MARCH 2021 ■ VOLUME 23 ■ NUMBER 3
School Safety
TABLE OF CONTENTS
MARCH 2021 ■ VOLUME 23 ■ NUMBER 3
The Indiana Association of School Principals leads in the advocacy and support of all principals in their commitment to every child.
School Safety President’s Letter - School Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 IDOE - Indiana Principals: Our Renaissance People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 SCHOOL SAFETY
Ensuring Students Know They Matter: A Key Component In School Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 A New Era of School Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Building Collaborative, Relationship-Based School Resource Officer Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Tiffany Barrett Steve Samuel Kelly Storms Matt Stark Debra Misecko Jared Leiker Roy Hufford Keith Burke Kevin Rockey Andrew Hawk Troy Albert Rick Hunt Chrystal Street Lori Graham Nicholas Mitchaner Jason Cary
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
STEM Integrations Community Partnership Series: Supporting Student and Educator Safety with External Expertise. . . . 16 Student Well-Being: Utilizing School Threat Assessment Teams During and Beyond the Pandemic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 IPLI News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
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Riley Kids Caring & Sharing Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
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Spotlight on Service Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
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Situation Briefs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 President Biden Administration’s Emphasis on Civil Rights Laws Predictive of What to Expect from U.S. Department of Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Return to Table of Contents
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PRESIDENT’S LETTER
School Safety It was a Thursday evening on March 12, 2020, when we got the news. Our swim team was participating in the county swim meet. Spring Break was the next week. As principals, our central office had been telling us for about a week that we should be letting our teachers know they needed to be preparing for a couple of eLearning days with the possibility of up to two weeks of eLearning. Little did we know when we heard the news that school was closed March 13, we would not have students in our building again until September 8, 2020. School has been very different since that moment. Life has been very different! It has been rough on all of us. If you could indulge me for a moment, I would like to share my struggles this year. In the midst of the pandemic, I turned 50 August 5. (Ouch!) The next day, August 6, my step-mother of 40 years passed away. This was my biological mother’s birthday who passed away in 1979. While that was sad, what hurt as much if not more was the impact it had on my father. He lost his first wife to cancer over 40 years ago and now had lost his wife of 40 years to cancer. He became more of the child than the father as I helped with finances, technology, and making decisions. We had our share of close family members and friends fight COVID. My mother-in-law, my father, and my son all had COVID last fall. Although my son was asymptomatic, we all missed out on Thanksgiving as he was isolated in the basement while we were quarantined for two weeks upstairs. My dad’s pulmonary fibrosis ramped up due to COVID, and he passed away February 5 almost six months to the day of my step-mother passing away. Another painful loss, and as some of you who have experienced the death of both parents, there are things that you need to take care of financially with closing accounts, paying bills, and the selling or giving away of personal items. To say the least, I’m ready to move on. Over the past several years, I have given presentations on the personal wellness of principals. I shared ideas on how to take care of ourselves, but I feel I have left out one critical component to this well-being. It struck me as I watched my dad and the emotional toll the passing of my step-mother took on him there was an important ingredient missing. Shortly after my step-mother’s passing, he decided that after his treatments in December for his pulmonary fibrosis he was going to head to Florida for the winter. Although he still struggled to sleep and was saddened by the loss of a friend/wife of forty years, there seemed to be a pep in his step as he thought about heading to Florida. Was it Florida, was it the thought of leaving Michigan, or was it something greater? It was HOPE. Having a hope in something greater, something better, something brings joy. It can get you through the toughest of times. That hope my father had didn’t diminish the lost but helped him in the loss. The hope I have in my life has helped me through this year of trying times. I would love to spend more time talking about hope and warn about the dangers of false hope, but I’m getting very near to my 600 word limit, and I want to tie this in to not only helping us as principals getting through these difficult times, but also helping to provide hope to teachers so they can thrive in the midst of challenges. In addition, we need to be reminded about the importance for our students to have hope. This Indianagram focuses on school safety. I wonder how much we can improve the physical, digital, and emotional safety of our schools if we foster a spirit of hope in our students, teachers, and our personal lives. We can’t afford to underestimate the importance of hope!
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FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
IASP Executive Committee Eric Gilpin President Aimee Lunsford President-Elect School safety over the last year has translated into viewing student safety in new ways. Where once we viewed safety precautions as locking all but the main entry door to the school, we now consider how to safeguard student well-being in the digital and virtual learning age. These approaches also elevate our need to evaluate mental and social needs to ensure students stay safely connected with the school and with each other. I’m sure you will find numerous examples in the following articles of how we can accomplish this, our great thanks go out to our authors and to you for being mindful each day of school safety.
Matt Shockley Vice President
President Eric Gilpin writes of “Hope” in his letter and I am so pleased that he chose to do so. His personal stories illuminate this sentiment very well, and beyond these, the science of “Hope” (Google it) informs us that it is the best predictor of outcomes focused on well-being and quality of life. So in the last year of challenges, of which there were many, I am confident that you provided hope to your students and staff and community. You may not have had school safety at the forefront of thought as you did so, but in reality, you were providing this valuable safety net in your words and actions. Building the culture of hope within your school is the school safety measure that impacts each student and creates the environment where students may thrive. Thank you for being the leader that makes this happen each and every day.
Dave Strouse NASSP State Coordinator
Lizz Walters Past President Kelly McPike NAESP State Representative
Steve Baker Liaison to the DOE Amy Boone Assistant Principal Liaison
Dr. Todd D. Bess IASP Executive Director
Future Indianagram themes Culture/Celebrations
April 2021
Highlighting Community Partnerships
May 2021
Professional Development
June 2021
Share your thoughts on the Indianagram https://forms.gle/sCmLHwnh4aYcTJdr8
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Indiana Principals: Our Renaissance People Dr. Katie Jenner Indiana Secretary of Education During my first two months as Indiana’s Secretary of Education, it has been wonderful to hear from so many of you. It is an honor to work alongside you to serve Hoosier students, educators, and families. As you know firsthand, principals and building-level administrators juggle so much more on a daily basis than anyone ever sees. You are Indiana’s education “renaissance people,” with extensive knowledge and multiple talents. In addition to serving as your school’s instructional leaders, on any given day you may have multiple meetings with students and families, classroom visits, events before and after school, daily lunchroom and bus monitoring, and so much more. As a principal, the only thing you can count on is that no single day will be like any other. There’s no doubt the work you lead has incredible purpose. You positively impact lives every single day, and our IDOE team pledges to take time to celebrate the good happening in your schools. To that end, we’ve recently heard two beautiful stories about Indiana principals’ leadership, and I wanted to make sure you heard too. These principals personify the spirit of education and are true role models when it comes to understanding their students’ needs.
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First, let’s talk about Jason Smith, principal at Stonybrook Intermediate and Middle School on Indianapolis’ east side. Fun fact about Mr. Smith-when he played basketball back in high school and college, he routinely cut his teammates’ hair, and he still cuts his son’s hair. So, he knows his way around a pair of clippers. When a student was sent to his office for refusing to remove his hat, instead of sending the kid home, he asked, “Why?” Turns out, the student recently received (what he perceived as) a bad haircut, and was afraid of being mocked by the other kids. That’s when Mr. Smith summoned his compassion and dove into problemsolving mode. He ran home, got his clippers, and tidied up the student’s hair. That act -- going above and beyond to ask a question, listen to the answer, and show that someone cares -- is already paying dividends. Now that they’ve built a relationship, Mr. Smith chats frequently with this student about his day, and about his future, and beyond. Well done, Mr. Smith! Next is the story of Kirk Amman, principal at New Castle High School, who rallied his outstanding team to create a special graduation moment for a student and family in need.
