Principal Navigator Winter 2023

the magazine of the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators

Around the Horn

with OAESA Executive Director Dr. Rebecca Hornberger

As an educator, the midpoint of the year is an ideal time to reflect on the progress made thus far in our classrooms and school communities, as well as set goals while also modifying and revising year-long plans and strategies where needed. In a sense, the midpoint of the year is our own type of formative assessment, within which we build our leadership capacity by assessing and responding to the needs around us to optimize growth.

In this issue of the Principal Navigator, we have utilized this midpoint of the year to critically examine and reflect upon our profession’s staying power. We looked to the experts (that’s you!) to provide input about recruiting, supporting, and retaining educators. And you will find this edition chock full of sage advice, nuggets of wisdom, and high-impact strategies to increase educators’ staying power.

Personally, this year marks my 25th year in education in the state of Ohio, and – likely - I’m beyond the midpoint of my career. But as I conduct a “formative assessment” of where we are, where we have been, and where we need to go, I know that these last two years have changed us and have likely also changed the trajectory of our goals.

We have all discussed and examined at length the impact of the pandemic on our classrooms and schools. Much of our discussion often centers around “getting back to normal.” However, I wonder if there might be value in taking some time to acknowledge what is? And by that I mean taking some time to acknowledge the new ways of learning, being, and doing that have emerged from our shared experiences over the past two years. What might happen if we chose to embrace this newness and perhaps even lean in to these new ways of learning, being, and doing?

This new reality is likely different from what we

thought or planned it to be. But I believe the first step in maximizing our own and others’ potential is embracing what is, and then building upon it to cocreate something that is even better suited to who we are now and what our students need now.

As Mark Jones, OAESA Associate Executive Director, shares in The OAESA Roadshow article, the OAESA team spent much of the fall traveling throughout the state of Ohio visiting schools. And what we saw was awe-inspiring. Our educator colleagues throughout the state are coming together for kids in this postpandemic period and pouring their hearts and souls into creating learning spaces and opportunities that are meeting students’ needs like never before.

We saw teams of teachers wrestling with literacy instruction, setting aside old methods and strategies and challenging themselves to meet students’ needs in new and better ways. We saw innovative learning spaces designed to inspire student inquiry and engagement. And, more than anything, we saw building leaders and teachers who love their students and who champion them in any cause. So – yes –perhaps we are at an inflection point in education – a time when we acknowledge what was and embrace what comes next.

Hemingway said, “The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places.” The events of the past two years have, no doubt, caused some brokenness in our schools and communities. But we are emerging from the experience stronger, and together we are moving forward to create the next chapter – a chapter that promises to be filled with new learning, growth, and change for all of Ohio’s students and educators.

Happy New Year!

ohio association of elementary school administrators

ABOUT THE PRINCIPAL NAVIGATOR

COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE TEAM

Matt Bradley, Highland Local Schools

Tammy Elchert, Ed.D., Carey Ex. Village Schools

Michael Emmert, Zanesville Schools

Kim Hurst, Chillicothe City Schools

Julie Kenney, Marion Local Schools

Alexandra Nannicola, Champion Local Schools

Nick Neiderhouse, Ed.D., Maumee City Schools

Joy O’Brien, Forest Hills Schools

Dan Sebring, Bay Village City Schools

Jeromey Sheets, Lancaster City Schools

Tamika Taylor-Ivory, Cleveland Metropolitan Schools

Nick Wilker, Marion Local Schools

Paul Young, Ph.D., retired

Stephen Zinser, retired

OAESA/SAIL TEAM

Rebecca Hornberger, Ph.D., Executive Director of OAESA and SAIL for Education

Mark Jones, Associate Executive Director

Nancy Abrams, Director of Operations and Finance

Patty Cooper, Director of Communications

Melissa Butsko, Director of Professional Learning

Mary Mitton-Sanchez, Director of Publications

EDITORIAL POLICY

Unless otherwise noted, all articles published in the Principal Navigator become the property of OAESA and may not be reprinted without permission from OAESA. The articles published in the Principal Navigator represent the ideas and/or beliefs of the authors and do not necessarily express the views of OAESA.

Advertising inquiries should be directed to OAESA by phone at 614.547.8087 or by emailing info@oaesa.org.

The Principal Navigator (ISSN 1088-078X) is published three times per school year by OAESA, 445 Hutchinson Ave., Suite 700, Columbus, Ohio, 43235. Subscriptions are available only as part of membership. Periodical postage paid at Columbus, Ohio, and additional mailing offices.

OAESA is affiliated with the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP).

POSTMASTER

Send address changes to: Principal Navigator 445 Hutchinson Ave., Suite 700 Columbus, Ohio 43235 association elementary

Felecia

Joe

Andrew

Tell us about your background and current position.

This is my 26th year in education. I am currently serving as the Principal of Marshall Elementary School in the Talawanda School District which is located around Oxford, Ohio. Prior to this position I was a middle school math teacher for 7 years in the Mad River School District near Dayton. So, if you have done the math correctly, this is my 19th year as Principal at Marshall and I have enjoyed every year. Being in one place for that long, you learn just how much we continue to grow and change as educators. Our students keep changing too and something that used to work in the

Chad Hinton

past may not be the best thing for students today.

What do you view as your most important contribution to the day-today operations of your school?

Supporting students, teachers, and staff in meeting the needs of our students. Most days lately I feel like I am putting out fires. The needs of our students to regulate their emotions and being able to attend to their mental health seems to be the driving factor for the day to day. Balancing those immediate needs with the need to keep us focused on our vision are the most important things I work on.

If we interviewed your staff, what are three words they’d use to describe you? Why?

Problem Solver – I try to look for solutions. I am not always able to solve every problem because it might require resources (time, money, or personnel) that we don’t have but we will look at what can we do.

Flexible – I am always willing to work with others. I understand that we all have many things on our plate and while we all still have a job to do we are not going to be effective if we feel like we are pulled in too many directions.

a conversation with OAESA Zone 2 Director

Master Scheduler – I think the math background plays into this one but I think most people know that I can see all of the moving parts when scheduling classes or events.

What are you excited about for this year? In what area(s) are you hoping to grow?

Honestly, I am excited about getting back to “normal” if there is such a thing. We have been so distracted from the vision and mission of educating students with tasks. It is nice that we are getting back to having discussions about student learning. What’s working and what’s not? What can we do differently? What results are we getting? As I am writing this, we just finished a PD day where as a staff we reviewed data, talked about things that we can do to address the needs of our students, and it was so great to see staff connecting with each other and sharing resources. I want to continue to grow in my ability to guide us in a common direction and keep us motived to keep moving forward.

Congratulations on serving on the OAESA Board as the Zone 2 Director. How long have you been on the board? Why did you join?

This is my third year on the OAESA board. I first became involved with OAESA in the entry year principal program. I then spent several years mostly connecting with principals in my area. It wasn’t until I attended the OAESA Annual Conference about 8 years ago that I realized the power of connecting across the state. This is why I was so glad that the conference was back in person this past year.

This issue focuses on recruiting, supporting, and retaining educators in the field. How have you worked to address these issues in your building?

As far as recruiting, I talk with other administrators to gain leads on potential candidates. I support educators by connecting them to resources whether that be subject area coaches, mentors, grade level teams, or observing staff members with particular strengths. And I work to retain educators through supports and coaching as well as giving them the space to grow as individuals.

What are some of your nonnegotiables (educational and/ or personal) in your approach to education and building leadership? Learn from your mistakes and strive to always be better. We work in a very demanding profession with lots of moving and changing parts. We will not be perfect all the time and what worked for some might not work for others, but if we reflect on what we are doing and how our students are performing we can make changes to grow our students.

Could you share any advice or words of wisdom for those who might be considering an administrative role? Why should they make this professional leap?

Be flexible and talk with others. It can be lonely, especially if you are the only administrator in the building. Build a strong leadership team of teachers in your building. Every day is an adventure and you can make a difference in the lives of many students.

HigHligHting an oaeSa Hero!

THE BASICS

FAMILY MEMBERS?

My wife, Michelle, son, Grayson, and a dachshund named Mando

YEARS IN THE CLASSROOM? YEARS IN ADMINISTRATION? 7 in the classroom, 19 as an administrator

EMERGENCY DESK FOOD?

The cafeteria staff would tell you Doritos.

PERSONAL MANTRA? Keep Moving Forward

FAVORITE MEMORY FROM BEING A SCHOOL PRINCIPAL?

Too many to count but most of them are the connections made with students.

FAVORITE HOBBIES?

Traveling (you could call us a Disney family)

UP NEXT ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?

Trip to Europe with the family

BEST DECISION?

Attending Miami University because that’s where I met my wife and that set the direction for the rest of my life.

WHAT WERE YOU LIKE AS A STUDENT?

Fairly quiet and shy--did not like to talk in front of others.

FAVORITE OAESA EVENT?

The Annual Professional Conference or any event that connects Principals

ohio association of elementary school administrators

it’S okay to look Forward

BY CARRIE J. SANCHEZ

It’s because you have ‘Survivor’s Guilt’,” Principal EL (Dr. Salome Thomas-EL, EdD) told me that unseasonably hot June evening just before the annual OAESA Professional Conference in Columbus, Ohio.

He was right. I was carrying this incredibly heavy and yet equally balanced emotional load of both purpose and guilt and in one short sentence he summed up everything I had been trying to sort out.

At the conclusion of my 26th year as an educator and my 13th year as a building principal, I had accepted a new position as Director of Leadership and Learning for the North Point Educational Service Center. I knew that this was the right decision for my career, my goals, my family and myself...but I also carried this indescribable guilt for leaving a school and a district that I deeply loved. That was my school. Those were my teachers. Those were my kids. Was I abandoning them? Was I quitting? Did I give up? No, absolutely not!

After my discussion with Principal EL, I set out on a mission to clarify my “WHY”. Just as Simon Sinek teaches, “Our WHY is our purpose, cause or belief—the driving force behind everything we do.” Throughout the course of my career, my WHY has evolved. However, that evolution has not always been comfortable or easy. Tim Kight calls it Productive Discomfort. While living it, I just now call it LIFE.

My professional WHY is simply this: I believe in education and I want to help people. Through my soul searching and self-reflection I was able to clarify these points:

I became a teacher, because I wanted to help kids.

I became a principal, because I wanted to help teachers and kids.

I became a Director, because I want to help principals (actually all administrators), teachers, and kids.

When I say it like that, it actually does not feel so dramatic, rather, it seems to have a natural progression and simple clarity. It is this clarity that eliminates the unfound guilt and gives me peace.

I love the work of education. I genuinely love the impact it has on all of humanity. My joy comes from helping others and my work & experience has brought me to a place where I can do that on a level I never anticipated.

Educators are in their present roles because of the specific season of their careers. There are no timelines. There are no ‘expectations’ other than those we put on ourselves.

If you have read this far I gently offer this simple suggestion: Love the season you are in and enjoy every moment. To simply pursue greener pastures will only result in frustration, anxiety and discontent. Allow yourself to pursue new challenges and realize that you are taking WITH you every bit of experience and every relationship you have built. Allow yourself to enjoy contentment in your current season. While there are struggles and challenges in every role, every role is wonderful in its very own way.

Carrie Sanchez is the Director of Leadership and Learning for the North Point Educational Service Center in Sandusky, Ohio. Carrie is the 2022-2023 president of OAESA as well as an adjunct instructor for the Graduate School of Teaching and Learning at Bowling Green State University and the Program Director for Leadership Ottawa County. Following thirteen years as a classroom teacher, Carrie served the Port Clinton City School District as Middle School Principal from 2009 - 2022. You can contact Carrie via email, csanchez@npesc.org, Twitter, @carriejsanchez, or learn more about her at: carriesanchez.com.

president’s message

In 1924, Katherine M Mansfield, secretary of the Canton Women Principals Club, proposed a resolution urging for the creation of a state organization for elementary principals...

We need each other We need our ideas checked up with those of others throughout the state A state organization would represent the collective power of all and would do for each of us what we could not achieve ourselves.

