie Wyatt caught the attention of Riley Pediatric Cardiologist Anne Farrell through social media and in days Carlie was at Riley Hospital where Pediatric Heart Surgeon Mark Turrentine, M.D., and his team is familiar with and confident in taking care of hearts the size of a strawberry. Today Carlie’s prognosis is so good she only sees her cardiologist once a year. Illustrating the impact of the new Riley Maternity Tower and program, care for now 18-month-old Sophia Stebing began before she was born. Overjoyed to learn they were expecting
22
their first child, Jessica and Chris Stebing worked with Riley Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist Jennifer Weida, M.D., to develop the safest birth plan when early test results indicated there was a 99 percent chance their baby girl would be born with Down syndrome. Born safely on St Patrick’s Day, doctors were ready to perform an echocardiogram that revealed several heart defects commonly found in children with Down syndrome. At just 5 months of age Sophia underwent successful heart surgery at Riley. Today Sophia is growing and thriving, and hasn’t stopped smiling since she was three months old says Jessica. Please visit www.rileykids.org/messenger to read all of the 2022 Riley Champions’ full stories. KCS giving just got easier! Your school’s Riley campaign coordination team can now offer your supporters an even easier way to make a gift this year to benefit Riley Hospital while helping your school achieve Red Wagon status ($1 per student), Red Wagon Booster status ($2,500 - personalized license plate) or Red Wagon Sponsor status ($4,000 – wagon released at the 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 me at smiles@rileykids.org if you need assistance in starting your school’s online giving page here www.rileykids.org/champions.
Return to Table of Contents
www.iasp.org
Hoosier high school teachers can become fully credentialed —at no cost to them—to teach dual credit courses to Indiana students through the Teach Dual Credit Indiana partnership. Teach Dual Credit Indiana provides funding for high school teachers who need graduate level courses in the liberal arts disciplines to meet Higher Learning Commission requirements by 2023. What subject areas qualify? Non-STEM fields such as communications, English, social studies and world languages. How do teachers apply? Teachers need to provide contact information, teaching license number, administrator and school contact information and a letter of acknowledgment on school letterhead. Learn more at TeachDualCredit.org. Did you know? Dual credit courses allow students to earn college credit and high school credit at the same time and makes the transition to college easier and more affordable for students as they earn college credits while still enrolled in high school. •
The Indiana Commission for Higher Education estimates dual credit completion saves Hoosier students $69 million in postsecondary tuition and fees each year.
•
1/3 of students who complete dual credit in Indiana are from lowincome households.
•
Students who earn dual credit in high school are more likely to graduate college on-time and to graduate college at all.
Are you a STEM field teacher looking for similar opportunities? Check out STEM Teach Indiana at STEMTeachIndiana.org
TeachDualCredit.org www.iasp.org
Return to Table of Contents
23
24
Return to Table of Contents
www.iasp.org
LEGAL REVIEW
Legal Situation Brief: Trending Student Privacy Issues Séamus Boyce Attorney Kroger Gardis & Regas, LLP Student privacy issues have consistently come up in discussions with IASP members through our KGR Legal Help Desk (LHD). This article addresses a couple of the most prevalent hot topics on student privacy. Private Matters Based on Sex (Sexual Identity, Orientation): According to a CDC survey, our nationwide percentage of non-heterosexual youth has rose nearly 3.5% from 2015-2019. Regardless of whether this is an increase in nonheterosexual youth or if it reflects youth feeling a greater comfort in expressing their non-heterosexual identity, the influx of incidents involving nonheterosexual students has illuminated an often-precarious situation that school leaders are in as they navigate unprecedented issues with unclear, and sometimes conflicting, legal standards. There is nothing more unclear and conflicting than the issue of a student’s desire to keep sexual identity information from their parents. At least one federal court decision (though not controlling in Indiana) has recognized that secondary students do not have privacy rights in the unwanted disclosure of information on their sex to a parent/guardian. See Nguon v. Wolf, (C.D. Cal. 2007). In Nguon, the Court found that although a female high school student had a protected privacy interest in nondisclosure of her sexual orientation within her home, the school principal did not violate student’s privacy protections by disclosing the student’s sexual orientation to her mother in the context of explaining the student’s suspension for engaging in inappropriate public displays of affection with another female student. The Court reasoned that the principal had a legitimate governmental purpose in describing the context of the www.iasp.org
suspension to ensure that the student was afforded due process. We also recognize that school leaders are often presented with secondary materials suggesting that parents could be kept in the dark. Examples include professional organizations like the NEA and NSBA. In situations where a student expresses or discloses information and asks that the information not be disclosed, school leaders should assess these situations on a case-by-case basis by taking into consideration various factors such as: the student’s age and emotional maturity; whether the student’s health or safety is at risk or could be at risk if disclosed; and the parent’s involvement and support. If there is clear and imminent danger to the student or others, school leaders should use reasonable judgment in reporting that information to the proper authorities, parents, or others who need to know. Of course, if there are allegations of abuse or neglect, that information should be immediately reported consistent with the law. When the legal standards are not clearly defined, we always recommend erroring on the side of keeping everyone safe and doing what would be objectively perceived as in the best interest of the student.
by a student are privileged and protected from disclosure. Since the statute is designated to protect the student’s communication, the privilege belongs to the student, and can only be waived by the student. But the school counselor privilege does not extend to mandatory reporting of abuse and neglect. What is the legal lesson from this brief ? You should review your board policies to ensure that they align with the current legal standards. Stay current on the latest updates to the law as student privacy is especially in flux. We recognize some of these student privacy issues can be very sensitive and the law can be unclear. If the legal standards are murky, error on the side of what would be objectively perceived to be in the best interest of the student. And you can use the LHD to talk through these situations with us. We at the KGR Legal Help Desk are here to address legal issues for IASP members. Until the next Situation Brief, stay legal!