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One of their own, veteran math teacher Debbie Scott, was in hospice after being diagnosed with cancer. Her dying wish was to see her son, Ryan, graduate. The idea came about at a basketball game, and before long, Principal Amman and staff were huddled up and devising a plan. Within one week, all the arrangements had been made. The band would play; family, friends, and the entire mathematics department would attend; and a local pastor would serve as the commencement speaker. On February 2, months before Ryan would officially graduate, he walked across the stage in a moment that no one in that school auditorium will ever forget. Debbie passed away three weeks later, and although this special moment they shared will not take away the pain felt by Ryan and his family, I am grateful to know that he has such a strong support system both inside and outside the classroom to help him through this difficult time. Thank you, Mr. Amman! These are just two examples of the extraordinary work happening inside Indiana’s schools. Please keep sharing, and we will continue to celebrate your incredible impact. Thank you for your leadership, your compassion, and the critical role you play in our students’ lives.
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Ensuring Students Know They Matter: A Key Component In School Safety Brandie Oliver Director of the School Counseling Program Associate Professor, College of Education, Butler Univ. For students to learn and thrive, they must feel safe and secure. When we think of the words “safe school,” most people’s minds quickly think about ways to keep guns, drugs, and other contraband out of schools. Of course, this part of safety is critical, but there are other components of school safety that are essential too. All students need to feel emotional and relational safety to feel they matter. Student Mattering What does it mean for students to matter? Students know they matter when all of the following aspects are prioritized, and intentional time and activities are employed to develop each one. ■ Their voices matter. ■ Their hopes and dreams matter. ■ Their path to those dreams matter. ■ Their learning matters. ■ Their feelings matter. ■ Their thoughts matter. ■ Their identities matter. ■ Their families and communities matter. ■ Their lives matter. When students do not feel as if they matter, they feel marginalized. Marginalized students do not have anchors – an adult connection that they can turn to for support, encouragement, and praise. Students who could be a potential harm to themselves or others most often lack adult and social support, which is a significant risk factor. Marginalized students may exhibit external behaviors that call attention to their unhappiness. However, some students do not demonstrate any external behaviors but instead internalize their thoughts and feelings. A common response to students who externalize their pain through misbehavior is to exclude them further by suspending and expelling. When schools further exclude these students, it reinforces internal messages that the students are not wanted or welcomed – that they do not matter. Instead, research has revealed students need connection with supportive adults that will listen, validate, and walk with them as they get the help
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needed. Furthermore, these deep connections provide a space where students that internalize their pain feel safe and secure enough to be open, honest, and vulnerable – so they can get the support necessary. To work toward a school culture where all students feel they matter, both emotional and relational security must be a priority. What is Emotional Safety? A quote from author Anais Nin: “We don’t see things as they are, we see things as we are,” captures the essence of emotional safety. Schools and classrooms that embrace emotional safety truly understand the importance of building relationships so they have an awareness of students’ feelings, thoughts, needs, and concerns. Research in neurobiology shows that emotional safety is one of the most important aspects required to have a healthy and effective connection. Emotional safety enables us the freedom to collaborate, dream, be wildly creative, share bold ideas, feel increased compassion, and express ourselves freely with one another (Boeder, 2017). Brené Brown reminds us that feeling safe allows us to be vulnerable. We need our classrooms to foster an environment where students can show vulnerability, allowing them to take risks, make and learn from mistakes, and be their authentic selves. What is Relational Safety? Relational safety refers to the co-construction of a learning environment where educators and students can ask questions, challenge perspectives, share ideas, express feelings, and learn ‘with’ each other. For those whose identities have been silenced or minimized, relational safety makes it possible to speak and consider the impact of how our words and actions have on others. Relational safety does not refer to blind validation and embracing all points of view. Instead, it refers to a space that focuses on healthy and supportive relationships that honor and celebrate critical thinking and learning with one another (Hernández & Rankin, 2008). How to Develop Emotional and Relational Safety Connection is the foundation to build authentic emotional and relational safety. “The 18 inches between the head and the heart is a rite of passage…not a right.” This phrase emphasizes and reminds us that we must earn our way into our students’
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SCHOOL SAFETY
that sends the message that each student is valued and respected (Brown, 2018). A name represents the unique individual, and hearing a teacher use it regularly (making sure pronunciation is correct too) is a simple yet powerful connection strategy.
heads by way of the heart (Brown, 2018). Students do not care about how our degrees, the letters behind our names, awards received, or how long we have been an educator --- no, the only thing our students care about is knowing their teacher cares about them, believes in them, and supports them. Everyone needs a human connection to survive and thrive. It is through our human connections that we can have our emotional needs met. When our students know they matter, they feel seen, heard, valued, respected – all are key ingredients that allow students to engage, learn, and take risks required for growth and development. Competence in the application and integration of SEL skills promotes all aspects of building strong, healthy, and supportive connections.
■ Establishing Consistent Routines: Routines, procedures, and structures help students feel a sense of power, reduce stress, and are extremely beneficial in times of unpredictability, uncertainty, and change. ■ Focus on Emotions: Aid in student developing student self-esteem, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence by making “emotional deposits” regularly, both in words and actions. One site refers to the teacher as the, Chief Emotional Officer (CEO), because the adult in the learning environment sets the tone and provides the modeling required for students to develop emotional intelligence.
Key Ingredients: Activities & Areas to Develop Student Mattering
■ Create Connections: Emphasize caring connections between students and the community for the purposes of student and family wellbeing — even when discussing academic content or performance. - Take time to share daily announcements and celebrations (make sure students know they can share their own announcements and celebrations too). - Send out brief, positive communication notes throughout the week. - Leave a sticky note on a desk or in a locker with a positive note - Send a quick text or email with an uplifting message or quote - Share a humorous GIF or meme ■ Teach, Learn, & Listen Using a Strength-Based Lens: Get to know kids and their strengths and interests. The more teachers know about their students, the more tools they have at their disposal to connect with each one individually and to emphasize students’ strengths. Our job to recognize the strengths our students possess, regardless of the form in which they’re displayed, and translate them into the classroom and their academic journey--to help them harness their qualities for good (Brown, 2018). ■ Respond to Students’ Perspectives and Needs: Emotional safety requires that educators respond empathically to the needs of their students. When teachers elicit students’ perspectives, they better appreciate how students experience classroom life, including where they find happiness and challenge. ■ Affirm Student Identities: Teachers who affirm students’ identities communicate that show they genuinely care for and respect each student, and that they believe each student’s knowledge, racial and cultural identity, and experiences offer assets to the classroom community. Learning and using students’ names is an integral action
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■ Outreach & Connection Opportunities Beyond The Classroom - Virtual Learning: Create remote or virtual outreach opportunities, by sending messages, creating online hubs, or offering “community hours” for students and family members to check in and chat about academic or nonacademic concerns. - Face-To-Face Learning: Write and mail letters, make phone calls, or schedule meetings/conferences — when allowable under state and/or local guidelines and meeting social distancing requirements— to speak to students and families. ■ Promote Gratitude: Create an appreciation or gratitude activity for students to do together with one another or with their families, such as mailed cards, emailed notes, or spoken words. Regardless of a student’s performance or ability to complete tasks, communicate appreciation of student and parent/family efforts.