Almost 100 years later, we continue to hear similar refrains from administrators across the state Hone your craft with educators across Ohio as we work together to stay current amid the constantly shifting educational landscape As educators, we must remain steadfast in our commitment to professional growth, collegial collaboration, and excellence in education.

Join us June 14-16, 2023 at the Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center in Columbus, Ohio for OAESA's 66th Annual Professional Conference and Trade Show, Stay Gold: Honoring Our Past. Inspiring Your Future.

F E A T U R E D K E Y N O T E S P E A K E R S

H O N O R I N G O U R P A S T . I N S P I R I N G Y O U R F U T U R E

C A N H E R E T O L E A R N M O R E A B O U T T H E 2 0 2 3 E V E N T

N D R E G I S T E R !

Jared Orton President, Savannah Bananas Baseball Team

Carrie Sanchez Director of Leadership and Learning, North Point ESC

Dr. Anthony Muhammad CEO, New Frontier 21 Consulting and Best-Selling Author

What programs do you teach at OAESA with Concordia University Chicago and what is your official title there? What drew you to this field of study? What keeps you excited about it?

I am an Adjunct Professor of Ohio Superintendent Licensure, Ohio Principal Licensure, & Ohio Teacher Leader Endorsement at OAESA in conjunction with Concordia University Chicago (CUC). I have taught several classes over the years since starting with CUC in 2007, but most recently, my focus has been on leading the Superintendent Internship course.

I am continually energized in my teaching at OAESA with CUC because I work with educational leaders from around the state of Ohio who are seeking to build their skills as educators and who aspire to step into new leadership roles. They bring so much energy in their interactions with one another and with me that I can’t help but feed off that energy. I have worked with educators from all over the nation, and I can attest, the educators I work with in the classes that I lead are uniquely qualified and incredibly special.

How will these programs better prepare/equip educators for the current climate they are facing? How will it help them tackle today’s education challenges?

The courses through OAESA’s partnership with CUC are designed to address important issues that impact educators and the school districts they serve. In their ongoing discussion posts and in larger assignments, CUC students are researching and reflecting on issues that include diversity, equity, and inclusion; school funding; family and community engagement; curriculum development; school policy and more.

What is incredibly valuable is that each class is made up of students who represent a variety of backgrounds—from small rural districts to large urban districts. They share some of the same problems, but they also reflect a diversity of realities. Students learn from each other by providing examples from their school districts and sharing those diverse realities. It’s real-life learning at its best.

What attracted you to teach at Concordia University Chicago? What sets this program apart?

OAESA has long been a pacesetter in Ohio when it comes to providing support and professional development for school administrators. Forging this partnership with Concordia University Chicago is an example of how OAESA has been

Faculty SPotligHt

an excerpted conversation with adjunct professor Dr. Kevin Miller

progressive in providing learning opportunities for educators and administrators from all over Ohio.

Because OAESA and CUC have worked together to provide meaningful and challenging programs, educators from across the state have been able to improve teaching and learning in Ohio’s classrooms. It’s hard to match the level of partnership exhibited by OAESA and Concordia University Chicago. It’s what sets them apart from other graduate-level programs.

What is your professional background as an educator/ superintendent?

I received my Bachelor of Science in English Education from Defiance College. My Master of Science in Secondary Education was earned at Indiana University, while my Principal’s and Superintendent’s Certification work was completed at the University of Dayton. I earned my Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

I served as Superintendent of Hicksville Village Schools in Defiance County, Ohio for seven years before becoming Superintendent of Ottawa Hills Schools in Toledo for nine years. For three years, I served as Director of Governmental Relations for the Buckeye Association of School Administrators (BASA). BASA is Ohio’s Superintendent organization—the Superintendent’s version of OAESA. In this role, I worked with legislators to impact education-related legislation and acted as a liaison between the Statehouse and Ohio’s superintendents.

But I found that my heart is in the schoolhouse, not the statehouse, so recently I transitioned back to the Superintendency. I am currently Superintendent of Licking Heights Schools in Pataskala, Ohio. Licking Heights is one of Ohio’s fastest growing school districts, impacted greatly by large corporations located in the area, such as Google, Facebook, Amgen, and American Electric Power.

Tell us a little about yourself. Why did you become interested in education?

It was my fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Louisa Matthews, who convinced me that I wanted to be a teacher. She was fun, she was happy, and she named me classroom librarian. Instead of finding subjects and verbs, we had the chance to write wonderful stories and to make classroom presentations. It was hands-on, student-directed education, making Mrs.

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Matthews decades ahead of her time back in 1969. Mrs. Matthews was one of many wonderful teachers who taught me during my educational career. It was easy to see they loved what they did. I wanted a career that gave me joy each day; I never wanted to be anything but a teacher.

What would you tell prospective students considering your programs about yourself? What’s something that students and colleagues should know about you?

In Dr. Jim Bray’s Foundations of Education class my freshman year at The Defiance College, I remember a phrase from the textbook: “A great educator has a cause beyond oneself.” I’ve never forgotten that.

Every great educator knows what I’m talking about. Try to go back and remember something specific that a teacher taught you and you’ll have a hard time coming up with an answer. What year did you first study Christopher Columbus? When did you realize what an adverb is? How about long division, when did you first learn that?

But if I ask you how a teacher treated you, the memories that a teacher created for you in a classroom— those things you’ll remember.

There is a quote that goes: “Students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” The lessons you teach are important; the lessons you model are critical.

What advice do you have for students interested in pursuing their Ohio Superintendent Licensure? How can people stand out in this field?

Even if you don’t think you want to be a superintendent, earning your superintendent’s license will make you a better educator. You will have a system’s view of how a school district runs and how decisions are made. It gives you an entirely new perspective.

And for those who are intent on becoming a superintendent— good for you! Teachers impact classrooms of students. Principals impact buildings of students. Superintendents impact entire communities. It is an incredibly special opportunity when you can have an impact on a community’s and a school district’s culture. It really is life-changing work—for you and for those you serve.

Those who stand out in the field are those who have a servant’s heart. They understand that the Superintendent is the biggest servant in the district. We are there to serve our faculty and staff, our students, and our community. When you have this focus, you are committed to providing the very best for the people you care about and care for.

Scan the QR code to read Dr. Miller’s full responses and learn more about OAESA’s partnership with Concordia University Chicago.

feature story

reFining Hiring PracticeS

BY MATT BRADLEY

One of the greatest responsibilities of a school leader is the hiring of new teachers. Great instruction is the key to student learning, and great instruction happens through great teachers. It is our job to recruit, interview, and hire excellent educators! However, I have found that identifying great teachers through the interview process can be difficult. Thankfully, Nobel Prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman’s work has been crucial in refining our hiring processes at Highland Middle School.

While working for the Israeli military in the 1950s, Kahneman realized that the interviewing of potential officers was too subjective. He came up with an objective interviewing method to evaluate the officer candidates which better identified officer quality than the prior subjective methods. The process was based on the following steps:

• List the attributes required for the job;

• Think of questions to test those attributes;

• Ask each candidate the same questions in the same order;

• Score each attribute from one to ten;

• Come up with a final score.

Based on this work, our hiring team modified the process to hire the best candidates: know your look-fors; design questions to identify the look-fors; interview the best teachers for exemplar responses; interview the candidates; and, make subjective and objective decisions.

KNOW YOUR LOOK-FORS

It is vital to begin with the end in mind and know the type of candidate you wish to hire and the qualities that they possess. This process is similar to instructional design where teachers build projects and units based on the content that students should know and learn upon completion. The hiring team should brainstorm and discuss the desired qualities. Each building is unique, so this step is a must!

Affinity grouping is an excellent way to complete this process. The process works by having the team – in this case, the hiring team – brainstorm specific, individual look-fors on Post-It Notes. The team then physically moves the Post-It Notes to place them into similar groups. Once the groups are created, the team votes to rank the look-fors by importance or priority.

Our team identified five look-fors specific to us that will help find our best-fit candidate:

1. Learner’s mindset: is the candidate always looking to improve?

2. Humility: is the candidate willing to self-reflect and admit mistakes, and learn from their mistakes?

3. Psychological safety: will the candidate intentionally build relationships and make students feel safe?

4. Lesson/unit design: how well does the candidate plan backward and know their content?

5. Communication: how does the candidate communicate with students, with colleagues, and with families?

DESIGN QUESTIONS TO IDENTIFY THE LOOK-FORS

Once the look-fors are established, the next step is to compile questions based on the desired qualities. This is a crucial step, as the interview is only a short window of time to learn about the candidate. The specific questions must be aligned to the look-fors.

Many school leaders will already have a bank of interview questions that have been used in the past. Do not reinvent the wheel! Take the existing questions, and similar to the affinity grouping process, place them into the existing lookfor categories.

Our team used several previous iterations of interview questions and revised, condensed, or combined them. We wanted to have four-to-five questions for each look-for; otherwise, the interview itself would be too long.

“INTERVIEW”

THE BEST TEACHERS FOR EXEMPLAR ANSWERS

Once the look-fors are established and interview questions are aligned to them, the next step is to build a collection of exemplar answers. We know as educators that when used with intent and purpose, exemplar models can help students understand the standard of work expected. What better way for the hiring team to understand the standard of candidate quality? And the way to create this collection of exemplar answers is to interview the great teachers that already work in the school who demonstrate the look-fors every day!

Our hiring team set aside time over a two-week span to interview multiple teachers across grade-levels and

content areas. This step in the process was meaningful to both our team and the teachers. All commented after the interview that it made them think about their practices and philosophies. The teachers interviewed also commented that the practice of “being interviewed” should be done with all teachers, as it was a great self-reflection tool.

Once the exemplar interviews were completed, our team placed the answers into a single document to reference during the next steps. This step served two purposes. First, we were able to clearly define our criteria. Perhaps, more importantly, the interview team was able to carefully calibrate responses and align our own expectations.

A bonus outcome was that after the interviews with our current teachers, many of them returned to provide feedback. They shared how much they learned about themselves as educators by engaging in these types of synthesizing conversations. All of them cited it as a meaningful learning experience for them to consolidate and re-sensitize themselves to their core beliefs and actions as learners and teachers.

INTERVIEW THE CANDIDATES

The next step is to interview the candidates. One way to organize the interviews themselves is to assign a look-for area to each member of the hiring team. This helps the interview “flow” more easily, as each member of the hiring team knows their specific area(s) and can be even more intentional identifying the look-fors. Additionally, we tried to provide the same experience for all candidates to minimize variability in the process. Candidates were asked the same questions in the same order by the same member of the hiring team.

MAKE SUBJECTIVE AND OBJECTIVE DECISIONS

At the conclusion of the interview, after the candidate exits, our hiring team quickly reviews the candidate’s answers. Using the exemplar answers as a guide, we score the candidate in each look-for area on a scale of one to five, with five being the highest.

It is important to note that our team begins with scoring based on the exemplars and our established look-fors. This quantitative approach is where we begin to establish a more objective view and attempt to remove any personal bias. To that end, we don’t discount our more qualitative findings; but instead, we use the process to support our “feelings” with objectivity. By engaging in a process rooted in clear competencies and skills honored in our school, the hiring process produces more valid and reliable results.

About the author

Matt Bradley serves as the principal of Highland Middle School in Marengo, Ohio. Matt is also the middle school representative to the OAESA Board. Connect with Matt via email, matt_b@hlsd.us or Twitter, @MrBradleyHMS.

Do You EvEn LikE Your TEachErs? (Do ThEY know ThaT?)

BY CARRIE J. SANCHEZ

Do you even LIKE your teachers?!?!” I heard myself asking a principal from another state that exact question while I was attending a national conference last school year. I didn’t mean to say it. I had not planned on saying it. It just came out. The negative, pointed way she was referring to her teachers just broke my heart. I didn’t even know them and I wanted to help them. I also wanted to immediately help that principal because the noise and the friction was getting to her…and it was spilling out onto her people.