School Counselor Privilege: Another recurring question that is raised in the context of student privacy is whether an educator has a legal obligation to keep sensitive information confidential at the student’s request. While there is no legal obligation to keep matters confidential for the vast majority of educator positions, the disclosure requirements are more narrowly tailored for school counselors. Under Indiana law, the matters exclusively communicated to a school counselor Return to Table of Contents
25
LEGAL REVIEW
26
Return to Table of Contents
www.iasp.org
LEGAL REVIEW
Understanding the FERPA Exceptions as Lawmakers Push for More Transparency on School Curriculum Taylor Hunter Attorney Kroger Gardis & Regas, LLP Over the past year, the push for more “transparency” in schools has been at the forefront of political agendas and legislation. As a practical matter, school leaders are already subject to laws and regulations that require transparency. Yet, in light of the increased public attention over the transparency debate, school leaders have experienced an uptick in burdensome public record requests. Understanding how, what, and when information can be shared with third parties is an important aspect of a school leader’s position. The FERPA Background. Congress enacted the federal Family Educational Rights and Protection Act (FERPA) “to protect [parents’ and students’] rights to privacy by limiting the transferability of their records without their consent.” Joint Statement, 120 Cong. Rec. 39858, 39862 (1974). Under the FERPA, educational agencies receiving federal financial assistance must comply with certain conditions, including that schools do not have a “policy or practice of permitting the release of education records (or personally identifiable information contained therein ...) of students without the written consent of [the students or] their parents[.]” 20 U.S.C. § 1232g(b)(1). If a parent or student feels their rights have been violated under FERPA, they can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Family Policy Compliance Office (FPCO). The FPCO reviews, investigates, and processes all complaints. For violations of the FERPA, the agency may take appropriate actions to enforce the FERPA. Generally, financial assistance will not be withheld if the educational institution can demonstrate that compliance can be accomplished by voluntary means. What is a student education record? The FERPA broadly defines “education records” as “those records, files, documents, and other materials which (i) contain information directly related to a student; and (ii) are maintained by an educational agency or institution or by a person acting for such agency or institution.” 20 U.S.C. § 1232g(a)(4)(A). Education records includes information such as grades, transcripts, class lists, student course schedules, health records, and student discipline files. The information may be recorded in any way, including, videotape, audiotape, and e-mail. What can be disclosed without consent under the FERPA? Though the below exceptions are not exhaustive, this article addresses a couple of the most prevalent student record and disclosure topics that school leaders consistently tackle. Law enforcement records. Relevant among the FERPA exceptions are records maintained by a law enforcement unit of the educational agency or institution that were created by that law enforcement unit for the purpose of law enforcement.” 20 www.iasp.org
U.S.C. § 1232g(a)(4)(B)(ii). Because law enforcement records are by definition not education records, the FERPA does not protect law enforcement records or place restriction on their disclosure. However, records created and maintained by a law enforcement unit of the educational agency exclusively for a non-law enforcement purpose, such as a disciplinary action or proceeding conducted by the educational agency are not records of a law enforcement. § 99.8(b)(2)(ii). In other words, if an SRO creates a record initially for law enforcement purposes but then provides a copy of that record to a school official for use in a disciplinary proceeding, that copy is an education record subject to FERPA if it is maintained by the school official. 60 F.R. 3464, 3466. Health/Safety Risks. In certain situations, school leaders may determine that certain confidential student information should be disclosed to appropriate parties, like law enforcement, in order to address a health or safety emergency. The FERPA permits school leaders to disclose, without consent, the records of a student posing a significant risk to the safety or well-being of that student, other students, or other members of the school community to individuals having a “legitimate educational interest in the behavior of the student.” § 1232g(h)(2). Even with the exception, the FERPA recognizes that a student has a privacy interest in his or her disciplinary records, even if those records reflect that the student poses a significant safety risk. Schools may only disclose those disciplinary records to teachers and school officials and the information is temporally limited to the period of the emergency. This narrow exemption does not contemplate release of the student disciplinary records to the general public, including requests from local media. Subpoena/Judicial Order. Another recurring exception that permits disclosure without consent is the requirement to comply with a lawfully issued subpoena or judicial order. School leaders should timely consult with counsel before complying with the request as there are certain conditions that must be met, and not all demands lawful subpoenas. Generally, school leaders must make a reasonable effort to notify the parent of the request unless an exception applies. Student records may also contain confidential information of other students. School leaders should also ensure that the information is appropriately redacted. Bottom line, we know that school leaders are committed to the protection and confidentiality of students and aim to closely adhere to state and federal laws and regulations, and with an ever-evolving legal landscape, school leaders should stay current on the latest updates to the law and understand disclosure requirements. We at KGR routinely provide day-to-day legal counseling on these important topics. We along with IASP stand ready to support you.
Return to Table of Contents
27
11025 East 25th Street Indianapolis, IN 46229 1-800-285-2188 or 317-891-9900 www.iasp.org | iasp-info@iasp.org
Professional Learning Communities
Connect with us JANUARY 2022
Are these New Year’s resolutions
on your list? • Learn something new • De-stress • Live life to the fullest, now and through retirement • Get out of debt • Save more money Horace Mann, a long-time corporate sponsor, can help you and your employees achieve these resolutions.
Find out how by contacting your local Horace Mann representative today! Horace Mann Service Corporation and certain of its affiliates (Horace Mann) enter into agreements with educational associations where Horace Mann pays the association to provide services aimed at familiarizing association members with the Horace Mann brand, products or services. For more information, email your inquiry to association.relations@horacemann.com. AM-C04612 (Oct. 21)
horacemann.com