■ Make Mental Health/Wellbeing A Priority - Encourage students and their parents or caregivers to connect with counselors or other trusted adults. Offer students other connections or resources to use if they need help or are worried about their safety or well-being. - Encourage parents and caregivers to limit the amount of time that they spend watching or listening to the news or discussing information about current events, while they are in the presence of students. This is to reduce students’ exposure to potential fear-based information, which can impede their ability to regulate, or can exacerbate existing stress or trauma.
Additional Resources In January 2019, CASEL released an important new resource that provides field-tested, practical guidance for cultivating safe, equitable learning environments that promote social,
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SCHOOL SAFETY
emotional, and academic learning. The CASEL Guide to Schoolwide SEL is a free, online resource that helps school teams coordinate and build on their evidence-based practices and programs to implement SEL systemically. Connecting Online Safety & Social and Emotional Learning Below are several online tools and applications that can support creating online safety through the focus on socialemotional learning. ■ NetSmartz: NetSmartz is the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) online safety education program. It provides age-appropriate videos and activities to help teach children be safer online with the goal of helping children to become more aware of potential online risks and empowering them to help prevent victimization by making safer choices on- and offline. ■ Common Sense Education: Common Sense Education is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. ■ Positive Penguins: If a student is going through a hard time, Positive Penguins may be just what they need. This interactive app helps children understand why they experience any number of emotions. Through the use of games featuring lovable penguin characters, Positive Penguins gives children an opportunity to cope with and overcome what they’re going through. ■ Smiling Mind: Smiling Mind is an Australian-based app that helps users of all ages take breaks during stressful days to improve their mental health. The in-app activities serve as a form of meditation. This helps students who have a hard time staying focused have a short cool down during the day. Also, they’ve recently released special care packs to help kids deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. ■ Middle School Confidential: There are three different Middle School Confidential apps. These correspond to three books written by teen expert and anti-bullying activist Anne Fox, M.Ed. This interactive comic book follows middle school kids as they deal with low self-confidence, bullying, and physical changes. It’s a fun, entertaining app perfect for any child dealing with the same issues.
■ Classcraft: This app helps boost student confidence in the form of games. Classcraft teaches cooperation, communication, and other social skills. The app is perfect for classrooms because it is a great way to get everyone participating. Plus, they offer webinars and professional development activities designed to help educators meet the challenge of teaching during the pandemic. Educator Wellness If you are teaching virtually or delivering video lessons, check out these articles and reminders Being on camera can be stressful. Remember that we are noticing ourselves more than others are and consider these ideas to help: ■ Why You Can’t Stop Staring at Yourself on Zoom Calls ■ Why You Hate Seeing Your Face in Video Meetings ■ Zoom Exhaustion is Real. Here Are Six Ways to Find Balance and Stay Connected References Boeder, E. (2017, August 4). Emotional Safety is Necessary for Emotional Connection. The Gottman Institute. https://www.gottman.com/blog/ emotional-safety-is-necessary-for-emotional-connection/. Brown, T. (2018, November 14). Developing Stronger Teacher-Student Connections. Getting Smart. https://www.gettingsmart.com/2018/11/ developing-stronger-teacher-student-connections/. Hernández, P., & Rankin, P. (2008). Relational Safety and Liberating Training spaces: An Application with a Focus on Sexual Orientation Issues. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 34(2), 251–264. https:// doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-0606.2008.00067.x
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■ The Social Express: A useful tool for teachers, The Social Express is an educational app designed to teach students how to handle emotional and social problems. Through interactive videos, the user picks a character and helps them decide what to do in different situations. This will help students make moral decisions in the game and in real life. Their website also includes useful information about using the app during remote learning.
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A New Era of School Safety Stephen Balko Dir. of School Building Physical Security and Safety Indiana Dept. of Education Virtual learning. Personal protective equipment. Social distancing. A year ago, these were terms we knew, but they weren’t part of educators’ daily vocabulary. But now, a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, we understand how these critical elements are directly intertwined with school safety. And just as many of us have adjusted our lives in the last year, it’s also critical that we adjust the ways we look at safety in our schools – whether that’s through virtual, hybrid or in-person instruction. As schools come through the pandemic, it will be important to focus on what was learned, and what should remain in our world. When it comes to digital learning, for example, what new threats come into the picture? How do we control access to a virtual classroom? And what about student privacy? As education embraces a more digital world, educators and parents should be taking extra steps to ensure students’ safety. Schools should continuously review their virtual platforms for security updates; plus, here are some basic tips for all educators: ■ Learn how to lock your online classroom in the platform your school is using. ■ Do not share classroom passwords on social media. ■ Learn how to control screen and content sharing within your platform. ■ Know how to remove someone from your virtual classroom. As more students are learning from home, parents will also play an even greater role in keeping their learners safe. Some safety tips for parents include: ■ Talking with your student about online privacy and the importance of not revealing personal information. Discussing the importance of 10
passwords and locking devices. Encouraging open communication regarding online experiences, including social media. And now, as many students and educators are returning to school buildings, we’ve learned to think about the safety of our physical building with a new invisible threat in mind. To limit the spread of COVID-19, our schools have used millions of pieces of PPE and gallons hand sanitizer, they’ve modified emergency drills, and they’ve altered their “normal” plans to fit the new environment. Going forward, schools should look at their actions over the past year and ask an important question: What practices should stick around? A few good followups to that include: ■ What are your thresholds for distance learning? ■ How can you adjust your safety plan to fit new hazards? Will you teach with your doors unlocked or windows open? ■ Who are your partners? As you’re considering these issues, I suggest starting by bringing together your existing partners and examining how you can come together to continue pushing through this pandemic (and a potential future emergency). What new partners can you bring to the table? The last year has highlighted the need for collaboration and information sharing. As a requirement for the Indiana Secured School Safety Grant, for example, counties are required to establish County School Safety Commissions. These commissions are designed to pull together all stakeholders (law enforcement, emergency management, schools, public health, etc.) to discuss and plan for safety issues occurring in schools. In addition to these external stakeholders, schools should also be asking, “Who serves on our school safety committees?” Schools know they should be including building and district leaders, school resource officers, and safety directors.