As the leader of your school, your people should be your number one priority. Just as students need to be nurtured, supported, and encouraged in the classroom, teachers need the same and yet so much more! The adage “You cannot pour from an empty cup” is paramount for educators, especially classroom teachers. You are their leader. Be intentional with filling their cups.

Joy of Education

We all get stuck in the weeds of education. Student misbehavior, parent frustrations and interpersonal conflict can definitely stain our days. As the leader of your school, please make it a priority to see the everyday joys in education. Create a way for your staff to share positive experiences, victories and just great laughs. Include time to share in team meetings

or visuals in common spaces. When you purposefully celebrate the good, the ‘bad’ becomes much more manageable.

Staff Retention

What makes people stay? What makes people leave? People choose workplaces where they feel valued, comfortable, encouraged and supported. Do not expect your staff to read your mind. Few things are more dangerous than a leader who says “Oh, my people know how I feel.” Just as Joe Sanfelippo says: “If you don’t tell people your story, they will make one up based upon their own realities.” You are the leader of your school. Everyone in your school deserves to know their presence makes a difference. Tell them. Tell them often. Appreciation and praise do not have to be giant, grandiose gestures. Eye contact and meaningful words go a long way.

Supporting Educators

As the leader of your school, you know where the strengths and weaknesses are. Before situations become emotional events, teach your teachers skills or strategies they can improve upon. Teach your teachers how to grade effectively and efficiently. Teach your teachers how to communicate effectively with colleagues for the sake of collaboration and enhanced learning. Encourage your teachers to participate in professional development that speaks directly to their

own professional practices. Support your teachers in moments of conflict and guide them in navigating uncomfortable situations.

Combating Burnout

Being an educator is exhausting. Every role is equally important and exhausting in its own way. Discourage teachers from judging the workload of others. Rather, encourage positive and uplifting adult behaviors throughout your school. Effective school leaders take the time to genuinely listen to their staff to find out where the stressors are and what the staff needs for relief. Encourage your staff to unplug from school after hours and on the weekends. Allow them to have space from the grind. Model for your staff personal/family time vs school time. Remember, every time a school leader emails or calls or texts a staff member outside of school hours they are putting that staff member back in the “work” mindset.

Conversely, it is also the responsibility of the school leader to discern what inspires and invigorates their staff. Take the time to connect with your people in order to design meaningful experiences that energize staff members. Whether it is professional development or team building activities or feedback ~ speaking the language of your people when they need it most will be the most effective way to combat burnout.

At the root of all educators’ hearts is the desire to make a difference in the lives of others. While their preferences or objectives may be very different throughout your building or your district, they still need to know that their work, their time and their presence matters. Teach your teachers (and staff!) often that you LIKE them ~ and you are glad they are a part of your school community!

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Carrie Sanchez is the Director of Leadership and Learning for the North Point Educational Service Center in Sandusky, Ohio. Carrie is the 2022-2023 president of OAESA as well as an adjunct instructor for the Graduate School of Teaching and Learning at Bowling Green State University and the Program Director for Leadership Ottawa County. Following thirteen years as a classroom teacher, Carrie served the Port Clinton City School District as Middle School Principal from 2009 - 2022. You can contact Carrie via email, csanchez@npesc.org, Twitter, @ carriejsanchez, or learn more about her at: carriesanchez. com.

ohio association of elementary school administrators

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Science of Reading

oea addreSSeS teacHer recruitment and retention

OEA EDUCATOR VOICE ACADEMY CADRE REPORT ON RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF TEACHERS

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 21,000 fewer people were employed in Ohio’s K-12 public schools in September 2021 than in September 2019, a trend that has continued into this school year, with preliminary July 2022 BLS data showing a decrease of 17,000 employees since July 2019.

Districts throughout the state have had difficulty filling positions or finding qualified candidates, an issue widely reported in the media. A critical shortage of substitute teachers has added to the strain on educators’ working and students’ learning conditions especially during peak outbreaks of COVID-19, a situation that had, at times, required districts to declare calamity days or transition to remote learning.

At the same time, the number of university students pursuing careers in education is declining. A report from the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education showed enrollment in traditional teacherpreparation programs declined 35% from 2008- 09 to 2018-19. And a federal Title II report shows 16,982 students enrolled in teacher preparation programs at Ohio’s 50 college and university providers in 2019-20, a number representing a 40% drop from 2011-12.

As Ohio continues to contend with an alarming decrease in staffing in its K-12 public schools, educators throughout the state have come together to take on the problem and offer potential solutions. OEA convened a cadre of diverse educators, as part of the National Education Association’s Educator Voice Academy (EVA) program, beginning in January 2022.

The cadre, supported by OEA and NEA staff, met virtually five times between January and August 2022 and met in Columbus June 5-6, 2022, in conjunction

with OEA’s Educator Voice Academy cadre on Social and Emotional Learning.

Because the topic of teacher recruitment and retention was among several options provided by NEA, the OEA Educator Voice cadre focused exclusively on issues related to the recruitment and retention of teachers. However, the cadre believes attention also needs to be given to issues related to recruitment and retention of education support professionals and the broader education workforce to fully address the needs of the students in our public schools and all members of the Ohio Education Association.

President Scott DiMauro facilitated the cadre with support from OEA Director of Education Policy Research and Member Advocacy Nick Gurich, OEA Education Policy and Practice Consultant Ellen Adornetto, OEA Lobbyist Matt Dotson, NEA Executive Committee Member Hanna Vaandering, and other members of OEA and NEA staff.

“Ohio’s growing teacher recruitment and retention crisis is one of the largest issues of our time,” OEA President DiMauro said. “When excellent educators are feeling that they have no choice but to leave the profession or young people are left feeling that teaching is not a sustainable career option—for a variety of reasons noted in the EVA’s report—Ohio students lose out on crucial opportunities and supports. Ohio’s students can no longer wait for meaningful solutions to this problem.”

“It is important to note that the recommendations from the Educator Voice Academy are focused exclusively on issues related to the recruitment and retention of teachers; issues related to the

recruitment and retention of education support professionals, including bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and paraprofessionals, among others, is an equally important topic deserving serious consideration as soon as possible,” DiMauro said.

“Ohio’s policymakers and school leaders need to take immediate, significant action to ensure our students have all their needs met so they can learn, grow, and thrive in our classrooms. The time to act is now.”

A Summary of Actions and Recommendations is available on the OEA website at

If unchecked, the growing educator shortage crisis will lead to larger class sizes, fewer course offerings, less individual attention, and lower quality instruction for our students. Investing in the recruitment and retention of educators will create a brighter future for our students, communities, and state.

This article was shared with permission from OEA. Scan the QR code below for the full article.

With a new Executive Director, many new board members since 2020, and the worst of the pandemic behind us, we thought it would be a great idea to take the show on the road and check out all the great things OAESA board members are doing for their school communities. We are so grateful to our board members welcoming us into their buildings and districts. You have so much to be proud of! Here are a few of the highlights.

Joe Jasinski, AP Rep Assistant Principal, Goshen Lane and Royal Manor Elementary, Gahanna-Jefferson City Schools Goshen Lane was a lively and energetic environment. It was clear that the students and teachers felt empowered and excited to be there.

Michael Emmert, Zone 10 Director Director of Human Resources, Zanesville City Schools Shared his role in bringing an elementary voice to the district office as they increase their data driven learning.

Sue Brackenhoff, Zone 3 Director Director of Curriculum & Instruction, Fairborn City Schools Toured 2020 Hall of Fame school, Fairborn Primary, where they clearly included student voice into the design of their school.

Witnessed

President

Colleen Mudore, Zone 5 Director

Schools

This vibrant learning environment was filled with evidence of strong relationships with students and a love of learning.

Katie Nowak, President-Elect

Director of Assessment and Accountability, New

Plain Local Schools

They

Carrie Sanchez,

Director of Leadership and Learning, North Point ESC Great to get the whole team together in June to kick off the Roadshow with our 2022-23 Board President.

Audrey Staton-Thompson, Minority Rep Executive Director of Contract Implementation, Cleveland Metropolitan Schools

the inner workings of the Cleveland district offices and all they do to support Cleveland’s students and families.

Principal, Knollwood Elementary, Sheffield-Sheffield Lake City

Albany-

thought of everything to enhance the 21st century learning model in the thoughtful design of their schools.

Nick Neiderhouse, Zone 4 Director

Ryan McGraw, Zone 1 Director

Principal,

Dedication to the needs of students was clear here, and they house the only pre-K program in the county.

Bob Buck, Central Office Rep

What

Principal, Wayne Trail Elementary, Maumee City Schools

Our student tour guides shared their pride of the many student driven initiatives at this school.

Minford Elementary, Minford Local Schools

Assoc. Dir. of Elem. Teaching and Learning, Forest Hills Local Schools

a visionary! The innovative and collaborative professional learning opportunites being developed in Forest Hills are exemplary.

Lori Green, Zone Principal, Dunloe Elementary, Instantly felt welcomed engagement made it clear that’s full of love.

Zone 10 Director

Elementary, Groveport Madison Local Schools

welcomed as part of the Dunloe family! The staff clear that this is a learning environment

Andrew Smith, Columbus Rep Principal, Valley Forge Elementary, Columbus City Schools

Purposeful leadership here creates a calm, peaceful learning space where educators can serve the whole child and meet each student’s needs.

NAESP Rep

Chad Hinton, Zone 2 Director Principal, Maude Marshall Elementary, Talawanda Schools What a bright, colorful, fun place to be a learner! Beautiful setting just outside of town.

Susanne Waltman,

Principal, Strausser Elementary, Jackson Local Schools

There was a strong community pride in their beautiful building. Students LOVE going to school here!

Ali Nannicola, Zone 7 Director

Principal, Champion Central Elementary, Champion Local Schools

Beautiful new school building with an interactive design for creative, hands-on and collaborative learning experiences.

Abbey Bolton, Past-President

Principal, Davey Elementary, Kent City

Schools

The building itself is quite a historical gemstone, housing a true family of diverse learners where the educators excel at meeting the needs of each student.

Felecia Evans, Federal Relations Rep

Director

Beautiful old building, complete with student art galleries in the hallways and International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP).

of School Leadership, Shaker Heights Schools

Jason Orin, Zone 8 Director

Principal, Louisville Middle

School,

Louisville

Schools

Impressed us with the wide variety of programs to meet the needs and interests of each student.

Matt Bradley, Middle School Rep

Principal,

HIghland Middle School, Highland Local Schools

It was clear that the community takes great pride in their school and students feel ‘known’ here.

Tamika Taylor-Ivory, Cleveland Rep

Principal, Miles Park Elementary, Cleveland Metropolitan Schools

So much pride in all that the staff and students have accomplished here! Warm environment serving a wide-range of student needs.

T.J. Ebert, Zone 6 Director

Principal, Independence Primary School, Independence Local Schools

Got to meet some very enthusiastic learners who were eager to tell us all about their book vending machine and student-led conferences.

tHe teacHer’S PrinciPal

How to SuPPort and motivate teacHerS

BY DR. JEN SCHWANKE

Ithink a lot about the word “support” and how we use it in education. The first time a teacher told me he felt I hadn’t supported him, I was crushed. The situation had involved a complicated discipline situation. In hindsight, I have come to understand that the teacher felt unsupported because he hadn’t gotten his way. Unfortunate, perhaps, but it didn’t mean I didn’t “support” him. On the contrary, I’d taken his perspective as part of a multi-day investigation and done the best I could to support the needs of the students involved.

In our schools, “support” has been used in so many contexts that it has taken on multiple, varied meanings. Some people think of it as agreement, or assistance, or concurrence. “Support” might be seen as help, consent, advocacy, or as an actual action in which someone simply takes over for someone else when something gets complicated or difficult. Teachers want the support of their principals, but support does not mean the principal simply agrees with the teacher, especially when it is to the detriment of students or parents. Sometimes, support involves complicated conversations. It involves helping a teacher move away from what is easy and toward what is right.