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However, I would suggest not stopping there. Your school safety committee should include your school nurses, classroom teachers, counselors, and even students. Safety planning should include diversity of thought and opinion to ensure a more thoughtful and robust outcome. I would also encourage schools to begin developing a continuity of operations plan if they don’t have one already. At the beginning of the pandemic, schools worked on the fly to develop plans for remote instruction, food distribution, connectivity, and more. Moving forward, schools should look at how to refine, formalize, implement, and practice the implementation of these procedures and policies. Prior to the pandemic, many of these procedures either did not exist, had not been implemented, or only existed as an idea. Hoosier schools have now implemented and lived these operations. Utilizing your county school safety commissions and school safety committees, ask yourself – what worked? What didn’t work? And how can these plans be revised for future implementation? As we move into a post-pandemic world, it is extraordinarily important to learn lessons from the world we are in today. Take time to think about how you’ll keep your students safe online and in the classroom. Review what programs, policies, and procedures your school will keep. What did you implement that can survive outside of a pandemic? I suggest a review of all “new” items implemented from March 2020 onward. Take this opportunity to enhance your safety and security procedures using the lessons learned. I’d also like to personally invite all school personnel to join the Indiana Department of Education’s School Safety Specialist Academy to receive ongoing training on best practices in school safety. To learn more about the Academy, please visit our website or reach out to me at sbalko@doe. in.gov. www.iasp.org
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Building Collaborative, Relationship-Based School Resource Officer Programs Chase LyDay Chief of Police Avon School Police Department Carefully-selected, specifically-trained School Resource Officers (SROs) are uniquely suited to be one of the most impactful professionals in a school district. The goal of School Resource Officer programs is to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community by investing in healthy, positive relationships with students, staff, families and the community. Healthy programs champion the NASRO (National Association of School Resource Officers) “Triad Model” of school-based policing which categorizes the role of a School Resource Officer in three interrelated concepts: mentor, educator, law enforcement officer. These roles are listed in order of importance as they provide an appropriate framework for School Resource Officers to prioritize their work with students. They underscore what is most valuable to SRO programs. Questions for Reflection – “Do you have a School Resource Officer who has been carefully-selected and specifically-trained to work with kids or do you have a police officer who has been generally trained in law enforcement? Do you have the articulated goals of a School Resource Officer program or is your program a school police model?” Even though the goals of a School Resource Officer program align well with the strategy of most principals, there is a significant amount of calibration that must occur between school administrators and SROs in their building to effectively implement a program. There is often conflict and misunderstanding of each other’s roles that result in frustration. How do we get on the same page to provide the safest learning environments possible for our staff and students? Two key words will be interwoven through every key concept espoused in this article: relationships and collaboration. An effective School Resource Officer program simply can’t exist without a healthy relationship between building administrators and the officers. As is the case in any relationship, one must do the work of building trust and respect to ensure positive outcomes of the partnership. This is particularly true within the relationship of a building administrator and the SRO. When a principal calls for a SRO, they expect a person to show up who is good at working with kids and knows the intricacies of working with students in an educational setting. When a School Resource Officer is called to help, they want to be 12
confident the administrator is calling for a reason that justifies law enforcement intervention. Here are some practical ways to align your efforts: ■ Clarify your roles before the school year begins. Discuss safety plans and protocols with your SRO(s) and administrators to ensure everyone has a clear understanding of their role in safety initiatives. ■ Collaborate with your SRO on safety strategies. SROs have an immense amount of school safety resources available to them including best practices recommendations, new products and a network of professionals who are experts in this field. You have a greater understanding of educational environments and needs. Work together! ■ Communicate frequently. Over-communicate safety protocols, important information about students, expectations and goals. Have intentional times set to discuss safety with your SRO. ■ Collect meaningful data. Most SRO programs only collect arrest data. Ask your SRO to aggregate data on calls for service any time he/she is called to help, criminal court diversions when the SRO could have arrested a student but chose not to, referred a student to mental health supports, attended a community event. You will see the value SROs add very quickly with data that most don’t collect! Kids can’t learn if they don’t feel safe. As administrators and School Resource Officers develop good relationships through intentional collaboration, much safer environments for students are built that produce much greater outcomes. When greater outcomes for our kids is the main goal, we can move forward better together. Questions for reflection – Have your School Resource Officers attended the NASRO Basic Course to be certified? Have you attended the Indiana School Safety Specialist Academy? Great training produces great professionals!
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Michelle and Jim Ryan established Michelle A. T. Ryan Family Scholarship Thehave Michelle A. the and James and James T. Ryan Family Scholarship and the Ryan will coverTheallinitiatives costs—including tuition, fees, and room Family Navigators Program. will assist students from diverse economically challenged andand board—for approximately 16 Ryan Scholars over backgrounds by providing financial assistance and the next seven years. The Michelle A. and James T. Ryan comprehensive services to them.
•You must first be admitted to Ball State University. •Fill out the FAFSA. Family Scholarship recipients selected basedby on •The Applicants criteria willwill be be invited to apply Michelle A. andwho Jamesmeet T. Ryan initial Family Scholarship
criteria established the Ryan family in conjunction will cover all costs—including tuition, fees, andby room and board—for approximately 16 Ryan Scholars over with Teachers College. the next seven years. The Michelle A. and James T. Ryan Family Scholarship recipients will be selected based on The Ryan Family Navigators Program serves as a hub criteria established by the Ryan family in conjunction with Teachers College. for student support and provides comprehensive student
April 15. Scholars will be announced in early May. •Ryan Scholars are supported by the Ryan Family Navigators Program. The Navigators program serves as a hub for student support and connection to university-wide comprehensive The Ryan Family Navigators Program serves as a hub student services to allallTeachers College Scholars will services to Teachers College students. students, particularly for student support and provides comprehensive student those who are the first in their family to attend college be expected to participate in Navigator Program activities. services to all Teachers College students, particularly those who are theand/or first in their familyhave to attend college they financially
challenging backgrounds.
and/orLowery, they have financially challengingDean backgrounds. Questions? Contact Dr. Kendra Assistant for School Engagement, For more information about the Ryan Family Scholars information about the Ryan Family Scholars Teachers College,Foratmore kplowery@bsu.edu or 765-285-8618. and Ryan Family Navigators programs, andNavigators for a and Ryan Family programs, complete list of all scholarships offered to students complete list of all scholarships offered in the Departments of Educational Psychology, Educational in theStudies, Departments of Educational Elementary Education, and Special Psychology, Educational Studies, Education, visit our website.
and for a to students
Elementary Education, and Special Education, visit our website.
bsu.edu/teachers/scholarships 1065870-21 mc
bsu.edu/teachers/scholarships 1065870-21 mc
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LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
STEM Integrations Community Partnership Series: Supporting Student and Educator Safety with External Expertise Krista M. Stith STEM Integrations, LLC
Rachel L. Geesa STEM Integrations, LLC Creating a safe physical and technological infrastructure in schools is a complex, challenging, and timeconsuming task for educational leaders. An impactful safety plan must engage a thoughtful process of educational leaders to involve many stakeholders and continuously evolve the plan with prevention and intervention strategies. Safety plans, also known as emergency operation plans, should be developed district-wide and building-level. Threats (a human-caused emergency), hazards (natural, technological, biological disasters or accidents), and personnel roles during an emergency and postemergency should be considered. In this reading of our community partnership series, we provide resources for educational leaders to consider from planning and implementation of safety plans with purposeful community partner involvement. Within the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE; 2021), the Indiana School Safety Hub provides funding details, building safety, education and training, mental health/substance use disorder, legislation, and additional resources. The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Supportive Schools and Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center (2020) has also designed a number of cyber safety
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and cybersecurity resources for PK-12 schools. In addition to online resources available to schools and districts, community involvement in safety planning is an approach to promote safe school environments with evidence of effectiveness in research and practice. Examples of community partners that may work with educational leaders on a safety plan, and contribute to emergency response, may include law enforcement, juvenile justice agencies, social services, medical and mental health agencies, business leaders, community foundations, youth support groups, and family service organizations. The Emergency Response and Crisis Management (ERCM) Technical Assistance Center of the Department of Education (2007/2019) recommends the following actions for community partners within a school safety plan: ■ Prevention: Avoiding, deterring, or stopping threats or hazards ■ Protection: Securing against threats or hazards ■ Mitigation: Proactive co-planning of response protocols ■ Preparedness: Collaborative participation of active practicing and conducting drills ■ Response: Resource sharing to stabilize/recover school infrastructure ■ Recovery: Co-restoring the learning environment so that schools may quickly return to the educational mission.
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With a significant shift to distance learning/remote education, community partners with technological expertise can contribute to a comprehensive plan at school or district levels to promote safe online environments for teachers, staff, and students. Though a resource primarily for higher education institutions, the nonprofit organization, EDUCAUSE, is a community of 2,300 organizations and 100,000 information technology (IT) leaders within academia, industry, and nonprofits. As a professional organization, they disseminate training opportunities, research, and newsletters; hold an active online community; and more to address issues and challenges of cybersecurity within educational settings. A membership directory is available with a number of Hoosier organizations and individuals listed. Another resource to identify local community members is the Research and Education Networks Information Sharing and Analysis Center (REN-ISAC), based out of Bloomington, Indiana. REN-ISAC hosts an active online presence to share and disseminate information on cybersecurity protections. The organization hosts public resources for members and non-members and, similar to EDUCAUSE, a directory list which includes several Hoosier universities and colleges. Community partners who contribute to safety plans may also be involved to inform educators and students of
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best safety practices. For example, community partners on a safety committee for the school’s or district’s technological infrastructure may guest speak with students and address cybersecurity benchmarks within the Indiana K-12 Computer Science Standards. Project or problem-based STEM lessons can align with school safety measures, such as students ideating solutions to safety challenges within the building. Engineering challenges to community partners may also lead professional learning opportunities for educators on ways to prevent or respond to threats and hazards (e.g., promotion of socialemotional learning, cyber safety). Notably, maintaining confidential information when working with community partners should also be considered to avoid additional safety issues and risks.
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Keeping educators and students safe in physical and virtual settings is a challenging task for educational leaders. As part of the prevention, protection, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery processes within a comprehensive school safety plan, the integration of community partners may reduce school and district vulnerability to threats and hazards. Additionally, community partners can also provide a source of information to educators and students on best practices for safety in natural, technological, and biological threats. A number of resources are available to educational leaders and we encourage you to explore these resources to be well-informed of safety strategies for schools and districts. For more information, please contact us at www.stemintegrations.com or stemintegrationsllc@gmail.com
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References EDUCAUSE (n.d). EDUCAUSE. https://www. educause.edu/ ■ Indiana Department of Education (IDOE). (2021). Indiana School Safety Hub. https:// www.in.gov/schoolsafety/ ■ Indiana Department of Education (IDOE). (2018). Indiana K-12 Computer Science Standards. https://www.doe.in.gov/sites/ default/files/wf-stem/ind-k-12-computerscience-standards.pdf ■ Research & Education Networks Information Sharing & Analysis Center. (2021). REN-ISAC. https://www.ren-isac.net/ U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Supportive Schools and Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center. (2020, July). Keeping Students Safe Online. https://oese.ed.gov/resources/safe-schoolenvironments/keeping-students-safe-online/ U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (2019, September). The Role of Districts in Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operation Plans: A Companion to the School Guide. https://rems.ed.gov/docs/District_Guide_508C. pdf
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UPCOMING EVENTS IASP hosts events throughout the year to support the growth and development of Indiana school administrators and students. Each event is intentionally designed to encourage and engage you in the pursuit of learning! FIND A FULL LIST OF EVENTS AT IASP.ORG/EVENTS
Special thanks to our Platinum Corporate Sponsor
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Leading for 100 Years The NAESP Annual Conference is the one national event that provides the strongest unified voice for pre-K–8 educators across the U.S. and around the world. Join us in Chicago, July 8-10, 2021, to help celebrate NAESP’s 100th anniversary of offering professional learning experiences designed to inspire bold thinking and innovative leadership. National Association of Elementary School Principals Serving all elementary and middle-level principals 800-386-2377 • naesp.org • twitter.com/naesp • facebook.com/naesp • instagram.com/thenaesp • linkedin.com/company/naesp
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LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Student Well-Being: Utilizing School Threat Assessment Teams During and Beyond the Pandemic Dr. Shane Conwell Superintendent DeKalb County Eastern Community School District Dr. Nick Elam Asst. Professor, Dept. of Educational Leadership Ball State University While schools have rightfully shifted this year to keeping staff and students masked and socially distanced, school leaders must continue to build on the time, effort, and growth made over the last twenty years with strengthening the safety and security of our schools and improving the overall well-being of our students through collaborative efforts. For example, consider the growing partnership between schools and mental health agencies. Ironically, the Governor signed Indiana Senate Bill 246 last year, which now requires schools to have a memorandum of understanding in place with a community mental health center or provider before applying for a grant from Indiana’s secured school fund, the day prior to him closing all schools due to the pandemic. Fortunately, school leaders don’t have to depend entirely on outside entities, or wait for the passage of a legislative bill, to address their students’ health and well-being needs. Without question, over the past year student mental, emotional, and social health, academic burdens, and even daily routines have been affected by the pandemic (Grubic et al., 2020). Even years prior to the coronavirus pandemic, it was reported that approximately three out of every 10 students in Indiana had reported feeling sad or hopeless (Indiana State Department of Health, 2016). Where should school leaders go next with addressing student health and well-being needs? One effective team-effort approach is the implementation and utilization of a school threat assessment team. Though the traditional purpose of a school threat assessment team may be to focus on deterring severe crime and violence like school shootings, the typical structure and individuals that comprise a school threat assessment team make it an excellent opportunity for supporting and steering students out of this pandemic for months and years to come. Initially a concept derived from the United States Secret Service, school threat assessment teams may be defined as a 20 20
group of people (e.g. school administrators, counselors, nurses, resource officers, mental health agencies, etc.) who meet on a regular basis that identify, assess, and manage individual student behaviors and threats who may be a potential risk for targeted violence (Padgett et al., 2020). In addition to violence towards others, school threat assessment teams may also follow the same approach for students exhibiting harmful behaviors toward themselves. What better time or need for a school threat assessment team than now? As previously mentioned, school leaders must continue to focus on keeping schools COVID-safe while addressing student learning loss, but also need to be cognizant of student health and well-being by having the people and processes in place to effectively and efficiently identify, assess, and manage student threats and behaviors before it escalates to self-harm or targeted violence. Regarding targeted violence, research has shown those students who commit violent acts typically have multiple mental health symptoms and social stressors while exhibiting concerning behaviors (National Threat Assessment Center, 2019). Compound these pre-existing variables with increased anxiety or depression due to the loss of a family member because of COVID, social isolation from peers, increased screen time, e-Learning challenges, etc. and schools are at a greater demand for monitoring student well-being. Of course, student behaviors and threats require different levels of assessment and management, but at the very least, threat assessment teams can start by breaking down information silos through identifying behaviors or threats and initiating conversations among team members. Depending on the level of behavior or threat, teams likely will not have to meet for every incident or even every week. Meeting regularly however, could produce critical information that reduces and/or deters student self-harm and violence and serves as a key barometer for understanding the climate of your school and improving navigation efforts proceeding forward. Burton (2020) explains that aggregated threat assessment data help team members collaborate and pinpoint pre-incident indicators that can help prevent acts of violence, suicide, bullying, or depression before they manifest into crises. This is associated with quicker referrals, programs, counseling, or other proactive interventions within the school. Unlike other
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school security and safety measures which can be expensive, the core ingredient of a school threat assessment team are the individual members, which are more than likely already in your building. Whether your school has already established a team or you are considering doing so in the future, I challenge you to be proactive in your efforts. In the end, students learn better when proactive safeguards and norms are in place. References Burton, F. (2020, December 16). Preparing for Threats beyond COVID19. Campus Security & Life Safety. https://campuslifesecurity.com/ articles/2020/12/16/preparing-for-threats-beyond-covid19.aspx
Indiana State Department of Health. (2016). 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Results. https://www.in.gov/isdh/files/4_2015INH_Summary_ Tables.pdf National Threat Assessment Center. (2019). Protecting America’s Schools: A U.S. Secret Service Analysis of Targeted School Violence. U.S. Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security. Padgett, Z., Jackson, M., Correa, S., Kemp, J., Gilary, A., Meier, A., Gbondo-Tugbawa, K., and McClure, T. (2020). School Survey on Crime and Safety: 2017–18 Public-Use Data File User’s Manual (NCES 2020054). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC. http://nces. ed.gov/pubsearch.