It was my ambivalence about “support” that led me to write an entire book about how principals can best support their teachers. The idea for The Teacher’s Principal, recently published by ASCD, came when I began to think about what teachers really need. The answer is complicated, because teachers’ needs are dependent on countless factors. A teaching career is long, often spanning more than three decades. Times change; methods change; children change; technology changes. Someone teaching today could have potentially started their career in 1987, but now, in 2022, they have completely different job requirements than they did on their first day of teaching. It’s not just their classroom setup that has changed; it is likely also their colleagues, their community, and their home lives. They may have had children, raised those children into adults, and transitioned into grandparenthood. They may have changed homes, managed death or divorce, or experienced financial challenges or windfalls. And so on.

Through it all—decades!— still there is the teaching. The act

of teaching foundational skills, guiding children as they grow, and providing a positive school experience—that part is still the same. For principals, it helps to consider how to meet the needs of teachers in an ever-changing work environment while also insisting that the core work—that of working with students— remains at the top of the outcome list.

In thinking this through, it occurred to me that teachers have certain motivators. What is it that drives teachers to get up every morning? What makes them continue to enjoy the work? How can a principal make sure teaching is just as joyful on the last day of a teacher’s career as it was on the first?

In my mind, there are three things that motivate teachers. I liken them to the roots, trunk, and leaves of a tree. The roots are a teacher’s purpose for teaching; the trunk is the priorities that drive their decisions, and the leaves are the patterns and habits that lead to daily routines. Let’s take a deeper look.

Purpose:

Purpose is a teacher’s root system. Most teachers have a strong, student-centered purpose. They truly want to make a positive difference with students. Supporting and motivating purpose-driven teachers can be done through positive reinforcement, timely feedback, providing opportunities for professional growth, and the encouragement of self-reflection, self-direction, and professional autonomy. Of course, some teachers have a weak purpose that manifests itself in chronic absences, negativity, and toxic influence on others. It is difficult to motivate teachers with negative purpose, but it can be done with time, patience, and judgment-free guidance. It will also require an insistence on adherence to professional requirements and expectations. Principals don’t have significant influence on a teacher’s core purpose, but they can impact how it manifests itself in the classroom.

Priorities:

A teacher’s priorities are the trunk and core of a teacher’s motivation, but they shift, change, grow, and adjust with time. Priorities guide a teacher’s daily decisions, and they define the actions a teacher uses when planning and teaching. As a

teacher works through a career, these priorities may ebb and flow. Teachers will have more to give, then less to give, then more again—it’s fluid, and cyclical, and depends on countless factors in a teacher’s life. We shouldn’t expect or insist a teacher always prioritize their work; instead, it is wise to offer grace and understanding when teachers manage life’s priorities. Staying connected to teachers through constant and collaborative conversation can have a profound impact on a teacher’s priorities.

Patterns:

Habits, routines, rhythms—these are the leaves of the “motivation tree,” and they are the most susceptible to outside influences, either positive or negative. Patterns motivate a teacher’s day-to-day behaviors. Teachers that are always on time, communicate consistently with parents, and invest in thoughtful instructional planning—these all indicate a teacher has positive patterns. Principals can help teachers by setting and communicating clear and reasonable norms and by giving teachers immediate feedback when patterns have a positive impact on students and the school community, or, if needed, by addressing negative habits with clarity in expectations.

Understanding purpose, priorities, and patterns isn’t an extra thing principals need to do. It is simply a framework to explain why teachers do what they do—or don’t do what we would like them to do. Principals can improve or enhance a teacher’s work by making sure they are all seen, valued, welcomed, and heard.

When teachers underperform or create a negative culture in a school, intervening quickly and with empathetic honesty will not only help the underperformer, but will also garner respect from other teachers in the building who are eager to see signs of fair, consistent, and applicable responses to problems. When troubling behaviors emerge—those that might lead to marginalization of minority groups, neglect of students, or threats to a school’s larger mission—a swift identification of the “why” behind the behavior—whether it is purpose, priorities, or patterns— will help a principal intervene in ways that will improve the entire school community. And that, I believe, is what we really mean when we talk about support.

About the Author

Jen Schwanke, Ed.D., has been an educator for 24 years, teaching or leading at all levels. She is the author of three books, including the just-released, The Teacher’s Principal: How School Leaders Can Support and Motivate Their Teachers. She has written and presented for multiple state and local education organizations. She is an instructor in educational administration at Miami University and currently serves as a Deputy Superintendent at Dublin City Schools.

Systems Development & Improvement Center

Two Grant-Funded Opportunities to Build Inclusive Instructional Leadership

Ohio Leadership for Inclusion, Implementation, & Instructional Improvement (OLi

) 4

A two-year professional learning program for school principals, assistant principals, and teacher-leaders.

This program prepares leaders to support system-wide and sustainable improvements in teaching and learning on behalf of all children. Built to address the challenge of improving learning for every single student, including students from marginalized groups, through the development of inclusive instructional and organizational leadership capacity.

Research-based theory of action that treats improved performance and increased equity as inseparable

Continuously evaluated and revised based on new research and evidence based data Cultivates a reflective approach to leadership through building trust, collaboration, and a system-wide culture of inquiry and learning

Advancing Inclusive Principal Leadership (AIPL)

Selected districts will participate in eight monthly synchronous sessions with a $5,000 honorarium to offset costs.

This virtual professional development series supports partner districts in developing or strengthening shared leadership team structures for improving teaching and learning across the district. Districts will identify a seven-member vertical team in order to augment systemic district-wide continuous improvement efforts

Focus on inclusive instructional leadership as a key function of the interlocking teams that form the foundation of the Ohio Improvement Process

Opportunity for in-district virtual process coaching with the team

Access to resources, team time, reflection, and cross-district conversations Option to pursue more in-depth learning during a second year of involvement

A PROGRAM BUILT BY EDUCATIONAL LEADERS FOR EDUCATIONAL LEADERS

The 2022-2023 cohorts filled up fast! Don't miss out on your chance to join this opportunity...be on the lookout for information about registration for the 2023-2024 cohort.

Prioritizing Improvement of Teaching and Learning

Sustaining an Open and Collaborative Culture

ohio association of elementary school administrators

whY won’T You sTaY?

BY DR. JULIE E. KENNEY

The words “staying power” make me think of the energizer bunny commercial. You know the one: The bunny runs around beating his drum and keeps going, and going, and going. I think our society expects the same from our school teachers in America.

No matter what happens, how many students fill your seats in class, no matter how many budget cuts exist, no matter how many safety issues crop up, no matter how many times the pandemic keeps coming back to haunt us and our results, it seems our American society expects educators to keep on going, no matter what.

Can we be honest for a moment? I mean really honest, brutally honest. It’s just not possible! Educators cannot continue to be beaten down and still expected to come to work every day just to get beaten up again. Talk about an abusive relationship! It’s no wonder we’re experiencing a teacher shortage. Why would we keep coming back— day after day, year after year— just to be questioned about our professionalism, our ability to choose much less teach curriculum, or endanger our minds and bodies with physical and emotional safety risks?

Someone has to do something. Can our local, state, and national associations band together and overpower the nonsense that is happening every day? Can we, as individual educators, do anything to help this situation?

I think many of us can agree that the key to successful education is relationships. We build relationships with our students, our parents, our teachers, other administrative staff, and district office. The golden nugget behind true and lasting relationships is knowledge. Knowing who your people are and what

they like or dislike, what makes them enjoy life, and how we best interact with each other is the secret sauce to loving each other. When we love each other, we love our jobs, love our lives, and work harder to improve our surroundings together. The way we grow to love each other is to learn about each other and to KNOW each other.

There is a really neat little program out there called the Johari Window. This program reminds me of the Meyers Briggs or Keirsey Temperament Sorter but with a twist. This Johari Window allows us to look at other people’s personalities and figure out how we deal with each other in certain situations. The Johari Window sorts out our known characteristics and compares them to our unknown character traits.

It forces one to answer the question: Is what I think about myself matching what others think about me? Using the Johari Window as a self-mapping tool to discover characteristics about ourselves and then compare those characteristics to what others think about us is an interesting exercise. It is easy to think that the way one thinks about one’s self would be easily identifiable by others, especially those that are friends. However, the evidence proves otherwise for the most part.

For example, I would consider myself responsive to situations and needs of those around me. The Johari

window provides a tool to examine this belief I have about myself:

• Do others see me as responsive?

• Is it known to others that I am reactive in situations or do I just see myself that way?

• Am I known to be a patient person to others, or is it just my own perception?

Using a tool like the Johari Window would allow us as educators to learn about our own blind spots, which in turn will help us broker more meaningful relationships with others. You can learn more about this technique by visiting www.communicationtheory.org/the-johariwindow-model/. If you would like to try it for yourself or your staff you can go to https://kevan.org/johari to find an interactive tool.

Gaining a deeper understanding of ourselves in relation to how we come across to others is integral to building strong relationships with those we lead. I recently had the opportunity to use a really great resource in Ohio that addresses this exact issue.

Brad Schneider, owner of The Growth Coach, is a local entrepreneur offering real strategies for team building, leveraging our strengths, and unlocking our great potential, all through the power of building relationships. We can even use these strategies if we want to bring this concept to our schools for professional development with a twist! To reach him, access his website at www.thegrowthcoach.com/ central-ohio-north/. You won’t be disappointed.

For years, when I interview potential teaching candidates, I’ve been asked what is my number one look-for in a candidate. My answer is always the same. I want educators that love children and can build relationships. We can teach you content and curriculum. It’s much harder to teach a person how to build relationships. I truly believe this is the key to sustaining our teaching staff and building a better educational system for our students and their future.

About the Author: Dr. Julie Kenney is in her 27th year of education, formerly a teacher and principal, currently serving as the Director of Personnel and Operations for Marion City Schools. She is a member of OAESA’s communication team, a court-appointed special advocate for children, published author, and mom. She can be reached at jkenney@mcspresidents.org.

ohio association of elementary school administrators

JoyFinding tHe in education

BY JOLENE D. REINHART

The joy! Where did it go? When I saw “finding the joy in education” on the list of focus topics for this edition of the Principal Navigator, I immediately asked myself that question. How is it that we have arrived at a point in our noble profession that we are looking for the joy? After all, we work with children! Perhaps the thief is the fact that we now work with countless ‘things’ that seem to pull us more and more away from the kids. I know we can list them.

I started teaching in 1983. My first class had 33 first graders, including 6 retained students repeating first grade. Thank goodness for naivete! None of my joy was stolen. I was filled with joy, and gratitude (for a full time job), and hope, and excitement, and vision. My 40-year career was beginning. Needless to say, a lot has changed in education since 1983, some of it for the better, but some of it can certainly be the culprit for stealing our joy.

It’s time to find it again! Why? Why not?! Let’s begin. What does the research say about joy and happiness?

Did you know there is a course at Harvard on happiness?! Yep, it’s true. The professor is Arthur Brooks and the course is so popular that there is a lottery for admission with a very lengthy wait list of students who don’t get in. The course fills up in less than a few minutes once it is opened. So apparently, even Harvard grad students are also interested in finding the joy. You can learn more about this course, the ends in mind, and the related research by listening to Arthur Brooks on this podcast episode with Rich Roll.

Emerging research on joy and happiness also comes from the world of neuroscience and the gut-brain connection. It’s more complex, of course, filled with very long, multisyllabic words, but basically it points out the importance of gut health, the hormones dopamine and serotonin, and mindfulness. Leading experts in this research are psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Amen, MD, and neurologist Dr. David Perlmutter, MD. Both are globally renowned for their work in the area of gut-brain connection and neuroscience. Our lifestyle choices, what we eat, how we move, how we sleep, and manage stress can all contribute to, or steal, our joy.

What about choosing and creating joy?

There are many scholarly articles about joy and happiness which point out the obvious, or perhaps the not-so-obvious. Joy and happiness are choices. We CHOOSE joy! Some of you reading this may have that very mantra posted in your school somewhere. And it’s true ~ we are free to choose how we see the day, to put a smile on our face and greet people, say good morning, ask ‘how are you doing today?’, offer to help a colleague or student or guest to our school, and intentionally look for the good in anyone and any situation.

We are also free to choose

not to do any of those things on any given day. So the argument stands; we ARE free to choose joy. How often are we choosing it? Or do we let the ‘joy thieves’ succeed?

As leaders, we can also CREATE joy. We can focus on the intentionality we have around celebrations and assess the cadence of celebration in our school and/ or classrooms. We must ask ourselves these critical questions:

• How often do we model and encourage celebrating successes, small ones and huge victories?

• What system do we have for ongoing celebrations?

• How does celebrating contribute to the culture, traditions, and mission of our school?

• How often do we emphasize the wins?

• When was the last time we cheered together as a team?

We can create joy when we recognize others and the impact they have. Most days, as a building principal, I prioritized a little bit of time to write a quick note to a staff member recognizing what they did that day and the difference it made for our school. A five-minute task had an immeasurable ROI. Human beings have an innate need to be seen, heard, and validated. By intentionally recognizing others we are filling a basic human need — and creating joy. Keep in mind that this recognition does not have to be done only by adults. Create opportunities in your school for students to recognize other students and staff members; this practice brings a lot of joy.

Lastly, it is important to note another purpose for finding joy emphasized in the research - a happy brain is capable of learning more. Joy helps us learn better. And isn’t that what we are all about?

Many are familiar with the quote, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Standardized testing practices, especially for young children, have only intensified the culture of comparison. What if I just compare myself to myself? What if I have the chance to see my own growth and learning? What systems and structures do you have in place that provide students the ongoing opportunity to see and

celebrate their own learning, progress, and growth? This kind of comparison doesn’t steal their joy, it contributes to it. How do your teachers emphasize and showcase students’ individual progress and growth? Do your students set their own goals and support each other in attaining those goals? Do they celebrate? And celebrate each other? Don’t let comparison to others steal joy in your classrooms. Let comparison to self bring more joy, motivation, and success!

One last thought on finding the joy in education. When was the last time we talked about hopes and dreams with our students? Without hopes and dreams, we lose the joy. Bringing intention to the importance of having hopes and dreams is a great place to begin. Share your own hopes and dreams. What is your biggest hope for your staff and students this year? What is your dream for your school? How can you share those with transparency and energy? What if every student in your school had a specific hope for this year and defined their dream? What if we all were working each and every day on action steps that were tied to our dream? Imagine the joy!

My hope is this has been a gentle reminder of why joy is important, how we might simply, and in a doable fashion, find more joy by choosing and/or creating it to help our staff, students, and families experience a more joyful school year! My dream has always been to be a learner and a teacher --- because that’s what brings me joy.

Interested in joining the conversation for more ideas and connections? Reach out with interest and I will gladly send the invite to my FREE monthly masterclass:

“In This Together ~ A Curious Group of Thought Partners Becoming Healthy, Happy, & Highly Effective Leaders”: Third Tuesday of every month, 7:008:00pm EST via Zoom.

About the Author: Jolene D. Reinhart is a former teacher, principal, ESC consultant, and leadership coach, having served 39 years in the Summit and Cuyahoga County areas. Her vast opportunities to be a leader and to research leadership are some of her greatest gifts of the profession. She is now semi-retired, still passionate about being a lead learner, and choosing joy every day. You can learn more about Ms. Reinhart here @ https://jolenedreinhart.wordpress.com/ about/ or email her at jdgreinhart@gmail.com

ohio association of elementary school administrators •

feature story

tHe PrinciPalSHiP is a tougH Job

BY PAUL G. YOUNG, PH.D.

Consider this important question. Do you think most of the people you work closely with (teachers, staff, parents, students, principal colleagues, central office staff, etc.) want you to succeed? Or not?

Chances are you haven’t spent a lot of time thinking about this question. Because people often mask their opinions, you may not know how people really feel and what they think about your work. Those who openly call you out, as hard as it may be to accept their criticism, actually do you a favor. Whether what they say is brutally honest, or not, at least they put their issues front and center for everyone to see and deal with.

The reality is that most people hide their feelings of jealousy and resentment behind a façade. Some call this type of expression being two-faced, saying one thing but doing another. Those individuals likely sabotage your work (and perhaps your career) in subtle ways, sometimes without your awareness.

In sports, things can be even more brutal. Many people have strong loyalties to teams and root for them to win. They genuinely want them to do well. But when they do not, the scuttlebutt begins in a variety of public and private forums, and often the coach (principal) takes the fall for ineffective performance of others.

Do your union leaders and members want you to succeed? You may have previously worked side-by-side with many of them. But once you became a principal, and crossed to the ‘other’ team, did you notice any of their expectations and loyalties change?

It is important that you always know who is rooting for

you and who is not. Wise principals know this, but even still, too many do not want to talk about acceptance or resistance issues, because they are often very personal. But when you bottle up your feelings, frustrations, and fears, you eventually blow up, break down, or burnout. The principalship is a tough job –always has been and always will be! To maintain your staying power and passion for the principalship, the people in your sphere of influence need to root for, rather than against you.

How Do You Cope with the Tough Days?

You can reduce your stress level by having a critical, heart-to-heart conversation with your mentor. That individual must be someone you trust and will maintain confidentiality when you share your most personal thoughts and feelings. You will likely have several types of mentors, and even coaches, during the course of your career. Wise principals intentionally connect with and seek support from those who understand, listen, accept, guide, support, and continuously learn with them. Side-by-side, they find ways to deal with the toughest dilemmas principals must face. Going things alone is foolhardy.

How Do You Avoid an Ambush?

In John Maxwell’s book, Leadership 101, he discusses essential and time-tested qualities necessary for true leadership -- influence, integrity, attitude, vision, problem-solving, and self-discipline. He outlines five practical steps that all leaders must understand and progress through to attain success.

You may have heard other principals say that success is all about relationships. No doubt, rapport is important, but Maxwell focuses on relationship-building at the second step (the permission level) of his five-step outline of effective leadership. You will never develop

effective relationships if the opinions of those who work closely with you indicate you have deficiencies at the first step – the position level (see Figure 1).

If you lack any of the competencies and skills outlined in typical job descriptions (Position Level – Step 1), you will quickly discover that the principalship is a very tough and disheartening job, just as teaching can be, if your fundamental skills are inadequate. The buck stops (or should) with you, just as it should between teachers and students in classrooms. You are the face of the school. You set the goals, administer policies, communicate a vision of discipline and learning – all while overseeing your school’s day-to-day operations, managing a budget, and hiring teachers and other personnel. It is a demanding, time-consuming job. A full plate. It is middle management. If you display any weakness in what people think you should know and be able to do at the position level, the cracks will become exposed, sabotage efforts will begin, and you will soon be deposed.

How Do You Structure Critical Conversations with Your Mentor?

It is best that you and your mentor meet face-to-face or develop some form of mutually scheduled routine form of communication. With frequent talks over coffee, lunch, or anytime over the phone, the mentor can notice issues you may not be able to sense. Good mentors ask probing, thought-provoking questions that help their mentee reflect and learn. Effective mentors have a record of success and accomplishment with Maxwell’s first three steps. Their experience is valuable, and they are passionate about sharing it with their mentee. They want all principals to succeed. When their mentee(s) succeeds, they both thrive.

Pick up the phone, schedule a talk, and share what troubles you most. Together, you will find a way to cope with the toughest issues.

If You Aren’t Connected, How Do You Find a Mentor?

According to the Wallace Foundation, more than half the states have adopted some form of mentoring requirement for principals. The Ohio Association of

Elementary School Administrators (OAESA) and the Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators (OASSA), with funding from the Ohio Department of Education, offer the AMP-4 Program. It is designed to build capacity for first-and-second year building administrators to help them hone their skills, enhance their practices, redefine their roles and exercise effective leadership. New administrators work with a trained mentor to set clear, professional SMART goals based on the Ohio Principal Standards.

If you are a teacher leader, an assistant principal, or an early career principal looking to build your leadership knowledge, skills, and dispositions to create a culture for improved student learning, then the National Aspiring Principals Academy (NAPA), provided by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), is the program for you.

Most importantly, you need a mentor with whom you can work and learn throughout your career. You’ll find those kind of caring, committed, experienced principal mentors all throughout OAESA and NAESP. You simply have to commit to becoming involved and develop relationships that fit your needs.

Plan to attend Zone Meetings, the annual professional conference, and many of the other professional development gatherings of principals that occur in various locations in Ohio and the nation. Seek and you will find! Open yourself to intentionally learning and sharing with others. You will not regret it.

Summary

One of the most unnerving moments of my career was when I was told I could attend an association

ohio association of elementary school administrators

meeting, but I might not have a job when I got back to my district. I didn’t know how to respond or what to think. Should I attend or not? The perceived lack of support and encouragement was terrifying. Fortunately, I had begun forming a mentoring partnership with some of the association’s leaders who helped guide me in my pursuits to expand my professional network while never abandoning responsibilities within my school district.

No matter how hard you try, you will have sleepless nights and periods of elevated anxiety. But principals who intentionally connect with their colleagues, expand their geographic realm of influence, and work to develop a strong relationship with a mentor(s) of their choosing will experience fewer rough patches. As they say, misery loves company. Your mentor makes that company tough to pass up!

Build Skilled Readers from Foundations to Fluency

About the Author: Paul G. Young, Ph.D., is retired from professional service as a teacher, Lancaster elementary school principal, afterschool program director, and an adjunct professor at Ohio University-Lancaster. He served as president of the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators (OAESA), the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), and as President & CEO of the National AfterSchool Association (NAA). He is the author of numerous books and articles for principals, teachers, aspiring teachers, and afterschool professionals. He writes monthly articles for principals which can be found at https://www.edutopia.org/topic/ school-leadership. He is a frequent presenter at OAESA, NAESP, Ohio Music Education Association, and the Ohio Afterschool Network conferences. He can be reached at paulyoungohio@gmail.com and on Twitter at @ paulyoungohio.

Recommended Reading

Maxwell, J. (2002). Leadership 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know. Nashville, Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Wallace Foundation. (2007). Getting Principal Mentoring Right: Lessons from the Field

Learn more about the NEW Magnetic Reading for Grades K–5, its roots in the Science of Reading, and how it all comes together to drive student success.

Explore Magnetic Reading for Grades K–5. Learn more at MagneticReading.com/RL

feature story

SHow tHem tHat you care

BY KATY NAGAJ

As leaders, we strive to create and sustain a culture of positivity, empathy, and productivity in our buildings and in the mindset of all who spend their days there. While the concept seems pretty simple, the reality of it can be challenging. “Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You can’t serve from an empty vessel,” is a powerful quote by Eleanor Brown that I share with my staff often. But it doesn’t stop there. Caring for and supporting our current educators is imperative now more than ever, as we all come out from a long span of illness, worry, and constant change.

Educators are service providers, caring for our students academically and emotionally. Teachers build relationships, provide a safe environment to learn in, offer guidance, teach the content, respond to needs, and so much more. But who provides for them? That question is one that I take very seriously as a building leader. From principal to teacher, the approach should be similar as we expect for it to be from teacher to student. Caring for and supporting our educators begins with building relationships and listening. What are their needs? How can I help these needs be met so that they can be successful in their work as teachers? I break the plan into three steps: Listen, support, and check-in.

Listen to specific concerns when they are brought to us, general chatter among the staff as they go about their day, reading written communication responses, interpreting body language and demeanor are all ways of listening to the adults around us.

Support the physical and emotional wellness of the team. This is a continuous goal, as I see it necessary for us to thrive and succeed. The challenge - the differences among the group; values, capabilities, outlooks. The approach - a variety of offerings. In the simplest form, being a listener is powerful. Showing empathy, support, positivity and genuine concern goes a long way. Fill each other’s buckets. Remember things they tell us, ask questions, show concern, be available. As I remind my staff that self-care is critical, I encourage them to address it, and offer a variety of wellness-related opportunities for them to choose from:

• Wellness choice time on professional development days (meditation, yoga, walking, boot camp class, pickleball)

• Monthly wellness challenges (team and/or individual) to

support physical and/or mental wellness

• steps challenge, hydration challenge, gratitude journaling, recipe swap, etc.