Grubic, N., Badovinac, S., & Johri, A. M. (2020). Student mental health in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic: A call for further research and immediate solutions. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 66(5), 517-518.
Special thanks to our University Partners:
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Ball State Online
Jeffrey Ryman MAE Educational Administration
Our program for building interventionists and other aspiring educator-leaders. Jeffrey Ryman, building interventionist for the Southport 6th Grade Academy in Indianapolis, Ind., is pursuing Ball State Online’s master’s (MAE) in educational administration and supervision with a goal of linking the intervention systems of area schools. “Course work for the MAE is preparing me to do what I have done with intervention as an educator over the past 17 years to create a district wide system,” says Ryman, who graduates this spring. • • •
Earn a P-12 building-level administration license (principal’s license) Program ranked 15th among U.S. News’ Best Online Programs Degree offered 100 percent online, except for two-semester internship
Contact Casey Schultz, Academic Advisor, today: cmschultz@bsu.edu
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LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
IPLI News Kelly Andrews Director Indiana Principal Leadership Institute IPLI is a premier professional development opportunity for the practicing principals of Indiana. We are here to support you, encourage you, and provide growth in your leadership as we learn together, lead together, and connect with one another. IPLI Extended IPLI Extended is a formal, year-long, intensive professional development program for IPLI graduates. Extended allows participants to dig deeper into topics covered during the IPLI experience. In addition to three-day-long seminars, graduates meet in regional focus cohorts throughout the state (August, October, and February). Topics vary from year-to-year so that graduates can enroll in Extended multiple times. When appropriate, IPLI Extended participants are encouraged to bring teacher-leaders with them to the seminars.
IPLI News – March 2021 IPLI is a premier professional development opportunity for the practicing principals of Indiana. We are here to support you, encourage you, and provide growth in your leadership as we learn together, lead together, and connect with one another.
IPLI Extended
IPLI Extended is a formal, year-long, intensive professional development program for IPLI graduates. Extended allows participants to dig deeper into topics covered during the IPLI experience. In addition to three-day-long seminars, graduates meet in regional focus cohorts throughout the state (August, October, and February). Topics vary from year-to-year so that graduates can enroll in Extended multiple times. When appropriate, IPLI Extended participants are encouraged to bring teacher-leaders with them to the seminars.
Applications open on April 13, 2021 http//indianapli.org/ipli-extended www.iasp.org
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INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS ECA WORKSHOP Virtual Meeting Presented by Chase Lenon
and Jonathan Wineinger Directors of Audit Services, Indiana State Board of Accounts IASP offers Extra-Curricular Account (ECA) Workshops throughout the year on various topics. These are open to members and school treasurers.
April 22, 2021 9am-10:30am EST Virtual Meeting
We are pleased to announce that our State Board of Accounts Workshop is set for a Virtual Meeting, 9 a.m. on Thursday April 22. 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. This allows Chase Lenon and Jonathan Wineinger of the SBOA to provide you with guidance on your specific topics. We look forward to seeing you virtually and appreciate your support for schools, especially during this time. If others wish to register for the SBOA ECA Workshop, please share this registration with them.
Online Registration: www.iasp.org under Principal Programs. Or fax this information to 317-454-0749 Name ___________________________________________________________________________ School Corporation ________________________________________________________________ School __________________________________________________________________________ School Address ___________________________________________________________________ City ____________________________________________ State ________
Zip ____________
Email ___________________________________________________________________________ ______ April 22, 2021 $50 Registration Payment: Check __________ PO # __________ Credit Cards are accepted with Online Registration.
Questions? Contact Beth Moore, emoore@iasp.org or 317.947.4110
Cancellation/ Refund/Opt out Policy Refunds or credits will be given only for cancellations made in writing (mail, fax, or email) to Beth Moore Kissel emoore@iasp.org no later than one business day prior to the conference date. No refunds will be given for “no shows” or cancellations received on the day of the conference. Our apologies if you have received this and do not want it. If you would like to be removed from this list please call 800-537-1166 an automated removal or fax above information noting to please remove from fax contact to 317-454-0749
INDIANA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL PRINCIPALS
11025 E. 25th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46229 | 317-8919900 |emoore@iasp.org | www.iasp.org
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SERVICE
Riley Kids Caring & Sharing Update Susan Miles Officer, Kids Caring & Sharing TM Riley Children’s Foundation Keeping Students and Staff Safe While Upholding Philanthropic Traditions If any of your schools initiated an online giving page through the Kids Caring & Sharing portal https://give.rileykids.org/ KCSFundraising or recently ordered free fundraising supplies www.rileykids.org/KCS to support your Riley campaign marketing efforts, you probably noticed the addition of one or more donor/participant waivers on those websites. In all things relating to Riley Hospital, children’s health and safety is paramount.
The same virtual platform that hosts Riley auctions has a special voting component where you can upload images or items and then share a unique page URL to invite votes by donation. Perhaps you could host a poetry-writing contest, or a photography contest, or a draw your best red wagon art exhibit where visitors select a Viewer’s Choice with monetary votes supporting Riley Hospital.
The added waivers pose a series of questions to prompt your school’s consideration of the safeguards you may already have or need to put in place, especially when hosting a Rileycentered philanthropic event. Please take thoughtful steps to ensure your physical spaces and Riley fundraising event guests are following all public health guidelines for gathering and participating safely.
KCS Recognition on track for 2010-2011 We will return to our pre-Covid KCS giving year deadline of June 30 for recognition within the 2020-2021 school year. We will mail plaque decals to school principals in August. Now is a great time to make sure your KCS recognition plaque is current. Decals acknowledging participation back to 2006-2007 are available. I will be happy to provide you with your school’s KCS gift history. If you are a Riley Dance Marathon high school, you should also have a KCS plaque recognizing your philanthropic partnership. Please contact me with any questions. SMiles@ rileykids.org
Additional Online Resources Available You know about our online giving pages, Extra Life fundraising opportunities for gamers, and online auction events, but did you know you are able to host an online voting fundraiser as well?
I am happy to brainstorm with your students and philanthropic coordinators a safe opportunity unique to your community.
Let’s work together to find creative ways to keep supporting Riley!
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Need help finding health insurance?
Our LICENSED NAVIGATORS are ready to help connect you and your family to healthcare coverage.
SERVICES AVAILABLE STATEWIDE WE FOCUS ON THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: HOOSIER HEALTHWISE HEALTHY INDIANA PLAN MARKETPLACE To schedule an appointment for enrollment assistance or an educational session visit www.indianaruralhealth.org/CKC-IN Call 812.478.3919, ext 248 or Email: navigator@indianarha.org This project is supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $469,408.00 with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
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SERVICE
Spotlight on Service Learning INvolve, INvest, INSPIRE3 INSPIRE3 provides resources to Educate, Engage, and Empower students, classrooms, schools, and communities as they seek opportunities for service-learning and philanthropy. There have been many classroom activities highlighted over the years and you can view those under the INSPIRE3 Snapshots of Service Learning page. It’s Your Turn! We will continue to highlight these and share them with our members in a multitude of ways, so now it’s your turn to be featured in the Indianagram! It’s time to highlight the service learning that is happening in your neck of the woods. Simply fill in this quick form to submit your project to be shared with other Indiana educators. It’s that easy! You can also find many examples and resources on our INSPIRE3 page to help introduce, implement, and continue service learning in your school community. You can find the resources below, as well as many more. Share them with your colleagues and teachers today. Snapshot of the Month American Red Cross Outreach Issue/Focus: Disaster Relief/Preparedness Darleen Maas, 7th and 8th grade English/Language Arts teacher at Colonel John Wheeler Middle School in Crown Point, IN, shared the Learning to Give Blue Sky Envisioning Activity with her three 8th grade English classes. She has been working diligently with the students to achieve social awareness, empathetic behaviors, and how middle school students could become involved in their community. The students worked with someone who had a similar passion for a cause, created a powerpoint presentation about their non-profit organization, and presented it to the class. The top three groups then presented to staff members who voted on which one would be used as the organization to raise funds and/or goods for within the school. One particular project was led by two young men who both deal with severe disabilities. One of the young men has cerebral palsy, and it was his passion and love for life that inspired the voters to choose his non-profit organization, the American Red Cross. The Northwest Indiana chapter visited, gave an overview of what they do around the Crown Point area, shared the needs within the community, and suggested how the students could help support the American Red Cross. The students decided on a goal to fill 50 pillowcases with items such as toothbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, wash cloths, small toys, and hand sanitizer. The bags will be given to victims of disasters such as house fires or flooding. Enough items were collected that these students were able to double their goal and fill 100 bags! In a letter thanking the students for their service-learning project, an American Red Cross worker wrote, “Your generosity brings our mission to life in Lake County, helping to ensure that people receive comfort and hope in the face of emergencies as well as emergency preparedness opportunities for residents. Because of donors like you, Red Cross volunteers and workers will be able to deliver immediate relief to families affected by disasters through the distribution of comfort kits…” Proving they are socially aware and empathetic.
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LEGAL REVIEW
Situation Briefs Dave Emmert Emmert School Consulting
The following issues have been presented to this writer in the recent past by school administrators. The summary responses are shared to improve administrator recognition of problem areas and to give a brief legal background to assist in problem resolution. Consultation with the school attorney is very important because each situation is different and the law to be applied is more complex than what is revealed in these responses. This column is intended for informational purposes only and should not be viewed as legal advice. Dave may be contacted on his cell at 317-432-4514 and on the web at; davidjemmert@gmail.com. Issue: With a new teacher being hired, do we have two or three years of “probationary” status to continue employment or release the person if we want to go a different direction? Response: The relevant Teacher Contract Code is not stated in terms of a definite, singular number, such as “two” or “three,” but rather a range of numbers that must be achieved in order to become a “professional teacher.” In subsection (c) of IC 20-28-6-7.5, it states that a teacher must receive a rating of effective or highly effective for three years out of a five-year period to gain professional status. Hence, a “new” teacher remains “probationary” until meeting the professional teacher status level. As is evident, it will take a minimum of three (3) years to become such as long as the teacher is rated effective or highly effective in each of those years. Therefore, any time before becoming “professional,” the probationary teacher can be dismissed for any of the reasons stated in this Code which includes “other good and just cause,” and “for any reason relevant to the school corporation’s interest.” See IC 20-28-7.5-1. (I took www.iasp.org
your phrase “go a different direction” as dismissal.) However, subsection (c) of this provision requires the school to follow the procedures contained in IC 20-28-7.5, sections 2 through 4, in order to cancel the probationary contract when the most flexible reason of “relevant to the school’s interest” is used. The point here is that the school still has to follow all the statutory procedural “hoops” for whatever the reason or reasons the probationary teacher is being released. Issue: After some investigation, we determined that a teacher on his own time and equipment, off school grounds, pretending to be a parent concerned about school safety, created a Twitter account pertaining to school safety and encouraged “whistleblowing” from interested parties. It expressed concern for our playground being unsafe and posted pictures, details, and information about staff members. It also mentioned that I needed to leave my employment and specifically called me out with screenshots of communication I had distributed, and called me a liar. Is this sufficient for his dismissal? Response: My opinion based on these facts is that his remarks are speech most likely protected by the First Amendment. He expressed himself as a citizen, and not as a public employee, on a matter of public concern, using his account, not the school’s. Any retaliation by you, including a negative remark, warning, etc., could be found to be motivated by his free exercise of the First Amendment, even if it only is found to have a chilling effect on the future exercise of his free speech rights. Such a reaction by you could affect not only you, personally, but also the school, and in my view lead to considerable legal difficulties. If he would win a court battle, attorney fees could be rendered against you personally and/or the school, depending on the particular facts. Issue: I had two minors fighting on the Return to Table of Contents
school bus. My director of transportation says we can’t share that video with my SRO because it breaks FERPA. The video will be used for the prosecution of one student because of the violent nature of the attack. I believe we can share that footage, but she is telling me otherwise. Response: In my view based on the highlighted language in the FERPA Regulations pasted below, you may share this video information of the fight on the bus with juvenile authorities without the consent of the parents. FERPA Regulations as of March 8, 2021 Regarding Juvenile Record information §99.31 Under what conditions is prior consent not required to disclose information? (a) An educational agency or institution may disclose personally identifiable information from an education record of a student without the consent required by §99.30 if the disclosure meets one or more of the following conditions: (1) …. Through (4) omitted (5)(i) The disclosure is to State and local officials or authorities to whom this information is specifically— (A) Allowed to be reported or disclosed pursuant to State statute adopted before November 19, 1974, if the allowed reporting or disclosure concerns the juvenile justice system and the system’s ability to effectively serve the student whose records are released; or (B) Allowed to be reported or disclosed pursuant to State statute adopted after November 19, 1974, subject to the requirements of §99.38. (ii) Paragraph (a)(5)(i) of this section does not prevent a State from further limiting the number or type of State or local officials to whom disclosures may be made under that paragraph. 29
§99.38 What conditions apply to disclosure of information as permitted by State statute adopted after November 19, 1974, concerning the juvenile justice system? (a) If reporting or disclosure allowed by State statute concerns the juvenile justice system and the system’s ability to effectively serve, prior to adjudication, the student whose records are released, an educational agency or institution may disclose education records under §99.31(a)(5) (i)(B). (b) The officials and authorities to whom the records are disclosed shall certify in writing to the educational agency or institution that the information will not be disclosed to any other party, except as provided under State law, without the prior written consent of the parent of the student. Issue: We have had approximately five students who are enrolled as females with names usually associated with a female who have asked their teachers to use a name for them that is nonbinary , i.e., Toby, Valid, Karma, Zero. My questions are: ■ Are we as school staff obligated to use these preferred names and pronouns? ■ Should parents be involved in a middle school student’s request to use a different name? ■ Is a Gay Straight Alliance age/ grade level appropriate in a 6-8 building? If it is appropriate, would permission from parents be required? We require parental permission for every other club in our building. Response: I will respond only generally because I have little experience or expertise in this new and developing legal area. Therefore, please do not take my answers as legal authority. I will be responding on general assumptions and not necessarily to your particular facts.