• Monthly staff potluck lunches

• Opportunities to meet outside of school for a walk, a happy hour, or a team-building activity

Finding balance is key. Offer activities regularly, offer choices that appeal to a variety of people, and participate alongside them to show that we are all in this together. Team-building activities, notes of affirmation, or a simple thank you - all go a long way.

Check-in - Follow-up, listen to feedback, take recommendations, and gauge the impact of our intentions. Affirm the successes, celebrate what is happening (personally and professionally) and show that you care enough to check in on your team!

Give these ideas a try:

• Begin each staff meeting with celebrations

• Drop a note in mailboxes to say… thank you... great job ...hang in there ... I noticed…

• Showcase the work of your educators on social media or in a staff newsletter

• Offer to cover a class here and there

Supporting educators will make them feel joy, and have a direct impact on retaining them. People want to feel cared for, connected, supported, appreciated, and rejuvenated. One of the many roles of a leader is to create and support an environment in which great things happen. Wellness is one of those great things. If there is an evident value for wellness, the educators around us will be more likely to take part in activities that support their mental and physical well-being, thus avoiding the burned out feelings of exhaustion and defeat, and hopefully replace them with a feeling of joy in being at school each day.

About the Author:

Katy Nagaj is the principal at Kirtland Elementary School, a K-5 building, in Kirtland, Ohio. Before becoming a building principal she was an elementary school teacher in the primary grades. Connect with Katy via email, katy.nagaj@kirtlandschools.org, or Twitter, @mrsnagaj

ohio association of elementary school administrators

feature story

embark

A Journey to Teacher Fulfillment

BY ANGIE GARBER, ALLY PETREK, ERICKA THOMPSON & MICHALE SANKER

Forest Hills School District is invested in the development and retention of highly effective educators. In 2020, Forest Hills began developing an onboarding program called Embark. Embark was designed to be a flexible and engaging system of support which incorporated collaborative, communitybased learning experiences, and personalized one-onone coaching. Through the Embark program, Forest Hills hoped to create a K-12 district-wide cohort of educators that would experience a two-year journey of reflection, collaboration, inspiration, and learning. Throughout their two years, teachers would be immersed in personalized professional development and activities aligned to district initiatives. With nine different buildings within the district, Forest Hills aimed to create equity for all students and to positively impact the quality of education for every student through the development and coaching of these teachers.

Cohort Meetings

The Embark cohorts are diverse in teacher experience, ranging from first-year teachers to veterans. The learning environments these teachers lead are also diverse: kindergarten rooms, calculus classrooms, intervention specialists, school psychologists, etc. One of the main goals for the Embark experience was to share a common philosophy and a shared vision of education in Forest

Hills, which we refer to as the “Forest Hills Way”. To address the need to build common practices across the district, yet personalize the experience for each participant, we developed an overall focus for each cohort session, intentionally empathizing with the common needs of educators in each season of the school year. The focus for our cohort meetings are outlined below:

• Know your district - Introduce the district vision and guiding principles

• Know your students - Build impactful relationships with students and their families

• Know your colleagues - Develop relationships within the Embark cohort

• Know your balance - Reflect on and refine your balance of work and home

• Know the dataInterpret the strengths and needs of students using data

Cohort Relationships

At Forest Hills, we value all staff members and believe in developing a strong collaborative community of educators. For this reason, Embark was designed as a K-12 cohort, with representation from each of our nine school buildings. Embark facilitators, also known as ambassadors, intentionally design sessions that allow participants to connect, reflect, and grow with other educators in the district in various grade

“There was so much value in meeting with other educators in their first year in the district... Embark offered a myriad of impactful opportunities for us. ” -Joey Loebker, Embark participant

levels, subject areas, and buildings. After hearing diverse perspectives from across the district at each cohort meeting, Embark participants leave feeling connected to others and being part of a larger community within our district.

“Embark was a great way for me to meet other people throughout the district and build a sense of community and support through my first year at Forest Hills.” -Natalie Gould, Embark participant

Coaching and Mentoring

Throughout the duration of the Embark program, our district’s four instructional coaches offer personalized professional development and coaching to each of the participants. Our coaches quickly and effectively make contact with participants who request support with any topic that arises throughout the school year. By offering one-on-one relationships with our participants, our coaches work to build capacity within teachers to reflect, revise, and grow as learners. Embark participants can be assured that any coaching relationship at Forest

Hills is open, committed, non-judgmental, and non-evaluative. Along with cohort meetings and relationships, our coaching model throughout the Embark program creates a robust foundation of support for all individuals.

Forest Hills strives for Embark participants to function as a dynamic community that continually refines and improves their instructional practice and is committed to ensuring success for all students.

About the Authors: Angie, Ally, Ericka and Michale have over 80 combined years of working alongside students, teachers, and administrators. They are passionate about providing equitable educational experiences for students by developing teacher expertise and common practice. They serve as instructional leaders in Forest Hills by coaching, guiding and driving instructional change. Connect with them via email or Twitter: Angie: angiegarber@foresthills.edu, @AngieGarber Ally: allysonpetrek@foresthills.edu,@Ally_Petrek, Ericka: erickathompson@foresthills.edu, @ErickaTAyer Michale: michalesanker@foresthills.edu, @GirlMike513

ohio association of elementary school administrators

“Embark helped me to get a better understanding of the culture of Forest Hills.” -Caroline Lyons, Embark participant

healthmatters

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SCHOOL NURSE

By Jill Beach, BSN, RN , Toni Wilhelm, RN, and Sheri Johnson, BSN, RN, LSN

School nurses make a big difference in supporting and improving student health and academic achievement. This specialized practice of nursing protects and promotes student health, facilitates optimal development, and advances academic success. In this column, we outline the important activities of a school nurse and the best ways to recruit, support, and retain them, as they are key to the healthcare continuum of services.

A Day as the School Nurse

The role of a nurse working in a school is very complex. Every day is full of challenges and new opportunities to assist students of all ages. In the following example, the school nurse serves three school buildings, and has not been in this building since the previous week.

Morning

The school nurse reports to work at 7:00 a.m. and finds three new student records to process. In addition, there are immunizations to analyze and record with a state-required immunization report to submit. While reviewing the records for the new students, the nurse finds a student with asthma, another who takes ADHD medications each day at lunch, and one student missing immunizations required for attendance. What is the next step regarding these new students?

The school nurse’s first call is to the parent of the child with asthma to get answers to important questions: Does she have a local healthcare provider? Does she need an inhaler at school? May the school nurse send her provider an Asthma Action Plan and a Medication Authorization for completion? The nurse initiates an Individualized Healthcare Plan to keep the student safe at school. The nurse updates the Asthma Team about the student.

Next, the school nurse contacts the student’s parent on ADHD medication. A Medication Authorization form is required and also requires answers to questions: Who is the provider, and may the school nurse send the form? Medication must be brought to school by the parent – when will that arrive? What designated trained school employee will give the medication when the nurse is not on site?

Finally, the school nurse contacts the new student’s family about missing immunizations and finds out that the parent has a new complete immunization record and will bring it to the school today. To round out the morning, the school nurse provides a brief training to the kitchen staff on reading labels to increase awareness of hidden allergens.

Lunchtime Administration of lunchtime medications and diabetic student management begins. This building has two students with diabetes, five with lunchtime medications, and a student recovering from an auto accident who comes to the clinic each day at lunch to rest and relax. This student’s management plan has improved her afternoon class attendance and grades, and requires the nurse to provide quiet space during a hectic time.

Today, both students with diabetes are having issues with high blood sugar: one forgot her new insulin pen, and the other is not feeling well and has nausea. The nurse calls both sets of parents. The child’s parent, who forgot her insulin pen, decided to pick her student up early and try to manage the situation at home. The other child’s parent is unreachable, so the nurse keeps the student in the clinic, gives him some water to drink, and takes him for a couple of walks around the gym. Finally, his blood sugar responds to the treatments, he feels better, and returns to class.

Only three of the five students requiring medication at lunch

came to see the school nurse. She contacts the classrooms to talk with the other students. One states his medication changed on Friday, and he is no longer taking it at school. The nurse calls the student’s parent and confirms the medication change and arranges for the parent to pick up the leftover medication for a pill count the medical provider requires. The school nurse discovers that the other student left early for an appointment.

Afternoon

The school nurse sets up for a two-hour, on-site flu vaccination clinic for school staff provided by the local health department. Recess injuries require the school nurse to administer first aid and reassurance. A student comes into the clinic with a fever and vomiting. She will go home, but it will take several phone calls to contact a grandparent and arrange transportation.

The school nurse begins managing afternoon medications. One of the students with diabetes has returned, not feeling well, with low blood sugar. As the end of the school day nears, the nurse has given medications and helped the student stabilize his blood sugar so he can ride the bus home.

Throughout the afternoon, the nurse sends four students home with various illnesses, manages the flu clinic for staff members, and has about 60 minutes of paperwork to complete (including submission of the school’s state immunization summary). It has been another busy day in the life of a school nurse.

Recruiting School Nurses

Recruiters should understand that registered nurses (RNs) who choose to work in the school setting have other options for employment. They could be working in a hospital and earning significantly more money per hour than in a school setting. They would be able to take a vacation at any time of the year (not just during school breaks), and could work in an environment where everyone understands their role. Registered nurses could also work in home health or a wide variety of settings with similar benefits.

However, schools can offer registered nurses an opportunity to positively impact the lives of students, staff, families, and their communities through their work as school nurses. School schedules appeal to many, especially if the nurse has schoolaged children, and some school districts may offer continuing education and professional development benefits.

Retaining School Nurses

Like other school staff, there are many opportunities to support and retain school nurses, such as:

• Providing the school nurse with administrative support for immunizations, screening, excluding illnesses, and working with challenging families.

• Encouraging all staff to recognize the expertise of the school nurse.

• Allowing the school nurse opportunities for professional development, including providing the nurse with time away from the building to attend conferences or other training

opportunities.

• Ensuring that school nurses have the space and supplies needed to serve students.

• Providing school nurses with the time and administrative support to train other school employees on medication administration; care for students with special healthcare needs such as asthma, seizures, or diabetes. School nurses can also train staff in organizing CPR, AED, and First Aid training for school safety teams.

• Including school nurses in various teams/committees such as emergency preparedness planning, school wellness programs, staff recognition and support activities, and capital improvements planning (especially if student health areas are included).

School nurses are professionals who use an evidence-based Framework for the 21st Century School Nursing Practice¹ that includes care coordination, leadership, quality improvement, community/public health, all encompassed by national Standards of Practice.² Research indicates that schools with a nurse present daily have less absenteeism in students with chronic illnesses. They also keep students in classrooms, learning, and engaged with teaching staff.³ School nurses are colleagues, working alongside school staff, experiencing the same victories and challenges, and sharing common goals: to keep students safe and healthy in the classroom so they can learn to be productive members of our community. School nurses can play an essential role in helping foster an environment in the school setting that promotes healthy kids, healthy schools, and healthy communities.

About the Authors: Jill Beach, BSN, RN Ohio Department of Health Region 1 School Nurse Consultant Toni Wilhelm, RN Ohio Department of Health, Region 2 School Nurse Consultant Sheri Johnson, BSN, RN, LSN Ohio Department of Health, Region 5 School Nurse Consultant

References:

¹National Association of School Nurses. Framework for 21st century school nursing practice. Retrieved 9/16/2022. https:// www.nasn.org/nasn-resources/framework .

²National Association of School Nurses. School nursing; Scope and standards of practice (4th Ed.). Retrieved 9/16/2022. https:// www.nasn.org/nasn-resources/resources-by-topic/scopestandards .

³National Association of School Nurses. Position statement: School nurses – an integral member of the school team addressing chronic absenteeism. Retrieved 9/16/2022. https:// www.nasn.org/nasn-resources/professional-practice-documents/ position-statements/ps-absenteeism

ohio association of elementary school administrators

legislativeupdate

A LOOK AT THE LAME DUCK SESSION: And What’s Coming Next

BY BARBARA SHANER, OAESA ADVOCACY SPECIALIST

As the new year begins, so does a new era at the statehouse. The 135th General Assembly will soon be up and running with lots of legislative priorities at play. Not the least of which will be issues affecting Ohio’s public education system.