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The overall correct answer is that you may not discriminate against students based on their sex under Title IX and the 14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause. In 2017, the Seventh Circuit Federal Court of Appeals, that sets legal precedent in the states of Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin, ruled in a Kenosha, WI school case that transgender students are protected on the basis of sex under these two laws. So, if there is sufficient information that these students in your situation are transgender, and if your school would not allow them to use nicknames such as those you mentioned, you would most likely be found liable for denial of the equal protection clause ant Title IX sex discrimination in that you allow other students to use nicknames of their choice. Issue: I need to be directed to state requirements for teacher evaluations, specifically, the mandated components of the teacher evaluation rubric. We were “dinged” by the DOE last year for not having growth measure data for all teachers in our corporation. We were going to include the SLOs (student learning objectives) back into the evaluations this year. However, our union is saying those do not need to be in there and are causing a stink with us requiring them. I always thought the growth measures (SLOs) had to be in there. I am not sure why our school district took them out four years ago in that I was not here at that time. When I arrived, I asked why we didn’t have SLOs and the superintendent at that time said he didn’t know why they were taken out either. Now our current superintendent said we were “dinged” by the DOE for not having them and they need to go back into our evaluation process. Response: From what I could gather from the Indiana Code and State Board of Education Rules, this issue is up in the proverbial “air” at the moment due to COVID 19 and the Governor’s Executive Order 20-20 dated April 9, 2020. I have not read it, but it is available online.
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Teacher evaluation is found at IC 20-2811.5, the table of contents for which is: ■ 20-28-11.5-3 “School corporation” ■ 20-28-11.5-4 School corporation plan; plan components ■ 20-28-11.5-5 Conduct of evaluations ■ 20-28-11.5-6 Completed evaluation; remediation plan; conference with superintendent ■ 20-28-11.5-7 Instruction by teacher rated ineffective ■ 20-28-11.5-8 State board actions; model plan; approval of plan by teachers ■ 20-28-11.5-8.5 Plan for performance evaluations not subject to bargaining; review of plans by the department and the Indiana employment relations board; requirement to present plans selected to the state board of education ■ 20-28-11.5-9 Department report of evaluation results
If you or your superintendent purchased the 2020-2021 edition of the Indiana School Laws and Rules book, there is an important Commentary on page 749 that states that “an evaluation plan is no longer required to use student assessment results as an objective measure of student achievement and growth to significantly inform the evaluation.” You will see beginning on page 1496 of this book, the inclusion of the State Board of Education rule concerning evaluation measures which is 511 IAC 10-6-4 and it includes student growth measures. However, you will see in italics at the very beginning of this rule the editor’s note concerning its suspension or modification due to COVID 19 and the Governor’s Executive Order No. 2020, dated April 9, 2020. I advise you to contact the IDOE for the latest status of this rule and its application to your specific situation.
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LEGAL REVIEW
President Biden Administration’s Emphasis on Civil Rights Laws Predictive of What to Expect from U.S. Department of Education Séamus Boyce Attorney Kroger Gardis & Regas, LLP (KGR) Taylor Hunter Attorney Kroger Gardis & Regas, LLP (KGR) The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is responsible for enforcing federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, and age in schools that receive federal aid. OCR’s main responsibilities include collecting data on key education and civil rights issues, issuing guidance related to civil rights obligations, and conducting investigations of alleged civil rights violations. OCR also issues non-binding “Dear Colleague Letter” guidance that explains and arguably expands obligations imposed by federal non-discrimination statutes and regulations. Although “Dear Colleague Letter” guidance was largely rolled back under Secretary DeVos’ leadership, education leaders should expect a flourish of guidance under the Biden administration. In fact, several recent Executive Orders and Actions signed by President Biden signal issues that OCR is likely to prioritize. Executive Order Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation Last year, the Supreme Court in Bostock v. Clayton County, ruled that employees cannot be discriminated against for their sexual orientation or gender identity under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Following that decision, the Trump administration released a memo on January 8, 2021 taking the position that the Bostock ruling did not apply to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 – a federal law protecting students and employees from sex discrimination in an educational program or activity. Taking a sharp U-turn from the Trump administration, the Biden administration signed Executive Order 13988 expanding forms of sex discrimination to include gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation under Title VII and Title IX, specifically citing the Bostock decision. President Biden also issued an executive order on March 8, 2021 that included the www.iasp.org
administration’s policy on the prohibition of sex discrimination in the educational environment and directed the Secretary of Education to “review all existing regulations, orders, guidance documents, policies, and any other similar agency actions… that are or may be inconsistent with the policy.” The executive order further instructed the Secretary to review all agency actions taken pursuant to the new Title IX regulations and to ensure those actions were consistent with governing law and the administration’s policy on sex discrimination, and directed the Secretary to take additional enforcement actions to ensure that educational institutions are providing appropriate support for students who have experienced sex discrimination and to ensure that the institution’s procedures are fair and equitable for all. What does this all mean for education leaders? Schools cannot not treat students or employees differently from the way it treats other students or employees of the same gender identity or based on sexual orientation. Schools should review their Title IX and discrimination policies to ensure the rights of students and employees are consistent with the law, including updating professional development to address gender identity and sexual orientation protections. In addition to reviewing policy, education leaders should re-visit and understand how to approach issues involving transgender students or employees such as bathroom and locker-room access, athletics, or use of names and pronouns. The Department of Education is expected to issue additional guidance on complying with the Executive Order. Executive Actions Aimed at Advancing Racial Equity As part of his priorities for office, President Biden stated that racial justice is foundational to his administration, and in his first 100 days, he has already signed several executive actions, including: ■ denouncing hate crimes and harassment combat xenophobia against Asian American and Pacific Islanders; ■ directing the Department of Justice to end its use of private prisons; ■ directing the Department of Housing and Urban Development to take steps necessary to redress racially discriminatory federal housing policies; and
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LEGAL REVIEW
■ reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to tribal sovereignty and consultation. In line with these executive actions, the Biden administration will likely reinstate federal guidance to address school discipline – a topic that was heavily regulated under the Obama administration. The Biden administration will likely scrutinize neutral discipline policies that demonstrate a disparate impact on students of color and students with disabilities. What does this all mean for education leaders? When similarly-situated students of different races are disciplined differently for the same offense, discrimination may be inferred as the explanation for the different treatment. A school’s discipline policies, procedures, and practices must comply with the non-discrimination requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI). Title VI prohibits
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discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin by recipients of Federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Education, such as K-12 schools. Although discipline decisions are inherently conduct-specific, education leaders should review and revise discipline policies, and implement disciplinary practices that will effectively promote the fair and equitable administration of discipline. Professional development is also key. Education leaders should provide staff training that includes detailed explanations of the discipline code and the specific manner in which progressive disciplinary consequences will be employed as well as circumstances under which deviations from established policies may be justified. We at KGR routinely provide day-to-day legal counseling and training on these important topics. We along with IASP are important resources to support you.
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Connect with us School Safety
MARCH 2021
Educators get an advantage with Horace Mann auto insurance! Horace Mann auto insurance offers preferred premiums and special features and and association members. With the Horace Mann Educators Advantage®, you’ll get: • No deductible for covered vandalism losses on or near school property or while at a school-sponsored event. • A replacement car if your new car is declared a “total loss.” • Up to $1,000 for veterinary bills or related expenses if your pet is injured or dies as a result of a covered accident. • Added road service coverage if you purchase Emergency Road Service coverage. • Liability coverage if you transport students in a vehicle we insure.
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Horace Mann Insurance Company and its affiliates underwrite Horace Mann home insurance. The benefits and discounts listed: are only general descriptions of coverage; do not constitute a statement of contract; are subject to terms, limits and conditions of the policy contract; and may vary by state. CM-V41253 (4-19) (IASP)