The 134th General Assembly went out with a bang as a number of controversial bills were debated. A couple of those were education-related proposals which did not make it to the finish line. But with a new Speaker of the House of Representatives and a new wave of House members coming in, the prospect of those controversies continuing in 2023 seems probable.

By way of recap, the following is a summary of the education bills that were relevant during the recent lame duck session (November 15th through December 15th) and their status.

SB 178, a bill to overhaul the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) and remove many of the duties of the State Board of Education, became a hot topic during the month-long lame duck session. Hours of testimony, first in the Senate and then in the House, led to differing opinions between the two chambers. The Senate passed the bill along party lines. However, the House had less than a week to consider the measure, and in the end, declined to agree with the Senate.

An interesting technical move by the Senate proved fatal to SB 178 as well as two or three other proposals that were left on the table. HB 151 included another controversial proposal that was added to the bill at the last minute before being passed by the House in June. This bill was originally introduced to modify the Ohio Teacher Residency Program. However, the so-called “Save Women’s Sports Act” (HB 61) was amended into HB 151 during a floor vote in the House. HB 61 would prohibit transgender girls from playing on girls’ sports teams.

When the Senate saw that the House Primary and

Secondary Education Committee did not have enough votes to pass SB 178, the provisions from SB 178 were amended into HB 151 on the Senate floor with hopes that if considered by the full House, it would pass. There was also an amendment added to prohibit the discrimination of students and staff not vaccinated for the COVID 19 virus. This meant that HB 151 contained provisions to:

• Modify the Ohio Teacher Residency Program

• Prohibit transgender girls from playing on a girls’ sports team

• Reorganize the Department of Education and the role of the State Board

• Prohibit discrimination for non-vaccinated staff and students

In order for the House to agree to the Senate’s changes to a bill it had already approved (HB 151), a floor vote was needed; only a “yes” or “no” vote (no amendments) would determine the fate of these issues. The House failed to approve the Senate changes to the bill. The final vote was 46-41, but a majority vote is needed for concurrence (50 votes).

Reasons for opposition to concurrence with the Senate version of HB 151 varied among those who voted “no.” Some opposed the bill because of concerns over the restructuring of ODE and giving more power to the governor. There were others who voted in opposition, possibly for political reasons. For example, some legislators may want to have a bigger influence on such measures when they are debated by the next General Assembly. This means that none of these issues are dead; we can expect to see them again in 2023.

Bills affecting public education that were passed during the lame duck session include:

HB 45 ~ this bill was used as a vehicle to appropriate federal ESSER funds, including distribution of ESSER III money to schools. It also included other measures affecting schools:

• Increases the phase-in of DPIA (Disadvantaged

Pupil Impact Aid) funds in the current fiscal year from 14% to 33%

• Permanently prohibits the enforcement of required storm shelters for school construction projects

• Changes the weights in the transportation funding formula for charter and private school students

• Increases the income limit and the dollar value of the Educational Savings Account program (established in the last budget bill) for voucher students to use for tutoring purposes

HB 554 ~ A bill to allow for a temporary two-year license for teachers whose licenses have lapsed, was amended to include a number of other provisions including:

• Provide a College Credit Plus student from a military family, who must relocate due to military duties, the opportunity to complete courses remotely where possible

• Provisions from SB 356 to raise the age for developmentally delayed students from age six to age ten

HB 458 ~ Eliminates the August Special Election option

SB 288 ~ Amended by the House to include the provisions from HB 105, a bill to require age-appropriate student instruction in child sexual abuse and sexual violence prevention, and in-service staff training in child sexual abuse prevention.

Unfortunately, another education-related bill that did not make it to the end was HB 497, a bill to remove the retention requirement from the Third Grade Reading Guarantee. The bill was in play for a possible amendment to SB 178, but it did not get added. The Senate Primary and Secondary Education Committee Chairman, Andy Brenner (R – Delaware), has indicated he will consider taking the proposal up in the next General Assembly. OAESA has worked hard to promote HB 497, so we hope members will continue to speak with legislators about the bill.

As you can see, there are many education issues that are likely to resurface as we move into 2023. In addition to those which have been mentioned here, a new state budget for education funding will be proposed in February, and we expect to see proposals to promote a “Backpack Bill” (a bill to provide vouchers for every student in Ohio to attend a private school) introduced early in the 135th General Assembly.

The need for OAESA members to engage with local legislators is more important than ever! If you have questions or need more information, feel free to email barbaracshaner@gmail.com.

Committed to helping educators

equitable.com/educators

Equitable is the brand name of the retirement and protection subsidiaries of Equitable Holdings, Inc., including Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company (NY, NY) and Equitable Distributors, LLC. Equitable Advisors, LLC (member FINRA, SIPC) (Equitable Financial Advisors in MI & TN). GE-3334989 (11/20) (Exp. 11/22)

ohio association of elementary school administrators

feature story

Four wayS to Strategically SuPPort your Human caPital management SyStem

BY TONY BAGSHAW

People are a crucial part of a school system. Every adult is integral in creating an educational experience that prepares students to succeed in our rapidly changing and complex world.

Because school systems put so much of their financial resources into people – on average, more than 80% – it’s essential that their people can deliver a quality student experience.

Now is the time to take an innovative and strategic approach to human capital management, given the current education landscape. A recent Gallup survey asked workers across the country to indicate how frequently they felt burnt out at work. Forty-four percent of respondents who work in K-12 education reported they always or very often felt burnt out – a higher rate than workers in any other industry.

There has also been a significant decline in the number of people completing education degrees. Over the past 20 years, Ohio has seen almost a 36% decline in the number of individuals completing pre-service programs. A new approach to attracting, growing, and keeping educators is needed so all students can access high-quality learning experiences.

Thinking of human capital management as a system is a powerful way to begin the transformation. When human capital strategies align with an organization’s vision for learning, it creates a cohesive system working to serve and support all students.

While every school system is unique, there are four core areas that a comprehensive human capital management system should address:

Align your human capital system to your vision. Once you identify your vision for all students, a natural

next step is to identify the competencies adults in the school system need to deliver on that vision. Those competencies should be embedded throughout a comprehensive human capital system and well-monitored by data. This will drive continuous improvement and help your school district become an employer of choice. One example is Reynoldsburg City Schools, where they have defined and elevated the competencies it seeks in its professionals through their Portrait of an Educator.

Find the best talent.

A great hire is one of the best investments a system can make. With a clear brand supported by key messaging, systems can tell their stories and attract applicants who will contribute to achieving the organizational vision. For example, Reynoldsburg City Schools created a video that further explains its vision of a professional in their district and acts as a recruiting tool.

The quality of a system’s recruitment and hiring practices drives its ability to bring top talent into the organization. A people system that consistently finds, attracts, and hires the best candidates includes data-driven processes to:

• Identify staffing needs,

• Uncover the sources of high-performing employees,

• Identify strengths and values to communicate your employment brand, and

• Select the best person for the job.

Grow people with professional learning aligned with the vision.

A comprehensive human capital management system helps all employees—from the newest to the most experienced—grow. This includes processes for supporting new staff, assessing employee performance, and using data to provide ongoing feedback, customized support, and growth opportunities. An effective human capital system balances employees’ specific professional learning needs with those of the organization to ensure

efforts align with strategic priorities. This is evident in Washington Local Schools, where the district has developed a year-long onboarding process for certified and classified staff to support employees’ personal and professional growth. The goal is to help all employees reach their full potential.

Keep engaged, high-performing employees. A culture that values stakeholder voices, maintains transparency, and fosters collaboration is key to any highperforming people system. Organizations should seek continuous feedback from staff to identify opportunities for improving the culture and developing practices that foster employee engagement and wellbeing. They should also establish meaningful systems for recognizing and rewarding excellence to help retain high-performing employees.

The processes within the system that promote an inclusive and equitable environment also help support a diverse workforce. Milford Exempted Village Schools has started refining processes for measuring and addressing employee engagement data. These processes have already elevated employee voice and built trust throughout the district.

Reimagining human capital in your school system is no small undertaking. It takes time and intentionality, but the results will benefit your system and students. The

Ohio Department of Education also recognizes the importance of this work and has developed the Human Capital Resource Center to support your efforts. Created with input from organizations like OAESA, BASA, OASSA, higher education representatives, and practitioners from around the state, this website offers toolkits, guides, templates, blogs, and professional learning opportunities to help Ohio educators make decisions about finding, supporting, and elevating the people working in their districts. Visit ohiohcrc.org to get started.

About the Author: Tony Bagshaw serves as a Chief Learning Officer at Battelle for Kids, where he leads the Human Capital team and provides strategic counsel and implementation support to school districts. Battelle for Kids is a national, not-for-profit organization with the mission of realizing the power and promise of 21st century, deeper learning for every student. Connect with Tony via email, tbagshaw@bfk.org, or Twitter, @Tony_Bagshaw.

feature story

beneFitS oF Financial wellneSS For educatorS

BY MATT KLIEWER

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for a financial wellness and benefits package, but employers can help their employees establish a foundation of employee benefits and educational opportunities that can provide sound financial knowledge, improving their financial stability and helping them achieve the long-term financial goals that lead to financial wellness.

When considering financial wellness opportunities for educator employees, it is imperative to consider the unique challenges educators face – in and out of the classroom.

• Financial literacy

• Student loan debt

• Out-of-pocket classroom spending

• Retirement savings gaps

Financial literacy

Greater financial literacy is linked to higher financial wellbeing. A 2022 study¹ showed that individuals with low levels of financial literacy tend to be less satisfied with their current financial situation and are:

• 6 times more likely to have difficulty making ends meet

• 3 times more likely to be debt constrained

• 3 times more likely to be unable to cope with a $2,000 financial shock

• 5 times more likely to lack emergency savings sufficient to cover one month of living expenses

• 4 times more likely to spend 10 hours or more per week dealing with personal finance issues.

Educational workshops focused on financial wellness can help educators understand the financial basics of spending, budgeting and saving wisely, including establishing and maintaining good credit, creating a monthly budget, the importance of saving early and the power of compound earnings. Workshops focused on preparing for retirement can show educators how their state retirement benefits and supplemental retirement plans can work together to help them achieve retirement

goals, as well as discuss options for filling any financial gaps that may exist.

Financial literacy educational opportunities for employees can help provide resources needed for them to make informed financial decisions today and better plan for their financial futures so they can stay in the job.

Student loan debt

One of the biggest issues impacting educators outside of the classroom is the potential burden of student loan debt. More than 60% of educators have student loan debt, and that debt weighs heavily on their ability to stay in the profession, with 34% considering leaving the profession due to financial stress.²

Although student loan debt plays a major role in employee retention and financial wellness, it may be surprising that 77% of educators haven’t heard about loan forgiveness opportunities from their loan servicer, and 80% haven’t heard about it from their school district.² Without awareness of the forgiveness opportunities available to them, educators may not know what programs they qualify for or how to get started.

In addition to lack of awareness, the U.S. Department of Education shows that 98% of applications for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) from November 9, 2020 to April 30, 2021 were rejected – with only two out of every hundred applicants approved.³

With limited awareness and high rejection rates, educators may be left feeling hopeless in their struggle with student loan debt – adding to the concern with staying in their profession. By providing awareness, resources and tools to aid educators in making progress toward student loan debt relief, administrators may see an increase in employee retention and morale — a particularly worthwhile goal in the current educational landscape.

Out-of-pocket classroom spending

On average, teachers spend over $500 of their own money on classroom supplies and materials. Traditional school fundraising activities to cover costs for unmet needs, such as bake sales, raffles, or PTA auctions, can be labor intensive and require students, teachers and parents to devote time and resources to help meet the goals.

To aide in lowering out of pocket spending and limit additional fundraising efforts, promoting and providing education for crowdfunding services like DonorsChoose could prove effective in assisting with financial resources educators may need while also simplifying the process involved in obtaining those resources. On average, 82% of projects posted to DonorsChoose are funded.⁴

DonorsChoose is a nonprofit organization that connects teachers in need of classroom resources with donors that want to help. These resources help students both in and out of the classroom. Since 2000, DonorsChoose has enabled the funding of more than 2.25 million classroom projects and have brought in more than $1.27 billion in resources to public school classrooms.⁴

The retirement savings gap

Many states offer a state teachers retirement pension, but it is important to consider if state pensions will provide enough income to support educators’ retirement goals. Depending on the retirement lifestyle they

would like to enjoy, their goals might be to maintain approximately the same income they had while working. However, many state systems only replace about 60% or less of final year educator income.

About the Author: Matt Kliewer is the Association Director in Ohio for Horace Mann Educators Corporation, the country’s largest multiline insurance and financial services company serving educators. At Horace Mann, we know educators are taking care of our children’s future, and we believe they deserve someone to look after theirs. We provide auto, home, life, and supplemental insurance to protect what teachers and school employees have today, and retirement and financial solutions to help them secure their future. Connect with Matt at association. relations@horacemann.com and @HoraceMann

¹Lusardi, Annamaria, and Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center. “How financial literacy varies among US adults”, 2022 ²Horace Mann Educators Student Loan Debt Study, June 2020 ³forbes.com/sites/adamminsky/2021/06/14/new-data-shows-mostwho-apply-to-this-student-loan-forgiveness-program-are-denied ⁴DonorsChoose

DonorsChoose is not an affiliate of Horace Mann. The information provided here is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered an individualized recommendation or personalized investment, tax or legal advice.

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Student Loan Solutions Workshops

We have a unique understanding of the challenges school districts and their employees face every day — in and out of the classroom. And we’ve created a suite of real, workable solutions to help. To lear n more about how we can work together to help your employees achieve financial success, contact a Horace Mann representative or visit h horacemann com

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leadership by experiencing pertinent professional development that the administrators can put into action immediately.

The premise of this book is that schools can take great strides toward improvement if leaders are granted the opportunity of working together to problem solve a specific area in a school. The authors make the point that teachers have been collaborating together for years, but this book analyzes what could be achieved when administrators collaborate together and learn cooperatively.

PRINCIPAL LABS

Strengthening Instructional Leadership Through Shared Learning

By Samantha Keesling, Megan Kortlandt, and Carly Stone

Review by Maria Call, Curriculum Director, Berne Union Local School District

Principal Labs details a strategic framework for collaboration that can be used by school administrators in order to engage in shared learning opportunities with other school leaders. Principal Labs were created by the three authors, who have a diverse portfolio of educational experiences, after they realized that principals often times feel isolated, unprepared, and in dire need of collaboration with other administrators. The authors crafted a way for principals to gain insights from each other in order to make positive changes to their instructional

Principal labs are essentially jobembedded professional development sessions which take place with a number of members from the administrative team, curriculum department, and other instructional leadership positions. The group forms a think-tank of sorts in order to help a particular school with a specified area where they would like to see change occur. A lab is comprised of four components: relationship building, participating in an anchoring experience together, conducting a shared observation, and gathering back together to gain feedback and develop vision.

The authors provided many resources that would make implementing a principal lab in one’s own district attainable. There are a number of agendas, flowcharts, observation record logs, and example labs for the reader to use as a guide when organizing a lab for the first time. It is repeatedly emphasized that collaboration is at the crux of the activity. Individuals must push past their need to appear completely

BOOK

REVIEWS

FOR THE PRINCIPAL & SCHOOL LIBRARY

confident and open themselves up to the vulnerability of admitting there is an area of weakness that they would like assistance with improving. A principal lab is not a one-anddone activity. Labs should be done periodically throughout the year in different buildings and with different spotlights so that multiple building principals can benefit from each other’s knowledge and insights.

The authors were very clear on the format of a principal lab and provide ample support and resources so that the reader can implement a lab of their own in their school. While the middle of the book drags a bit as the authors detail several labs that they have conducted over the years, overall, the book is enjoyable and easy to read. One word of warning to potential readers of this book would be that the authors wrote under the premise that school districts are inherently large enough to have a large group of school leaders available to collaborate. However, if you work in a smaller district, you would need to tweak the scale of a principal lab to work with fewer individuals. It is still possible to conduct a lab at a smaller school district, but implementation may need to be altered a bit to suit the needs of a smaller school.

If you are a school leader who sees the value of learning with and from other school leaders, who has an area in your school that you would like to see improved upon, and who is open to the suggestions of your contemporaries, then Principal Labs: Strengthening Instructional Leadership Through Shared Learning would be a wonderful option for you.

SHE LEADS

The Women’s Guide to a Career in Educational Leadership

By Dr. Rachael George and Majalise Tolan

Q&A With Katie Nowak, Director of Assessment and Accountability, New Albany-Plain Local Schools, OAESA President Elect, and NAESP National Book Study Facilitator

NAESP’s Center for Women in Leadership has been hosting a National Book Study on the book, She Leads: The Women’s Guide to a Career in Educational Leadership. This heartfelt and honest book is full of personal stories, lessons learned, and wonderful takeaways to empower women leaders to embrace their dreams, break through barriers, and lead with authenticity. Several OAESA Board members have been a part of this opportunity, and have enjoyed it so much that we are kicking off an Ohio She Leads book study at the Women in Leadership Conference on January 31, 2023 at the Hilton Columbus at Easton.

What’s your biggest takeaway since being part of this book study? As women in leadership, it’s

tHere’S a Seat For you at tHe table! book review and book Study oPPortunity

important for us to build each other up, remember that we were hired for a reason, and to proudly share our voices, experiences, and perspectives to make a difference.

What do the connections you’ve made through the book study mean to you?

It’s very empowering to have connections with incredible women leaders from across the country to share stories, experiences, perspectives, and to learn from one another. We are excited to kick off our own Ohio- She Leads Book Study to empower women in leadership across the state of Ohio creating a community of connection, fun, and networking. This opportunity is open to any PreK-12 administrator who wants to be connected and supported by other outstanding women leaders.

How have you implemented lessons you’ve learned through the book study in your leadership?

I think an important lesson learned for me, as I recently transitioned from being a building principal for 11 years to a district leadership role that supports principals and our entire learning campus is to: “Throw out any self-doubt and break through your imposter syndrome.” As part of the book study, there was emphasis on knowing we all have those moments when we are learning and growing where self doubt can

creep in, but we are called to lead, we belong, and are meant to do this important work. Also, the idea of supporting other women as they move along their career path is just as rewarding as moving yourself. During my time as an administrator, I have been able to coach and support several of my assistant principals into head principal roles, and it’s certainly rewarding to mentor and elevate other women.

Why would you recommend joining this book study?

I absolutely recommend joining this book study to share experiences, engage in new learning, and feel the incredible sense of empowerment and belonging that comes from being connected to other women leaders in education. We will delve into the book She Leads to discuss strategies and lessons learned from breaking through barriers, landing your dream job, knowing your worth, networking, risk taking, and being your own authentic leader. Join a community of women committed to networking, collaboration, professional learning, and fun.

Come join us at the Women in Leadership Conference

Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, 2023

More information and registration available at: oaesa.org/events/

ohio association of elementary school administrators

Laura Boothroyd Director of

Kristin Folta Director of

news from the association

CALL FOR ARTICLES

Submit your article for the spring 2023 issue of the Principal Navigator magazine, Stay Gold: Honoring Our Past. Inspiring Your Future. Articles are due March 1. Please contact navigator@oaesa.org for more information.

BE A WINNER, REGISTER EARLY!

Register for the Professional Conference by Apr. 30th to get your name in the drawing for one of two $500 giveaways to fund a project at your school. Sponored by Horace Mann and DonorsChoose.org

SUPPORT ASPIRING ADMINISTRATORS!

Share OAESA’s Preparing to Lead event, on March 9th, with aspiring administrators in your district. Information and registration at oaesa.org/events

“Resources and Initiatives” tab in the member resources section of our website!

ohio association of elementary school administrators

to OAESA’s new and renewed members

ZONE 1

Jodi Bowen

Kathi McCorkle

Robert Wilds

ZONE 2

Tyler Arnold

Patrick Clark

Joshua Drouhard

Christy Gregory Lisa Jackson

Christina Kirby

Megan Markham

Darlene Mason Michelle Michael Jacqueline Morris Julia Perry Jacob White

ZONE 3

Deborah Adamcazak

Tina Bailey

Amy Cain

Amy Hegyi

Bryce Hodge

Evan Hunsaker

Michelle Lane

Peter Lisi Kendall Newell Victoria Palmieri

Stephanie Reynolds Ashley Searight Patrick Smith Rebecca Warner

ZONE 4

Matthew Beakas

Nathan Blust

Katie Bylow

Constantine Chrysochoos

Ashlee Fravel

Kimberly George Blake Green

Melissa Hall

Jennifer Knoblauch

Kelly Koller

Kim Lammers

Michele Roberts

Lucas Smith

Nate Sorg Matt Szyndler

John Word

ZONE 5

Cristina Alarcon-Woskobunik

Michael Anderson

Angie Carpenter

Jessica Duffey

Kyle Ellwood

Jeff Holzhauer

Katie Huff Matthew Jacobs Nicole Joseph Christin Klingmann

Erin Lynn Chris Miller

Angie Pace Thomas Piscitello

Ashli Reineck

Allison Schumacher Jonathan Smith Colleen Szesze

Tabatha Varner Kelly Whiteamire

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Darby Baumberger

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Cheryl DeVaul Vassimo Dillard

Marnie Fletcher Caitlin Gerl

Sydney Gruhin Marko Gvozdenovic

Kenya Harrington Anthony Hermann Monique Hicks Heath Horton Devon Johnson Philip Kern Shanna Kovi

Vickie Lewis

Jonathan Lubas

Bob Magyar

Sherri Martin

Florence Masella

Alvin Cory McDaniel Jeff Miller Erin Minch

Ashley Mivsek

Bailey Morres Ronnie Neal Bryan Petsche Anne Priemer

Sharon Reedus-Sanders

Daniel Savage Deedra Thompson Lucas Varouh Jasmine Venson Kelly Walland Andrew Ziccardi

ZONE 7

Jessika Fuentes-Gonzalez

Patrick Griffis Stan Koterba Lisa Oberdier Victor Torres III Bradley Yeager

ZONE 8

Justin Brosey Jeff McKenzie Erin Neitzelt Lori Roberts Steven Rowe Marcus Simpson Carinaa Weaver Jennifer Wooding

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William Britton Diane Enama Emma Marshall Hannah Moore Christopher Stanton

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Leania Alli Christina Barnard Rachel Beck Jessica Bedra Eric Butler

Phillipa Carey Susan Casto

Melissa DeHart

Katina Foley Celeste Gaver

Rachael Hanagan Angela Hayes

Kathryn Hoffmann

Lisa Johnson Emily Karst Rachel Lacy Tiffany Lewis Rick Logue Erika Lomonico Lindsay Maltz Joshua Martin

Katherine McCune Jesse McKown Tiena Miller Jennifer Minnich Stephanie Mirich Kyla Mitchell Ryan Morford Amanda Murphy Emily Nelson Devan Obey Rebecca Pack Julie Payne Andrew Shrake Rebecca Slater Kirsten Smith Scott Snyder

Amanda Statler Jessica Waddell Ryan Wallace Robert Wheelwright Brandon Whitt

Shatoya Wilburn Colleen Wildenhaus Mady Willcox Ebony Woodard

Professional Plus $395.00 Professional $295.00 Aspiring Plus $160.00 Aspiring $60.00 Associate Plus $160.00 Associate $60.00 Retired $60.00 Institutional $60.00 For membership definitions, please view back side. For $100, your professional, aspiring, or associate membership can be upgraded to a PLUS membership allowing 12-month access to the OAESA 360 Feedback Tool. (optional

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